SILVER SPRING, MD, August 4, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. (OTCQB: PMCB), a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing targeted treatments for cancer and diabetes using its signature live-cell encapsulation technology, Cell-in-a-Box®, announced today that Chardan Capital Markets LLC, a privately held full service global investment bank specializing in micro, small and mid-cap companies, issued an Industry Update featuring PharmaCyte Biotech. The report can be viewed at www.PharmaCyte.com/reports.
PharmaCyte Biotech’s Chief Executive Officer, Kenneth L. Waggoner, commented on the report saying, “We are very pleased with Chardan’s update of our efforts at PharmaCyte Biotech. As noted in the report, we expect to be fully underway in three clinical trials involving pancreatic cancer and its related symptoms during the first quarter of 2016. These trials consist of a Phase 2b clinical trial in Australia in which our pancreatic cancer treatment will be compared to the current gold standard for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and two clinical trials in the U.S. that deal with the unbearable pain and the accumulation of malignant ascites fluid resulting from advanced pancreatic cancer and other solid abdominal tumors. Our plans are to begin the clinical trials by the fourth quarter of 2015 and possibly sooner, but the start date for the clinical trials will depend upon regulatory approval of Austrianova’s cGMP encapsulation facility in Bangkok, Thailand. That is the facility where our genetically modified living cells will be encapsulated using the Cell-in-a-Box® technology.”
Chardan Capital’s Senior Research Analyst in Healthcare, Keay Nakae, CFA, authored the report, titled, “PMCB: Intriguing Platform for Delivering Targeted Therapies.” The report focuses on PharmaCyte Biotech’s encapsulation technology, Cell-in-a-Box®, and its cancer and diabetes portfolios.
Mr. Keay has over 15 years of experience as a sell-side research analyst covering healthcare companies. He previously worked at Ascendiant Capital, Collins Stewart/CE Unterberg Towbin and Wedbush Morgan Securities. During his career as an equity research analyst, Mr. Nakae has covered small- to large-cap biotechnology, medical device and diagnostic companies that compete in areas of cardiology, gynecology, neurology, urology, oncology, diabetes, aesthetics and cardiac and spine surgery. He has made numerous media appearances on Bloomberg TV and has been quoted in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Time, Business Week and the Los Angeles Times. Mr. Nakae has also been recognized by Forbes magazine in its annual survey of America’s Best Analysts.
About PharmaCyte Biotech
PharmaCyte Biotech is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing and preparing to commercialize treatments for cancer and diabetes based upon a proprietary cellulose-based live-cell encapsulation technology known as “Cell-in-a-Box®.” This unique and patented technology will be used as a platform upon which treatments for several types of cancer, including advanced, inoperable pancreatic cancer and its related symptoms, as well as diabetes are being developed.
PharmaCyte Biotech’s treatment for pancreatic cancer involves encapsulating genetically modified human cells that convert the prodrug ifosfamide into its active or “cancer-killing” form. These encapsulated live cells are placed as close to the tumor as possible to enable the delivery of the highest levels of the cancer-killing drug at the source of the cancer. Ifosfamide is then given intravenously at one-third the normal dose to eliminate the side effects normally associated with chemotherapy. When the ifosfamide comes in contact with the encapsulated live cells through the circulatory system, the activation of ifosfamide takes place at or near the tumor. This “targeted chemotherapy” has proven remarkably effective and safe to use in past clinical trials.
