At Risk for Cardiovascular Disease? Find Out with NeoStem's Cardiac Risk Assessment Calculator.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

AGOURA HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 3, 2003

Unique Web Site Tool Shines Light on Potential for Banking Adult Stem

Cells to Avert Disease

Heart disease is the number one killer in America, claiming two new victims every minute and affecting more than 60 million of us overall. Heart attacks generally don't provide telltale signals before they occur, so it is vital to assess risk as early as possible.

Now, getting that potentially life-saving information is just a click away, as NeoStem, Inc. -- a new company committed to pioneering adult stem cell therapeutics -- today unveils its Cardiac Risk Assessment Calculator (www.neostem.com/RiskCalc.aspx), a quick and convenient way for individuals to evaluate a possible increased risk of heart disease.

Requiring just a few minutes to complete, the calculator takes into account such risk factors as age, weight, smoking and alcohol consumption, among others, to make a determination of whether an individual is at increased risk. The calculator also enables users to analyze and educate themselves on those behaviors that can contribute to an overall increased risk.

This knowledge can then lead individuals to consider such preventative options as diet modification, smoking cessation -- or the new option of adult stem cell banking. The calculator provides personalized, confidential information on which users can act, although it is strongly recommended that individuals consult a physician for a more thorough assessment.

"Heart disease is far too common in our society, but sadly, many of the time-tested approaches to avoiding it simply aren't taken seriously," said Denis Rodgerson, Ph.D, CEO, NeoStem. "To a large extent, cardiovascular disease is preventable, but knowing your risk is the essential first step to taking control of what could well be a life-threatening situation."

Medically speaking, the body does not produce new heart cells when existing ones are killed by heart attacks. Clinical studies indicate that autologous adult stem cells -- that is, one's own stem cells, which can be obtained through peripheral blood -- can be effective in repairing damage after a coronary attack.

Currently, a 300-person clinical trial in Europe is seeking to establish that transplanting one's own adult stem cells can repair heart muscle damage following a heart attack and thereby become a standard of care. This full-scale trial appears to signify a change in using adult stem cells for treatment of "mainstream" -- rather than esoteric -- diseases.

According to the American Heart Association, "stem cell research offers great promise. It could be used to develop dramatic new procedures and techniques to reverse degenerative heart disease. For example, it may help generate new, healthy heart tissue, valves and other vital tissues and structures."

Adult stem cells are different from embryonic stem cells, which have been the source of so much controversy. Obtaining these stem cells does not involve embryos or fetuses and, more importantly, adult stem cell transplantation is an established medical procedure for many diseases, without ethical or religious taint. Far from being limited, the supply of adult stem cells that can prolong life is more than adequate to meet the need.

Emerging therapies involving autologous adult stem cells are expected to grow rapidly as regenerative medicine revolutionizes treatment options in the 21st Century. According to the National Institutes of Health, the therapeutic use of stem cells will become a cornerstone of medicine within the next two decades.

About NeoStem

Based in Agoura Hills, Calif., NeoStem Inc. (www.neostem.com) is pioneering the pre-disease collection, processing and storage of adult stem cells for future medical treatments. NeoStem is engaged in autologous stem cell collection for therapy, which does not involve embryonic or fetal stem cells in any way. NeoStem was founded by former executives and founders of StemCyte, Inc., the world's second largest umbilical cord stem cell bank. In addition to other proprietary intellectual properties in the field of stem cell therapeutics, cellular biology and laboratory medicine, the company has developed and filed numerous patents on the processing techniques and therapeutic applications of adult stem cells for future healthcare needs.