Due to political fallout and some controversial concerns, financial entities have hesitated to commit to stem cell research. Despite this bleak atmosphere, there is active research and many companies are trying to turn the stem cell breakthroughs into a viable business. This pre-conference event will feature promising companies showcasing their new ventures in therapeutics, tools and services. Learn about their latest strategies for successfully navigating life sciences through the rigors of discovery and development, clinical trials, approval and liquidity. Explore possible partnerships to move this sector of the industry forward.

The unique format of this program will be a series of:

• 5 minute "elevator" presentations

• 5 Powerpoint slides

• @ 5 pm

4:30 Registration

5:00 Venture Capital Forum

Kenneth C. Aldrich, Managing Director, Convergent Ventures (invited)

Teo Forcht Dagi, M.D., MPH, MBA, FACS, FCCM, Partner, HLM Venture Partners & Harvard – MIT, Division of Health, Sciences and Technology Faculty

Jim Sherbloom, MBA, Managing General Partner, Seaflower Ventures

5:30 Five @ Five Company Showcase

Moderator: 
Annette Reynolds, Executive Director, 128 Innovation Capital Group 

Cellix, Ltd.
Making the Most of Screening Outputs - Bringing in Vitro Closer to in Vivo
Vivienne Williams, M.Sc., CEO, Cellix Ltd.

• Cellix Ltd. was founded in 2004 and began trading in 2006 with sales to AstraZeneca and the NIH.  Cellix currently employs 4 people.

• Cellix's signature product, the Microfluidic SP1.0, mimics human capillaries in plastic providing researchers with a dynamic cell-based assay capable of modeling inflammatory diseases which is more physiologically relevant than current static cell-based tests.

• The Microfluidic SP1.0 delivers information about cell adhesion, polarization and migration under continuous flow with a platform that models in vivo flow rates.  It gives researchers information that allows them to make more informed decisions regarding a leads fate in clinical trials - ultimately refining their pipeline and making it safer.  The platform is faster and more relevant than some alternative animal models and simultaneously uses small volumes as it is a microfluidic platform.

• Cellix would like to meet with researchers in the late drug development and lead optimization laboratories as this is where Cellix's technology is of most benefit.

Celsense, Inc.
New Tools to Image Transplanted Cells In Vivo
Charles F. O’Hanlon, III, MBA, President and CEO, Celsense, Inc. 

• Celsense, located in Pittsburgh, PA was founded in 2005.  The company currently employs 5, and has engaged multiple CRO’s and consultants in lieu of employees.

• Celsense offers a fluorocarbon based tracer agent (“Cell Sense”) used to label cells in vitro, such that transplanted cells can be non-invasively imaged in vivo in their anatomical context using MRI.  The long lasting label is sufficiently selective and sensitive for the scientist or clinician to quantify cells in regions of interest.

• Unlike existing optical and iron oxide based labels, the company believes Cell Sense will translate from preclinical studies to clinical use.

• Potential uses include labeling cells in regenerative medicine and immuno therapies.  Cell Sense can also be used to label various immune system cells to observe and measure immune system response and inflammation.

• Celsense is seeking opportunities to collaborate with developers of therapeutics to jointly solve complex cellular imaging problems.

Cytonome, Inc.
Clinical Grade Cell Sorting: A New Platform Enabling Novel Cell Therapies
Lydia Villa-Komaroff, CEO, Cytonome, Inc

Global Cell Solutions, Inc.
Global Eukaryotic Microcarriers (GEM™) – Getting Beyond Flat Biology
Uday Gupta, MBA, President, Global Cell Solutions, Inc.

• GCS was founded in June 2004 through a successful tech transfer from the University of Virginia

• GCS offers a suite of products and solutions to integrate 3D cell culture into biological studies and drug discovery

• GCS goes beyond a technology platform by offering a convenient and sustainable process to the researcher or laboratory facility

• GCS is seeking life science partners to not only optimize 3D cell culture for various cell lines, but also develop relevant 3D cell-based applications

• Since CELLutions Summit 2006, GCS has received angel financing and has solidified several strategic partnerships for the development and co-marketing of products and solutions

Insception Biosciences, Inc.
Cord Blood Stem Cells - A Practical Approach to Commercializing Cell-Based Medicines
Laura Grey, Ph.D., Vice President Research/Business Development, Insception Biosciences, Inc.

• Insception Biosciences, Inc. operates a private cord blood banking service and has established pipeline of stem cell therapeutic products.  The company began operations in 2004 and currently has 22 employees.

• Insception has developed a proprietary bioprocess (INSC01) to expand umbilical cord blood-derived hematopoietic stem cells ex vivo.  Additional technologies include unique bioprocesses to enable expansion of multipotential stem cells isolated from cord blood.     

• The unique closed-system, modular design of Insception's hematopoietic bioprocess (INSC01) allows for safe and effective amplification of stem cells.  

• Insception is seeking collaborative partners to advance its first product, INSC01 (expanded hematopoietic stem cells from cord blood) through the clinic.  This product will be of interest to several categories of potential partners:  biopharmaceutical and cell-based therapy companies, medical device companies and life sciences reagent companies.  Additional capital investment from VCs to advance its cellular therapy pipeline is also being sought.

NanoCulture, LLC
Multilamellar Nanofibrillar Material (MNMs)- Novel Nanocomposites for Applications in Cell Culture
Melvin Schindler, Ph.D., President, NanoCulture, LLC

•  NanoCulture, LLC was founded in 2006 to develop nanomaterials capable of promoting physiologically relevant performance of cell cultures. There is currently 1 employee.

• Multilamellar nanofibrillar materials (MNMs) are a new type of nanocomposite composed of layered stacks of electrospun nanofibers.

• MNMs provide a unique combination of ultra-high surface area/volume and high porosity, important properties for the promotion and sustainability of cell culture at high density.

• These materials should have great benefit in the design and fabrication of bioreactors employed for cell-based biosynthesis of high value biologicals.

• NanoCulture, LLC will work in partnership to develop MNMs for cell specific biological processes e.g. biosynthesis, biocatalysis.

• NanoCulture, LLC seeks partners that manufacture devices or require the capability for high density eukaryotic or prokaryotic cell culture.

Decision makers and experts in licensing, alliance management, business development, strategic planning, technology evaluation, technology transfer, and portfolio management. Capital funding firms including venture capitalists, public & private investors, angel investors, government funding agencies, corporate governance, incubators, and technology transfer centers. And other academic entrepreneurs, executives from start-up, early stage, established small to large biotechs, pharmaceutical companies and related companies and organizations interested in potential partners or to expand their technology portfolio.

For more information, please contact:
Mary Ann Brown, Senior Conference Director, Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Phone: 781-972-5497 Email: mabrown@healthtech.com

For sponsorship information, please contact:
Carol Dinerstein, Manager, Business Development, Cambridge Healthech Institute
Phone: 781-972-5471 Email: dinerstein@healthtech.com