Full Press Release Details
Subsidiary LifeMap Sciences Announces Release of LifeMap
Version 1.5 with GeneAnalytics ,
a Powerful Gene Expression Analysis Tool
ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--January 17, 2014--LifeMap Sciences,
Inc., a subsidiary of BioTime, Inc. (NYSE MKT: BTX), announced today the
release of LifeMap Discovery version 1.5 (discovery.lifemapsc.com).
LifeMap Discovery is a state-of-the-art roadmap of embryonic
development and stem cell biology. The product integrates embryonic
development and stem cell biology, molecular, cellular, anatomical, and
disease-related information, and provides data-mining capabilities and
bioinformatics applications. As such, it is a unique and powerful tool
for research and discovery in multiple disciplines, including stem cell
biology, developmental biology, disease mechanisms and etiology.
LifeMap Discovery is a key component in LifeMap's integrated
database suite, a discovery platform for biomedical and stem cell
research, which also includes GeneCards , the
leading human gene database (www.genecards.org), and MalaCards,
the human disease database (www.malacards.org). LifeMap Sciences
holds the exclusive worldwide license to market GeneCards
and MalaCards from Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd.,
the commercial arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science.
Version 1.5 of LifeMap Discovery includes the following new
GeneAnalytics - this powerful gene expression analysis
tool integrates and clusters data extracted from multiple and variable
resources, in order to identify tissue-specific gene expression
patterns. It supports analysis of multiple genes and applies a novel
algorithm to match gene sets to tissues, anatomical compartments and
cells in vivo and in vitro within LifeMap Discovery . As such,
it is the most comprehensive analysis tool for modeling gene
expression data in the embryo and the adult body.
New disease cards for cell therapy approaches - information about
diseases that can potentially benefit from cell-based treatments,
including degenerative diseases, intractable diseases, disorders and
injuries, which are characterized by cell death or aberrant cellular
Improved display of signaling- LifeMap Discovery details
~2,000 development-associated signals and their cascades. In this
version we have significantly improved our modeling and display of
signals affecting cell development, thus enhancing the development of
novel differentiation protocols.
Updated development paths for:
Epidermis, along with hair and tooth development
Oligodendrocytes in the brain and spinal cord
Schwann cell in the Peripheral Nervous System
Blood cell development was updated with new gene expression and
signaling information
Adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were mapped in-vivo with their
gene expression profile and developmental origin
77 new differentiation protocols and 126 new in vitro cells were
mapped, particularly updated the following cell types:
Umbilical cord-derived hematopoietic stem cells
Placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells
45 new high throughput experiments and large scale datasets including
the integration of the GNF BioGPS dataset, and a proprietary cultured
cells collection dataset that includes differential expression data
for 131 human primary cells and stem cells.
96 new cell therapy applications, in an ongoing effort to cover the
cell therapy applications developed by industry and nonprofit
"Version 1.5 is a significant step forward in our coverage of stem cell
and developmental data," said Ronit Shtrichman, Ph.D., MBA, Vice
President of Biology at LifeMap Sciences. "The addition of GeneAnalytics
as a platform for identifying gene expression in cells and tissues is
going to be a game-changer for our customers. This novel tool, which
leverages both our manually annotated data, as well as high throughput
data, will enable stem cells researchers to identify their cells and
tissues during differentiation processes and accelerate their research."
"We're very happy to see how well received our platform has been with
stem cell researchers in both academia and industry," stated Yaron
Guan-Golan, Head of Marketing at LifeMap Sciences. "Our recent
presentation at World Stem Cell Summit, San Diego, has opened up many
doors for collaboration in both commercial and academic spaces, and we
will be pursuing them aggressively in the coming months."
About LifeMap Sciences, Inc.
LifeMap Sciences' (www.lifemapsc.com) core technology and
business is based on its Integrated Biomedical Knowledgebase and
discovery platform for biomedical research, which currently includes GeneCards :
the leading human gene database; LifeMap Discovery , the
database of embryonic development, stem cell research and regenerative
medicine; and MalaCards, the human disease database.
LifeMap's products are used in many institutions including academia,
research hospitals, patent offices, and leading biotechnology and
pharmaceutical companies. LifeMap is also engaged in therapeutics
discovery, utilizing LifeMap's proprietary platform to aid in the
development of products for the treatment of degenerative diseases,
including utilizing BioTime's proprietary, PureStem human
progenitor cell lines. In addition to its currently marketed products,
LifeMap is pursuing several new internet and informatics products with
substantial rapid revenue growth potential, leveraging its existing
products and their large user base.
BioTime is a biotechnology company engaged in research and product
development in the field of regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicine
refers to therapies based on stem cell technology that are designed to
rebuild cell and tissue function lost due to degenerative disease or
injury. BioTime's focus is on pluripotent stem cell technology based on
human embryonic stem ("hES") cells and induced pluripotent stem ("iPS")
cells. hES and iPS cells provide a means of manufacturing every cell
type in the human body and therefore show considerable promise for the
development of a number of new therapeutic products. BioTime's
therapeutic and research products include a wide array of proprietary PureStem
progenitors, HyStem hydrogels, culture media,
and differentiation kits. BioTime is developing Renevia (a HyStem