XML 53 R8.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.6
The Business
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
The Business [Abstract]  
Nature of Operations [Text Block]
The Business
 
Overview
 
NeoStem, Inc. (“we,” “NeoStem” or the “Company”) is a leader in the emerging cellular therapy industry. Cellular therapy addresses the process by which new cells are introduced into a tissue to prevent or treat disease, or regenerate damaged or aged tissue, and comprises a separate therapeutic technology platform in addition to the current three pillars of healthcare: pharmaceuticals, biologics and medical devices. Modern cell-based therapies have progressed from the first recorded human to human blood transfusion 200 years ago through to the advanced cellular therapies of today including bone marrow and organ transplantation, tissue banking and reproductive in vitro fertilization and future therapies being investigated to treat cancer, cardiologic, neurologic, ophthalmic and orthopedic diseases among others. We anticipate that cellular therapies will have a large role in the fight against chronic disease and in lessening the economic burden that these diseases pose to modern society.

Our business model includes the development of novel proprietary cell therapy products as well as operating a contract development and manufacturing organization (“CDMO”) providing services to others in the regenerative medicine industry. The combination of a therapeutic development business and revenue-generating service provider business provides the Company with unique capabilities for cost effective in-house product development and immediate revenue and cash flow generation.

    Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC, our wholly owned subsidiary (“PCT”), is a leading CDMO in the cellular therapy industry. Since its inception in 1997, PCT has provided pre-clinical and clinical current Good Manufacturing Practice (“cGMP”) development and manufacturing services to over 100 clients advancing regenerative medicine product candidates through rigorous quality standards all the way through to human testing. PCT has two cGMP, state-of-the art cell therapy research, development, and manufacturing facilities in New Jersey and California, serving the cell therapy community with integrated and regulatory compliant distribution capabilities. Its core competencies in the cellular therapy industry include manufacturing of cell therapy-based products, product and process development, cell and tissue processing, regulatory support, storage, distribution and delivery and consulting services.
 
Our wholly-owned subsidiary, Amorcyte, LLC (“Amorcyte”), which we acquired in October 2011, is developing our own cell therapy, AMR-001, for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. AMR-001 represents our most clinically advanced therapeutic product candidate and enrollment for our Phase 2 PreSERVE clinical trial to investigate AMR-001's safety and efficacy in preserving heart function after a heart attack in a particular type of post Acute Myocardial Infarction (“AMI”) patients commenced in 2012. We expect to complete enrollment for this study in 2013 with the first data readout available six to eight months thereafter.
If approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") and/or other worldwide regulatory agencies, AMR-001 would address a significant unmet medical need in the treatment of AMI, potentially improving the quality and longevity of life for those afflicted, and position the Company to capture a meaningful share of the worldwide AMI market.

Through our majority-owned subsidiary, Athelos Corporation (“Athelos”), we are collaborating with Becton-Dickinson in early stage clinical development of a therapy utilizing T-cells, collaborating for autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, including but not limited to, graft vs. host disease, type 1 diabetes, steroid resistant asthma, lupus, multiple sclerosis and solid organ transplant rejection. We plan to investigate the clinical feasibility of nTreg-based therapeutics to prevent and/or treat type 1 diabetes, graft vs. host disease, steroid resistant asthma, lupus, multiple sclerosis and solid organ transplant rejection and expect to file an Investigational New Drug Application ("IND") with the FDA in 2013 and commence human clinical studies in one of these disease conditions thereafter.

Our pre-clinical assets include our VSEL TM (Very Small Embryonic Like) Technology platform for which we expect to file an IND with the FDA in late 2013 or early 2014 to initiate an National Institutes of Health ("NIH") funded human clinical studies treating periodontitis with VSELsTM. We are also working on a Department of Defense funded study of VSELsTM and mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of chronic wounds.

NeoStem's origins are in adult stem cell collection and storage and we believe that as new therapeutics are developed utilizing one's own stored cells (autologous), the market penetration rate for the collection and storage business may rise sharply from its current low single digits percentage level allowing our developing a network to scale rapidly if the demand grows.

    
In 2011, we operated our business in three reportable segments: (i) Cell Therapy — United States; (ii) Regenerative Medicine — China; and (iii) Pharmaceutical Manufacturing — China. In 2012, we exited our operations in China. Effective March 31, 2012, we no longer operated in the Regenerative Medicine – China reportable segment, which is now reported in discontinued operations (see Note 16). On November 13, 2012, we completed the sale of our 51% interest in Suzhou Erye, which represented the operations in our Pharmaceutical Manufacturing - China segment, and is also reported in discontinued operations (see Note 16). As a result, we currently operate in a single reporting segment - Cell Therapy, which will focus on CDMO and cell therapy development programs.

We believe that NeoStem is ideally positioned to be an integrated leader in the cell therapy industry. We have significant basic research and development capabilities, manufacturing facilities on both the east and west coast of the United States, the support of regulatory and logistical expertise and a talented and experienced clinical team. We believe this expertise will allow us to achieve our mission of becoming the premier cell therapy company.

Basis of Presentation
 
The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“generally accepted accounting principles”) and include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned and partially owned subsidiaries, the operations of our former Regenerative Medicine - China segment through the deconsolidation date on March 31, 2012 (see Note 16), and the operations of our former Pharmaceutical Manufacturing - China reporting segment through November 13, 2012, the date on which the segment was sold (see Note 16). In the opinion of management, the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, include all normal and recurring adjustments considered necessary to present fairly the Company's financial position as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the periods presented.
 
Use of Estimates
 
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements. Estimates also affect the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Accordingly, actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
Principles of Consolidation
 
The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of NeoStem, Inc. and its wholly owned and partially owned subsidiaries and affiliates as listed below, as well as the operations of our former Regenerative Medicine - China segment through the deconsolidation date on March 31, 2012 (see Note 16), and the operations of our former Pharmaceutical Manufacturing - China reporting segment through November 13, 2012, representing the date which the segment was sold (see Note 16). These former segments are reported in discontinued operations.
 
Entity
 
Percentage of Ownership
 
Location
NeoStem, Inc.
 
Parent  Company
 
United States of America
NeoStem Therapies, Inc.
 
100%
 
United States of America
Stem Cell Technologies, Inc.
 
100%
 
United States of America
Amorcyte, LLC
 
100%
 
United States of America
CBH Acquisition LLC
 
100%
 
United States of America
China Biopharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc. (CBH)*  
 
100% owned by CBH Acquisition LLC
 
United States of America
Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC (PCT)
 
100%
 
United States of America
NeoStem Family Storage, LLC
 
100% owned by PCT
 
United States of America
Athelos Corporation
 
80.1% owned by PCT
 
United States of America
PCT Allendale, LLC
 
100% owned by PCT
 
United States of America


* The 51% interest in Erye formerly held by our subsidiary CBH was sold on November 13, 2012.