ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 16, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:ASTM), the leading developer of patient-specific, expanded multicellular therapies for the treatment of severe, chronic cardiovascular diseases, today announced that Health Canada has approved the company's clinical trial application (CTA) to initiate the ongoing Phase 2b ixCELL-DCM clinical trial in Canada. The ixCELL-DCM study, which is currently enrolling patients in the United States, is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of ixmyelocel-T in patients with advanced heart failure due to ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

"As we continue to make progress with our ixCELL-DCM clinical trial in the U.S., we are very pleased that Health Canada has also now approved our clinical trial application for ixmyelocel-T," stated David Recker, M.D., acting chief medical officer of Aastrom. "With the addition of new trial sites in Canada, we feel confident that we will be able to maintain the momentum in this important clinical research program while also helping to expand awareness of the benefits of ixmyelocel-T as a potential treatment for patients with advanced heart failure due to ischemic DCM."

About Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a progressive disease of the heart, is a leading cause of heart failure and heart transplantation. DCM is characterized by weakening of the heart muscle and enlargement of the heart chambers, leading to systolic abnormalities (difficulty of the left ventricle to pump blood).  Heart enlargement and poor function generally lead to progressive heart failure with further decline in the ability of the heart to pump blood efficiently throughout the body.

About Aastrom Biosciences

Aastrom Biosciences is the leader in developing patient-specific, expanded multicellular therapies for use in the treatment of patients with severe, chronic cardiovascular diseases. The company's proprietary cell-processing technology enables the manufacture of ixmyelocel-T, a patient-specific multicellular therapy expanded from a patient's own bone marrow and delivered directly to damaged tissues.  Aastrom has advanced ixmyelocel-T into late-stage clinical development, including a Phase 2b clinical trial in patients with ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. For more information, please visit Aastrom's website at www.aastrom.com.

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This document contains forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements concerning clinical trial plans and progress, objectives and expectations, clinical activity timing, intended product development, the performance and contribution of certain individuals and expected timing of collecting and analyzing treatment data, all of which involve certain risks and uncertainties. These statements are often, but are not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," "plans," "expects," "we believe," "we intend," and similar words or phrases, or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "would," "should," "potential," "could," "may," or similar expressions. Actual results may differ significantly from the expectations contained in the forward-looking statements. Among the factors that may result in differences are the inherent uncertainties associated with the closing of the offering described herein, Aastrom's intended use of proceeds in connection with the offering, clinical trial and product development activities, regulatory approval requirements, competitive developments, and the availability of resources and the allocation of resources among different potential uses.  These and other significant factors are discussed in greater detail in Aastrom's Registration Statement on Form S-1 described above, Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current views and Aastrom does not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect a change in its views or events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release except as required by law.

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         The Trout Group

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