Stay alert to the latest and greatest on stem cells.  Enjoy this week’s “3 Bullet Thursday,” a weekly post that we do to update you on interesting and important events within the world of stem cells. 

1. In major news this week, Astellas Pharma announced it is acquiring Ocata Therapeutics for $379M. Astellas, a major drug company in Japan, will pay $8.50 a share, a 79% premium over the stock price last Friday. Ocata, which changed its name from Advanced Cell Technology last November, specializes in using pluripotent stem cells, such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), to treat diseases of the eye. [Read more…]