SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 29, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amarantus Bioscience Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB:AMBS), a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of novel diagnostics and therapeutics related to endoplasmic reticulum stress, cell cycle dysregulation, neurodegeneration and apoptosis, today announced that it is establishing a research collaboration with researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM). The Company will work together with BUSM Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery Dr. Robert Stern to evaluate the feasibility of using the LymPro Test ® as a blood based test to identify patients early in the disease process of the neurodegenerative diseases, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

"We are pleased to be establishing this collaboration to evaluate the potential of LymPro in this emerging area of medical interest," said Gerald E. Commissiong, President and CEO of Amarantus. "While the research is early in nature, there is a strong scientific basis to believe that the cell cycle dysregulation that LymPro measures in Alzheimer's patients may have relevance to Traumatic Brain Injury and CTE. We are hopeful the information generated from this study will provide further insights for the field as we learn more about CTE."

Dr. Stern, who is the Clinical Core Director at the BU Alzheimer's Disease Center, has grant funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund his work on developing methods of detecting and diagnosing CTE during life; this was the first grant for CTE ever funded by NIH (co-funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the National Institute on Aging, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development). As part of the study, Stern and his colleagues have already examined over 70 former NFL players and 20 same age elite non-contact sport athletes.

"Cell cycle dysregulation is an emerging area of interest in Alzheimer's disease and Traumatic Brain Injury," said Dr. Stern. "We are hopeful the data gathered from this study will inform future studies into this important and emerging field of medical science."

About Amarantus

Amarantus is a biotechnology company developing treatments and diagnostics for diseases associated with neurodegeneration and protein misfolding-related apoptosis. The Company has licensed Eltoprazine a phase 2b ready indication for Parkinson's Levodopa induced dyskinesia. The Company has an exclusive worldwide license to the Lymphocyte Proliferation test ("LymPro Test®") for Alzheimer's disease and owns the intellectual property rights to a therapeutic protein known as Mesencephalic-Astrocyte-derived Neurotrophic Factor ("MANF") and is developing MANF-based products as treatments for brain disorders. Amarantus is a Founding Member of the Coalition for Concussion Treatment (#C4CT), a movement initiated in collaboration with Brewer Sports International seeking to raise awareness of new treatments in development for concussions and nervous-system disorders. The Company also owns intellectual property for the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease ("NuroPro") and the discovery of neurotrophic factors ("PhenoGuard"). For further information please visit www.Amarantus.com, or connect with the Company on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+.

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CONTACT: Investor/Media Contacts
         Aimee Boutcher, Director of Investor Relations
         Amarantus Bioscience Holdings, Inc.
         408-737-2734 x 101
         ir@amarantus.com

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