Monthly Archives: February 2012

By Julia Karow Next-gen sequencing for clinical applications and medical research were big themes at this year's Advances in Genome Biology and Technology meeting in Marco Island, Fla., reflecting the technology's continued move into medicine over the last year. Three conference sessions had a medical theme this year, focusing on the clinical translation of genomics, medical sequencing and genetic variation, and cancer and transcriptomes. And, probably for the first time at this meeting, conference attendees discussed the term "CPT code" — the number assigned to medical and diagnostic services by the American Medical Association to define reimbursement by insurance — in connection with next-gen sequencing-based tests. "Last year, there were just some very preliminary studies that were really at the interface between the basic sciences and the clinic," said Elaine Mardis, co-director of the Genome Institute at Washington University. "What we saw this year … is a focus on groups that are coming up with very defined content, looking very carefully at inherited diseases, and beginning to really transition many of the single-gene or small panel gene tests into now multiple-gene tests that really harness the capabilities of next-generation sequencing data." NGS Gene Panels Heidi Rehm, director of the Laboratory … Continue reading →

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sequenom, Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM - News), a life sciences company providing innovative genetic analysis solutions, today announced that it has filed a motion for preliminary injunction against Aria Diagnostics ("Aria") to stop Aria from making, using, selling or offering for sale, importing or exporting, infringing tests for detecting fetal chromosomal aneuploidy, such as Aria's Harmony Prenatal Test™, pending the ultimate resolution of the litigation. Sequenom's request for preliminary injunction follows the lawsuit filed on January 24, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, which alleges that Aria infringes U.S. Patent No. 6,258,540 ("'540 patent").  Sequenom is requesting that the district court quickly intervene to stop Aria Diagnostics' continued infringement of the '540 patent. Sequenom Center for Molecular Medicine (Sequenom CMM) was the first to market a non-invasive prenatal diagnostics laboratory developed test (LDT) for chromosomal aneuploidy.  Sequenom CMM's MaterniT21™ PLUS LDT detects a genetic chromosomal anomaly known as Trisomy 21, the most common cause of Down syndrome, and also detects trisomies 18 and 13.  The test is available to physicians upon request in major metropolitan regions across the United States. About Sequenom Sequenom, Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM - News) … Continue reading →

Global leader in animal stem cell technology is poised for significant expansion through new partnership with top U.S. companion animal health distribution company. Las Vegas, Nevada (PRWEB) February 22, 2012 MediVet-America, the global leader in veterinary stem cell technology and regenerative medicine, has entered into a distribution partnership with Butler Schein Animal Health, a division of Henry Schein, the leading companion animal health distribution company in the U.S., to sell and distribute stem cell kits and equipment to veterinarians serving the nation’s fast-growing $50 billion pet industry. The announcement was made today at the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas by Jeremy Delk, CEO of MediVet-America. The two companies will partner to sell and distribute MediVet-America’s advanced stem cell technology to more than 26,000 veterinary clinics nationwide. Adult animal stem cell technology uses the body’s own regenerative healing power to help treat dogs, cats, horses and other animals suffering from painful arthritis, hip dysplasia and tendon, ligament and cartilage injuries and other ailments. The Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Procedure Kit and state of the art equipment, co-developed with Medical Australia, enable veterinarians to remove a small sample of fat, separate the stem cells, then activate and inject them into affected areas. … Continue reading →

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 21, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pathfinder Cell Therapy, Inc. ("Pathfinder," or "the Company") (OTCQB:PFND.PK - News), a biotechnology company focused on the treatment of diabetes and other diseases characterized by organ-specific cell damage, today presented preliminary data highlighting the potential of the Company's unique cell-based therapy for treating diabetes at the 7th Annual New York Stem Cell Summit. Richard L. Franklin, M.D., Ph.D., Founder, CEO and President of Pathfinder, provided an overview of the Company's Pathfinder Cell ("PC") technology, and presented preclinical evidence demonstrating how treatment with PCs was able to reverse the symptoms of diabetes in two different mouse models. Pathfinder Cells are a newly identified non-stem cell mammalian cell type that has the ability to stimulate regeneration of damaged tissue without being incorporated into the new tissue. In today's presentation, Dr. Franklin showed how recent experiments performed using a non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse strain were supportive of earlier data that demonstrated complete reversal of diabetes in mice. The earlier results, which used a drug-induced diabetic mouse model, were published in Rejuvenation Research1. Though preliminary, the recent results are encouraging because the NOD mouse model is widely used and highly regarded as being predictive of human … Continue reading →