PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 18-Dec-2014 Contact: Joshua Brickman joshua.brickman@sund.ku.dk 45-51-68-04-38 University of Copenhagen - The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences This latest research by Joshua Brickman and his research team from Danish Stem Cell Center (Danstem) at the University of Copenhagen specifically found that inhibiting or blocking stem cells ability to make a specific decision, leads to better cell growth and could lead to defined ways to differentiate stem cells. This research is the first comprehensive analysis of a pathway important for stem and cancer cell decisions known as Erk. As a result this work could contain clues to cancer treatment as well as helping to establish a platform to make stem cell treatments for gut related disorders like the pancreas or the liver. The research results have just been published in Cell Reports. Blocking choices "If you block all the choices they can make, they stay in the stem cell state. If you only allow them one door to exit from the stem cell state, you should be able to make particular cell types more efficiently. So if you only leave one door open then it's the path of least resistance and when you give them a push they … Continue reading →

Research involving a human egg used to produce embryonic stem cells unable to develop into an embryo can be patented, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled Thursday. The decision is of major interest for biotechnology companies investing in stem cell research. Work on stem cell therapies is still experimental, but researchers believe they could be used to treat a range of diseases from Parkinson's to blindness. Until now, however, strict restrictions on obtaining patents have slowed research. The case was brought in Britain by US company International Stem Cell Corporation against the UK Intellectual Property Office for refusing to grant it two patents covering the use of human egg cells. The British authorities had argued that since the eggs involved were active and developing organisms, even though they were not fertilized by male sperm, previous EU law prevented the company from securing a patent on them. In 2011, the ECJ had ruled that stem cell research involving human embryos could not be patented. International Stem Cell Corporation argued that the eggs, activated by a chemical process known as parthenogenesis, could not develop into human beings as they lacked the full parental DNA required. Thursday's ruling stated that such organisms … Continue reading →

LUXEMBOURG: A human egg used to produce stem cells but unable to develop into a viable embryo can be patented, the European Court of Justice ruled on Thursday (Dec 18). In a decision of huge interest for biotechnology companies investing in stem-cell research, the EU's top court decided such eggs did not meet the definition of what constituted a human embryo. "Accordingly, uses of such an organism for industrial or commercial purposes may, as a rule, be patented," the court said in a statement summary of the decision. In July, Advocate General Pedro Cruz Villalon recommended to the European Court of Justice that stem cells do not come under EU rules which deny patents on eggs which could develop into a human embryo. The ECJ is Europe's top court on questions of EU law and mostly follows such recommendations. The case was brought by International Stem Cell Corporation against the UK Intellectual Property Office for refusing to grant it two patents. The British authorities had argued that since the eggs involved were active and developing, even if not fertilised by male sperm, then European Union law meant the company could not secure a patent on them. ISC contested the ruling, … Continue reading →