How do Stem Cell Therapy Work? Danny Yang By: Marieke van Lankvelt … Continue reading →

Mice severely disabled by a condition similar to multiple sclerosis (MS) could walk less than two weeks following treatment with human stem cells. The study, which uncovers new avenues for treating MS, was don e at the University of Utah and published online on May 15th 2014, in the journal Stem Cell Reports. The scientists we surprised and encouraged by their finding. When they transplanted human stem cells into MS mice, they expected no benefit from the treatment. They thought the cells would be rejected, much like rejection of an organ transplant. Instead, the experiment yielded spectacular results. A release from the university quotes co-senior author, Tom Lane, Ph.D., a professor of pathology at the University of Utah, who began the study at the University of California, Irvine, as saying, My postdoctoral fellow Dr. Lu Chen came to me and said, The mice are walking. I didnt believe her. Within a short period of time, 10 to 14 days, the mice could walk and run. Six months later, they showed no signs of slowing down. This result opens up a whole new area of research for us to figure out why it worked, said co-senior author Jeanne Loring, Ph.D., director … Continue reading →

HATFIELD, England, June 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Fycompa (perampanel), the first in an entirely new class of treatment for partial onset seizures (the most common form of epilepsy), has today launched in Russia. The therapy is indicated for the adjunctive treatment of partial onset seizures, with or without secondarily generalised seizures, in patients with epilepsy aged 12 years and older.[1] Perampanel is the only licensed anti-epileptic drug (AED) to selectively target AMPA receptors, a protein in the brain which plays a critical role in the spread of seizures.[2] This mechanism of action is different to other, currently available AEDs. In addition, perampanel has the added benefit of convenient, once-daily dosing at bedtime[1] and, significantly, is the only new-generation partial epilepsy treatment approved to treat adolescents with epilepsy from launch. "New treatment options like perampanel are vital for people with partial onset epilepsy in Russia, and particularly those who live with uncontrolled seizures," commented Professor Elena Belousova, Director of Psychoneurology and Epileptology, Moscow Research Institute of Pediatrics. "Epilepsy remains a challenging condition to treat and new options such as this are always welcomed by doctors." Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions in the world.[3] Around 3 out of … Continue reading →