SINGAPORE: Australia-based stem cell therapy firm Mesoblast has announced plans to accelerate commercial manufacturing operations in Singapore. This is to prepare for new product launches in the United States and other major markets over the next couple of years. Its existing operations in Singapore include making stem cell products for clinical trials under its contract with its partner, pharmaceutical company Lonza. One of its key products still awaiting full approval is Prochymal, which Mesoblast says can help to more than double the survival rate of patients suffering from complications after receiving tissue transplants from donors -- known as graft versus host disease. The global stem cell market is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 12 per cent between 2011 and 2016 to reach more than S$8 billion by 2016. Mesoblast said commercial manufacturing requires a much larger capacity and operations must be scaled-up to meet regulatory demands. Silviu Itescu, chief executive at Mesoblast, said: "We are now in a phase of making more investments in order to get our processes to commercial scale. That anticipates successful commercial launches. "If we're successful in that over the next 18-24 months, then we're going to leverage the investment in our … Continue reading →

Disabled mice regained the ability to walk less than two weeks after receiving human neural stem cells (Photo: Shutterstock) When scientists at the University of Utah injected human stem cells into mice disabled by a condition similar to multiple sclerosis, they expected the cells to be rejected by the animals' bodies. It turned out that the cells were indeed rejected, but not before they got the mice walking again. The unexpected finding could have major implications for human MS sufferers. In multiple sclerosis, the body's immune system attacks the myelin sheath that covers and insulates nerve fibers in the spinal cord, brain and optic nerve. With that insulation gone, the nerves short-circuit and malfunction, often compromising the patient's ability to walk among other things. In the U Utah study (which was begun at the University of California, Irvine) human neural stem cells were grown in a Petri dish, then injected into the afflicted mice. The cells were grown under less crowded conditions than is usual, which reportedly resulted in their being "extremely potent." As early as one week after being injected, there was no sign of the cells in the animals' bodies evidence that they had been rejected, as was … Continue reading →

A cannabis-based treatment for epilepsy in children is being developed by Cambridge UK medical technology business GW Pharmaceuticals and a leading US university in an initiative backed by the State of Georgia. GW has joined forces with Georgia Regents University Augusta (GRU) to study GWs investigational cannabidiol (CBD) product Epidiolex in the treatment of children with medication-resistant epilepsies. Georgia Governor Nathan Deal has pledged his support for clinical research that would investigate the use of CBD, a non-psychoactive component of the cannabis plant, and develop rigorous data that will inform and expand the scientific communitys understanding of potential treatments for difficult-to-treat forms of childhood epilepsies. Deals commitment to this research has led to the GW-GRU collaboration. Full details of the collaboration will be finalised in the coming months so research can start later this year. Governor Deal said: I have learned the stories of brave Georgia families desperately seeking treatment for their childrens debilitating condition. As governor, it is my responsibility to address the needs of and protect our state's most vulnerable citizens, especially when they are suffering. Im grateful to Georgia Regents University and GW Pharmaceuticals for their leadership on this venture and Im confident that this public-partnership will … Continue reading →

Northstar Achievements Colorado Springs - Autism Treatment Behavior ABA Therapy http://northstaraba.com/ - Northstar Achievements is dedicated to providing effective research based behavior analytic services by Board Certified Behavior A... By: Northstar Achievements … Continue reading →

A promising Canadian stroke drug has received a rare waiver of consent that allows Toronto paramedics to use the drug on patients without their permission. Next January, the medication, called NA-1, will be administered intravenously to patients destined for Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, a major force in stroke care in the city. NoNO Inc., the privately funded company that makes the drug, has also applied for similar dispensation at hospitals in Peel Region and Vancouver, where clinical trials using EMS services will also take place next winter. Its a double-blinded experiment, meaning that there will be a placebo used as well. The trial, called FRONTIER, will mark the first time in Canada that a stroke drug will be tried out on a large number of patients before they reach a hospital. Success could mean that for the first time since insulin, the country would be home to a blockbuster pharmaceutical. The risk in any pivotal trial is that there is no guarantee that a drug will be effective. Over the past two decades, more than a thousand stroke drugs have failed to show efficacy. In previous NA-1 trials involving mice, primates and a small number of humans, however, the intravenous … Continue reading →

SINGAPORE, May 29 (Bernama) -- A fast and cost-effective genetic test to determine the correct dosage of blood thinning drugs for the treatment of stroke, heart problems and deep vein thrombosis has been developed by researchers at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN). Using gold nanoprobes, this new technology offers personalised healthcare based on the genetic profile of the patients. IBN Executive Director Professor Jackie Y Ying said that diseases caused by blood clots can be potentially fatal and that genetic testing can improve the treatment of such medical conditions. "By combining our expertise in molecular diagnostics and nanotechnology, we have developed a new genetic test that can determine the appropriate drug dosage to be administered for each patient," she said in a statement here. Blood thinning drugs or anticoagulant medication prevent clots from forming in the blood. They are used to treat stroke, irregular heartbeat and deep vein thrombosis. Warfarin is the most widely prescribed oral anticoagulant drug. But the dosage for each individual is highly variable, and the wrong dosage can cause an adverse reaction. Doctors currently determine the right dosage by monitoring the patients' reactions and adjusting the dosage accordingly. Studies have shown that the variability … Continue reading →

Singapore, May 29, 2014 A fast and cost-effective genetic test to determine the correct dosage of blood thinning drugs for the treatment of stroke, heart problems and deep vein thrombosis has been developed by researchers at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN). Using gold nanoprobes, this new technology offers personalized healthcare based on the genetic profile of the patients. IBN Executive Director Professor Jackie Y. Ying said, Diseases caused by blood clots can be potentially fatal. Genetic testing can improve the treatment of such medical conditions. By combining our expertise in molecular diagnostics and nanotechnology, we have developed a new genetic test that can determine the appropriate drug dosage to be administered for each patient. Blood thinning drugs or anticoagulant medication prevent clots from forming in the blood. They are used to treat stroke, irregular heartbeat and deep vein thrombosis. Warfarin is the most widely prescribed oral anticoagulant drug. But the dosage for each individual is highly variable, and the wrong dosage can cause an adverse reaction. Doctors currently determine the right dosage by monitoring the patients reactions and adjusting the dosage accordingly. Studies have shown that the variability in warfarin dosage is linked to genes. Knowing a patients … Continue reading →