A fundraiser will be held Saturday for a Divernon woman who had a massive brain-stem stroke in February and is unemployed and uninsured. The benefit for ASHLEY McCRADY, 27, will be held from noon to 11 p.m. on the Divernon Town Square. It will feature food, a silent auction, 50/50 raffle, grand prize, live music, washer and bags tournament, kids games and more. Any amount raised will be appreciated, said TARA HERIFORD, McCradys sister. We really havent set a goal. Were just appreciative that people are donating everything and are going to be showing up, Heriford said. She was actually denied disability, which were fighting right now. Weve retained a lawyer because shes still wheelchair-bound. Were just kind of appreciative to whatever money we can raise to start paying off these bills shes getting from the hospital. McCrady has braved various medical conditions since age 6, when she was diagnosed with a brain-stem tumor, Astrocytoma. Treatment included radiation over six weeks to shrink the tumor, according to Herifords account in Ashleys Story. In six months, signs pointed to the shrinking of the tumor, and McCrady eventually went into remission, requiring once-a-year checkups. A 2004 graduate of Divernon High School, McCrady … Continue reading →

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Invitae, Inc., a genetic information company, today announced the results of a study conducted in collaboration with Stanford University assessing hereditary breast and ovarian cancer risk using a multi-gene next-generation sequencing panel. The results showed that analysis of BRCA1/2 mutations produced results concordant with prior clinical testing and also identified additional pathogenic variants in genes other than BRCA1/2. The study was presented by Allison Kurian, M.D., assistant professor of Medicine (Oncology) and Health, Research and Prevention and the associate director of the Breast Cancer Genetics Clinic at Stanford, during the Poster Discussion Session A at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Breast Symposium, September 7, 2013 in San Francisco, CA. In this study, authored by James Ford, M.D., associate professor of Medicine (Oncology), Pediatrics (Medical Genetics), and of Genetics and director of the Stanford Cancer Genetics Clinic (Abstract #07, Evaluation of a cancer gene sequencing panel in a hereditary risk assessment clinic), germline DNA samples were sequenced from 198 women: 174 participants had breast cancer and 57 carried known BRCA1/2 mutations. Analytic results for BRCA1/2 sequencing were concordant with prior clinical testing. Twenty-one variants designated as potentially pathogenic were observed in genes other than BRCA1/2, including … Continue reading →

By Bradley J. Fikes U-T 5:53 p.m.Sept. 6, 2013 CARLSBAD International Stem Cell Corp. has teamed up with North Carolina's prestigious Duke University to test a stem cell therapy for Parkinson's disease. It aims to replace certain brain cells destroyed in Parkinson's, a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of movement. These cells produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter enabling movement. No one knows why the cells are destroyed, and there is no cure. The Carlsbad-based biotech says it can turn stem cells into new dopamine-making neurons, which doctors can transplant into the brain, restoring normal movement. Its therapy has already been successfully tested in a small trial in rats and African green monkeys. The company could apply to begin a human trial by the middle of next year if all goes well, said Simon Craw, executive vice president of business development. Patients might get relief for 10 to 15 years, said Mark Stacy, a Duke University neurologist and Parkinson's disease researcher who heads its clinical trial division. More animal tests will be performed before a human trial is conducted, he said. There is scientific precedent for the trial from fetal brain cell transplants about 20 years ago, Craw said. Results were … Continue reading →

Novartis International AG / Novartis announces an exclusive global licensing and research collaboration with Regenerex, leveraging a novel cell platform to broaden presence in the cell therapy space . Processed and transmitted by Thomson Reuters ONE. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Basel, September 6, 2013 - Novartis today announced that it has entered into an exclusive global licensing and research collaboration agreement with Regenerex LLC, a biopharmaceutical company based in Louisville, Kentucky, for use of the company's novel Facilitating Cell Therapy (FCRx) platform. The hematopoietic stem cell-based FCRx platform has been investigated in kidney transplantation to induce stable immunological tolerance, resulting in graft survival without the need for lifelong immunosuppression. This collaboration reaffirms the Novartis commitment to transplant. Beyond transplant, Regenerex's novel platform potentially has curative potential for multiple underserved diseases and will be investigated in the rescue of serious genetic deficiencies such as inherited metabolic storage disorders and hemoglobinopathies. "As the field of biomedicine sits on the cusp of a new transformation, we are excited to announce this agreement which supports the Novartis leadership position in cell therapy," said Dr. Timothy Wright, Global Head Development, Novartis Pharmaceuticals. "Thirty years ago, Novartis developed ciclosporin, … Continue reading →

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Sep 6, 2013) - Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. (TSX VENTURE:SSS)(SCTPF), a biopharmaceutical company developing cancer stem cell-related therapeutics, today announced it will be featured as a presenting company at the 15th Annual Rodman & Renshaw Global Investment Conference, sponsored by H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC. The conference is being held September 8-10, 2013, at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City. Dr. Niclas Stiernholm, the CEO of Stem Cell Therapeutics, will provide an overview of the Company's business during the live presentation and will be available to participate in one-on-one meetings with investors who are registered to attend the conference. About Stem Cell Therapeutics: Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. (SCT) is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to advancing cancer stem cell discoveries into novel and innovative cancer therapies. Building on over half a century of leading and groundbreaking Canadian stem cell research, the company is supported by established links to a group of Toronto academic research institutes and cancer treatment centers, representing one of the world's most acclaimed cancer research hubs. The Company has two premier preclinical programs, SIRPaFc and a CD200 monoclonal antibody (mAb), which target two key immunoregulatory pathways that tumor cells exploit to evade the … Continue reading →

Medical Files By Rafael Castillo M.D. Philippine Daily Inquirer (Conclusion) A saying goesif youre a hammer, you see everything as a nail. This may symbolize whats happening to our practice of stem cell medicine in our country. Because of the media hype focusing on testimonials of celebrities on supposed spectacular healing or rejuvenation, stem cell practitioners coming from various medical practices have suddenly become overenthusiastic of the things stem cells could do for their patients. In every Tom, Dick and Harry, one or another indication for stem cell therapy can be seen at the end of a 5-minute consultation. It has been estimated that nine out of 10 Filipino patients administered stem cell treatment receive it for unproven and still experimental indications. A neurosurgeon colleague asked the young doctor-son of a patient (who appeared to be fresh out of medical school) what his line of practice was, and he confidently replied that he administers stem cell medicine. When told that it seems to be a pretty complicated specialty, he answered without batting an eyelash that its not. All of a sudden, a few hundred physicians from several specialtiesinternists, oncologists, surgeons, neurologists, dermatologists, OB-gynecologists, family medicine and practically all othershave seemingly … Continue reading →

People considering stem-cell treatment have been advised to think again, with six groups of medical specialists issuing a strong warning yesterday that unlicensed stem-cell treatments on offer could kill a patient. The medical societies that issued the statement include the Royal College of Physicians, the Dermatological Society, Heart Association of Thailand under the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King, the Thai Society of Haematology, the Nephrology Society and the Neurology Society. The statement said the Medical Council of Thailand had only approved the use of stem-cell treatment on blood diseases - namely leukaemia, malignant lymphoma, aplastic anaemia, multiple myeloma and thalassemia. Clinical research on the use of stem-cell treatment is ongoing, but there is no scientific evidence that stem-cell therapy can effectively increasing a person's longevity, or delay organ degeneration or improve a patient's quality of life, Prof Kriang Tungsanga, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said. The move by the medical societies was prompted by widespread ads about stem-cell-based "miracle pills" that claim to ease the symptoms of chronic symptoms such as diabetes and heart disease. The unlicensed use of stem-cell therapy to treat heart disease, diabetes or for aesthetic purposes has become popular among celebrities and … Continue reading →