Researchers at UCLA's Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research have successfully established the foundation for using hematopoietic (blood-producing) stem cells from the bone marrow of patients with sickle cell disease to treat the disease. The study was led by Dr. Donald Kohn, professor of pediatrics and of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics. Sickle cell disease causes the body to produce red blood cells that are formed like the crescent-shaped blade of a sickle, which hinders blood flow in the blood vessels and deprives the body's organs of oxygen. Kohn introduced an anti-sickling gene into the hematopoietic stem cells to capitalize on the self-renewing potential of stem cells and create a continual source of healthy red blood cells that do not sickle. The breakthrough gene therapy technique for sickle cell disease is scheduled to begin clinical trials by early 2014. The study was published online today ahead of press in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Kohn's gene therapy approach, which uses hematopoietic stem cells from a patient's own blood, is a revolutionary alternative to current sickle cell disease treatments as it creates a self-renewing normal blood cell by inserting a gene that has anti-sickling properties … Continue reading →

By: Jesus G. Dureza Posted: July 1, 2013 8:28 am Over the last few days, Fresh Stem Cell Therapy (FCT) got into the headlines due to some controversy involving alleged deaths and complaints mentioning prominent names blaming stem cell treatment for their alleged negative effects.Naturally, just like any controversy, the stories unduly put under cloud this innovative and pioneering science of regenerative medicine that is reputed to treat illnesses, bring well being and rejuvenation. MY FRIENDS The current news reports caught public attention and went viral. Many friends who were following Beths FCT experience and who were planning to also undergo FCT were calling. They were bothered by the reports. I was myself personally disturbed because all of them who were mentioned as having experienced negative results, I knew in person. Congressman ERICO AUMENTADO of Bohol and Camiguin Congressman LOLOY ROMUALDO both were my close friends and whom I worked with when I was with the government. And the controversy all the more struck me because I and my wife Beth saw and experienced for ourselves the positive NOT NEGATIVE results of FCT seven months after treatment at VILLA MEDICA in Germany. Let me trace back. I knew Congressman Erico … Continue reading →

Newswise Researchers at UCLAs Eli & Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cell Research have successfully established the foundation for using hematopoietic (blood-producing) stem cells (HSC) from the bone marrow of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) to treat the disease. The study was led by Dr. Donald Kohn, professor of pediatrics and microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics in the life sciences. Kohn introduced an anti-sickling gene into the HSC to capitalize on the self-renewing potential of stem cells and create a continual source of healthy red blood cells that do not sickle. The breakthrough gene therapy technique for sickle cell disease is scheduled to begin clinical trials by early 2014. The study was published online ahead of press today in Journal of Clinical Investigation. Gene Therapy Kohns gene therapy approach using HSC from patients own blood is a revolutionary alternative to current SCD treatments as it creates a self-renewing normal blood cell by inserting a gene that has anti-sickling properties into HSC. This approach also does not rely on the identification of a matched donor, thus avoiding the risk of rejection of donor cells. The anti-sickling HSC will be transplanted back into the patients bone marrow and … Continue reading →

SAN DIEGO and IRVINE, Calif., July 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB: SRNE; Sorrento) and IGDRASOL announced today that the companies will present Phase III interim data analysis of Cynviloq in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients showing significantly improved overall response rate (ORR) compared to generic paclitaxel as well as updates of their nanomedicine platform, which is being developed for multiple cancer indications in late-stage clinical trials, at the 4th International Nanomedicine Conference in Sydney Australia (July 1st - 3rd, 2013). Sorrento has the right to acquire IGDRASOL pursuant to a previously-announced option agreement, entered into in March 2013. Cynviloq (IG-001) is a next-generation, branded, micellar diblock copolymeric paclitaxel formulation currently approved and marketed in several countries as Genexol-PM. Cynviloq has completed Phase 1 or 2 trials in MBC, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer and bladder cancer in the U.S. and/or ex-U.S.IGDRASOL is preparing for an "End of Phase 2" meeting scheduled with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2013, regarding the clinical development of Cynviloq.As an injectable nanoparticle formulation of paclitaxel, Cynviloq may be eligible for approval through the FDA's 505(b)(2) bioequivalence regulatory pathway versus albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel; Abraxane) in … Continue reading →