ScienceDaily (Nov. 26, 2012) Johns Hopkins researchers report concrete steps in the use of human stem cells to test how diseased cells respond to drugs. Their success highlights a pathway toward faster, cheaper drug development for some genetic illnesses, as well as the ability to pre-test a therapy's safety and effectiveness on cultured clones of a patient's own cells. The project, described in an article published November 25 on the website of the journal Nature Biotechnology, began several years ago, when Gabsang Lee, D.V.M., Ph.D., an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine's Institute for Cell Engineering, was a postdoctoral fellow at Sloan-Kettering Institute in New York. To see if induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) could be used to make specialized disease cells for quick and easy drug testing, Lee and his colleagues extracted cells from the skin of a person with a rare genetic disease called Riley-Day syndrome, chosen because it affects only one type of nerve cell that is difficult if not impossible to extract directly from a traditional biopsy. These traits made Riley-Day an ideal candidate for alternative ways of generating cells for study. In a so-called "proof of concept" experiment, the researchers biochemically … Continue reading →

Public release date: 26-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Shawna Williams shawna@jhmi.edu 410-955-8236 Johns Hopkins Medicine Johns Hopkins researchers report concrete steps in the use of human stem cells to test how diseased cells respond to drugs. Their success highlights a pathway toward faster, cheaper drug development for some genetic illnesses, as well as the ability to pre-test a therapy's safety and effectiveness on cultured clones of a patient's own cells. The project, described in an article published November 25 on the website of the journal Nature Biotechnology, began several years ago, when Gabsang Lee, D.V.M., Ph.D., an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine's Institute for Cell Engineering, was a postdoctoral fellow at Sloan-Kettering Institute in New York. To see if induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) could be used to make specialized disease cells for quick and easy drug testing, Lee and his colleagues extracted cells from the skin of a person with a rare genetic disease called Riley-Day syndrome, chosen because it affects only one type of nerve cell that is difficult if not impossible to extract directly from a traditional biopsy. These traits made Riley-Day an ideal candidate for alternative ways of … Continue reading →

Toronto, Nov 28 (IANS) A new discovery that tricks aging stem cells into rejuvenating mode could enable scientists to create youthful patches for damaged or diseased hearts and heal them, according to a Canadian study. The breakthrough may enable scientists to create such life giving patches from a patient's own stem cells regardless of the patient's age while avoiding the threat of rejection, the study claims. Stem cell therapies involving donated bone marrow stem cells run the risk of patient rejection in a portion of the population, argues Milica Radisic, associate professor of chemical engineering and applied chemistry at the University of Toronto, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reports. One method of avoiding such a risk has been to use cells derived from a patient's own body. But until now, clinical trials of this kind of therapy using elderly patients' own cells have not been a viable option, since aged cells tend not to function as well as cells from young patients, according to a Toronto statement. "If you want to treat these people with their own cells, how do you do this?" asks Radisic. It's a problem that Radisic and coresearcher RenKe Li think they might … Continue reading →

A group of researchers has found a safe, simple and effective way to deliver stem cells to treat brain tumors literally, through the nose. The results are published in the December issue of STEM CELLS Translational Medicine. Durham, NC (PRWEB) November 27, 2012 Treatment options for gliomas, the most common type of primary brain tumors, are very limited due to their diffuse invasive nature and their ability to evade conventional chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Stem cells have shown great promise as a therapy, but how best to deliver them to the tumor site has proven a challenge. The most frequently used method, surgical implantation, has a low survival rate for the stem cells plus the procedure itself can lead to complications such as inflammation. Injecting the cells into the blood stream is another way, but it carries an increased risk of the cells accumulating in peripheral organs, which could cause side effects and also means that not enough of the stem cells are getting to the targeted tumor. We investigated the feasibility of intranasal administration of neural stem/progenitor cells [NSPC] as an alternative, said principal investigator Nils Ole Schmidt, M.D., of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. He and … Continue reading →

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Fate Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of adult stem cell modulators, announced today the initiation of a randomized, controlled, Phase 2 multi-center study of its investigational hematopoietic stem cell therapy, ProHema, in adult patients undergoing double umbilical cord blood transplantation (dUCBT) for hematologic malignancy. The advancement of ProHema into later-stage development builds upon positive results from a Phase 1b single-center study, interactions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and refinements to the product manufacturing process. The previously completed Phase 1b study achieved its primary objective of demonstrating safety and tolerability. The study also established early clinical proof-of-concept trends of accelerated neutrophil recovery, improved 100-day survival and low rates of graft-versus-host disease were evident, and durable and preferential reconstitution with ProHema occurred in 10 of 12 evaluable patients. ProHema is produced through a proprietary, two-hour, ex vivo modulation process, which has been shown to significantly activate key biological pathways involved in hematopoietic stem cell homing, proliferation and survival in preclinical models. "Allogeneic umbilical cord blood transplantation holds great promise as a potentially curative treatment for children and adults with hematologic malignancies and many other life-threatening, non-malignant disorders," … Continue reading →

Public release date: 27-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Robert Miranda cogcomm@aol.com Cell Transplantation Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair Putnam Valley, NY. (Nov. 27, 2012) A study published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (21:8), now freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/, has found that when mesenchymal cells derived from skeletal muscle (SM-MSCs) or adipose tissue (ADSCs) were injected into the heart muscle (myocardium) of separate groups of laboratory rats that had suffered a myocardial infarction, rats in both groups experienced significantly improved left ventricle function and smaller infarct size after cell therapy. The study, carried out by researchers at Oslo University Hospital and the Norwegian Center for Stem cell Research, Oslo University, sought to determine if MSCs from different organs would result in different functional outcomes. "Despite advances in revascularization and medical therapy, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and heart failure are still important causes of morbidity and mortality in industrialized countries," said study co-author Dr. Jan E. Brinchmann of the Norwegian center for Stem Cell Research at Oslo University Hospital, Oslo. "AMI leads to a permanent loss of contractile elements in the heart and the formation of fibrous scarring. Regeneration of contractile myocardium has … Continue reading →

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --RRY Publications LLC today announced that the use of stem cell therapies in 2012 significantly exceeded forecasts which were originally presented at the February 2012 New York Stem Cell Summit. Said Robin Young, stem cell industry analyst and host of the New York meeting: "The range and scope of stem cell therapeutic use in the United States grew much faster than we'd forecasted earlier this year. Virtually all of the increases we're seeing are for adult stem cell therapies and, in particular, the use by physicians of both allograft and autologous stem cell products. It would not be an exaggeration to call this unexpected and remarkable growth." Mr. Young's revised forecast of stem cell commercialization revenues for 2013-2020 will be presented at the February meeting in New York. The companies, scientists and physicians that are at the forefront of this remarkable increase in stem cell therapeutic use will be presenting at the 8th Annual New York Stem Cell Summit. Listed below is the preliminary lineup of presenters for the 8th Annual Stem Cell Summit. The Stem Cell Summit, an intensive one-day event, allows attendees to learn about the latest developments in the stem cell marketplace, … Continue reading →

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading developer of innovative ophthalmic treatments based on its Mucosal Penetrating Product (MPP) platform, today announced the appointment of Bernard Gilly, Ph.D., the founding Chairman and CEO of Fovea (Sanofi), to its Board of Directors. Dr. Gilly is a seasoned entrepreneur in the biotechnology industry having spent over 20 years building and investing in leading life science companies. His track record and expertise in the ophthalmology space is an invaluable addition to Kala as we advance our pipeline of transformative ophthalmic products into the clinic, said Dr. Guillaume Pfefer, Kalas President and CEO. I am delighted to join Kalas board at this point in the companys evolution as it deploys its Mucosal Penetrating Product platform toward the development of innovative treatments for eye diseases, said Dr. Gilly. Kalas proprietary MPPs evenly coat and permeate mucosal surfaces to enhance drug efficacy in a variety of mucosal tissues. I look forward to working with the Kala team to generate value by applying the MPP platform to develop novel therapies for both front and back of eye diseases. Dr. Gilly brings more than 20 years of experience serving in management and board positions in the biotechnology … Continue reading →

NEW YORK, Nov. 26, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeoStem, Inc. (NYSE MKT:NBS) ("NeoStem" or the "Company"), an emerging leader in the fast growing cell therapy industry, today announced that Company management has been invited to present at the Piper Jaffray 24th Annual Healthcare Conference. About NeoStem, Inc. NeoStem, Inc. continues to develop and build on its core capabilities in cell therapy, capitalizing on the paradigm shift that we see occurring in medicine. In particular, we anticipate that cell therapy will have a significant role in the fight against chronic disease and in lessening the economic burden that these diseases pose to modern society. We are emerging as a technology and market leading company in this fast developing cell therapy market. Our multi-faceted business strategy combines a state-of-the-art contract development and manufacturing subsidiary, Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC ("PCT"), with a medically important cell therapy product development program, enabling near and long-term revenue growth opportunities. We believe this expertise and existing research capabilities and collaborations will enable us to achieve our mission of becoming a premier cell therapy company. Our contract development and manufacturing service business supports the development of proprietary cell therapy products. NeoStem's most clinically advanced therapeutic, AMR-001, is being … Continue reading →