A beautiful, fresh face, Sabrina Cohen can stun you with her charm. But she is far more. This 24-year-old, who has spent 10 years in a wheelchair as a result of a car accident, is battling to raise money for research and therapies that may eventually reverse paralysis and treat central nervous system impairments. A native of Miami Beach, she is one of five leaders being honored by the Palm Beach-based Genetic Policy Institute at its eighth annual World Stem Cell Summit Dec. 4 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach. She is receiving the Inspirational Award. This award brings a lot of meaning to my life and the path I have chosen to follow, she says of her founding of the nonprofit Sabrina Cohen Foundation. This provides a platform for my foundation to inspire others and to share my hope for (stem cell) regeneration. Other honorees include CBS 60 Minutes for its hard-hitting programs on unproven stem cell treatments; Susan Solomon, CEO of the New York Stem Cell Foundation; Alliance for Regenerative Medicine; and the Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures. We recognize the dedicated individuals and organizations that positively impact the cause of stem-cell advancement … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (Oct. 1, 2012) A novel therapy in the early stages of development at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center shows promise in providing lasting protection against the progression of multiple myeloma following a stem cell transplant by making the cancer cells easier targets for the immune system. Outlined in the British Journal of Hematology, the Phase II clinical trial was led by Amir Toor, M.D., hematologist-oncologist in the Bone Marrow Transplant Program and research member of the Developmental Therapeutics program at VCU Massey Cancer Center. The multi-phased therapy first treats patients with a combination of the drugs azacitidine and lenalidomide. Azacitidine forces the cancer cells to express proteins called cancer testis antigens (CTA) that immune system cells called T-cell lymphocytes recognize as foreign. The lenalidomide then boosts the production of T-cell lymphocytes. Using a process called autologous lymphocyte infusion (ALI), the T-cell lymphocytes are then extracted from the patient and given back to them after they undergo a stem cell transplant to restore the stem cells' normal function. Now able to recognize the cancer cells as foreign, the T-cell lymphocytes can potentially protect against a recurrence of multiple myeloma following the stem cell transplant. "Every cell in the body … Continue reading →

For more than 40 years, Lesley Kelly of Glasgow, Scotland, lived with third-degree burns that stretched over 60 percent of her body. Kelly was 2 years old when she fell into a bathtub filled with hot water that scorched most of the right side of her body. She lost full range of motion around many of her joints. "When you have bad scarring, the buildup is very thick and has no elasticity," said Kelly, 45, whose right elbow was most affected by the buildup of scar tissue. "The problem with thermal burn scarring [is that] it's hard to get the range of motion." Kelly underwent numerous reparative surgeries through the years, but the scar tissue continued to grow back. The procedures did not lessen the look of her scars. In 2011, Kelly underwent a new, experimental procedure that used stem cells from her own fat tissue to repair the buildup around her right elbow. Surgeons cleaned the scar buildup around the elbow and used liposuction to pull fat from off Kelly's waist. They separated the fat cells from the stem and regenerative cells, which were then injected into the wound on Kelly's arm. The procedure took less than two hours. … Continue reading →

Lesley Kelly, 45, underwent stem cell therapy to repair scar tissue buildup in her right arm. (Cytori Therapeutics, Inc.) By Lara Salahi, ABC News For more than 40 years, Lesley Kelly of Glasgow, Scotland, lived with third-degree burns that stretched over 60 percent of her body. Kelly was 2 years old when she fell into a bathtub filled with hot water that scorched most of the right side of her body. She lost full range of motion around many of her joints. "When you have bad scarring, the buildup is very thick and has no elasticity," said Kelly, 45, whose right elbow was most affected by the buildup of scar tissue. "The problem with thermal burn scarring [is that] it's hard to get the range of motion." Kelly underwent numerous reparative surgeries through the years, but the scar tissue continued to grow back. The procedures did not lessen the look of her scars. In 2011, Kelly underwent a new, experimental procedure that used stem cells from her own fat tissue to repair the buildup around her right elbow. Surgeons cleaned the scar buildup around the elbow and used liposuction to pull fat from off Kelly's waist. They separated the fat … Continue reading →

NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue: Translational Regenerative Medicine: Market Prospects 2012-2022 http://www.reportlinker.com/p0595030/Translational-Regenerative-Medicine-Market-Prospects-2012-2022.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Blood_Supply,_Tissue_Banking_and_Transplantation Report Details New study shows you commercial potential of regenerative treatments See what the future holds for translational regenerative medicine. Visiongain's updated report lets you assess forecasted sales at overall world market, submarket, product and regional level to 2022. There you investigate the most lucrative areas in that research field, industry and market. Discover prospects for tissue-engineered products, stem cell treatments and gene therapy. We pack our study with information and analysis to help your work and save you time: Access to present and predicted trends, with commercial opportunities and prospects revealed Data and discussions - including our revenue forecasts to 2022 - for your research, analyses and decision making The rest is here: Translational Regenerative Medicine: Market Prospects 2012-2022 … Continue reading →

HOUSTON, Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Celltex Therapeutics Corp. announced today that it has received a letter, dated Sept. 24, 2012, from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The letter stated the agency's opinion that the process Celltex uses to multiply adult stem cells is subject to FDA regulation as biological drug manufacturing. The issue is a key one as stem cell therapy for patient care outside of an academic institution is a new frontier, yet there are a variety of technologies being used throughout the United States, often creating complex legal and regulatory questions. David Eller, CEO and President of Celltex, stated: Celltex makes identical copies of an individual's own stem cells and therefore should not be subject to FDA regulation as drugs. However, the FDA said our process causes the cells to be considered biological drugs and thus is subject to those regulations. We respectfully but firmly disagree with the FDA and intend to contest the agency's opinion within its administrative procedures. We are considering all options as we work with the agency toward a resolution. FDA's letter also repeats its earlier observations from an April inspection of Celltex's laboratory. While Celltex provided detailed responses in April, May, June, … Continue reading →