ScienceDaily (Sep. 27, 2012) Studying leukemia in mice, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have reduced a life-threatening complication of stem cell transplants, the only curative treatment when leukemia returns. About 50 percent of leukemia patients who receive stem cells from another person develop graft-versus-host disease, a condition where donor immune cells attack the patient's own body. The main organs affected are the skin, liver and gut. Now, the scientists have shown they can redirect donor immune cells away from these vital organs. Steering immune cells away from healthy tissue also leaves more of them available for their intended purpose -- killing cancer cells. "This is the first example of reducing graft-versus-host disease not by killing the T- cells, but simply by altering how they circulate and traffic," says John F. DiPersio, MD, PhD, the Virginia E. and Sam J. Golman Professor of Medicine. "Donor T-cells do good things in terms of eliminating the recipient's leukemia, but they can also attack normal tissues leading to death in a number of patients. The goal is to minimize graft-versus-host disease, while maintaining the therapeutic graft-versus-leukemia effect." The study is now available online in Blood. Working with mice, Jaebok … Continue reading →

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Celprogen Inc., a leader in the Stem Cell Research and Therapeutics industry for the development of stem cell technologies for regenerative medicine, today announced that they obtained a Patent for Treating Lactose Intolerance Utilizing Genetically Engineered Bacteria US8,236,297B2. Acquired lactase deficiency is the most common disorder of complex carbohydrate absorption throughout the world, affecting 75% of world population. In the United States 15% of Caucasians, over 50% of Hispanics and over 80% of African-Americans suffer from lactose intolerance. The present invention relates to genetically engineered bacteria that are able to colonize the mammalian intestine and actively produce mammalian lactase. This lactose-digesting enzyme is stable and active under the conditions normally found in the mammalian small intestine. Experimental subjects colonized with the genetically engineered bacteria show improved ability to digest lactose in dairy foods. About Celprogen Inc. Celprogen Inc. is a global Stem Cell Research & Therapeutics company which is developing a proprietary portfolio of unique therapeutics products and life science research tools that includes genetic engineering technologies, stem cell technologies for regenerative medicine, as well as bio-engineering products for tissue & organ transplants. Headquartered in San Pedro, California, Celprogen is committed to the research, development, and manufacture … Continue reading →

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACT; OTCBB: ACTC), a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, announced today that its chief scientific officer, Robert Lanza, M.D. and Anthony Atala, M.D., W.H. Boyce Professor and Director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, have released the second edition of Handbook of Stem Cells (Academic Press/Elsevier), the widely-recognized definitive resource in the field of stem cells. It includes a Forward by Professor Sir Martin Evans, Ph.D., FRS, co-winner of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2007. Sir Martin is credited with discovering embryonic stem cells and is considered one of the chief architects of the field of stem cell research. The two-volume set also includes contributions from dozens of stem cell pioneers, including James Thomson, Shinya Yamanaka, Doug Melton, Janet Rossant, and Robert Langer (a member of ACTs board of directors), among others, as well as patient advocate Mary Tyler Moore. Handbook of Stem Cells, Second Edition follows a very successful edition published in 2004. The first edition was the first comprehensive body of work dedicated entirely to the stem cell field. The two-volume set quickly became the most relevant textbook in the stem cell arena. Now, … Continue reading →

By Sharmistha Banerjee - September 25, 2012 | Tickers: NBS, OSIR, PSTI | 0 Comments Sharmistha is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinions of our bloggers and are not formally edited. Far-reaching accomplishments in the biotechnology sector meet its most ambitious expectations, stem cell therapy. The birth of this new industry has boosted the enthusiasm and energy of investors and has brought unprecedented capability and optimistic predictions. New developments in regenerative medicine are bringing about exciting, novel approaches to create therapies for hard to treat diseases. The biotechnology industry has been soaring in 2012 as companies both large and small have shown impressive growth. The cell therapy space has seen relatively small companies making strides in the right direction with increased government support. Osiris Therapeutics (NASDAQ: OSIR) a leading stem cell company is currently the only company with an approved cell therapy. The approval is more of a first step in a long walk for Osiris. Reuters reported that shares of Osiris Therapeutics rose 15% on May 30, 2012, after U.S. health regulators said the stem cell technology company's wound treatment was eligible for reimbursement when used in hospitals in out-patient settings … Continue reading →