OMAHA, Neb. - A local hospital is taking steps to bring autism treatment to the next level. The University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute has developed a treatment which could provide services anywhere in the world. It's called "telemedicine." The program is funded by a more than $1 million grant from the Department of Defense. It has helped military families like the Parks, who move often. "We currently have orders to leave Omaha to go to Tokyo, Japan," Stephanie Parks said. Her husband is in the Air Force and currently stationed at Offutt Air Force Base. Parks' son, 7-year-old Dell Parks, has autism. Thanks to telemedicine, the Parks don't have to worry about finding a new set of doctors for Dell, because his treatment will move with him. "We'll still have Dr. Fisher, we won't have to wait in lines, nothing will start over," Parks said. Fisher said the technology is similar to Skype, where doctors can monitor live sessions and interact with the patient. Maintaining continuity of care is especially important for children with autism. The treatment initially began exclusively for military families, but now any family that needs it can potentially participate. Those interested in the program … Continue reading →

NEWCASTLE, England & FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.--(BUSINESSWIRE)-- W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) today announced that the National Institute for Health Research Stroke Research Network has adopted the Gore REDUCE Clinical Study to help drive patient recruitment across England. The Gore REDUCE Clinical Study is designed to demonstrate that Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) closure with the GORE Septal Occluder plus antiplatelet medical management reduces the risk of recurrent stroke or imaging-confirmed transient ischemic attack (TIA) when compared to antiplatelet medical management alone in patients with a PFO and history of cryptogenic stroke or imaging-confirmed TIA. The prospective, randomized, multi-center, multi-national trial will include up to eighty investigational sites in the US, Europe and Canada. The National Institute for Health Research Stroke Research Network supports vital stroke studies such as the Gore REDUCE Clinical Study by providing coordination, leadership and practical help. It supports both academic research and industry-sponsored studies, offering 100 percent coverage of the National Health Service hospitals nationwide. Established in 2006, the network has increased patient recruitment six-fold. It also provides a patient and career involvement program that aims to make a real impact on both the quality and delivery of stroke research. PFO closure is known as a low-risk … Continue reading →

Referenced Stocks: OSIR, SNY Just a few weeks after gaining approval in Canada, Osiris Therapeutics, Inc.'s ( OSIR ) stem cell therapy, Prochymal, gained approval in New Zealand. Prochymal gained approval for the treatment of acute graft-vs-host disease (GvHD) in children. Osiris had submitted its marketing application to Medsafe, the medical regulatory agency in New Zealand, in May 2011. Prochymal was granted priority review status. Prochymal is the first manufactured stem cell product to gain approval and the first treatment to gain approval for GvHD. Besides being approved in Canada and New Zealand, we note that Prochymal is available under an Expanded Access Program (EAP) in seven countries including the US. Our Take Prochymal's approval in New Zealand is a boost for Osiris. Shares were up 13.75% on the news. Prochymal is the lead candidate at Osiris and represents significant commercial potential. Prochymal is currently being evaluated for other indications as well including refractory Crohn's disease (phase III), type I diabetes, and myocardial infarction (heart attack - phase II). We currently have low visibility on the status of Osiris' development and commercialization agreement with Genzyme, a Sanofi ( SNY ) company, for Prochymal. Earlier this year, Sanofi, in its fourth … Continue reading →