LEUVEN, BELGIUM--(Marketwire -05/15/12)- TiGenix NV (TIG) a leader in the field of cell therapy, today gave a business update and announced the financial results for the first quarter ending March 31, 2012. Business highlights Financial highlights "In the first quarter 2012 we continued to aggressively push our commercial efforts forward," said Eduardo Bravo, CEO of TiGenix. "As a result sales of ChondroCelect are developing in line with the improved traction we observed in the second part of last year. At the same time we are moving ahead of schedule with most of our clinical adipose stem cell programs. We closed the quarter with almost EUR 17 million cash on hand, which is sufficient to execute on our business plan and reach key inflection points." Business update ChondroCelect sales increase continues apaceThe Company reports net sales growth for the quarter of 123% compared with the same period of last year, and of 62% compared to Q4, 2011, a positive trend reflecting the uptake in Belgium, where we benefit from national reimbursement. In the Netherlands one of the leading private healthcare insurance companies has made treatment with ChondroCelect compulsory for its insured, and no longer reimburses non-ATMP treatments. Similarly, one of the … Continue reading →

JERUSALEM--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Gamida Cell announced today that it has closed an internal E financing round of $10 million. All major shareholders participated. The financing will be used to support the global commercialization of the companys lead cell therapy product, StemEx, in development as an alternative therapeutic treatment for patients with blood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, who can be cured by bone marrow transplantation but do not have a matched bone marrow donor. The company is currently seeking a strategic partner to join in the global commercialization of StemEx. The financing will also support the continued development of the companys pipeline of products, primarily the NiCord clinical trial for sickle cell disease and thalassemia. Mr. Reuven Krupik, chairman of the board of Gamida Cell said, The investors were unanimous in their decision to reinvest, understanding the importance of bringing StemEx to market as well as maintaining the companys leadership role in the stem cell industry. Gamida Cell is a game changer. The international, multi-center, pivotal registration, Phase III clinical trial of StemEx completed enrollment in February 2012. Clinical outcome is expected in Q4/2012. The market launch of StemEx is planned for 2013. StemEx is likely to be the first … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (May 15, 2012) A study conducted by Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland scientists identifies how skeletal muscle stem cells respond to muscle injury and may be stimulated to improve muscle repair in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a severe inherited disease of muscle that causes weakness, disability and, ultimately, heart and respiratory failure. The study, led by Julie D. Saba, MD, PhD, senior scientist at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI), shows that a lipid signaling molecule called sphingosine-1-phosphate or "S1P" can trigger an inflammatory response that stimulates the muscle stem cells to proliferate and assist in muscle repair. It further shows that mdx mice, which have a disease similar to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, exhibit a deficiency of S1P, and that boosting their S1P levels improves muscle regeneration in these mice. A research report describing the study findings will be published online on May 14, 2012 in the journal Public Library of Science ONE (PLoS ONE). Skeletal muscle is the biggest "organ" system of the human body. It is important for all human activity. Muscles can be injured by trauma, inactivity, aging and a variety of inherited muscle diseases. Importantly however, skeletal muscle is one of the few tissues of … Continue reading →

Animal stem cell regenerative therapy is the newest service at the Animal Hospital of Tiffin. "We are the official first site for the therapy in Ohio," said veterinarian Bob McClung. The technology uses an adult animal's stem cells to heal itself. Veterinarian Mike Brothers performed the surgery Monday on his dog, Tucker, a 2-year-old labrador retriever. It was the second surgery performed at the clinic. Brothers said his dog's joint problems are hereditary and he's had problems since he was a puppy. "What we've been able to do is slow down the arthritis," Brothers said. The cause of the degeneration will continue, but the fatty tissue removed from the dog can be used for future treatments. From a piece of fatty tissue of the size removed from Tucker, McClung estimated $3.2 billion stem cells were harvested. Each injection uses about 90 million cells, so there will be enough of the material for future treatments. "We have basically 2 billion cells to bank," he said. "We use cryo-preservation." In the freezing process, the cells are gradually cooled to prevent damage and stored in liquid nitrogen at temperatures of minus 80 to minus 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The rest is here: Vet undertakes … Continue reading →

Stem cell therapies developer Gamida Cell Ltd. has raised $10 million in its fifth financing round from all its investors. The company will use the proceeds to support the global commercialization of its lead cell therapy product, StemEx, as an alternative therapeutic treatment for patients with blood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, who can be cured by bone marrow transplantation but do not have a matched bone marrow donor. Gamida Cell is developing StemEx with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA; TASE: TEVA), and it is seeking a strategic partner for the product's global commercialization. The company will also use the proceeds for the further development of other products, primarily a clinical trial of its NiCord treatment for sickle cell anemia and thalassemia. Gamida Cell chairman Reuven Krupik said, The investors were unanimous in their decision to reinvest, understanding the importance of bringing StemEx to market as well as maintaining the companys leadership role in the stem cell industry. Gamida Cell is a game changer." Gamida Cell completed enrollment for a pivotal Phase III clinical trial of StemEx in February, and expects results in the fourth quarter. The company plans to launch the product in 2013, and it could … Continue reading →