Pluristem Therapeutics Ltd. (Nasdaq:PSTI; DAX: PJT: PLTR) has obtained US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance to begin a Phase II clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of its PLX-PAD placental stem cell treatment of intermittent claudication (moderate-severe limping), a subset of peripheral artery disease (PAD), caused by atherosclerosis of the legs. The clinical trial will include 132 patients at ten locations in the US. The trial will test the safety and efficacy of two dosages of PLX-PAD cells compared with a placebo. The primary endpoint will be the change in the maximal walking distance from baseline during an exercise treadmill test. Secondary endpoints will include hemodynamics and quality of life measurements. The trial will also test safety parameters. Pluristem chairman and CEO Zami Aberman said, "We are excited to receive the world's FDA first clearance for an intermittent claudication clinical trial using allogeneic cell therapy as a potential preventive treatment for this disease. We believe that our approach of repeatable intramuscular injections will potentially enable us to boost the healing process of our patients. In this trial, we will take benefit of our 'off-the-shelf' PLX properties achieved by our 3D proprietary technology platform for efficient, controlled, mass … Continue reading →

Public release date: 17-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: David Eve celltransplantation@gmail.com Cell Transplantation Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair Tampa, Fla. (April. 17, 2012) Combined, complimentary therapies have the ability to maximize the benefits of neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation for spinal cord repair in rat models, according to a study carried out by a team of Korean researchers who published in a recent issue of Cell Transplantation (20:9), now freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/. "When transplanted, neural stem cells have demonstrated their therapeutic potential to reverse complex pathological processes following spinal cord injury," said study corresponding author Dr. Byung G. Kim of the Ajou University School of Medicine's Brain Disease Research Center and Department of Neurology, Republic of Korea. "However, many obstacles cannot be overcome by NSC transplant alone." Their study demonstrated that a combination of treatment strategies - a polymer scaffold, neurotrophin-3 (NT3) and chondroitinase (an enzyme which helps digest the glial scar that formed after a spinal cord injury) - provided added therapeutic benefits to NSC transplantation. The implantation of a polymer scaffold designed to bridge lesion cavities, created a favorable tissue environment for nerve growth. Incorporating the NT3 gene into the … Continue reading →

Lifesaving stem cell treatments must be offered in Ireland, says expert By Sen McCrthaigh Thursday, April 19, 2012 Ireland is seriously lagging behind most other countries in offering live-saving treatments provided by the use of adult stem cells, a leading international medical expert has warned. Colin McGuckin called on the Government and health authorities to facilitate the wider collection and storage of stem cells from umbilical cord blood in Ireland. Prof McGuckin who is advisor to the Vatican on stem cells and a director of the Cell Therapy Research Institute in Lyon, France is director of the Adult Stem Cell Foundation of Ireland, which was formally launched yesterday. "Treatments which are available in other countries must come to Ireland," said Mr McGuckin. He also expressed fears the lack of stem cell therapies here could force people to seek unregulated care abroad. Presently, none of Irelands three main maternity hospitals allow for the collection of adult stem cells from umbilical cords except in high-risk cases. The only facility which allows the practice is Mount Carmel Hospital in Dublin. All adult stem cells collected are sent abroad for storage. Mr McGuckin said adult stem cells could be used in the treatment of … Continue reading →

Photo by Allie Garza Dr. Zannos Grekos, a cardiologist whose practice is in Bonita Springs, speaks with a seminar attendant after one of his educational seminars about stem cell treatment, using one's own stem cells, for treating heart disease and other medical conditions, on Monday, March 14, 2011, at the Collier County Library. Allie Garza/Staff K.K.Yankopolus In a case involving a criminal investigation into the recent death of a 77-year-old man after stem cell treatment, state health authorities say Dr. Zannos Grekos extracted tissue from the patient while a second doctor later injected the patient with his own concentrated stem cells. But when Grekos, a Bonita Springs cardiologist, initially harvested fatty tissue from Richard Poling's stomach on March 2, he unknowingly damaged the patient's abdomen which led to bleeding, according to a state Department of Health complaint. New documents obtained by the Daily News shed more light on the case of Grekos and Dr. Konstantine Yankopolus, a Fort Myers obstetrician who assisted Grekos. They face potential disciplinary action from the state Board of Medicine for doing a stem cell treatment that the state says was experimental and dangerous. The state issued separate administrative complaints against them in late March and … Continue reading →

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --ETEX Corporation, an advanced biomaterials company, today announced two presentations at the upcoming Global Technology Community 8th Stem Cell Summit, April 19-20, 2012 at the Hyatt Harborside Hotel in Boston, MA. ETEX will highlight their cell carrier development program in two concurrent tracks: Stem Cell Commercialization & Partnering as well as Stem Cell Research & Regenerative Medicine. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080424/NETH117LOGO ) Brian Ennis, President and CEO of ETEX Corporation, will deliver an oral presentation entitled "Orthobiologic Market Dynamics, Vision of the Future" during the Stem Cell Commercialization & Partnering session. Mr. Ennis will highlight key elements of a product lifecycle / replacement technology business model, outlining a new approach to skeletal repair and orthopedic innovation. This approach incorporates the combination of biomaterials and hardware, localized bone treatment with systemic therapy and stem cell delivery. Dr. David Kaplan, Tufts University and Dr. Jerry Chang, ETEX Corporation scientific team will showcase recent advancements in their Stem Cell Carrier program during the Stem Cell Research & Regenerative Medicine session. The poster & power point presentation is entitled "Calcium Phosphate Combination Biomaterials as Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell (hMSC) Delivery Vehicles for Bone Repair". Brian Ennis comments, "As a pioneer … Continue reading →