Archive for March, 2012

SILVER SPRING, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX), an emerging biotechnology provider of cell and gene therapy solutions through its acquisition of the SG Austria assets, today discussed the value of encapsulation, freezing, storage, survivability and localization of human stem cells once implanted using the proprietary Cell-in-a-Box technology.

The encapsulation of human stem cells is enabled by the Cell-in-a-Box technology, which can then be frozen, stored and later implanted into target tissues. The benefits of encapsulation are several: first, the process allows for freezing of stem cells for long-term storage without appreciably affecting viability. Second, encapsulation protects the stem cells from stress factors caused by direct aeration and sheer forces associated with bioreactors. Third, Cell-in-a-Box encapsulated stem cells are held in place at the site of implantation, maximizing their potential efficacy as they have the potential to stimulate growth of surrounding new, healthy tissue. Finally, encapsulated cells may prevent any potential side effects associated with direct injection since they remain localized to the area of treatment when encapsulated.

Dr. Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Nuvilex, commented, For many years it was assumed stem cells existed only to replace cells that had died or were damaged. Recent studies suggest factors stem cells secrete provide signals to surrounding tissue that can stimulate regeneration. The potential therefore, is that if stem cells can be maintained at a particular site where damaged, removed or non-functional tissue was through some sort of holding mechanism, this may aid in a positive growth response in that tissue. In addition, the stem cells themselves have the potential to undergo development into the appropriate cell type at that location, potentially creating miniature organs. The Cell-in-a-Box technology is designed specifically for those purposes. Thus, encapsulated stem cells would be implanted and remain in place, ultimately being able to serve a broad number of medical applications entirely dependent on where in the body they are placed.

About Nuvilex

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX) is an emerging international biotechnology provider of live clinically useful, therapeutically valuable, encapsulated cells, as well as services for encapsulating live cells for the research and medical communities. Through substantial effort, the aspects of our corporate activities alone and in concert with SG Austria continue to move toward agreement completion and ultimately a strong future together. Our companys ultimate clinical offerings will include cancer, diabetes and other treatments using the companys industry-leading cell and gene therapy expertise and cutting edge, live-cell encapsulation technology.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 involving risks and uncertainties, including product demand, market competition, and Nuvilexs ability to meet current or future plans which may cause actual results, events, and performances, expressed or implied, to vary and/or differ from those contemplated or predicted. Investors should study and understand all risks before making an investment decision. Readers are recommended not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. Nuvilex is not obliged to publicly release revisions to any forward-looking statement, to reflect events or circumstances afterward, or to disclose unanticipated occurrences, except as required under applicable laws.

View post:
Cell-in-a-Box® Encapsulation Technology Creates Extensive Applications within the Stem Cell Arena

Dexmedetomidine for Maintaining Sedation

During prolonged mechanical ventilation, sedation with midazolam or propofol is associated with serious adverse effects. Jakob and colleagues assessed the efficacy of dexmedetomidinean 2-agonist sedativecompared with either midazolam or propofol in 2 multicenter randomized trials that involved 998 patients expected to require more than 24 hours' mechanical ventilation. Among the authors' findings was that dexmedetomidine was not inferior to midazolam or propofol in maintaining light to moderate sedation or in reducing total ventilation duration compared with midazolam. However, dexmedetomidine was associated with more adverse events. In an editorial, Wunsch discusses the costs and benefits of sedative options for critically ill patients undergoing mechanical ventilation.

(ARTICLE) (ARTICLE)

Epinephrine is widely used in resuscitation of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; however, its effectiveness is not established. Hagihara and colleagues analyzed registry data from 417188 patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest to assess the relationship between prehospital epinephrine use and mortality and functional status among survivors. The authors report that prehospital epinephrine use was associated with increased return of spontaneous circulation before hospital arrival but decreased the likelihood of survival at 1 month or survival with good functional status. In an editorial, Callaway discusses the evidence that epinephrine use during cardiopulmonary resuscitation may not improve patient-oriented outcomes.

(ARTICLE) (ARTICLE)AND AUTHOR AUDIO INTERVIEW

Immunosuppressive induction therapyroutine in organ transplantsreduces the risk of organ rejection but is associated with adverse effects. Infusion of bone marrowderived mesenchymal stem cells, which have immunoregulatory effects, may offer an alternative immunosuppressive approach. In a randomized trial of 159 patients undergoing living-related kidney transplants, Tan and colleagues found that compared with conventional antiinterleukin 2 receptor antibodybased therapy, a regimen that involved infusion of autologous mesenchymal stem cells was associated with a lower incidence of acute rejection and better renal function at 1 year.

(ARTICLE)

The use of anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists to administer procedural sedation during outpatient endoscopies increases costs. In a retrospective analysis of claims data from 1.1 million Medicare beneficiaries and 5.5 million commercially insured patients, Liu and colleagues found that utilization of anesthesia services during upper endoscopies and colonoscopies increased from approximately 14% in 2003 to more than 30% in 2009. The majority of anesthesia services were provided to low-risk patients and varied across geographic regions. In an editorial, Fleisher discusses factors that may contribute to increased use of anesthesia services for patients undergoing endoscopy procedures.

(ARTICLE) (ARTICLE)AND AUTHOR VIDEO INTERVIEW

Mrs N, a 75-year-old woman, has a several-year history of hearing loss, which is more bothersome to her family than herself. Pacala and Yueh discuss the prevalence, etiology, and consequences of hearing loss in older patients; its evaluation and treatment, including the selection and fitting of hearing aids; and special challenges to effective hearing aid use among older adults with multiple comorbidities.

Original post:
This Week in JAMA [This Week in JAMA]

In a unanimous ruling the US Supreme Court has rendered invalid two patents covering a method for determining proper drug dosage. The 20 March decision sent ripples through the medical diagnostics industry, which has been closely following the case.

The patents were held by Prometheus Laboratories, a therapeutics and diagnostics company based in San Diego, California. They covered the process of administering thiopurine drugs which are used to treat autoimmune diseases such as Crohns disease to patients and then measuring the levels of certain metabolites in the blood to determine whether the patient had received a safe and effective dose.

A new landmark for patent law?

Daderot

The defendant in the case, a division of the Mayo Clinic, based in Rochester, Minnesota, initially bought diagnostic tests based on the patents, but in 2004 decided that it wanted to market its its own test, which uses a similar method. Prometheus sued in June of that year, and the case has been working its way through the courts ever since.

The medical-diagnostics industry has been shaken by recent legal challenges to its patents, most notably a high profile case challening the validity of gene patents held by Myriad Genetics, a diagnostics company based in Salt Lake City, Utah (see 'US Court upholds Myriad's breast cancer gene patents'). Critics argue that some of the patents being challenged are based on natural phenomena, which are not patentable unless they have been somehow altered by humans. The Supreme Court agreed, a decision which sent the share prices of some biotechnology companies tumbling; Myriad's stock dropped by more than 5%.

The ruling is also likely to send companies and universities scrambling to determine which of their discoveries are still eligible for patenting, says William Simmons, a patent attorney at the law firm Sughrue Mion in Washington DC. There are going to be areas of technology that are methods for treating individuals that simply cannot be patented as a result of this decision, he says. It has a dramatic impact on the medical community and the scientific research community.

In 2010, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit sided with Prometheus and upheld the patents, saying that the administration of drugs to patients and the measurement of metabolites in the blood were both steps that transformed a particular article into a different state or thing. But the Supreme Court disagreed. Neither step was transformative, wrote Justice Stephen Breyer, arguing instead that the patents covered a law of nature. Harking back to the archetypal eureka moment of antiquity, Breyer wrote: Nor could Archimedes have secured a patent for his famous principle of flotation by claiming a process consisting of simply telling boat builders to refer to that principle in order to determine whether an object will float.

Such a position is strongly opposed by the biotechnology industry, which has said that overturning the patents could stifle innovation, particularly in the development of personalized medicine. In a statement released after the court issued its decision, Hans Sauer, deputy general counsel for intellectual property at the Biotechnology Industry Organization, a Washington DC-based lobbying group, cautioned against unintended consequences of the decision for patents on biomarker-based diagnostic methods. The Court's opinion fails to appropriately recognize the importance of personalized medicine, he wrote, and of the research and investment incentives needed to develop new individualized therapies for untreated diseases.

In contrast, Breyer argued that upholding rather than striking down the patents risked inhibiting future innovation, a danger that becomes acute when a patented process is no more than a general instruction to 'apply the natural law'.

Excerpt from:
US Supreme Court upends diagnostics patents

Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Huntingtons Disease Also Included In: Stem Cell Research Article Date: 19 Mar 2012 - 10:00 PDT

email to a friend printer friendly opinions

Current Article Ratings:

4 (1 votes)

3 (1 votes)

However, according to a study published March 15 in the journal Cell Stem Cell, a special type of brain cell created from stem cells could help restore the muscle coordination deficits that are responsible for uncontrollable spasms, a characteristic of the disease. The researchers demonstrated that movement in mice with a Huntington's-like condition could be restored.

Su-Chun Zhang, a University of Wisconsin-Madison neuroscientist and the senior author of the study, said:

In the study Zhang, who is an expert in creating various types of brain cells from human embryonic or induce pluripotent stem cells, and his team focused on GABA neurons. The degradation of GABA cells causes the breakdown of a vital neural circuit and loss of motor function in individuals suffering from Huntington's disease.

According to Zhang, GABA neurons generate a vital neurotransmitter, a chemical that helps support the communication network in the brain that coordinates movement.

Zhang and his team at the UW-Madison Waisman Center, discovered how to generate large quantities of GABA neurons from human embryonic stem cells. The team's goal was to determine whether these cells would safely integrate into the brain of a mouse model of Huntington's disease.

Read more here:
Huntington's Disease - Stem Cell Therapy Potential

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- SanBio Inc. today announced the successful enrollment of the first dose cohort of patients in its Phase 1/2a clinical trial testing the safety and efficacy of a novel allogeneic stem cell therapy product, SB623, in patients suffering from chronic deficits resulting from previous stroke injuries. The first 6 patients, of a total of 18, have been successfully administered SB623. The trial is being conducted at Stanford University and the University of Pittsburgh. No safety concerns have been reported. For details regarding this clinical trial, please refer to http://www.strokeclinicaltrial.org.

SB623 is derived from adult bone marrow and has shown safety and efficacy in rodent models of chronic stroke. "This represents a major milestone in the human clinical testing of this important new approach for regenerative medicine", said Keita Mori, SanBio CEO. "We are pleased to learn that the initial dose level was well tolerated."

SB623 is being delivered to the damaged region of the brains of patients who have suffered an ischemic stroke. Product safety is the primary focus of the study but various measurements of efficacy are also being tested.

"The successful completion of the initial dose cohort is a major step in any first-in-human study", said Dr. Ernest Yankee, SanBio's Vice President of Development. "We are looking forward to initiating the next two dose cohorts and wrapping up the study. The safety findings thus far are very encouraging"

About SB623: SB623 is a proprietary cell therapy product consisting of cells derived from genetically engineered bone marrow stromal cells obtained from healthy adult donors. SB623 is administered adjacent to the area damaged by stroke and functions by producing proteins that aid the regenerative process.

About SanBio: SanBio is a privately held San Francisco Bay Area biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of new regenerative cell therapy products.

For more information: http://www.san-bio.com

Continued here:
SanBio Announces Enrollment of First Cohort of Patients in Its Clinical Trial of Stem Cell Therapy for Chronic Stroke

A special dog used to help people is getting some much-needed help of her own at a Virginia clinic, myFOXdc.com reported.

Red, a 12-year-old black Labrador, is one of the last surviving search and rescue dogs deployed during the 9/11 attacks.

Her handler, Heather Roche, told WTTG-TV that Red was recently certified when Sept. 11, 2001, occurred, and the devastating terror attacks were her first big mission.

Red's job was to find DNA evidence at The Pentagon's north parking lot with 26 other dogs, and according to Roche, she did a "fantastic job."

"I got her as a puppy ... You have to convince [her] everything that she does, whether it's climbing ladders or any kind of search, that it's her idea," Roche told WTTG-TV. "No matter what I've asked her to do, she's done it and she's done it flawlessly."

But in her old age Red developed crippling arthritis, and underwent stem cell regenerative therapy Monday to help ease her pain so she can get back out on the job.

Dr. John Herrity of Burke Animal Clinic in Burke, Va., told WTTG-TV, "Red has a back issue that, after a fall from a ladder has not really been right, and has been living in pain, so we're going to give those stem cells IV [intravenously] and then also inject them along the back to try to help Red's comfort."

"She's had a great career and has made a difference to a lot of families by bringing their loved ones home," Roche said.

Click here to read more.

Read the original post:
9/11 search and rescue dog receives stem cell therapy

GOLDEN, Colo., March 20, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vitro Diagnostics, Inc. (OTCQB:VODG.PK - News), dba Vitro Biopharma, has recently received approval for its presentation entitled "GMP Cell Culture Media for Expansion of MSCS Prior to Allogeneic or Autologous Transplantation." The Company recently expanded its stem cell media products to include clinical grade MSC-Gro(TM) media for use in clinical trials of stem cells. The Company will present its current findings at the annual meeting of the International Society of Cellular Therapy (ISCT) in Seattle, Washington this coming June. To get more information regarding the International Society of Cellular Therapy visit http://www.celltherapysociety.org/

Vitro Biopharma has developed a series of products to support clinical application of adult stem cells known as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that are completely divorced and different from ethically contentious embryonic stem cells. MSCs are derived from numerous adult tissue sources including bone marrow, blood, adipose tissue, teeth, etc and show considerable promise in clinical applications especially for treatment of injury and diseases affecting joints, bone, ligaments and tendons. There are over 200 ongoing clinical trials of MSCs to study potential treatment of diabetes, Parkinson's disease, organ transplant rejection, osteoarthritis, MS, spinal cord injury, stroke, myocardial infarction, cardiovascular disease, liver degeneration, COPD and other medical conditions.

Vitro Biopharma will present the current status of its clinical grade MSC-Gro(TM) Brand of culture medium for growth and differentiation of MSCs at the ISCT meeting. Through its extensive research and experience with cell culture media, Vitro Biopharma has developed highly competitive media that is suitable for clinical applications. Critical characteristics are that they are serum-free, chemically-defined and free from animal-derived components. Furthermore, it is essential that serum-free media perform the same as formulations containing contain blood serum, a complex mixture of biologically active components with intrinsic variability from batch to batch and safety issues regarding potential infectious agents. Vitro will present its results regarding each of these points and the status of FDA approval of its clinical products.

Dr. Jim Musick, Vitro's President & CEO, said, "We are very pleased to be approved for presentation at the ISCT Annual Meeting. It is apparent from the reported widespread efficacy of MSCs in clinical trials and the low incidence of adverse effects that there is potential to achieve regulatory approval for advanced treatment of many diseases, injuries and cellular degenerative conditions. Our new clinical products expand our offering of tools to support stem cell research by providing highly competitive new products for clinical studies including our serum-free, animal-free and chemically defined MSC-Gro(TM) Brand of media formulations optimized for human MSC self-renewal & lineage-specific differentiation, together with LUMENESC(TM) high performance assays of stem cell quality, potency and response to toxic agents. We intend to leverage our current advances in human medical MSC-based treatments to offer products for treatment of horses, dogs and cats. The results of MSC therapy in animals may also provide safety and efficacy data to support human clinical studies."

About Vitro Diagnostics, Inc.

Vitro Diagnostics, Inc. dba Vitro Biopharma (OTCQB:VODG.PK - News) (http://www.vitrobiopharma.com), owns US patents for production of FSH, immortalization of pituitary cells, and a cell line that produces beta islets for use in treatment of diabetes. Vitro also owns a pending international patent for generation of pluripotent stem cells. Vitro's mission is "Harnessing the Power of Cells(TM)" for the advancement of regenerative medicine to its full potential. Vitro operates within a modern biotechnology manufacturing, R&D and corporate facility in Golden, Colorado. Vitro manufactures and sells "Tools for Stem Cell and Drug Development(TM)", including human mesenchymal stem cells and derivatives, MSC-Gro(TM) optimized media for stem cell self-renewal and lineage-specific differentiation. Vitro recently formed a strategic alliance with HemoGenix(R), Inc. (http://www.hemogenix.com/) to jointly manufacture and distribute LUMENESC(TM) and LumiSTEM(TM) quantitative assays for determination of stem cell quality, potency and response to toxic agents.

The Vitro Biopharma logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=12086

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements contained herein and subsequent statements made by and on behalf of the Company, whether oral or written may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward looking statements are identified by words such as "intends," "anticipates," "believes," "expects" and "hopes" and include, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's plan of business operations, product research and development activities, potential contractual arrangements, receipt of working capital, anticipated revenues and related expenditures. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, acceptability of the Company's products in the market place, general economic conditions, receipt of additional working capital, the overall state of the biotechnology industry and other factors set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Most of these factors are outside the control of the Company. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by applicable securities statutes or regulations, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly these forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Continued here:
Vitro Biopharma Receives Approval for Presentation to the International Society for Cellular Therapy

NEW YORK, March 20, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeoStem, Inc. (NYSE Amex:NBS) ("NeoStem" or "the Company") is a leader in the cell therapy industry, developing cell based therapeutics supported by the Company's expertise in contract manufacturing. This strategic combination and depth of experience in cell therapy development and manufacturing provide NeoStem with unique capabilities to develop its own cell therapies and that sets the Company apart from others in the cell therapy landscape. 2011 represented a major year of strategic transition for NeoStem, and the Company plans to build upon that in 2012 and in the years ahead.

NeoStem reported its audited results for 2011. Consolidated revenues for the year ended December 31, 2011 were $73.7 million compared to $69.8 million for 2010. The Company's consolidated net loss for 2011 was $56.6 million, which included $10.3 million of non-cash equity-based compensation expense, $19.4 million of goodwill impairment charges and $9.0 million of depreciation and amortization. Overall, the Company's consolidated cash loss for 2011 was $15.5 million (see reconciliation below). Net loss attributable to NeoStem common shareholder interests for 2011 was $47.8 million, or $0.54 per share.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company had consolidated cash and cash equivalents of $12.7 million, and an additional $2.5 million in cash held in escrow (classified in Other Assets).

NeoStem believes that the opportunities that exist today in cell therapy are robust and growing despite a persistently difficult financial environment, making this an opportunistic time to pursue the monetization of the Company's 51% ownership of Suzhou Erye Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and bolster its cell therapy business. In June 2011, the Company engaged a financial advisor to lead the effort to pursue the possible divestiture of the Company's interest in Erye. Marketing efforts are underway and have generated interest from both financial and strategic buyers.

On the therapeutics side of the business NeoStem now has a pipeline of assets that includes Amorcyte (Phase 2 trial for preservation of heart function after a heart attack), Athelos (physician sponsored Phase 1 trials for a range of auto-immune conditions) and pre-clinical development work on its VSEL(TM) technology. The Company's most advanced asset is AMR-001 for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction for which enrollment for a Phase 2 study in the United States commenced in January. The study is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of infarct-related artery infusion of AMR-001, an autologous bone marrow derived cell therapy enriched for CD34+ cells. AMR-001 is administered 5 to 11 days post-stent placement in patients diagnosed with an ST segment elevation myocardial infarction ("STEMI") with ejection fraction less than or equal to 48%. The study will include 160 subjects, age 18 and older, randomized 1:1 between treatment and control. The manufacturing, product supply, and logistics for the trial will be supported by Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC, NeoStem's contract manufacturing company.

Amorcyte currently has ten activated clinical trial sites for its Phase 2 AMI clinical trial with the initial patients enrolled. Trial enrollment is expected to be completed in approximately one year with data read out six months following the last treated patient. The Amorcyte franchise is supported by a strong patent portfolio which includes both composition of matter and methods of treatment around use of these hematopoietic stem cells for treatment of cardiac ischemia and other ischemic tissue that result from vascular insufficiency. The Company sees Amorcyte as a pipeline of therapeutics with potential in multiple indications from STEMI to congestive heart failure and other related vascular insufficiencies. The Amorcyte product addresses both an unmet medical need and a large potential market.

"One of the most important attributes of AMR-001 is that it's 'natural.' We are enhancing the body's normal and natural response to ischemic injury," said Dr. Robin Smith, CEO of NeoStem. "Ample historical evidence, published literature and our own compelling Phase 1 data give us confidence that this product will ultimately make it to the marketplace. Our next most advanced asset is held by Athelos Corporation, (a NeoStem company, partnered with Becton, Dickinson and Company) which is developing a novel T-cell platform for immunological disorders. The Athelos T-cell technology represents an innovative approach to restoring immune balance with potential applications in graft vs. host disease (GvHD), solid organ transplant (SOT) and autoimmune diseases, such as asthma and diabetes. Multiple physician sponsored phase 1 studies are expected to report results that will be used to determine the direction of clinical development.

"NeoStem is also developing pre-clinical assets, including its VSEL(TM) Technology platform for regenerative medicine, which NeoStem believes is an endogenous pluripotent non-embryonic cell that has the potential to change the paradigm of cell therapy as we know it today. These activities have received awards in excess of $2.5 million which funds support the work of prestigious researchers who are pioneering this science with NeoStem.

"Behind the development of these therapeutic assets is the NeoStem cell therapy contract manufacturing business (PCT) which itself continues to grow. New clients have engaged PCT to assist them in the development of their products, including a global, diversified healthcare company who recently selected PCT to provide stem cell processing in our two GMP manufacturing facilities in the United States (California and New Jersey). PCT's prominence in the marketplace continues to grow and that is reflected by both client satisfaction and the revenues the company generates.

"As we look to the year ahead, we are excited on multiple fronts. Our capital preservation efforts are now bearing fruit as our cash burn rate is in-line with our peers. We expect to continue to carefully invest our capital in projects that meet our internal rate of return hurdle and risk parameters. We believe the PCT and Amorcyte acquisitions have created true value for our shareholders and we look forward to demonstrating that as these assets reach their respective value inflection points. We see the unmet medical need in cardiology and the treatment burden associated with chronic diseases as representing a significant challenge to modern society. We believe that cell therapy holds many of the solutions to the health crisis that societies face and have the potential to create real pharmacoeconomic benefit as well as shareholder value for our company.

See the original post here:
NeoStem Provides Updates and Reports Year End Results

SILVER SPRING, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX), an emerging biotechnology provider of cell and gene therapy solutions through its acquisition of the SG Austria assets, today discussed the value of encapsulation, freezing, storage, survivability and localization of human stem cells once implanted using the proprietary Cell-in-a-Box technology.

The encapsulation of human stem cells is enabled by the Cell-in-a-Box technology, which can then be frozen, stored and later implanted into target tissues. The benefits of encapsulation are several: first, the process allows for freezing of stem cells for long-term storage without appreciably affecting viability. Second, encapsulation protects the stem cells from stress factors caused by direct aeration and sheer forces associated with bioreactors. Third, Cell-in-a-Box encapsulated stem cells are held in place at the site of implantation, maximizing their potential efficacy as they have the potential to stimulate growth of surrounding new, healthy tissue. Finally, encapsulated cells may prevent any potential side effects associated with direct injection since they remain localized to the area of treatment when encapsulated.

Dr. Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Nuvilex, commented, For many years it was assumed stem cells existed only to replace cells that had died or were damaged. Recent studies suggest factors stem cells secrete provide signals to surrounding tissue that can stimulate regeneration. The potential therefore, is that if stem cells can be maintained at a particular site where damaged, removed or non-functional tissue was through some sort of holding mechanism, this may aid in a positive growth response in that tissue. In addition, the stem cells themselves have the potential to undergo development into the appropriate cell type at that location, potentially creating miniature organs. The Cell-in-a-Box technology is designed specifically for those purposes. Thus, encapsulated stem cells would be implanted and remain in place, ultimately being able to serve a broad number of medical applications entirely dependent on where in the body they are placed.

About Nuvilex

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX) is an emerging international biotechnology provider of live clinically useful, therapeutically valuable, encapsulated cells, as well as services for encapsulating live cells for the research and medical communities. Through substantial effort, the aspects of our corporate activities alone and in concert with SG Austria continue to move toward agreement completion and ultimately a strong future together. Our companys ultimate clinical offerings will include cancer, diabetes and other treatments using the companys industry-leading cell and gene therapy expertise and cutting edge, live-cell encapsulation technology.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 involving risks and uncertainties, including product demand, market competition, and Nuvilexs ability to meet current or future plans which may cause actual results, events, and performances, expressed or implied, to vary and/or differ from those contemplated or predicted. Investors should study and understand all risks before making an investment decision. Readers are recommended not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. Nuvilex is not obliged to publicly release revisions to any forward-looking statement, to reflect events or circumstances afterward, or to disclose unanticipated occurrences, except as required under applicable laws.

Here is the original post:
Cell-in-a-Box® Encapsulation Technology Creates Extensive Applications within the Stem Cell Arena

Pluristem Therapeutics Ltd. (Nasdaq:PSTI; DAX: PJT: PLTR) today announced that its PLacental eXpanded (PLX) cells improve several parameters in acute myocardial infarction (heart attacks) in animals. The preclinical trial was conducted at the Center for Regenerative Therapies in Germany.

The trial included 20 mice, which were given induced heart attacks. Half the mice were then given either PLX cells, and the other half were given a cell-free medium as a control. Five other mice underwent a sham (placebo) operation. After four weeks, the mice underwent an ECG, and were then killed for a physical examination of their hearts. The mice which received PLX had improved cardiac muscle function compared with the control group.

Study leader Prof. Christof Stamm said, "As a cardiac surgeon, the unique ability demonstrated by Pluristem's PLX cells for the treatment of heart disease is very exciting." He added, "PLX cells showed promising results in the AMI studies."

Pluristem chairman and CEO Zami Aberman said, "These results demonstrate the potential benefits of our cells for use in the treatment of ischemic heart disease, a multi-billion dollar annual market, and one in which many pharmaceutical companies are constantly looking to provide patients with innovative and effective solutions. In addition to moving ahead with our AMI trial, we look forward to continuing to work on finding cell therapy solutions for numerous debilitating diseases."

An article in the New England Journal of Medicine states that 624,000 patients suffer an acute myocardial infarction annually in the US, a number that will most likely increase with the rising prevalence of obesity, diabetes and the aging of the population.

Pluristem's share price rose 5.1% by mid-afternoon on the TASE today to NIS 8.50, after closing at $2.15 on Nasdaq yesterday, giving a market cap of $95 million. The share is up 6.5% in premarket trading on Nasdaq today.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - http://www.globes-online.com - on March 20, 2012

Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2012

Continue reading here:
Pluristem reports success in stem cell heart attack treatment

Public release date: 19-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Julia Evangelou Strait straitj@wustl.edu 314-286-0141 Washington University School of Medicine

Doctors at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown that a new drug makes chemotherapy more effective in treating acute myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells. Instead of attacking these cells directly, the drug helps drive them out of the bone marrow and into the bloodstream, where they are more vulnerable to chemotherapy.

"We're usually very good at clearing these leukemia cells from the blood," says Geoffrey L. Uy, MD, assistant professor of medicine and co-first author on the study published in the journal Blood. "But it's much harder to clear these cancerous cells from the bone marrow."

This combined phase 1 and 2 clinical trial included 52 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who had relapsed or whose AML was resistant to the standard chemotherapy regimen. In the phase 2 portion with 46 patients, all received the investigational drug, and 46 percent achieved complete remission, meaning no evidence of cancer could be found in the blood or bone marrow after treatment.

"In general, we see complete remission rates between 20 and 30 percent," says Uy, who treats patients at the Alivn J. Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital. "But a lot depends on individual patient characteristics."

Indeed, recent genetic studies have shown that mutations leading to AML may differ greatly among patients. But regardless of individual mutations, all of these leukemia cells rely in some way on the protective effects of the bone marrow, according to senior author John F. DiPersio, MD, PhD, the Virginia E. and Sam J. Golman Professor of Medicine.

"With DNA sequencing identifying so many mutations that are unique to one patient, it may be very hard to find therapies that work directly on the cancer," says DiPersio, who also treats patients at the Siteman Cancer Center. "Instead, we are targeting a common pathway that all leukemic cells are addicted to in this case, the relatively normal environment of the bone marrow."

DiPersio calls the results of this study encouraging and worthy of additional exploration.

"If these results are repeated in a larger study, it would be transformative," he says. "It would change the standard way we treat these patients we would use this approach with everybody. In addition, the approach of targeting the tumor microenvironment could also be exploited for the treatment of other hematologic and solid tumor malignancies."

See the rest here:
Drug makes leukemia more vulnerable to chemo

Four-year-old Angela Irizarry was born with a single pumping chamber in her heart, a potentially lethal defect. To fix the problem, Angela is growing a new blood vessel in her body in an experimental treatment that could advance the burgeoning field of regenerative medicine.

Doctors at Yale University here implanted in Angela's chest in August a bioabsorbable tube that is designed to dissolve over time. The tube was seeded with cells, including stem cells, that had been harvested from Angela's bone marrow. Since then, the doctors say, the tube has disappeared, leaving in its place a conduit produced by Angela's cells that functions like a normal blood vessel.

"We're making a blood vessel where there wasn't one," said Dr. Christopher Breuer, the Yale pediatric surgeon who led the 12-hour procedure to implant the device. "We're inducing regeneration."

Angela, who had little stamina before the operation, now has the energy of a regular kid. She is on several medications, but Breuer and her parents think she'll be able to start school in the fall.

Scientists have long been captivated by the ability of animals such as salamanders and starfish to regrow body parts lost to injury. It was long assumed that developmental forces that create a human being in the womb are lost at birth. But recent advances in stem-cell research and tissue engineering suggest that regenerative forces can be reawakened with strategically implanted stem cells and other tissue.

This notion is fueling research at many academic laboratories and dozens of start-up companies where scientists are hoping to identify effective ways to treat maladies including heart muscle damaged from heart attacks, paralysis due to spinal cord injuries and poor-functioning kidneys and bladders.

Angela's condition, known as hypoplastic left heart syndrome, affects some 3,000 newborns in the U.S. each year. With just one pumping chamber, or ventricle, instead of the usual two, the babies can't deliver sufficient levels of oxygen to their organs and extremities, compromising their development and causing them to turn blue and suffer from a lack of energy. Without a surgical repair, says Breuer, 70 percent of them die before their first birthday.

Pediatric surgeons typically treat the condition with a series of operations called the Fontan procedure, designed to enable the heart to function without the missing ventricle. The last operation involves implanting a synthetic blood vessel made of Gore-Tex to reroute blood from the lower extremities directly to the lungs instead of through the heart. The device works, but it is prone to clotting, infection and in some cases, the need for additional surgery later in life as the child grows. The idea behind Breuer's project is that a natural conduit with the biology of a normal blood vessel would grow with the child and avoid or significantly reduce complications associated with a synthetic tube.

Angela's case "is a real milestone and broadly important for the field of tissue engineering," said Robert Langer, a researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a regenerative-medicine pioneer who isn't involved in the Yale initiative. "It gives you hope that when you combine cells with a scaffold and [put] them in the body, they will do the right thing."

Angela's heart defect was diagnosed in utero, when her mother Claudia was five months pregnant. She had her first operation when she was 5 days old, and another at 8 months. But her heart defect was taking a toll. She was shy, small for her age and lacked the stamina of a normal 3-year-old.

Read the original:
To fix a heart, doctors train girl's body to grow new part

CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB: ISCO.OB - News) (www.internationalstemcell.com) today announced year-end financial results for the year ended December 31, 2011. ISCO is a California-based development-stage biotechnology company that is focused on therapeutic, biomedical and cosmeceutical product development and commercialization with multiple long-term therapeutic opportunities and two revenue-generating businesses offering potential for increased future revenue.

ISCO reported revenue of $1.1 million for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2011, reflecting a 110% increase from the same period of the prior year. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2011, the Company reported revenue of $4.5 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 189%. The increases in revenues in both periods were primarily driven by strong sales at ISCOs wholly-owned subsidiary Lifeline Skin Care (LSC). In addition, steady growth in sales from ISCOs other wholly-owned subsidiary, Lifeline Cell Technology (LCT), contributed to the increases in revenues for both periods.

While the Company continued to invest in therapeutic projects, development of new technologies, and expansion of products and channels of distribution, to date we have generated limited revenue to support our core therapeutic research and development efforts. For the three months ended December 31, 2011, development expenses, excluding cost of sales, increased $507,000 or 17% compared with the same period of 2010, a reflection of increased G&A expenses resulting from higher stock-based compensation expenses.

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2011, development expenses, excluding costs of sales, increased approximately $3.0 million or 26% when compared with the prior year period.The majority of the increase was primarily due to increases in general and administrative and research and development activities. General and administrative expenses increased largely due to increased non-cash stock-based compensation, higher headcount, and increased expenses related business development activity and general corporate expenses. Research & Development expenses increased mainly due to increased number and complexity of experiments associated with our scientific projects. The increase in development expenses was also related to increased research activities on therapeutic products and product research activities for LSC and LCT coupled with increased sales and marketing expenses related to our skin care products.

Some of the 2011 Highlights:

-- A number of donors willing to provide oocytes for research purposed were enrolled in ISCO's program to establish a bank of clinical grade hpSC capable of being immune-matched to millions of patients.

-- The Research and Development team successfully completed the first series of preclinical studies that supports the therapeutic use of hepatocytes (liver cells) and neuronal cells derived from human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSC). These in vivo experiments demonstrated that the derived cells are able to survive in targeted locations in mice without causing tumors.

-- We became Sarbanes-Oxley compliant and maintained, in all material respects, effective internal controls over financial reporting as of December 31, 2011.

-- We strengthened our Management Team through the appointments of well-known industry executives: Kurt May as President & Chief Operating Officer, Linh Nguyen as Chief Financial Officer, Donna Queen as Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for LSC.

See the original post:
International Stem Cell Corporation Announces 2011 Financial Results

Five local spinal cord injury organizations gathered at G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre on Monday to celebrate the homecoming of the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay to B.C.

The relay, being held 25 years later, to the day, of Hansen's Man in Motion world tour, retraces the Canadian segment of the original tour.

This time, however, about 7,000 Canadians are participating in the relay, passing along a Rick Hansen medal produced by the Royal Canadian Mint.

The relay began Aug. 24, 2011 in Cape Spear, NL and crossed into B.C. from Alberta on Monday, arriving in Prince George.

Art Reitmayer, CEO of the Rick Hansen Foundation, said there is much to be celebrated in advances to spinal cord injury research during the last quarter century.

"You're starting to see now situations where individuals, had they been injured 25 years ago, they wouldn't have walked away," said Reitmayer, who spoke at the event in Vancouver.

Increased awareness has also led to greatly improved accessibility for people with spinal cord injuries, he said.

"The discussion back then didn't even happen around awareness - curb cuts, lowered counters, accessible washrooms. That's the difference that 25 years of working on this makes."

About 70 staff members and clients from the B.C. Paraplegic Association, the B.C. Wheelchair Basketball Society, the B.C. Wheelchair Sports Association, the Neil Squire Society and the Sam Sullivan Disability Foundation - collectively known as the B.C. Spinal Cord Injury Community Services Network - as well as patients from G.F. Strong attended the event.

The relay ends May 22 in Vancouver with a celebration at the Pacific Coliseum.

Read the original:
Anniversary rally retraces route 25 years later

Dr. Konstantine K. Yankopolus

The state Department of Health restricted a second doctor's license for working under the direction of Dr. Zannos Grekos in performing a stem cell treatment and for falsifying a medical report after a patient died, according to the state order.

The emergency license restriction is against Dr. Konstantine K. Yankopolus, 3880 Colonial Blvd., Suite 2, Fort Myers, according to the order issued by the state health department late Monday.

The restriction only prohibits Yankopolus from doing anything with stem cells. After a career as an obstetrician/gynecologist, he is now in general practice.

"We attempted a life-saving procedure on a very sick patient and it didn't go well," Yankopolus said Monday night. "Our motivation was pure the patient had no other option."

The state's action comes on the heels of Grekos attorney last week issuing a statement that another doctor, and not his client, was involved in the treatment of a 77-year-old Indiana man who died March 2. Grekos attorney also denied that a stem cell treatment was performed, only liposuction.

The state health department suspended Grekos license after the death, saying Grekos violated an earlier restriction that he not to do anything with stem cells or bone marrow aspirate in his practice at 9500 Bonita Beach Road, Suite 310.

Lee County sheriff's authorities identified the man as Richard Poling, of Newburgh, Ind. The Sheriff's Office also is conducting a criminal probe.

Grekos has been under state scrutiny by state health regulators for well over a year when an earlier patient, a 66-year-old breast cancer patient, went to him for stem cell treatment in 2010 for neurological problems. She later fell, suffered severe brain damage and was taken off life support. After her death, the state ordered Grekos not to do anything with stem cells or bone marrow aspirate in his practice.

The restriction did not prohibit him from conducting educational seminars in the community about stem cell therapy or from arranging for patients to go for the treatment in the Dominican Republic.

More:
State: Second doctor's license restricted for performing stem cell treatment on patient who died

Nigeria launches its first ever bone marrow registry, which should make it easier to find matches for black people around the world.

By Jef Akst | March 19, 2012

Bone marrow transplants, or hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (HSCT), treat more than 70 different diseases, including some types of leukemia, lymphoma, and sickle cell anaemia. But such treatment often requires the matching of strangers for their human leukocyte antigen (HLA) tissue type. And while 70 percent of Caucasian patients are successfully matched, only 17 percent of black people in the United States are as lucky, according to The New York Stem Cell Foundation, likely because only 8 percent of donors in US registries are black.

The Bone Marrow Registry in Nigeria (BMRN), the countrys first ever bone marrow registry and the continents second (South Africa having the only other accredited registry), aims to change all that. The registry follows the excitement surrounding Nigerias first bone marrow transplant last October, in which a young sickle cell anaemia patient received bone marrow from a sibling. In addition to providing an invaluable service to the people of Nigeria, the registry, launched by Seun Adebiyi of Yale University, should help black patients around the world find matched donors. The launch of the registry was discussed at the NCD Child Conference currently being held in San Francisco.

Adebiyi also plans to establish another Nigerian source for stem cell transplantsan umbilical cord blood bank. With as little as $75,000, we could build [a cord blood bank] in Nigeria by the end of this year instead of discarding this valuable source of stem cells, he said in a Lancet press release. There are almost 400 distinct ethnic groups and over 154 million people in Nigeria alone, and there is a huge population of umbilical stem cells just waiting to be banked in the maternity wards of hospitals around the country.

By Hannah Waters

Replacing immune cells in a mouse model of Rett syndrome, a developmental brain disorder, improved symptoms, suggesting a new target for treatment.

By Megan Scudellari

The biomedical institute seeks up to 30 new investigators in its first nationwide search in 5 years.

By Cristina Luiggi

Read more from the original source:
New African Bone Marrow Registry

Lindsay Porter's kidneys were failing rapidly when a friend offered to donate one of his. Then she made an unusual request: Would he donate part of his immune system, too?

Every day for the rest of their lives, transplant recipients must swallow handfuls of pills to keep their bodies from rejecting a donated organ. The Chicago woman hoped to avoid those problematic drugs, enrolling in a study to try to trick her own immune system into accepting a foreign kidney.

It's one of a series of small, high-stakes experiments around the country that has researchers hopeful that they're finally closing in on how to help at least some transplant patients go drug-free. The key: Create a sort of twin immunity, by transplanting some of the kidney donor's immune-producing cells along with the new organ.

"I'm so lucky," says the 47-year-old Porter, who stumbled across the research at Chicago's Northwestern University. Porter was able to quit her pills last summer, a year after her transplant, and says, "I feel amazing."

These experiments are a big gamble. If the technique fails, patients could lose their new kidney, possibly their lives. Doctors stress that no one should try quitting anti-rejection drugs on their own.

AP

Why risk it even in a careful scientific study? Anti-rejection medications can cause debilitating, even deadly, side effects, from fatigue and infections to an increased risk of cancer and kidney damage.

Without the drugs, "the hope for me is I'm able to keep this kidney for the rest of my life," Porter says.

Across the country, Stanford University is testing a slightly different transplant method and hosted a reunion earlier this month for about a dozen kidney recipients who've been drug-free for up to three years.

"These people who are off their drugs, they're cured," says Dr. Samuel Strober, who leads the study of Stanford's approach. "If they have to be on drugs the rest of their life, it doesn't have the same meaning of 'cure.'"

Read more from the original source:
Transplant Patients Seek Life Without Drugs

Stem Cell Therapy Helping Heroic Dogs Recover

News4's Darcy Spencer explains how a breakthrough treatment is helping search and rescue dogs like Red recover after years of working in disaster zones.

A breakthrough treatment is helping area search-and-rescue dogs that played key roles on Sept. 11, 2001, and during other disasters.

Red's first assignment as a search, rescue and recovery dog was at the Pentagon following the 9/11 attacks. Years of rescue work and a 12-foot fall from a ladder have taken a toll. Arthritis forced Red into retirement in July and turned her into a couch potato.

The 12-year-old black lab received a breakthrough stem cell treatment today that will ease her pain and give her more mobility.

Her veterinarian, Dr. John Herrity, of the Burke Animal Clinic, has done more than two dozen of the stem cell operations developed by Medivet America, which also donated the cost of the procedure.

The treatment won't bring Red back out of retirement, but it is expected to put spring back in her step within a couple of months.

Two other 9/11 search-and-rescued dogs have been treated with stem cell therapy and are back to their normal activities.

More here:
Hero Dog Receives Stem Cell Therapy

Lindsay Porter's kidneys were failing rapidly when a friend offered to donate one of his. Then she made an unusual request: Would he donate part of his immune system, too?

Every day for the rest of their lives, transplant recipients must swallow handfuls of pills to keep their bodies from rejecting a donated organ. The Chicago woman hoped to avoid those problematic drugs, enrolling in a study to try to trick her own immune system into accepting a foreign kidney.

It's one of a series of small, high-stakes experiments around the country that has researchers hopeful that they're finally closing in on how to help at least some transplant patients go drug-free. The key: Create a sort of twin immunity, by transplanting some of the kidney donor's immune-producing cells along with the new organ.

"I'm so lucky," says the 47-year-old Porter, who stumbled across the research at Chicago's Northwestern University. Porter was able to quit her pills last summer, a year after her transplant, and says, "I feel amazing."

These experiments are a big gamble. If the technique fails, patients could lose their new kidney, possibly their lives. Doctors stress that no one should try quitting anti-rejection drugs on their own.

AP

Why risk it even in a careful scientific study? Anti-rejection medications can cause debilitating, even deadly, side effects, from fatigue and infections to an increased risk of cancer and kidney damage.

Without the drugs, "the hope for me is I'm able to keep this kidney for the rest of my life," Porter says.

Across the country, Stanford University is testing a slightly different transplant method and hosted a reunion earlier this month for about a dozen kidney recipients who've been drug-free for up to three years.

"These people who are off their drugs, they're cured," says Dr. Samuel Strober, who leads the study of Stanford's approach. "If they have to be on drugs the rest of their life, it doesn't have the same meaning of 'cure.'"

See more here:
Transplant Patients Seek Life Without Drugs

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., March 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Tengion, Inc. (NASDAQ: TNGN - News), a leader in regenerative medicine, today announced it will host a conference call and live audio webcast on Monday, March 26, 2012, at 5:00 p.m. EDT to provide a business update and discuss its fourth quarter 2011 financial results.

To participate in the call, please dial 1-800-638-4930 (domestic) or 1-617-614-3944 (international) and reference access code 34844557.

The conference call can be accessed from the Investors section of the Company's website or directly at http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/o4v89uyi/lan/en. The webcast will also be archived on the website.

About Tengion

Tengion, a clinical-stage regenerative medicine company, is focused on discovering, developing, manufacturing and commercializing a range of neo-organs, or products composed of living cells, with or without synthetic or natural materials, implanted or injected into the body to engraft into, regenerate, or replace a damaged tissue or organ. Using its Organ Regeneration Platform, the Company creates neo-organs using a patient's own cells, or autologous cells. Tengion's proprietary product candidates harness the intrinsic regenerative pathways of the body to regenerate a range of native-like organs and tissues. The Company's product candidates are intended to delay or eliminate the need for chronic disease therapies, organ transplantation, and the administration of anti-rejection medications. An initial clinical trial is ongoing for the Company's lead product candidate, the Neo-Urinary Conduit, an autologous implant that is intended to catalyze regeneration of native-like bladder tissue for bladder cancer patients requiring a urinary diversion following bladder removal. The Company's lead preclinical candidate is the Neo-Kidney Augment, which is designed to prevent or delay dialysis by increasing renal function in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. Tengion has worldwide rights to its product candidates.

Visit link:
Tengion to Host Conference Call to Provide a Business Update and Report Fourth Quarter 2011 Financial Results on March ...

HUNTSVILLE Tomi Garrison had no idea what her future would hold when she agreed to have her mouth swabbed during a bone marrow donor drive in the spring of2010.

The Sam Houston State University softball player and psychology major was a sophomore when the Be The Match Registry did a presentation in her health class, calling on volunteers to start the process that would determine if they had compatible bone marrow to someone who desperately needed it.

My friend and I said yeah well do it, never thinking wed be called on, because statistically the chances of us being a match were so slim, said Garrison, now a senior at SHSU.

But the unlikely scenario became reality a year later when Garrison got an email that would soon change not only her life but also someone elses.

The email said I was a possible match and asked if I would do more testing. So I went in for testing at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, where they took a lot of blood and tested to see if the antigens matched up, she said. Even then the chances of being an accurate match werent good, but I was hoping I would be a match.

Garrisons hopes came true in October 2011, when she received word that she had compatible bone marrow to a 59-year-old woman who suffers frommultiple myeloma.

She quickly agreed to become a donor for a woman shed never met.

My mom cries about everything, said Garrison. So she started crying because she was just proud of me because this was solely my decision.

The tears continued when Garrison shared the news with SHSU health instructor Susie Stone and Roseanne Keathley, acting chair of the SHSU Department of Health and Kinesiology.

We just screamed and cried, Keathley said. We were so excited that one of our students here in the health department was a match and that she was willing to take the time away from school to do this.

Read more here:
SHSU senior donates bone marrow to cancer victim

Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Huntingtons Disease Also Included In: Stem Cell Research Article Date: 19 Mar 2012 - 10:00 PDT

email to a friend printer friendly opinions

Current Article Ratings:

However, according to a study published March 15 in the journal Cell Stem Cell, a special type of brain cell created from stem cells could help restore the muscle coordination deficits that are responsible for uncontrollable spasms, a characteristic of the disease. The researchers demonstrated that movement in mice with a Huntington's-like condition could be restored.

Su-Chun Zhang, a University of Wisconsin-Madison neuroscientist and the senior author of the study, said:

In the study Zhang, who is an expert in creating various types of brain cells from human embryonic or induce pluripotent stem cells, and his team focused on GABA neurons. The degradation of GABA cells causes the breakdown of a vital neural circuit and loss of motor function in individuals suffering from Huntington's disease.

According to Zhang, GABA neurons generate a vital neurotransmitter, a chemical that helps support the communication network in the brain that coordinates movement.

Zhang and his team at the UW-Madison Waisman Center, discovered how to generate large quantities of GABA neurons from human embryonic stem cells. The team's goal was to determine whether these cells would safely integrate into the brain of a mouse model of Huntington's disease.

The researchers discovered that not only did the cells integrate, they were projected to the right target and were able to effectively restore the damaged communication network and restore motor function.

Zhang says that the results were astonishing, as GABA neurons reside in the basal ganglia, a part of the brain which plays a vital role in voluntary motor coordination. However, the GABA neurons exert their influence at a distance on cells in the midbrain via the circuit powered by the GABA neuron chemical neurotransmitter.

Original post:
Huntington's Disease - Stem Cell Therapy Potential

ZUG, SWITZERLAND and SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire -03/19/12)- Cytori Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CYTX - News) announced today the publication of RESTORE-2 trial results in the peer-reviewed European Journal of Surgical Oncology.

RESTORE-2 is a 71 patient multi-center, prospective clinical trial using autologous adipose-derived regenerative cell (ADRC)-enriched fat grafting for reconstruction of the breast after cancer surgery. The majority of patients underwent radiation prior to the procedure, creating an unfavorable ischemic environment for which breast reconstruction with ADRC-enriched fat grafting appears to be ideally suited.

Key findings of the trial were:

"Following cancer treatment, the patient's breast tissue can suffer from radiation injury, scarring and tight skin," said Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon Mrs. Eva Weiler-Mithoff, co-principal investigator for RESTORE-2 at the NHS Glasgow Royal Infirmary Hospital. "This new technique is exciting because it may offer the opportunity to resolve some of the most difficult to treat conditions where other approaches, including fat alone, do not achieve satisfactory results."

ADRC-enriched partial mastectomy breast reconstruction is marketed in the EU as the RESTORE Procedure and represents an innovative treatment option with significant cost savings potential. The procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis. Satisfactory results can be achieved in a single procedure for the majority of patients. In contrast, competitive approaches are more costly with lengthy hospital stays, require repeat procedures and increase the overall burden on the healthcare system. Furthermore, because of these limitations, physicians are often reluctant to recommend reconstruction for patients with partial mastectomy defects and radiation-induced damage in the breast.

Each year, approximately 450,000 European women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Of the newly diagnosed breast cancer cases, 70-80% are eligible for breast conserving surgery, where only a portion of the breast is removed rather than the full breast. In the European G5, there are an estimated 1.25 million women who have undergone partial mastectomy. The majority of these patients are left with a sizeable volume defect, scarring and often radiation damage.

"Given that there is no widely accepted reconstructive option available today for partial mastectomy patients, this procedure could well address this substantial unmet need and help complete the overall cancer treatment," said Marc H. Hedrick, president of Cytori.

The European Journal of Surgical Oncology is the official journal of the European Society of Surgical Oncology and the British Association of Surgical Oncology.

About the RESTORE Procedure

During the RESTORE Procedure, fat is taken from the patient's stomach, hips, thighs, or other areas by liposuction. Some of the tissue is processed in Cytori's Celution system to extract the patient's own regenerative cells which occur naturally inside the tissue. The extracted cells are then combined with the remaining fat tissue, forming an ADRC-enriched fat graft that is injected into the breast to restore its natural look and feel. In addition to providing an entirely natural reconstruction, the procedure is minimally invasive with the potential to reduce scarring. The Celution system is not commercially available in the United States.

See the original post here:
Cytori Breast Reconstruction Cell Therapy Trial Results Published

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f8a4c2/glioblastoma_multi) has announced the addition of Global Markets Direct's new report "Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) - Pipeline Review, H1 2012" to their offering.

Global Markets Direct's, 'Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) - Pipeline Review, H1 2012', provides an overview of the Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) therapeutic pipeline. This report provides information on the therapeutic development for Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), complete with latest updates, and special features on late-stage and discontinued projects. It also reviews key players involved in the therapeutic development for Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). 'Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) - Pipeline Review, H1 2012' is built using data and information sourced from Global Markets Direct's proprietary databases, Company/University websites, SEC filings, investor presentations and featured press releases from company/university sites and industry-specific third party sources, put together by Global Markets Direct's team.

Key Topics Covered:

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f8a4c2/glioblastoma_multi

Continue reading here:
Research and Markets: Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) - Pipeline Review, H1 2012

Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Also Included In: Genetics;Neurology / Neuroscience Article Date: 19 Mar 2012 - 11:00 PDT

email to a friend printer friendly opinions

Current Article Ratings:

4.83 (6 votes)

5 (3 votes)

The researchers found that the mutation in the Bdnf (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) gene undermines brain neurons' ability to pass insulin and leptin chemical signals through the brain. Their study involved mice.

When a human being has eaten, leptin and insulin are released into the body and literally tell the body to stop consuming food. However, if the signals do not reach parts of the brain they are supposed to - within the hypothalamus - the person will continue feeling hungry, and will carry on eating.

Baoji Xu, Ph.D., said:

Dr. Xu has been carrying out research on the Bdnf gene for years. He explains that this gene produces a growth factor that regulates how neurons communicate with each other.

Xu has demonstrated that during development, BDNF plays a major role in the formation and maturity of synapses. A synapse is the point where two nerve cells connect; a specialized junction at which a neuron (nerve cell) communicates with a target cell - this is done via chemical signals. The Bdnf gene produces one short and one long transcript. When the long-form BdnfN transcript is not there, the growth factor BDNF is only produced in the body of the neuron, but not in its dendrites. This results in the production of too many immature synapses, which undermines learning and memory in mice.

Read the original post:
Gene Mutation Causes Uncontrolled Obesity