Archive for the ‘Regenerative Medicine’ Category

Lords Science and Technology Committee evidence session on Regenerative Medicine: #RegenMedQs
For more information visit: http://www.parliament.ukFrom:UKParliamentViews:13 0ratingsTime:01:53:22More inNews Politics

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Lords Science and Technology Committee evidence session on Regenerative Medicine: #RegenMedQs - Video

The potential of regenerative medicine
Alan Russell: The potential of regenerative medicine http://www.youtube.com http://www.ted.com Alan Russell studies regenerative medicine -- a breakthrough way of thinking about disease and injury by helping the body to rebuild itself. He shows how engineered tissue that "speaks the body #39;s language" has helped a man regrow his lost fingertip, how stem cells can rebuild damaged heart muscle, and how cell therapy can regenerate the skin of burned soldiers. This new, low-impact medicine comes just in time, Russell says -- our aging population, with its steeply rising medical bills, will otherwise (and soon) cause a crisis in health care systems around the world. Some graphic medical imagery.From:BroadcastBCViews:1 0ratingsTime:19:30More inScience Technology

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The potential of regenerative medicine - Video

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --ViaCyte, Inc., a leading regenerative medicine company developing a transformative cell therapy for treatment of diabetes, announced today that it has received a $10.1 million Strategic Partnership Award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121026/LA00871LOGO-a)

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ViaCyte's innovative stem cell-based therapy for diabetes has been supported by several previous rounds of funding from CIRM, including a $20 million Disease Team Award in 2009. This support has directly aided the development of VC-01, a regenerative medicine, combination product consisting of pancreatic beta cell progenitors encapsulated in a durable macroencapsulation device. When implanted under the skin of a patient with diabetes, VC-01 is expected to produce insulin and other factors which should safely and effectively control their disease. In its review of ViaCyte's application, CIRM's Grants Working Group characterized the Company's proposed therapy as the "holy grail" of diabetes treatments.

ViaCyte recently held a successful Pre-IND meeting with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is on track to file an Investigational New Drug (IND) Application and initiate clinical evaluation of VC-01 in 2014. The Strategic Partnership Award from CIRM will be used to support these efforts, reflecting CIRM's commitment to following promising science through the progressive stages of product development.

"We are very grateful for the assistance that we are receiving from CIRM to advance our promising technology", stated Dr. Paul Laikind, President and CEO of ViaCyte. "Today's grant allows us to continue our efforts on behalf of the California taxpayers to break new ground with our stem cell-based product that has the potential to essentially cure patients with type 1 diabetes and provide a powerful new treatment for those with type 2 disease as well."

Approval of the award came from CIRM's governing board, the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee (ICOC), with advisement from the Scientific and Medical Research Funding Working Group. "ViaCyte has made good on their initial Disease Team award from CIRM, including a successful Pre-IND FDA meeting, and as a consequence, CIRM and the ICOC are glad to have the opportunity to continue funding ViaCyte's efforts to provide this product to patients with diabetes in California and the rest of the world," said Dr. Alan Trounson, President of CIRM.

About ViaCyte

ViaCyte is a private company focused on developing a novel cell therapy for the treatment of diabetes. The Company's technology is based on the production of pancreatic beta cell progenitors derived from human pluripotent stem cells. These cells are implanted using a durable and retrievable encapsulation device. Once implanted and matured, these cells secrete insulin and other regulatory factors in response to blood glucose levels. ViaCyte's goal is long term insulin independence without immune suppression, and without risk of hypoglycemia and other diabetes-related complications.

ViaCyte is headquartered in San Diego, California with additional operations in Athens, Georgia. The Company is funded in part by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and JDRF.

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ViaCyte Receives $10.1 Million Strategic Partnership Award from CIRM to Continue Development of Diabetes Therapy

Companies that want to make big money developing therapies with stem cells and regenerative medicine must take big risks.

Health care executives involved in commercializing these technologies made that point Monday morning at the annual Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa. But with the science increasingly looking solid, it's time for companies to do their part to bring new treatments to patients, they said in a panel discussion.

Among the unknowns: How effective therapies will be, how much they'll cost, how much insurers will reimburse and the effect of the health care overhaul. Companies have to focus on such questions if they want to succeed, said Dean Tozer, vice president of corporate development for Shire Regenerative Medicine. The unit was formed in July by Shire Pharmaceuticals, which bought San Diego-based Advanced BioHealing last year for $750 million.

"What I'm seeing is: Innovation for innovation's sake is not going to work," said Tozer, who was an Advanced BioHealing senior vice president.

The right approach is to focus innovation on the large-scale trends in health, such as an aging population, that create opportunities, Tozer said. And that's what the business side is taking a more assertive role in doing.

"The business guys are involved a lot earlier, in taking these opportunities and really critically deciding if there is a business to be had," Tozer said. "And it's not just whether it can get to the market and can it help you, but can you identify a payback model."

Stem cells are being tested for a variety of diseases and injuries, usually after being changed into the mature cells required. Besides the well-known embryonic stem cells, there are "adult" stem cells, IPS cells that act like embryonic stem cells but are made from skin cells, parthenogenic stem cells made from unfertilized human egg cells, and others. With this plethora of approaches, one question is which technology to focus on.

"As a business guy -- I'm not a scientist -- I do find it interesting that I'm getting drawn into meetings more often now where I have no idea what the scientists are talking about, but all I've got to do is figure out is there a business model," Tozer said

The panel was moderated by Greg Lucier, chief executive of Life Technologies Corp. The Carlsbad company sells products used in life science research, including stem cell research. Lucier asked the panel if the increased focus on commercialization means that the underlying technology is getting better.

Tozer replied that even with good technology, the real hurdle is financial. Advanced BioHealing is a good example, he said. The company acquired its living skin product Dermagraft in 2001, but only got the payoff 10 years later when the company was sold. Dermagraft promotes healing in diabetic foot ulcers.

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Stem cell therapies a big risk for biotechs

San Diego, CA/PRNewswire/ - ViaCyte, Inc., a leading regenerative medicine company developing a transformative cell therapy for treatment of diabetes, announced today that it has received a$10.1 millionStrategic Partnership Award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).

ViaCyte's innovative stem cell-based therapy for diabetes has been supported by several previous rounds of funding from CIRM, including a$20 millionDisease Team Award in 2009. This support has directly aided the development of VC-01, a regenerative medicine, combination product consisting of pancreatic beta cell progenitors encapsulated in a durable macroencapsulation device. When implanted under the skin of a patient with diabetes, VC-01 is expected to produce insulin and other factors which should safely and effectively control their disease. In its review of ViaCyte's application, CIRM's Grants Working Group characterized the Company's proposed therapy as the "holy grail" of diabetes treatments.

ViaCyte recently held a successful Pre-IND meeting with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is on track to file an Investigational New Drug (IND) Application and initiate clinical evaluation of VC-01 in 2014. The Strategic Partnership Award from CIRM will be used to support these efforts, reflecting CIRM's commitment to following promising science through the progressive stages of product development.

"We are very grateful for the assistance that we are receiving from CIRM to advance our promising technology", stated Dr.Paul Laikind, President and CEO of ViaCyte. "Today's grant allows us to continue our efforts on behalf of theCaliforniataxpayers to break new ground with our stem cell-based product that has the potential to essentially cure patients with type 1 diabetes and provide a powerful new treatment for those with type 2 disease as well."

Approval of the award came from CIRM's governing board, the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee (ICOC), with advisement from the Scientific and Medical Research Funding Working Group. "ViaCyte has made good on their initial Disease Team award from CIRM, including a successful Pre-IND FDA meeting, and as a consequence, CIRM and the ICOC are glad to have the opportunity to continue funding ViaCyte's efforts to provide this product to patients with diabetes inCaliforniaand the rest of the world," said Dr.Alan Trounson, President of CIRM.

About ViaCyte

ViaCyte is a private company focused on developing a novel cell therapy for the treatment of diabetes. The Company's technology is based on the production of pancreatic beta cell progenitors derived from human pluripotent stem cells. These cells are implanted using a durable and retrievable encapsulation device. Once implanted and matured, these cells secrete insulin and other regulatory factors in response to blood glucose levels. ViaCyte's goal is long term insulin independence without immune suppression, and without risk of hypoglycemia and other diabetes-related complications.

ViaCyte is headquartered inSan Diego, Californiawith additional operations inAthens, Georgia. The Company is funded in part by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and JDRF.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

About CIRM

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ViaCyte Receives $10.1M Strategic Partnership Award From CIRM To Continue Development Of Diabetes Therapy

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct 29, 2012) - Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. (TSX VENTURE: SSS) ("the Company"), a life sciences development company for stem cell-based medicines, today reported its admission to the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine''s (CCRM) industry consortium.

"We are the only public Canadian company to be part of CCRM''s twenty-member consortium of international leaders in the regenerative medicine arena, a consortium designed to bridge business and scientific expertise to translate stem cell-based and regenerative medicine discoveries into commercial products and therapies," said David Allan, Executive Chairman of Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. "Participating in this consortium links us to one of the key hubs in Canada for the commercialization of this country''s extraordinary output in stem cell-based science."

The corporate objectives for repositioning the Company include the now-announced involvement with CCRM, the identification and acquisition of additional technologies that will serve to attract capital to revitalize our organization, and striving to extract value from the important patented approaches for the stimulation of endogenous stem cells from Dr. Sam Weiss on which this Company was founded. Stem Cell is pleased to announce this involvement with CCRM as well as the receipt of US$175,000 of a $250,000 arrangement with NeuroNova AB, a Swedish private company developing new therapeutics for ALS and Parkinson''s. The full payment will settle a patent interference case initiated by the United States Patent and Trademark Office under which Stem Cell has withdrawn certain pending and issued patents to treat Parkinson''s disease.

The Company further advises that two additional patient have now been enrolled in its ongoing trial in Traumatic Brain Injury at Calgary''s Foothills Hospital. These patients bring the trial to the midpoint of enrollment, restoring the prospect of the trial to meet the original timelines anticipated by the investigators after enduring a slow initial recruitment period. The Company continues to concentrate its efforts on the conclusion of its remaining objectives.

About Stem Cell Therapeutics:

Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. (TSX VENTURE:SSS) is a Canadian commercialization receptor company in the business of developing stem cell-based therapeutics through partnerships with research institutions or technology transfer organizations. The Company''s corporate objectives include the analysis and acquisition of additional stem cell-related development opportunities and securing capital for the advancement of the licensed or acquired products. SCT has extensive expertise and experience in the stem cell biotechnology sector based on the intellectual property of Dr. Samuel Weiss in stem cell research. SCT proposes to build upon this existing pipeline of stem cell technologies by acquiring new early-stage clinical or late-stage preclinical candidates. SCT''s Traumatic Brain Injury product, NTx-428, is currently in a Phase II clinical trial. For more information, visit: http://www.stemcellthera.com

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian provincial securities legislation (collectively, the "forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, SCT''s objectives, goals, targets, strategies, intentions, plans, beliefs, estimates and outlook, and can, in some cases, be identified by the use of words such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "will," "may" and other similar expressions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management''s current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management. Certain material factors or assumptions are applied in making forward-looking statements, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these expectations include, among other things: uncertainties and risks related to, the availability of capital, changes in capital markets, uncertainties related to clinical trials and product development, rapid technological change, uncertainties related to forecasts, competition, potential product liability, unproven markets for technologies in development, the cost and supply of raw materials, management of growth, effects of payers'''' willingness to pay for products, risks related to regulatory matters and risks related to intellectual property matters. Additional information about these factors and about the material factors or assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements may be found in the body of this news release, as well as under the heading "Risk Factors" contained in SCT''s 2010 annual information form. SCT cautions that the foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive.

When relying on SCT''s forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to SCT, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of estimates and assumptions which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions regarding the availability of financing for research and development companies in addition to general business and economic conditions. These risks and uncertainties should be considered carefully and investors and others should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, SCT cannot provide assurance that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. SCT undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.

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Stem Cell Therapeutics Announces Admission to Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) Consortium

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct 29, 2012) - The collaborative network created by the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) has been strengthened with the addition of Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. to its 20-member industry consortium.

"I am pleased to welcome Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. to the industry consortium," says Dr. Michael May, CEO of CCRM. "Since our Centre mobilizes business and scientific expertise to translate regenerative medicine (RM) and stem cell-based medical discoveries into commercial products and therapies, the industry consortium provides critical expertise, experience and market-pull information for the development of innovative RM technologies. We are delighted to have them on board."

CCRM is working with its industry consortium to address real-life bottlenecks in their RM and stem cell-based product pipelines. The companies in the industry consortium represent the key sectors of the industry: therapeutics, devices, reagents, and cells as tools.

"Being included in CCRM''s industry consortium is a step in the repositioning of our company - an aim described in our corporate objectives - to participate along with the other 20 Canadian, American and international companies," says David Allan, Executive Chairman of Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. "The concept of CCRM as a hub for the commercialization of Canada''s extraordinary commitment to stem cell research, and its provision of facilities and infrastructure, is outstanding.

"As Canada''s only public company dedicated to the development of stem cell therapeutics from academic research, we hope to become one of CCRM''s commercialization partners of choice for the novel work ongoing at so many of Canada''s internationally recognized academic centres."

To-date, CCRM has launched its first industry project with EMD Millipore and created an innovation fund with Pfizer Canada. CCRM has built three core development platforms: reprogramming and engineering; cell manufacturing; and, biomaterials and devices to carry out projects commissioned by academia and industry. CCRM has a fully resourced, 6,000 square foot development facility where all development work takes place.

Please visit http://www.ccrm.ca to see a complete list of CCRM''s industry consortium members.

About the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM)

CCRM, a Canadian not-for-profit organization funded by the Government of Canada''s Networks of Centres of Excellence program and six academic partners, supports the development of technologies that accelerate the commercialization of stem cell- and biomaterials-based technologies and therapies. A network of academics, industry and entrepreneurs, CCRM aims to translate scientific discoveries into marketable products for patients. CCRM launched in Toronto''s Discovery District on June 14, 2011.

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Canadian Regenerative Medicine Community Growing Stronger

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/9xf3cb/developments_in) has announced the addition of Woodhead Publishing Ltd's new book "Developments in tissue engineered and regenerative medicine products: A practical approach" to their offering.

Developments in Tissue Engineered and Regenerative Medicine Products summarizes recent developments in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine with an emphasis on commercialization and product development. Features of current cell therapy and tissue engineered products which have facilitated successful commercialization are emphasized. Roadblocks to successful product development are also highlighted. Preclinical and clinical testing of tissue engineered and regenerative medicine products, regulatory, quality control, manufacturing issues, as well as generating and securing intellectual property and freedom to operate considerations are presented.

This book represents a complete 'how-to' manual for the development of tissue engineered and regenerative medicine products from conceptualization to clinical trial to manufacturing.

Key Topics Covered:

- Overview of tissue engineering/regenerative medicine

- Cells

- Biomaterials for TE/RM products

- Neo-Bladder: A foundational technology platform for tubular organ regeneration

- Neo-Urinary Conduit

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Research and Markets: Developments in Tissue Engineered and Regenerative Medicine Products: A Practical Approach

Public release date: 15-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Shaun Mason smason@mednet.ucla.edu 310-206-2805 University of California - Los Angeles

Researchers led by Tanya Stoyanova and Dr. Owen Witte of UCLA's Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research have determined how a protein known as Trop2 drives the growth of tumor cells in prostate and other epithelial cancers.

This discovery is important because it may prove essential for creating new therapies that stop the growth of cancer, the researchers said. The study is featured on the cover of the Oct. 15 issue of the journal Genes and Development.

The Trop2 protein is expressed on the surface of many types of epithelial cancer cells cells that form tumors that grow in the skin and the inner and outer linings of organs but little was known about the protein's role in the growth and proliferation of cancer cells. The UCLA researchers discovered that Trop2 controls those processes through a mechanism that leads to the protein being cleaved into two parts, one inside the cell and one outside. This Trop2 division promotes self-renewal of the cancer cells, resulting in tumor growth.

"Determining the mechanism of this protein is important for planning treatments that stop the growth of prostate cancer, but it is also overexpressed in so many other types of cancer that it might be a treatment target for many more patients beyond that population," said senior author Witte, director of the Broad Center and a professor in the department of microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics at UCLA.

The finding may have a critical clinical impact, the researchers said, since preventing the cleavage of Trop2 by mutating those sites on the protein where it splits eliminates the protein's ability to promote tumor cell growth. Using this knowledge, they said, new therapy strategies can be developed that block Trop2 molecular signaling, thus stopping its ability to enhance tumor growth in a variety of epithelial malignancies, including prostate, colon, oral cavity, pancreatic and ovarian cancers, among others.

"The reason I became interested in Trop2 was that it is highly expressed in many epithelial cancers but no one knew precisely how the protein worked to promote the disease," said Stoyanova, the study's first author and a postdoctoral scholar in the department of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics at UCLA.

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Funding for the study was provided by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine Training Grant (TG2-01169), the U.S. Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program (PC110638) and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

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UCLA researchers reveal how 'cleaving' protein drives tumor growth in prostate, other cancers

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 12th, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Prominent stem cell scientists, physicians, and advocates from leading medical facilities and research institutions across Texas and California will highlight the 3rd Annual Stem Cell Research Symposium: Spotlight on Texas, on October 19, 2012, at the Texas State Capitol.

This free, public symposium, produced and co-hosted by the Austin-based nonprofit Texas Cures Education Foundation (Texas Cures), is designed to educate the public about the exciting stem cell research andclinical trials currently under way in Texas.The event will also include a discussion of recent Texas laws affecting stem cell research, the potential economic impact of stem cell research and highlight the current progress in one of the most promising areas of medicine.

This year, more than a dozen local and national advocacy groups, institutions and foundations showed their support for the efforts of the hosting organizations Texas Cures and Texans for Stem Cell Research including the Genetics Policy Institute, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine and Texans for Advancement of Medical Research.

The symposium begins at 8:30 a.m. in the Capitol Extension Auditorium (E1.004), located at the Texas State Capitol Building. Admission is free and open to the public.Registration is recommended.

This program unites the diverse stem cell research and regenerative medicine community to provide a unified voice for promising science that holds unmatched potential to benefit patients. Leading speakers at the event will include:

For additional details about the program and presentation topics, please visit TexasCures.org.

The 3rd Annual Stem Cell Research Symposium: Spotlight on Texas is an official World Stem Cell Awareness Day Event. Follow @TexasCures and #stemcellday for live Twitter updates and announcements.

Texas Cures Education Foundation (Texas Cures) TexasCures.orgis a non-partisan, nonprofit 501(c)3] organization based in Austin, Texas. It was founded for the purpose of advancing knowledge of the life-saving work that doctors and researchers perform every day on behalf of patients and their families. Texas Cures facilitates stem cell public education for the betterment of healthcare and the growth of companies, research hospitals, and institutions, charities, and volunteer patient group organizations that include a broad range of regenerative medicine stakeholders. Texas Cures advocates for responsible public policy and encourages legislative and regulatory proposals that expand access to stem cell clinical applications.

SOURCE Texas Cures Education Foundation

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Leading Researchers to Unite at Texas State Capitol for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research

Newswise WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. While it is well known that starfish, zebrafish and salamanders can re-grow damaged limbs, scientists understand very little about the regenerative capabilities of mammals. Now, researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centers Institute for Regenerative Medicine report on the regenerative process that enables rats to re-grow their bladders within eight weeks.

In PLOS ONE, a peer-reviewed, online publication, the scientists characterize this unique model of bladder regeneration with the goal of applying what they learn to human patients.

A better understanding of the regenerative process at the molecular and cellular level is a key to more rapid progress in applying regenerative medicine to help patients, said George Christ, Ph.D., senior researcher and professor of regenerative medicine at Wake Forest Baptist.

In a previous study by Christs team, research in rats showed that when about 75 percent of the animals bladders were removed, they were able to regenerate a complete functional bladder within eight weeks. The current study focused on how the regeneration occurs.

There is very little data on the mechanisms involved in organ regeneration in mammals, said Christ. To our knowledge, bladder regeneration holds a unique position there is no other mammalian organ capable of this type of regeneration.

The ability of the liver to grow in size when lobes are removed is sometimes referred to as regeneration, but this is a misnomer, said co-author Bryon Petersen, Ph.D., who was a professor of regenerative medicine at Wake Forest Baptist during the period the research occurred. Instead, through a proliferation of cells, the remaining tissue grows to compensate for the lost size. In contrast, the hallmark of true regeneration is following natures pattern to exactly duplicate size, form and function, Petersen said.

If we can understand the bladders regenerative process, the hope is that we can prompt the regeneration of other organs and tissues where structure is important from the intestine and spinal cord to the heart, said Petersen.

The current study showed that the animals bodies responded to injury by increasing the rate at which certain cells divided and grew. The most notable proliferative response occurred initially in the urothelium, the layer of tissue that lines the bladder.

As the proliferative activity in the bladder lining waned, it continued elsewhere: in the fibrous band (lamina propria) that separates the bladder lining from the bladder muscles and in the bladder muscle itself.

The researchers have several theories about how the process works, said Christ. One possibility is that cells in the bladder lining transition and become a type of stem cell that can proliferate throughout the bladder. Other theories are that cells in the bladder lining signal other cells to replicate and that injury prompts stem cells to arrive through the blood stream to repair the bladder damage.

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Scientists Identify Mammal Model of Bladder Regeneration

Printing off a kidney or another human organ may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but with the advancements in 3D printing technology, the idea may not be so far-fetched.

BioprintingWhile 3D printing has been successfully used in the health care sector to make prosthetic limbs, custom hearing aids and dental fixtures, the technology is now being used to create more complex structures - particularly human tissue.

Organovo (onvo), a San Diego-based company that focuses on regenerative medicine, is one company using 3D printers, called bioprinters, to print functional human tissue for medical research and regenerative therapies.

"This is disruptive technology," said Mike Renard, Organovo's vice president of commercial operations. "It's always interesting and fun, but never easy."

(More From CNBC: 15 Surprising Global Technology Cities)

Traditional 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital model. 3D printing is achieved using additive processes, in which an object is created by laying down successive layers of material such as plastic, ceramics, glass or metal to print an object. Companies including Boeing (ba), General Electric (ge) and Honeywell (hon) use this type of 3D printing to manufacture parts.

Bioprinters, though, use a "bio-ink" made of living cell mixtures to form human tissue. Basically, the bio-ink is used to build a 3D structure of cells, layer by layer, to form tissue.

Eventually, medical researchers hope to be able to use the printed tissue to make organs for organ replacement.

However, growing functional organs is still at least 10 years away, said Shaochen Chen, a professor of nano-engineering at the University of California, San Diego, who uses bioprinting in researching regenerative medicine.

But even though developing functional organs may still be a decade off, medical researchers and others are using bioprinting technology to make advancements in other ways.

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How 3D Printers Are Reshaping Medicine

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACT; OTCBB: ACTC), a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, announced today that the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), an independent group of medical experts closely monitoring the Companys three ongoing clinical trials, has authorized the Company to move forward with enrollment and treatment of second and third additional patients with Stargardts macular dystrophy (SMD) in the second patient cohort of its U.S. trial for the condition. Additionally, the DSMB has authorized the Company to treat all three patients in the second cohort of its European trial for SMD.

The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recently approved a protocol modification to the DSMB review, streamlining the process, allowing the company to treat the first patient in a new cohort if the DSMB has allowed this in the US study, and once clearance has been received in the US trial to treat the next two patients in the US cohort. This would also allow for treatment of the UK patients without an additional review by the DSMB. Moreover, according to the protocol for both trials, each patient in the second cohort will be injected with 100,000 human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, up from 50,000 in the first cohort.

This authorization to treat the next five patients in the second, higher-dosage cohort in both our clinical trials for SMD represents a significant step forward for our clinical programs, commented Gary Rabin, chairman and CEO of ACT. We are also encouraged with the MHRAs approval of the DSMBs streamlined review process. Clearly this has the potential to help accelerate the pace of our European trial.

ACT is conducting three clinical trials in the U.S. and Europe using hESC-derived RPE cells to treat forms of macular degeneration, SMD and dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD). Each trial will enroll a total of 12 patients, with cohorts of three patients each in an ascending dosage format, from 50,000 hESC-derived RPE cells in the first patient cohort to 200,000 in the last and final cohort. These trials are prospective, open-label studies, designed to determine the safety and tolerability of hESC-derived RPE cells following sub-retinal transplantation into patients with dry-AMD or SMD at 12 months, the studys primary endpoint.

We are eagerly anticipating treating these final two patients in the second cohort of our U.S. trial for SMD, and all three patients in the second cohort of our E.U. trial, commented Robert Lanza, M.D., ACTs chief scientific officer. We are encouraged by the preliminary data in the first patient in this second, higher-dosage cohort and look forward to gathering more data.

Further information about patient eligibility for ACTs SMD studies in the U.S. and E.U. as well as its dry AMD study are available atwww.clinicaltrials.gov,with the following Identifiers: NCT01345006 (U.S. SMD), NCT01469832 (E.U. SMD), and NCT01344993 (dry AMD).

About Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., is a biotechnology company applying cellular technology in the field of regenerative medicine. For more information, visit http://www.advancedcell.com.

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ACT Announces Approval to Treat Additional Stargardt’s Disease Patients with Higher RPE Dosage in Both U.S. and ...

Eqalix Inc., an emerging regenerative medicine company, announces its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). This SAB gives Eqalix a depth and breadth of experience necessary to take it to the next level.

Reston, VA (PRWEB) October 09, 2012

"We are very pleased to bring together these key thought leaders to establish the Eqalix Scientific Advisory Board," stated Joseph P. Connell, Eqalix CEO and Chairman of the Board. "I have worked with Drs. Gold and Goldman for years and have always admired their abilities. Dr Lelkes technologies will make a profound impact upon aesthetic dermatology, wound healing and regenerating blood vessels, nerve endings and damaged organs with the guidance of this distinguished panel. It is not clich in any manner when I say that we are thrilled to work with this team. We look to their guidance, industry knowledge and network to help deliver these therapies into clinic and prospective patients as soon as possible, as I am confident our technologies will make a difference, said Connell.

The members of the Eqalix Scientific Advisory Board are:

Peter I. Lelkes, PhD: Chief Scientific Advisor; Dr. Lelkes is the Laura H. Carnell Professor and Founding Chair of the Department of Bioengineering in the College of Engineering at Temple University and the Inaugural Director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Engineering (TIME) at Temple Universitys School of Medicine. While at Drexel, Prof. Lelkes directed an interdisciplinary program in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, focusing on nanotechnology-based biomaterials and soft tissue engineering, employing developmental biological principles to enhance the tissue-specific differentiation of embryonic and adult stem cells. Dr. Lelkes has organized several Keystone conferences and published more than 160 peer-reviewed papers and 45 book chapters and made more than 400 presentations nationally and internationally.

Dr. Lelkes basic and translational research has been support by federal (NIH, NSF, NASA, DOE) and state funding agencies, (NTI and Dept. of Commerce, Tobacco Settlement Funds) and private Foundations, including the Coulter Foundation. Most recently, Dr. Lelkes has been named Director of the Surgical Engineering Enterprise, one of the major initiatives of the strategic plan of Drexel Universitys College of Medicine. In addition, Dr. Lelkes has been the team leader for tissue engineering at the Nanotechnology Institute of Southeastern Pennsylvania (NTI) and is the Co-Director of PATRIC, the Pennsylvania Advanced Textile Research and Innovation Center, focusing on BioNanoTextiles and Stem Cell Biology.

Dr Lelkes stated, "I am delighted and excited to partner with Eqalix to translate our inventions from the bench to the bedside in a timely fashion.

Mitchel P. Goldman, MD, Scientific Advisor, Founder and Medical Director of Goldman Butterwick Fitzpatrick, Groff & Fabi, Cosmetic Laser Dermatology. A graduate of Boston University, Summa Cum Laude, and the Stanford University Medical School, Dr. Goldman is a Volunteer Clinical Professor in Medicine/Dermatology at the University of California, San Diego. Dr Goldman is Board Certified by both the American Board of Dermatology and the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.

He is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and the American Society of Liposuction Surgery. He is former President of the American College of Phlebology and President-Elect of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. He presently serves on the Board of Trustees for the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. He also has authored and/or co-authored 21 Textbooks on Dermatology, Sclerotherapy, Ambulatory Phlebectomy, Cutaneous Laser Surgery, Cellulite and Dermatologic Surgery as well as over 300 peer-reviewed publications and textbook chapters.

Dr Goldman added: I am very interested and excited to work with the Eqalix team to make these technologies a success. I believe that my background lends well to truly shaping the successful commercialization of these products for my patients to improve outcomes.

Read more:
Regenerative Medicine Biotech Company, Eqalix, Names Scientific Advisory Board

Kyodo / Reuters

Kyoto University Professor Shinya Yamanaka (left) and John Gurdon of the Gurdon Institute in Cambridge, England, at a symposium on induced pluripotent stem cells in Tokyo in April 2008

In a testament to the revolutionary potential of the field of regenerative medicine, in which scientists are able to create and replace any cells that are at fault in disease, the Nobel Prize committee on Monday awarded the 2012 Nobel in Physiology or Medicine to two researchers whose discoveries have made such cellular alchemy possible.

The prize went to John B. Gurdon of the University of Cambridge in England, who was the first to clone an animal, a frog, in 1962, and to Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University in Japan who in 2006 discovered the four genes necessary to reprogram an adult cell back to an embryonic state.

Sir John Gurdon, who is now a professor at an institute that bears his name, earned the ridicule of many colleagues back in the 1960s when he set out on a series of experiments to show that the development of cells could be reversed. At the time, biologists knew that all cells in an embryo had the potential to become any cell in the body, but they believed that once a developmental path was set for each cell toward becoming part of the brain, or a nerve or muscle it could not be returned to its embryonic state. The thinking was that as a cell developed, it would either shed or silence the genes it no longer used, so that it would be impossible for a cell from an adult animal, for example, to return to its embryonic state and make other cells.

(MORE: Stem Cell Miracle? New Therapies May Cure Chronic Conditions Like Alzheimers)

Working with frogs, Gurdon proved his critics wrong, showing that some reprogramming could occur. Gurdon took the DNA from a mature frogs gut cell and inserted it into an egg cell. The resulting egg, when fertilized, developed into a normal tadpole, a strong indication that the genes of the gut cell were amenable to reprogramming; they had the ability to function as more than just an intestinal cell, and could give rise to any of the cells needed to create an entirely new frog.

Just as Gurdon was facing his critics in England, a young boy was born in Osaka, Japan, who would eventually take Gurdons finding to unthinkable extremes. Initially, Shinya Yamanaka would follow his fathers wishes and become an orthopedic surgeon, but he found himself ill-suited to the surgeons life. Intrigued more by the behind-the-scenes biological processes that make the body work, he found himself drawn to basic research, and began his career by trying to find a way to lower cholesterol production. That work also wasnt successful, but it drew him to the challenge of understanding what makes cells divide, proliferate and develop in specific ways.

In 2006, while at Kyoto University, Yamanaka stunned scientists by announcing he had successfully achieved what Gurdon had with the frog cells, but without using eggs at all. Yamanaka mixed four genes in with skin cells from adult mice and turned those cells back to an embryo-like state, essentially erasing their development and turning back their clock. The four genes reactivated other genes that are prolific in the early embryo, and turned off those that directed the cells to behave like skin.

(MORE: Ovary Stem Cells Can Produce New Human Eggs)

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Stem Cell Scientists Awarded Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine

Regenerative medicine, a field that didn't exist 20 years ago and contains techniques seemingly straight out of science fiction, could be the next big thing in Virginia's biotechnology sector.

That's the opinion of Roy Ogle, an expert in the field who works at Old Dominion University as head of its new school of Medical Diagnostic and Translational Sciences.

So what is regenerative medicine? Simply put, it's the process of re-growing human cells to repair damaged tissues and organs.

In a meeting Thursday hosted by the Virginia Biotechnology Association, Ogle and Brian Pollok, principal of Rapidan BioAdvisors, discussed one of the field's newest developments: induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs.

Let's go back to high school biology: Perhaps you remember embryonic stem cells. These cells can differentiate into different types of cells skin, blood, bone, muscle before a baby is born. But their use in scientific research has become controversial and difficult.

So scientists needed a new way to develop stem cells. iPSCs are already formatted cells that are "induced," or returned, to their original state as a stem cell. Then that stem cell can be reprogrammed to become a different type of cell. For example, a researcher can take a red blood cell, turn it into an iPSC, and then turn that into a muscle cell. (Yeah, our jaw dropped at this point, too). So you get most of the benefits of an embryonic stem cell without the controversy.

What's that mean for the business community?

"Ten or 20 years from now, we could have a way to do cell replacements and make a new spinal cord or new and healthy muscles," Ogle said. "But right now, there are genetic discoveries and methods of development with a giant potential that a small company can sell to (pharmaceutical giants such as) Roche or Sanofi-Aventis."

Ogle said this sort of intermediate work after invention but before the science is proven enough for big pharma to get involved is the perfect space for startups, especially those affiliated with research universities. He said small companies are best placed to do this work and sell the results to big companies because a startup is better suited to tolerate the risk and uncertainty.

"While we think about the long-term development as scientists, there are applications right now where we could serve society and make a lot of money," he said.

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Regenerative medicine could be 'next big thing' for Va. biotech

The Yomiuri Shimbun/Asia News Network Friday, Oct 05, 2012

The K supercomputer, which once held the world's fastest computing speed, may be used to shorten the time needed in regenerative medicine from several months, or even years, to several hours, according to the Riken Center of Developmental Biology and other institutions.

Researchers aim to create organs from human embryonic stem cells (ES cells) or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells), but the length of time normally needed to accomplish this task is a problem.

The institutions hope to put regenerative medicine into practical use as soon as possible using iPS cells, a Japanese technology, and other cells, and this is where the supercomputer will come in.

Yoshiki Sasai, group director at the Riken Center, and other researchers are planning to use the K supercomputer to determine the best method to create organs from these cells.

The researchers successfully developed an optic cup, a basic part of the eye, from ES cells for the first time in the world. While it takes about six months to transform ES cells into an optic cup, the researchers spent about three years to find how to do this through trial and error.

Currently, it takes several years to complete basic experiments to transform ES cells or iPS cells into target organs, and in many cases the experiments fail to achieve their purpose.

Plans are under way to use the K supercomputer to develop new medicines, work out disaster prevention measures and conduct research on cosmic evolution and for other purposes.

Sasai and the other researchers, therefore, decided the supercomputer, which performs 10 quadrillion (or one kei in Japanese) calculations per second, would be ideal in completing basic experiments in a fraction of the time it now takes.

If the K supercomputer calculates mathematized data on divisions, growth and internal changes of iPS cells to which protein or certain kinds of genes are added, it will become possible to create target organs more effectively, according to the researchers.

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K computer may be used in regenerative medicine

CHICAGO, IL and PITTSBURGH, PA--(Marketwire - Oct 3, 2012) - Today, KineMatik announced that Stemnion, Inc., a global regenerative medicine company focused on the research, development and clinical use of its proprietary technology platform derived from human placental cells, has selected KineMatik's Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN) to deliver a research data management platform across its research organization. KineMatik is a leading global provider of a fully integrated solution that helps manage R&D at all levels of the product development lifecycle, keeping projects on budget and on schedule, while simultaneously providing the ability to meet stringent regulatory requirements for training and quality.

Stemnion will deploy KineMatik's ELN across several research divisions to streamline data capture, eliminate data silos, facilitate collaboration and information sharing, reduce complexity and speed time to research.

"After evaluating several ELN options available on the market, we chose KineMatik because of its extensive capability to perform document management in a traceable and compliant manner," commented George L. Sing, CEO."KineMatik's ELN will provide Stemnion an infrastructure for centralized research data management, enabling researchers to easily collaborate, and protect sensitive intellectual capital."

"We are pleased that Stemnion has joined the KineMatik family of very satisfied customers," remarked Michael Price, VP of Sales at KineMatik."We are certain that Stemnion will realize the same high-value as that of our other clients, including increased collaboration on research processes, reduced R&D costs through improved efficiencies, and enhanced protection of vital Intellectual Property."

KineMatik's ELN is a flexible and extensible platform based on world-standard ECM technology for the capture, searching and publishing of experimental data, capable of being fully validated. With superior integration capabilities to LIMS, CDS, instrumentation, SAP and SharePoint, the KineMatik ELN increases research productivity and efficiency by improving data accessibility, promoting knowledge sharing and reuse of data across an organization, minimizing duplication of efforts.

About Stemnion

Stemnion, Inc. is a privately held regenerative medicine company focused on the research, development and clinical use of its proprietary technology platform, derived from human placental cells. This platform provides an exciting new approach to wound healing and tissue repair in that it promotes rapid and better quality healing in a wide range of injuries. Stemnion's proprietary technology platform is derived from a unique population of cells isolated from full-term placental tissue that is normally discarded following delivery of a baby. There is no interruption in the development of the baby to procure this tissue, and therefore there are no ethical, religious, moral or political issues associated with their use. The Company has completed a Phase I human safety trial for the treatment of burns, and is currently planning additional Phase I and Phase II clinical trials.http://www.stemnion.com.

About KineMatik

KineMatik is a leading global provider of an Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN), Quality Management System (QMS), Laboratory Resource Management System (LRMS) and Project & Program Management (PPM) solutions based on industry standard software platforms including Open Text Content Server and Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Content Management (ECM) technologies.KineMatik, with our expert Ph.D. Scientific Advisors, helps people in industry, government and academic organizations operate more collaboratively, manage their data more efficiently and be more productive in their daily tasks whether they are bench scientists, laboratory directors, project managers or quality and audit teams. KineMatik has been in business for over 12 years focused on helping make R&D organizations more efficient. For further information please visit us at http://www.kinematik.com.

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Stemnion Selects KineMatik ELN as Their Enterprise Research Data Management Platform

ScienceDaily (Oct. 2, 2012) Regenerative-medicine researchers have moved a promising step closer to helping infertile, premenopausal women produce enough eggs to become pregnant. Surgeons at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center's Institute for Regenerative Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC, have now reported that they were able to stimulate ovarian cell production using an in vitro rat model, and observed as the cells matured into very early-stage eggs that could possibly be fertilized.

Results from this novel study were presented at the 2012 American College of Surgeons Annual Clinical Congress.

"While conventional hormone replacement therapy is able to maintain female sexual characteristics, it's unable to restore ovarian tissue function, which includes the production of eggs," the study's authors reported. Ovarian tissue function is critical for premenopausal women who desire to conceive.

Several fertility disorders can leave premenopausal women without an adequate amount of eggs. These disorders can also prevent a woman's ovaries from secreting enough of the hormones that stimulate egg production. Events such as ovarian operations, an injury, or radiation therapy for cancer can interfere with ovarian function, according to Anthony Atala, MD, FACS, director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine and chair of the department of urology at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

Although the causes may vary, about 10 percent of childbearing-age women struggle with infertility, meaning that these women try for at least one year but are not able to conceive. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the most common cause of infertility in premenopausal women is polycystic ovarian syndrome -- an imbalance of sex hormones. This disorder causes irregular ovulation and higher levels of male hormones in affected women.

According to Dr. Atala, the goal of this study was to spur the ovaries to produce the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone as well as stimulate egg production. The surgeons extracted ovarian cells from three-week old female rats, which would be equiva- lent to about 25 years old in humans. The cells were isolated in a culture of nutrient-dense growth factors for one week. Next, the cells were placed under a collagen gel that allows them to grow three dimensionally instead of in a single layer. The researchers then assessed cell growth, hormone production, and gene expression in the specimens.

In their early observations, the surgeons found immature oocytes protruding from clusters of ovarian cells. To help the oocytes mature, the surgeons developed a microwell system to keep oocytes inside clusters of ovarian cells. In humans, primordial germ cells or oogonium are the first stage of development into ovums, or mature eggs. The researchers also found that the cells expressed germ cell markers consistent with those of early stage eggs. They observed that the oocytes began to develop zona pellucida, a membrane that forms around an ovum as it develops, and showed a capacity to produce steroids similar to those produced by early stage eggs or follicles.

"Now, the goal is creating more mature structures that could actually be used for fertilization," Dr. Atala explained.

Dr. Atala and his colleagues believe that the newly generated oocytes would be able to mature to a certain stage in humans. The oocytes would then be put back into the female patient to go through natural ovulation and conception, or the oocytes would be fertilized in vitro and then implanted in the uterus. Dr. Atala said because ovarian cell function is restored, a woman using this procedure may be able to produce the necessary hormones and would not need addi-tional hormone replacement therapy.

Although the surgeons were able to generate early stage eggs in vitro, Dr. Atala cautions that the procedure has a while to go before it can be applied to humans: "This study represents the elementary, first stages of the research process," he said. "But we're showing the principle signs that this approach is a potential strategy for infertile women who want to have children," he concluded.

Continued here:
Surgeons recreate eggs in vitro to treat infertility

Tuesday, October 2, 2012 - 09:00

A Thunder Bay regenerative medicine company is asking for another $300,000 from the city to help it survive as it continues to seek sustainable provincial funding. ReGen Medicine, which provides bone and tissue for use in transplants, is requesting the money flow at a rate of $50,000 a month for the next six months. And, board chairwoman Judy Sander said Monday, this is the last time theyll ask. If the $300,000 requested Monday night is provided, the city will have given $1.5 million to the company since 2005, including an interest-free loan of $250,000 in May. The money stopped flowing from the May loan last month. I had hoped at that time that . . . I would never be back in this seat again, Sander told council. This has definitely been a long haul. It is definitely not a risk-free operation. This environment, the health care field, is extremely challenging, she said. It definitely takes time and money and energy to reach success. Were very close, but were not there yet. The money would help expand the business more sales people are needed so the company can compete with other tissue banks, and more senior managerial support is required, board member Yves Fricot said while ReGen Medicine works to secure government funding. The company is working on a business sustainability report at the request of the Ministry of Health; the report is to be completed later this month. The report, Sander and Fricot said, is intended to identify what the company needs to be sustainable, and build its case for provincial funding. And if after all that the government is still not involved, Sander said it may be time to give up on the dream. But Fricot said the company is providing an essential service, and the government is simply trying to figure out where ReGen Medicine will fit within the provincial system. The donor list is growing, and the fact that ReGen Medicine is providing the service in Canada is saving the Ontario health care system $16-20 million a year. Plus, theyre helping head off what he said is a looming shortage of tissue and bone for transplant. If you dont work to develop and ultimately support this organization, youre going to have a problem that you shouldnt have, Fricot said. Its true on a personal level for people who need help and cant find it in Canada, (and its) going to be true in the long run as the American economy changes and (U.S. tissue banks) go back to filling their own needs. Council didnt vote on the request, but asked city administration prepare a report on the request. Also Monday night, council heard a presentation from the family of the late Suzan Labine who asked to have the playground portion of Junot Park renamed Suzan Labine Childrens Playground. Labine died Dec. 28, 2010, at age 58. She was a highly respected member of the community, serving on the board of many community organizations and agencies, including Westminster United Church and St. Josephs Care Group. Labine was also chairwoman of the Lakehead Public School Board for six years, and was co-ordinator of the United Ways Leaders of the Way campaign. Council directed administration to examine the request and report back at a future meeting.

Continued here:
ReGen Medicine asks city council for another $300,000

NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Translational Regenerative Medicine: Market Prospects 2012-2022

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Report Details

New study shows you commercial potential of regenerative treatments

See what the future holds for translational regenerative medicine. Visiongain's updated report lets you assess forecasted sales at overall world market, submarket, product and regional level to 2022.

There you investigate the most lucrative areas in that research field, industry and market. Discover prospects for tissue-engineered products, stem cell treatments and gene therapy.

We pack our study with information and analysis to help your work and save you time:

Access to present and predicted trends, with commercial opportunities and prospects revealed

Data and discussions - including our revenue forecasts to 2022 - for your research, analyses and decision making

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Translational Regenerative Medicine: Market Prospects 2012-2022

Video will begin in 5 seconds.

Professor Nadia Rosenthal discusses regeneration in The Zone.

[WHO] Professor Nadia Rosenthal, founding director of the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute [WHAT] A revolutionary way to treat disease and offset the inevitable decline of our bodies [HOW] Globally groundbreaking research into ageing

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. ALBERT EINSTEIN

I PREFER the latter, and find one of the most miraculous and thrilling things is the pace of change. We are living at a time of unprecedented global acceleration of knowledge. Technology is facilitating the spread of ideas and there is a self-perpetuating explosion of creativity that holds the promise of solving some of humanity's most profound problems.

Nadia Rosenthal. Photo: Simon Schluter

The smartphones billions of us carry and take for granted contain more computing power than was imaginable only a generation ago and deliver instant access to a stupendous wealth of information.

Advertisement

Advances in medical research appear to be mirroring the exponential progress in computing and are, of course, leveraged by it. Today's guest in The Zone is at the forefront of one of the most exciting and potentially beneficial emerging fields of science - regenerative medicine. This is defined as ''the process of replacing or regenerating human cells, tissues or organs to restore or establish normal function.'' Another way of putting it is that the fountain of youth is moving from the realm of science fiction to potential reality.

Professor Nadia Rosenthal is a global leader in what she describes as a revolution being fuelled by the unravelling of the human genome - the molecular genetic blueprint for all life.

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Go forth and regenerate

Video will begin in 5 seconds.

Professor Nadia Rosenthal discusses regeneration in The Zone.

[WHO] Professor Nadia Rosenthal, founding director of the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute [WHAT] A revolutionary way to treat disease and offset the inevitable decline of our bodies [HOW] Globally groundbreaking research into ageing

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. ALBERT EINSTEIN

I PREFER the latter, and find one of the most miraculous and thrilling things is the pace of change. We are living at a time of unprecedented global acceleration of knowledge. Technology is facilitating the spread of ideas and there is a self-perpetuating explosion of creativity that holds the promise of solving some of humanity's most profound problems.

Nadia Rosenthal. Photo: Simon Schluter

The smartphones billions of us carry and take for granted contain more computing power than was imaginable only a generation ago and deliver instant access to a stupendous wealth of information.

Advertisement

Advances in medical research appear to be mirroring the exponential progress in computing and are, of course, leveraged by it. Today's guest in The Zone is at the forefront of one of the most exciting and potentially beneficial emerging fields of science - regenerative medicine. This is defined as ''the process of replacing or regenerating human cells, tissues or organs to restore or establish normal function.'' Another way of putting it is that the fountain of youth is moving from the realm of science fiction to potential reality.

Professor Nadia Rosenthal is a global leader in what she describes as a revolution being fuelled by the unravelling of the human genome - the molecular genetic blueprint for all life.

See more here:
Go forth and multiply — and regenerate

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, several years later, major advances have occurred, with entirely new classes of stem cells being described. The description of induced pluripotent cells in the last few years brought many more avenues of research and discovery. In 2012, the first paper reporting results of two patients treated with human embryonic stem cells was published by ACT and its collaborators. It might seem that we have waited too long to finally see pluripotent stem cells in the clinic. However, this has been accomplished with incredible speed when it is considered that hESCs were first isolated just 14 years ago. Handbook of Stem Cells integrates this exciting area, combining in two volumes the requisites for a general understanding of both adult and embryonic stem cells. Organized in two volumes, Pluripotent Stem Cells and Adult & Fetal Stem Cells, this work contains contributions from the world's experts in stem cell research to provide a description of the tools, methods, and experimental protocols needed to study and characterize stem cells and progenitor populations as well as a the latest information of what is known about each specific organ system.

The Handbook of Stem Cells, edited by Robert Lanza and colleagues, is an ambitious new text that achieves extraordinary completeness and inclusiveness, wrote Steve Goldman of University of Rochester Medical Center in NATURE CELL BIOLOGY about the first edition. [...] the editors have succeeded in putting together a reference that is broad enough in scope, but sufficiently detailed and rigorous, to be of real interest to both new and seasoned investigators in the field [...] In providing this treatise, which covers the history, biology, methods and applications of stem cells, the editors and authors have succeeded in establishing a conceptual framework and a common language for the field. In so doing, they have ensured that this two-volume set will serve as a benchmark reference in stem cell biology for years to come.

Writing about the first edition in the Times Higher Education Supplement, Ian Wilmut added, These books make an invaluable contribution to the education of researchers and clinicians both of the present day and of the future. They should be available in libraries of all biology and medical schools as well as those of companies and research institutions.

About Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., is a biotechnology company applying cellular technology in the field of regenerative medicine. For more information, visit http://www.advancedcell.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this news release regarding future financial and operating results, future growth in research and development programs, potential applications of our technology, opportunities for the company and any other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words will, believes, plans, anticipates, expects, estimates, and similar expressions) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including: limited operating history, need for future capital, risks inherent in the development and commercialization of potential products, protection of our intellectual property, and economic conditions generally. Additional information on potential factors that could affect our results and other risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in the companys periodic reports, including the report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, opinions, and expectations of the companys management at the time they are made, and the company does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions, expectations, or other circumstances should change. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, opinions, and expectations of the companys management at the time they are made, and the company does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions, expectations, or other circumstances should change. There can be no assurance that the Companys clinical trials will be successful.

Originally posted here:
New Edition of Definitive (Two-Volume) Resource in Stem Cells Released Today

NORTHRIDGE, CA and CAMBRIDGE, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire - Sep 28, 2012) - Regenerative medicine company Avita Medical Ltd. ( ASX : AVH ), ( OTCQX : AVMXY ) announced that it has been awarded a grant of an additional US$880K in support for its on-going pivotal US FDA trial for the use of ReCell Spray-On-Skin in the treatment of burn injuries.

The award, supplementing the $1.75 million provided in prior funding, underscores the commitment by the US Department of Defense, the US Army, and the US Armed Force Institute for Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM) to bringing the 'revolutionary' ReCell technology through the FDA approval process and cleared for sales in the US, thereby having it available for the military and civilian population.

The AFIRM program, established in March 2008, is dedicated to bringing 'transformational technologies' in regenerative medicine to wounded soldiers by developing clinical therapies and advanced treatment options. AFIRM has a special interest in using the most advanced regenerative medicine for its wounded soldiers and recognises Avita's innovative treatment for burns and other skin injuries has the benefits of using the patient's own skin, yields improved healing, reduced scar formation, and reintroduction of pigmentation into the skin.

As a first of its kind, the FDA-approved study is rigorous and highly conservative in its design. Each patient in the study receives both the standard-of-care graft treatment and the new ReCell treatment consisting of sprayed autologous cell suspension, with a host of separate assessments beyond standard care required for each enrolled patient. The study design requires similarity across patients, and, within patients, two comparable wounds for treatment, which although necessary for a randomized controlled clinical trial, imposes tight inclusion and exclusion criteria and therefore constrains the use to a particular (and small) subset of burn patients.

The approved FDA protocol permits the Company to treat 106 patients with partial-thickness thermal injuries; patients are assessed for healing and pain on a weekly basis during the initial four weeks post-treatment; at weeks 8, 12, 16, 24 and 52 the treatment site will be assessed for healing and aesthetic outcomes. Clinical data at the 16 week follow-up will be reported to the FDA in support of an application to market ReCell in the US. Approximately 75% of the required subjects have been enrolled in the study.

"We are pleased and grateful for the continued support of the US Department of Defense and AFIRM program," said Dr William Dolphin, Avita Medical's CEO. "As a first-of-its-kind study the patient selection criteria and protocol for the FDA study are stringent, requiring significant commitment from the participating surgeon and their team. AFIRM has recognized the difficulty of the protocol -- reflected in the slower than hoped for enrollment -- and, following close scrutiny and careful review, have provided additional funding in support of the study -- further indication of the importance of this innovative technology. ReCell has shown the potential to provide significant benefits over current options in the treatment of burns and other acute and chronic wounds and for a wide range of skin defects."

Dr James H. Holmes IV, Director of the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Burn Center and Program Leader for the Wake Forest-Pittsburgh Consortium of AFIRM, said, "AFIRM views the ReCell FDA study as a high priority project and recognizes ReCell as a potential game-changer in the treatment of burns and acute wounds. The AFIRM program managers have acknowledged that this is an extremely difficult study and are backing their assessment of the importance of the ReCell technology with additional funding at a time of tight budgetary constraints."

About Avita Medical Ltd.

Avita Medical (http://www.avitamedical.com/) develops and distributes regenerative and tissue-engineered products for the treatment of a broad range of wounds, scars and skin defects. Avita's patented and proprietary tissue-culture, collection and application technology provides innovative treatment solutions derived from a patient's own skin. The company's lead product, ReCell Spray-On Skin, is used in a wide variety of burns, plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic procedures. ReCell is patented, CE-marked for Europe, TGA-registered in Australia, and SFDA-cleared in China. ReCell is on market and generating early revenues. ReCell is not available for sale in the United States; in the U.S. ReCell is an investigational device limited by federal law to investigational use. A Phase III FDA trial is in process.

About Avita

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Avita Medical Secures Additional Funding From US Department of Defense