(MENAFN - Gulf Times) The Foot and Ankle sub-specialty at Hamad General Hospital (HGH), part of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), will soon introduce the latest medical procedure, BMAC, to treat various illnesses related to foot and ankle.'Bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) is a regenerative therapy procedure that uses stem cells from a patient's bone marrow to initiate healing for a number of orthopaedic conditions, such as tendinopathy, osteoarthritis and cartilage injuries, said Dr Mohamed Maged Mekhaimar, senior consultant and orthopaedic surgeon at HGH.'This will help treating patients with tendon inflation. It can also be used to treat inflammation on the bottom of the foot as well as for traumatic conditions of the ankle. These services will soon be available at Hamad General Hospital, explained Dr Mekhaimar.Foot and ankle services were started at HGH in 2012. 'Now, there is a great demand for these services in the country as more and more people are approaching us for various issues. The centre provides treatment for several problems such as flat foot problems, among other issues. We also provide treatment for diabetic foot people, he continued.The centre currently performs about five surgeries per day and takes care for all different injuries, including sport injuries.According to the official, the centre also makes use of PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) machine by which blood is taken from people and then separated. 'Using the PRP machine, we can inject the blood particles to the joints. This facility is available in HGH and the Bone and Joint Center, part of HMC, he noted.'Our clinics are at the Bone and Joint Center. All our patients come through the Bone and Joint Center. We are also in the process of introducing the weight-bearing CT scan machine. With this, we can scan the foot and ankle of the patient while he or she is standing on it. This can give better impression of the condition of the patients, he highlighted.'Some deformity can be better measured through this CT scan machine. It will also be used for treating the knee joint as it is one of the most advanced treatment options available now, he added.

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Qatar- HMC to introduce regenerative therapy to treat foot and ankle illnesses - MENAFN.COM

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Qatar- HMC to introduce regenerative therapy to treat foot and ankle illnesses – MENAFN.COM | January 26th, 2020

Many folks all over the world will be seen troubled by ache within the veins. And many occasions, even after an excessive amount of therapy, this ache shouldnt be relieved. But within the coming days youll be able to do away with neuralgia utterly, that too with none unwanted side effects. Researchers on the University of Sydney have used human stem cells for excessive ache reduction in mice. Now, theyre shifting in the direction of human trials.

Greg Nelly, senior researcher on the Charles Perkins Center, stated that at occasions, extreme stress on the nerves causes them to get broken. For instance, carpal tunnel syndrome is the median nerve within the fingers ( median nerve ) Due to extreme stress.

->As youll be able to think about, nerve accidents can result in insufferable neuropathic ache. There can also be no efficient therapy to alleviate ache in most sufferers.

Therefore, Nelly and colleagues on the University of Sydney developed an efficient remedy. Researchers have been in a position to create pain-relieving neurons utilizing human stem cells.

Nelly stated that this success implies that for some sufferers affected by nerve ache, we are able to carry out pain-relieving implants from our cells, which might cease the ache.

In the research, researchers collected stem cells from grownup blood samples. Then, used human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from the bone marrow to create pain-relieving cells within the laboratory.

To check the efficacy of the therapy, the group injected neurons that abolished spinal ache in mice affected by extreme neuropathic ache. It was revealed that this therapy supplied full reduction from ache to the mice with none unwanted side effects.

Co-senior creator Dr. Leslie Caron stated that because of this transplant remedy is prone to be an efficient and long-lasting therapy for neuropathic ache.

After shut therapy in mice, the University of Sydney group is shifting ahead for extra intensive research in pigs. Within the following 5 years, theyll check people who are suffering from power ache.

Researchers stated {that a} move check in people will probably be a giant success. This could point out the event of latest non-opioid, non-addictive ache administration methods for sufferers.

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If youre troubled by ache within the nerves, comply with the following tips, know - Sahiwal Tv

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on If youre troubled by ache within the nerves, comply with the following tips, know – Sahiwal Tv | January 26th, 2020

The blood collected from the umbilical cord of the newborn is a rich source of stem cells. This blood is collected and sent to a cord blood bank, where the stem cells are separated, tested, processed, and preserved in liquid nitrogen. Technically, there is no expiry date and these stem cells can be preserved for a lifetime. Scientifically, evidence exists that they can be stored for about 20 years. The stem cells can treat around 70 blood related disorders and genetic disorders including thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia, leukaemia, and immune related disorders.

Stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood are like those taken from bone marrow, capable of producing all blood cells: red cells, platelets and immune system cells. When used, stem cells are first concentrated, then injected into the patient. Once transfused, they produce new cells of every kind.

They're capable of producing all types of blood cells: red cells, platelets and immune system cells. The stem cells can treat around 80 blood related illnesses like leukaemia, lymphomas, several genetic conditions and immune related disorders. But given the present state of medicine, they are effective only for around a dozen of them

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Watch | Stem cell banking and its benefits - The Hindu

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Poland has emerged as Europe's leader in stem cell storage, a billion-dollar global industry that is a key part of a therapy that can treat leukaemias but raises excessive hopes.

Submerged in liquid nitrogen vapour at a temperature of minus 175 degrees Celsius, hundreds of thousands of stem cells from all over Europe bide their time in large steel barrels on the outskirts of Warsaw.

Present in blood drawn from the umbilical cord of a newborn baby, stem cells can help cure serious blood-related illnesses like leukaemias and lymphomas, as well as genetic conditions and immune system deficits.

Polish umbilical cord blood bank PBKM/FamiCord became the industry's leader in Europe after Swiss firm Cryo-Save went bankrupt early last year.

It is also the fifth largest in the world, according to its management, after two companies in the United States, a Chinese firm and one based in Singapore.

Since the first cord blood transplant was performed in France in 1988, the sector has significantly progressed, fuelling hopes.

- Health insurance -

Mum-of-two Teresa Przeborowska has firsthand experience.

At five years old, her son Michal was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukaemia and needed a bone marrow transplant, the entrepreneur from northern Poland said.

The most compatible donor was his younger sister, Magdalena.

When she was born, her parents had a bag of her cord blood stored at PBKM.

More than three years later, doctors injected his sister's stem cells into Michal's bloodstream.

It was not quite enough for Michal's needs but nicely supplemented harvested bone marrow.

As a result, Michal, who is nine, "is now flourishing, both intellectually and physically," his mum told AFP.

A cord blood transplant has become an alternative to a bone marrow transplant when there is no donor available, with a lower risk of complications.

Stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood are like those taken from bone marrow, capable of producing all blood cells: red cells, platelets and immune system cells.

Story continues

When used, stem cells are first concentrated, then injected into the patient. Once transfused, they produce new cells of every kind.

At the PBKM laboratory, "each container holds up to 10,000 blood bags... Safe and secure, they wait to be used in the future," its head, Krzysztof Machaj, said.

The bank holds around 440,000 samples, not including those from Cryo-Save, he said.

If the need arises, the "blood will be ready to use without the whole process of looking for a compatible donor and running blood tests," the biologist told AFP.

For families who have paid an initial nearly 600 euros ($675) and then an annual 120 euros to have the blood taken from their newborns' umbilical cords preserved for around 20 years, it is a kind of health insurance promising faster and more effective treatment if illness strikes.

But researchers also warn against unrealistic expectations.

- Beauty products -

Haematologist Wieslaw Jedrzejczak, a bone marrow pioneer in Poland, describes promoters of the treatment as "sellers of hope", who "make promises that are either impossible to realise in the near future or downright impossible to realise at all for biological reasons."

He compares them to makers of beauty products who "swear their cream will rejuvenate the client by 20 years."

Various research is being done on the possibility of using the stem cells to treat other diseases, notably nervous disorders. But the EuroStemCell scientist network warns that the research is not yet conclusive.

"There is a list of almost 80 diseases for which stem cells could prove beneficial," US haematologist Roger Mrowiec, who heads the clinical laboratory of the cord blood programme Vitalant in New Jersey, told AFP.

"But given the present state of medicine, they are effective only for around a dozen of them, like leukaemia or cerebral palsy," he said.

"It's not true, as it's written sometimes, that we can already use them to fight Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease or diabetes."

EuroStemCell also cautions against private blood banks that "advertise services to parents suggesting they should pay to freeze their child's cord blood... in case it's needed later in life."

"Studies show it is highly unlikely that the cord blood will ever be used for their child," the network said.

It also pointed out that there could be a risk of the child's cells not being useable anyway without reintroducing the same illness.

Some countries, such as Belgium and France, are cautious and ban the storage of cord blood for private purposes. Most EU countries however permit it while imposing strict controls.

- Rapid growth -

In the early 2000s, Swiss company Cryo-Save enjoyed rapid growth.

Greeks, Hungarians, Italians, Spaniards and Swiss stored blood from their newborns with the company for 20 years on payment of 2,500 euros upfront.

When the firm was forced to close in early 2019, clients were left wondering where their stem cells would end up.

Under a kind of back-up agreement, the samples of some 250,000 European families were transferred for storage at PBKM.

The Polish firm, founded in 2002 with two million zlotys (around 450,000 euros, $525,000), has also grown quickly.

Present under the FamiCord brand in several countries, PBKM has some 35 percent of the European market, excluding Cryo-Save assets.

Over the last 15 months, outside investors have contributed 63 million euros to the firm, PBKM's chief executive Jakub Baran told AFP.

But the company has not escaped controversy: the Polityka weekly recently published a critical investigative report on several private clinics that offer what was described as expensive treatment involving stem cells held by PBKM.

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Europe's guardian of stem cells and hopes, real and unrealistic - Yahoo News

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Europe’s guardian of stem cells and hopes, real and unrealistic – Yahoo News | January 25th, 2020

Gray hair got you down? Scientists may have a cure for that.

Okay, maybe not a cure. But, more information about why youre going gray, and what can be done about it.

Dr. Melissa Harris, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birminghams Department of Biology, has spent the last ten years studying melanocyte stem cells and what happens when they fail.

Harris runs a molecular biology lab at UAB and uses CRISPR gene editing tools, single-cell sequencing studies, and network analysis algorithms. She uses gray hair as a model for aging, because she doesnt always need a microscopeshe can see the state of your melanocyte stem cells right away. If hair is all one color, Harris said, the melanocyte stem cells are healthy; but if there are grays mixed in, something isnt right.

Gray hair isnt always an inevitable part of aging, the university said. Through Harris research, shes learned that age isnt the only reason these cells fail, and now Harris is working with gray-haired mice to show there could be a way to bring the cells- and hair pigments- back to life. Shes doing that by working with a biotech startup to study an experimental compound that appears to restore hair color long-term in those mice.

Harris work applies to autoimmune diseases and to melanoma, but she said her primary goal is to understand why somatic stem cells (those found in muscles, bones, and organs that are responsible for tissue regeneration, immune defense, hair color and more) start to fail as a person ages. Most of those stem cell populations are hard to work with in the lab, Harris said, but melanocyte stem cells are an exception.

Does hair graying cause you to die? Harris said. No, you can watch melanocyte stem cells from birth to the end. But, she added that the same cant be said for cells like hematopoetic stem cells, which pump red blood cells in bone marrow. You cant live long without them, Harris said.

Her research will reveal more about the bodys aging process and the life cycles of those stem cells.

Harris is often known as the gray-hair lady in the lab, but she stresses that her gray hair research has bigger implications. Everyone gets gray hair It is considered a vanity science, she said. I am not an abnormally vain person My lab has picked the model that is the most appropriate method to investigate what happens to stem cells as we age.

The work has earned her a grant from the NIHs National Institute of Aging. A paper published by her lab in 2018 showed that MITF, a certain protein that is the master regulator turning on pigmentation genes also represses the innate immune system, according to UAB. The university said when Harris worked with the MITF-deficient mice with a virus, the melanocyte stem cells suffered and the mice got gray hair. The study was globally recognized, and featured in several publications.

Perhaps, in an individual who is healthy yet predisposed for gray hair, because they produce less MITF, getting an everyday viral infection is just enough to cause the decline of their melanocytes and melanocyte stem cells, leading to premature gray hair, Harris told UAB News.

Harris started working with the biotech startup when she was contacted by them last year. They were developing an experimental compound that would regrow hair, and they wanted to know if she would test it on her mice. Harris said she was skeptical, but she conducted a small trial.

It worked. Harris said when she tests gray-haired mice with the compound, she sees hair color come back.

Some gray hairs could be rejuvenated, the university said, through compounds to stimulate the cells. (Courtesy, UAB)

And we can take these same mice, pluck the hair and when new hairs grow out they retain the higher level of pigmentation, suggesting this is permanent, she said. This compound is reprogramming the stem cells, taking them to a younger state, allowing them to start up again.

Harris and Joseph Palmer, one of her doctoral students, are also studying a theory that the melanocyte stem cells spend most of their time in a dormant state, and that the cells can possibly be stimulated.

(Spanish doctors in a study) suggested that some melanocyte stem cells are retained in gray hairs, Harris said. We thought that once you go gray the stem cells are all lost theres no going back. But presumably they can be reactivated. That study means, according to Harris, there may be therapies to reactive the cells, and the compound shes working with alongside the startup could be a promising way forward, according to UAB.

We have an opportunity with this company to find out what are the potential ways we can fix a broken system, Harris said. Were always looking at whats broken and rarely do we get to go in the other direction, towards tissue rejuvenation. So this is exciting.

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UAB scientist studies aging through gray hair, says hair could be rejuvenated - AL.com

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on UAB scientist studies aging through gray hair, says hair could be rejuvenated – AL.com | January 25th, 2020

Many folks around the globe will be seen troubled by ache within the veins. And many occasions, even after an excessive amount of therapy, this ache just isnt relieved. But within the coming days you possibly can do away with neuralgia fully, that too with none unwanted effects. Researchers on the University of Sydney have used human stem cells for excessive ache aid in mice.

->Now, theyre shifting in direction of human trials.

Greg Nelly, senior researcher on the Charles Perkins Center, stated that at occasions, extreme strain on the nerves causes them to get broken. For instance, carpal tunnel syndrome is the median nerve within the arms ( median nerve ) Due to extreme strain. As you possibly can think about, nerve accidents can result in insufferable neuropathic ache. There can also be no efficient therapy to alleviate ache in most sufferers.

Therefore, Nelly and colleagues on the University of Sydney developed an efficient remedy. Researchers have been capable of create pain-relieving neurons utilizing human stem cells.

Nelly stated that this success implies that for some sufferers affected by nerve ache, we are able to carry out pain-relieving implants from our cells, which might cease the ache.

In the examine, researchers collected stem cells from grownup blood samples. Then, used human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from the bone marrow to create pain-relieving cells within the laboratory.

To check the efficacy of the therapy, the staff injected neurons that abolished spinal ache in mice affected by extreme neuropathic ache. It was revealed that this therapy supplied full aid from ache to the mice with none unwanted effects.

Co-senior creator Dr. Leslie Caron stated that which means that transplant remedy is more likely to be an efficient and long-lasting therapy for neuropathic ache.

After shut therapy in mice, the University of Sydney staff is shifting ahead for extra in depth research in pigs. Within the subsequent 5 years, theyll check people that suffer from power ache.

Researchers stated {that a} move check in people can be an enormous success. This might point out the event of latest non-opioid, non-addictive ache administration methods for sufferers.

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Get rid of the ache within the nerves discovered with the following pointers, learn - Sahiwal Tv

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Get rid of the ache within the nerves discovered with the following pointers, learn – Sahiwal Tv | January 25th, 2020

Chronic pain cost an estimated $139.3 billion in 2018. Image: iStock, Top image: Pexels

Researchers at the University of Sydney have used human stem cells to make pain-killing neurons that provide lasting relief in mice, without side effects, in a single treatment. The next step is to perform extensive safety tests in rodents and pigs, and then move to human patients suffering chronic pain within the next five years.

If the tests are successful in humans, it could be a major breakthrough in the development of new non-opioid, non-addictive pain management strategies for patients, the researchers said.

Thanks to funding from the NSW Ministry of Health, we are already moving towards testing in humans, said Associate Professor Greg Neely, a leader in pain research at the Charles Perkins Centre and the School of Life and Environmental Sciences.

Nerve injury can lead to devastating neuropathic pain and for the majority of patients there are no effective therapies. This breakthrough means for some of these patients, we could make pain-killing transplants from their own cells, and the cells can then reverse the underlying cause of pain.

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Pain treatment using human stem cells a success - News - The University of Sydney

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Pain treatment using human stem cells a success – News – The University of Sydney | January 24th, 2020

Poland has emerged as Europe's leader in stem cell storage, a billion-dollar global industry that is a key part of a therapy that can treat leukaemias but raises excessive hopes.

Submerged in liquid nitrogen vapour at a temperature of minus 175 degrees Celsius, hundreds of thousands of stem cells from all over Europe bide their time in large steel barrels on the outskirts of Warsaw.

Present in blood drawn from the umbilical cord of a newborn baby, stem cells can help cure serious blood-related illnesses like leukaemias and lymphomas, as well as genetic conditions and immune system deficits.

Polish umbilical cord blood bank PBKM/FamiCord became the industry's leader in Europe after Swiss firm Cryo-Save went bankrupt early last year.

It is also the fifth-largest in the world, according to its management, after two companies in the United States, a Chinese firm and one based in Singapore.

Since the first cord blood transplant was performed in France in 1988, the sector has significantly progressed, fuelling hopes.

Mum-of-two Teresa Przeborowska has firsthand experience.

At five years old, her son Michal was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukaemia and needed a bone marrow transplant, the entrepreneur from northern Poland said.

The most compatible donor was his younger sister, Magdalena.

When she was born, her parents had a bag of her cord blood stored at PBKM.

More than three years later, doctors injected his sister's stem cells into Michal's bloodstream.

It was not quite enough for Michal's needs but nicely supplemented harvested bone marrow.

As a result, Michal, who is nine, "is now flourishing, both intellectually and physically," his mum told AFP.

A cord blood transplant has become an alternative to a bone marrow transplant when there is no donor available, with a lower risk of complications.

Stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood are like those taken from bone marrow, capable of producing all blood cells: red cells, platelets and immune system cells.

When used, stem cells are first concentrated, then injected into the patient. Once transfused, they produce new cells of every kind.

At the PBKM laboratory, "each container holds up to 10,000 blood bags... Safe and secure, they wait to be used in the future," its head, Krzysztof Machaj, said.

The bank holds around 440,000 samples, not including those from Cryo-Save, he said.

If the need arises, the "blood will be ready to use without the whole process of looking for a compatible donor and running blood tests," the biologist told AFP.

For families who have paid an initial nearly 600 euros ($675) and then an annual 120 euros to have the blood taken from their newborns' umbilical cords preserved for around 20 years, it is a kind of health insurance promising faster and more effective treatment if illness strikes.

But researchers also warn against unrealistic expectations.

Haematologist Wieslaw Jedrzejczak, a bone marrow pioneer in Poland, describes promoters of the treatment as "sellers of hope", who "make promises that are either impossible to realise in the near future or downright impossible to realise at all for biological reasons."

He compares them to makers of beauty products who "swear their cream will rejuvenate the client by 20 years."

Various research is being done on the possibility of using the stem cells to treat other diseases, notably nervous disorders. But the EuroStemCell scientist network warns that the research is not yet conclusive.

"There is a list of almost 80 diseases for which stem cells could prove beneficial," US haematologist Roger Mrowiec, who heads the clinical laboratory of the cord blood programme Vitalant in New Jersey, told AFP.

"But given the present state of medicine, they are effective only for around a dozen of them, like leukaemia or cerebral palsy," he said.

"It's not true, as it's written sometimes, that we can already use them to fight Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease or diabetes."

EuroStemCell also cautions against private blood banks that "advertise services to parents suggesting they should pay to freeze their child's cord blood... in case it's needed later in life."

"Studies show it is highly unlikely that the cord blood will ever be used for their child," the network said.

It also pointed out that there could be a risk of the child's cells not being useable anyway without reintroducing the same illness.

Some countries, such as Belgium and France, are cautious and ban the storage of cord blood for private purposes. Most EU countries, however, permit it while imposing strict controls.

In the early 2000s, Swiss company Cryo-Save enjoyed rapid growth.

Greeks, Hungarians, Italians, Spaniards and Swiss stored blood from their newborns with the company for 20 years on payment of 2,500 euros upfront.

When the firm was forced to close in early 2019, clients were left wondering where their stem cells would end up.

Under a kind of back-up agreement, the samples of some 250,000 European families were transferred for storage at PBKM.

The Polish firm, founded in 2002 with two million zlotys (around 450,000 euros, $525,000), has also grown quickly.

Present under the FamiCord brand in several countries, PBKM has some 35 per cent of the European market, excluding Cryo-Save assets.

Over the last 15 months, outside investors have contributed 63 million euros to the firm, PBKM's chief executive Jakub Baran told AFP.

But the company has not escaped controversy: the Polityka weekly recently published a critical investigative report on several private clinics that offer what was described as expensive treatment involving stem cells held by PBKM.

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Europe's guardian of stem cells and hopes, real and unrealistic - Deccan Herald

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Europe’s guardian of stem cells and hopes, real and unrealistic – Deccan Herald | January 24th, 2020

The tiny body seemed consumed by tubes and wires and monitors.

Just one day prior, Stephanie and Cody Smith had learned the terrible truth about why their 18-month-old son, Charlie, had been so sick recently. He had neuroblastoma, a cancer that forms on the nerve endings. Scans revealed cancer was on his kidney, lungs, bone and lymph nodes.

To stem the aggressive cancer, his doctors immediately got to work, putting in catheters, taking bone marrow biopsies and preparing for the start of intense chemotherapy. Charlie lay in his hospital bed eating Cheetos Puffs, his favorite food, and sitting with his parents.

"It was hard when we got the news," Stephanie Smith said. "I tried to be calm and collected; I had to be strong for my baby. But its been hard."

Story continues below gallery

The past two months have come straight out of a nightmare for the Smith family. Since Charlie was diagnosed with Stage IV neuroblastoma in November, each day brings uncertainty.

The Franklin family has spent 49 of the last 60 days at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. Charlie has gone through rounds of chemotherapy, suffering through fevers, mouth sores, extreme fatigue and nausea that wracked his small body. His treatment will last over the next 18 months, and will include chemotherapy, stem cell transplants, blood transfusions, radiation and immunotherapy.

But despite everything theyve been through, the Smiths remain resolute that Charlie will get better. They have relied on their faith, and an army of supporters who have stepped forward to help them in their worst time, to get them through.

"It was amazing to see so many people come up and love on us. It has taught us to be generous people; weve always thought we were generous people, but when you see the number of people who care for you and pray for you and support you, its really amazing," Stephanie Smith said.

The Smiths have partnered with Versiti Blood Center of Indiana to host a blood drive in Greenwood Saturday. The Cheering for Charlie event will be held from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., to help increase blood supplies for patients such as Charlie who rely on transfusions to survive.

Every two seconds, someone needs life-saving blood, whether theyre bravely battling disease like Charlie, undergoing surgery or are victims of trauma," said Duane Brodt, spokesman for Versiti. "People need people since blood cant be manufactured."

For most of his life, Charlie was a happy-go-lucky toddler. He loved to smile and laugh, beaming joy. Where his 3-year-old brother Henry was more of a wild child, Stephanie Smith said, Charlie seemed to always be in a pleasant, good mood.

His parents described him as their "happy baby."

Thats what made his lethargy, lack of appetite and gradual decline in health so concerning.

"He was learning how to walk over the summer, and started getting sick," Stephanie Smith said. "We just thought it was a virus; we didnt think of the worst."

Charlie developed a low-grade fever, wasnt eating well and was falling asleep unexpectedly while playing with toys. He wasnt acting like himself, Stephanie Smith said.

During a visit to his pediatrician, the doctor found a hard area on Charlies abdomen, and recommended doing some blood tests and taking an X-ray. Those tests only led to more questions he had severe range anemia and elevated levels of platelets in his blood. But the doctor didnt have any conclusive answers as to what was causing it.

Stephanie Smith, a nurse at Franciscan Health, started hearing warning bells in her mind. That, combined with a mothers intuition, convinced her that they needed to take Charlie to Riley Hospital for Children. After 12 hours in the emergency room, and dozens of tests, doctors found a large tumor in Charlies abdomen.

"Sometimes, when kids are diagnosed with cancer, they can go home and be in and out of the hospital for treatment, but Charlie was really sick. The tumor was pushing on his kidney, damaging his kidney, so we had to stay in the hospital," Stephanie Smith said.

The pathology lab at Riley Hospital for Children confirmed the tumor was neuroblastoma. The cancer forms in immature nerve endings, often in the adrenal glands located near the kidneys and is most common in children age 5 and under, according to the American Cancer Society.

But the cancer is very rare; only about 800 new cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, according to the American Cancer Society.

Neuroblastomas grow and spread very rapidly, so treatment would have to be aggressive, doctors explained to the family. Charlies oncologist recommended starting with two rounds of focused chemotherapy, followed by the extraction of his red blood cells for stem cell transplants, then another three rounds of chemotherapy.

Two different stem cell transplants would be held about a month apart, and Charlie would start radiation treatment. Immunotherapy, which jolts the immune system into targeting and killing cancer cells, would be the final part of the regimen.

Almost immediately, Charlie started his chemotherapy.

"It grows so quickly, that we had to be aggressive. The beginning was pretty intense," Stephanie Smith said.

The treatment was hard on Charlies young body. He developed mouth sores and didnt want to eat, and his nausea left him miserable. The Smith family essentially relocated to the hospital, staying with him constantly.

But at the same time, their friends and family, as well as complete strangers, stepped up to offer help. A meal train was set up to provide the family with food, and prayers came from all directions.

A GoFundMe page has raised more than $36,000 for the family. A community Facebook page has more than 5,000 members.

"We had a rally of people come around us," Stephanie Smith said. "We couldnt have done it without all of the people who have come together."

Charlie has completed his first four rounds of chemotherapy, and on Jan. 20, he was able to return home with his family to wait for surgery to remove the tumor in his abdomen. That operation is tentatively going to be early to mid February.

In the meantime, the family has been soaking in the opportunity to be together somewhere besides the hospital. They have also been working to plan the blood drive being held on Saturday.

Charlie has relied on blood transfusions throughout his treatment, and a blood drive would be a way to raise awareness of the importance of those transfusions to cancer patients, Stephanie Smith said.

"Charlie received quite a few blood products, especially early on in his treatment. He had 12 transfusions in these 2 1/2 months. For his little body, thats a lot," she said. "Being a nurse, I didnt realize the number of cancer patients who need blood products. Its so important. So this was a way to let people know that."

Stephanie Smiths sister, Shelby Richards, knew people who had organized drives with their friends and helped the family get the Cheering for Charlie drive going.

The drive is a perfect opportunity to remind people that blood donations are vitally important, Brodt said. Versiti Blood Center of Indiana needs to collect at least 560 blood donations every day to support the need at its 80 hospital partners throughout the state, he said.

"So our Cheering for Charlie will truly make a difference and help save lives," Brodt said.

For the Smith family, the drive is a way to give back for all the love theyve been shown.

"Its really cool for us to see how many people have signed up, and also be advocates for other people who need blood, to just get the word out there about how important it is," Stephanie Smith said. "Its encouraging for us to see people come out to support Charlie and kids like him."

If you go

Cheering for Charlie blood drive

What: A blood drive honoring Charlie Smith, an 18-month-old Franklin child diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nerve cells.

When: 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday

Where: Versiti Blood Center of Indiana, 8739 U.S. 31 S., Indianapolis

Who can donate: Generally, anyone in good health age 16 and up can donate. Make sure you do not have a cold, flu or sore throat at the time of donation.

How to schedule an appointment: Go to Versiti.org/Indiana

Information: Learn more about Charlie on the Cheering for Charlie! Facebook group page.

Excerpt from:
Blood drive to honor Franklin child with cancer - Daily Journal

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Blood drive to honor Franklin child with cancer – Daily Journal | January 24th, 2020

(MENAFN - ForPressRelease) 11

New Delhi 23rd January 2020 On Saturday, January 18th, 2020, the Advancells Group & the International Fertility Center together ended their first workshop Sub-Specialty Training in Application of Regenerative Medicine (S.T.A.R. 2020). The three-day workshop had specialized doctors, medical practitioners, learned scientists of Advancells, the leaders in cell manufacturing & processes and IFC, one of India's most prestigious Fertility institute who were joined by candidates with MBBS/BAMS/BHMS/BPharma & Master's degree in Life Sciences.

The key-note speaker of the workshop was Dr. Rita Bakshi, founder and chairperson of International Fertility Centre, the oldest fertility clinic and one of the most renowned IVF clinics in India, one of the organizers of the event. Participants also had a privilege to listen to Dr. Sachin Kadam, CTO, Advancells and gain hands-on experience in the preparation of PRP; Liposuction method; and Bone Marrow aspiration. All these techniques were talked about at length and demonstrated in the form of manual & kit-based models to help the candidates gain exposure.

Dr. Punit Prabha, Head of Clinical Research and Dr. Shradha Singh Gautam, Head of Lab Operations at Advancells successfully set the base of stem cell biology for the participants who were experts in gynecology field, stem cell research and pain specialist. With the help of detailed analysis of 'Application of PRP for Skin rejuvenation'; 'Preparation of Micro-fragmented Adipose Tissue and Nano Fat & SVF (Stromal Vascular Fraction) from Adipose Tissue'; and 'Cell Culturing and Expansion in a Laboratory', applicants understood the application of stem cells in aesthetics, cosmetology, and anti-aging.

Vipul Jain, Founder & CEO of Advancells Group said, 'Educating young scientists about stem cells is important for us. With this workshop we wanted to discuss and share the challenges and lessons we have learned in our journey of curing our customers. We wanted to establish more concrete knowledge base in the presence of subject matter experts and help our attendees in more possible ways. We are hopeful to have successfully achieved what we claimed with this workshop'.

Given the resounding success of the Sub-Specialty Training in Application of Regenerative Medicine (S.T.A.R. 2020), it's hoped that the future events shall offer even greater wisdom to the participants by helping them improve and the lead the community into the age of greater awareness.

Advancells Group Advancells is leading the field of stem cell therapies in India and abroad, with representative offices in Bangladesh and Australia. The company provides arrangements for stem cell banking and protocols for partner doctors and hospitals which they can use for treating the patients using regenerative medicine. With a GMP compliant research and processing center that works on different cell lines from various sources such as Bone Marrow, Adipose Tissue, Dental Pulp, Blood, Cord Tissue etc. Advancells also intends to file a patent for this processing technology soon.

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Advancells Group & IFC Concluded their 3-Day Workshop on Regenerative Medicine - MENAFN.COM

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ANI | Updated: Jan 23, 2020 17:49 IST

New Delhi [India], Jan 23 (ANI/Business Wire India): On Saturday, January 18 2020, the Advancells Group and the International Fertility Center together ended their first workshop - Sub-Specialty Training in Application of Regenerative Medicine (STAR 2020).The three-day workshop had specialized doctors, medical practitioners, learned scientists of Advancells, the leaders in cell manufacturing and processes and IFC, one of India's most prestigious Fertility institutes who were joined by candidates with MBBS/BAMS/BHMS/BPharma and Master's degree in Life Sciences.The key-note speaker of the workshop was Dr Rita Bakshi, founder and chairperson of International Fertility Centre, the oldest fertility clinic and one of the most renowned IVF clinics in India, one of the organizers of the event.Participants also had a privilege to listen to Dr Sachin Kadam, CTO, Advancells and gain hands-on experience in the preparation of PRP; Liposuction method; and Bone Marrow aspiration. All these techniques were talked about at length and demonstrated in the form of manual and kit-based models to help the candidates gain exposure.Dr Punit Prabha, Head of Clinical Research and Dr Shradha Singh Gautam, Head of Lab Operations at Advancells successfully set the base of stem cell biology for the participants who were experts in gynecology field, stem cell research and pain specialist.With the help of detailed analysis of 'Application of PRP for Skin rejuvenation'; 'Preparation of Micro-fragmented Adipose Tissue and Nano Fat & SVF (Stromal Vascular Fraction) from Adipose Tissue'; and 'Cell Culturing and Expansion in a Laboratory', applicants understood the application of stem cells in aesthetics, cosmetology, and anti-ageing."Educating young scientists about stem cells is important for us. With this workshop, we wanted to discuss and share the challenges and lessons we have learned in our journey of curing our customers," said Vipul Jain, founder and CEO of Advancells Group."We wanted to establish a more concrete knowledge base in the presence of subject matter experts and help our attendees in more possible ways. We are hopeful to have successfully achieved what we claimed with this workshop," he added. Given the resounding success of the Sub-Specialty Training in Application of Regenerative Medicine (STAR 2020), it's hoped that the future events shall offer even greater wisdom to the participants by helping them improve and the lead the community into the age of greater awareness.This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)

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Advancells Group, IFC concluded their three-day workshop on Regenerative Medicine - ANI News

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Advancells Group, IFC concluded their three-day workshop on Regenerative Medicine – ANI News | January 24th, 2020

Eric Stegers heart is full, although his liver is smaller by 60%.

Steger, a 50-year-old man from Sunnydale, California, affiliated with Chabad, was in Pittsburgh earlier this month fulfilling his dream of donating an entire lobe of his liver to help save the life of another.

The liver recipient, Conservative Rabbi Jeffrey Kurtz-Lendner, 53, said he feels like he has been given a second chance at life.

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Kurtz-Lendner, who relocated to Pittsburgh from Iowa for the purpose of obtaining a transplant at UPMC, had been diagnosed with fatty liver cirrhosis, but the doctors did not know how serious it was until they were in the midst of the transplant.

I could have died before I got put onto a list, said Kurtz-Lendner, who, after the Jan. 7 surgery, is still recuperating but has been discharged from the hospital.

Steger, a math tutor at Foothill College in Northern California, has donated stem cells for a bone marrow transplant and platelets many times, and has been wanting to help save a life with one of his organs for years. He even traveled to Israel to donate a kidney, but was ultimately turned down because he had hypertension.

About a year ago, though, he saw a UPMC commercial airing in California that advertised the fact that it was now performing altruistic liver donations.

I decided to give it a try, said Steger.

He then got in touch with Chaya Lipschutz, an Orthodox woman from Brooklyn who donated a kidney to a stranger in 2005, and since then has made it her work to help others find kidney matches. She receives no money for her services.

Lipschutz had made the shidduch with the kidney patient in Israel for Steger that did not work out, he said.

As fate would have it, Lipschutz did know people who needed a live liver transplant. Steger was medically cleared for the procedure, but the first few people with whom he matched found other donors. Lipschutz then turned to message boards to post that she had an able and willing donor.

Now I was a solution in search of a problem, said Steger.

When Kurtz-Lendners sister in Teaneck, New Jersey, happened to see Lipschutzs post, the match was made.

Post-surgery, both donor and recipient are doing well.

Im feeling very positive, said Kurtz-Lendner, noting that full recovery from the procedure will take about a year. Two weeks ago, I was dying. Now, I have another 30 years.

He, his wife Robin, and his oldest daughter will remain in Pittsburgh for at least six months.

Kurtz-Lendner did not meet Steger until after the surgery, and sees him as an inspiration of a human being. I appreciate what he has done. He just saved my life.

Steger returned to California this week. During his time in Pittsburgh, he received warm hospitality from the citys Jewish community, particularly the Bikur Cholim of Pittsburgh, run by Nina Butler, he said.

Patients and families who come here from out of town always remind us of how special our community is, said Butler. As the Bikur Cholim of Pittsburgh, Im simply organizing the generosity of volunteers to provide the specific support that each patient wants. That started before Jeff or Eric arrived, answering their questions about housing, Shabbat observance and kosher food.

Eric is observant and came unaccompanied, so his housing was complicated because the Family House does not allow patients to stay completely alone, Butler explained. We provided home hospitality, and we also organized volunteers to drop off meals for Eric while his hosts were at work. Most of all, we formed relationships with both patients and Jeffs family so they knew there were Pittsburghers who had their backs.

Robin Kurtz-Lendner said that she and her husband felt so supported, even before we got here. Its been incredible. The whole community has been rallying around us and its really been appreciated.

Donating part of his liver was not easy, Steger acknowledged. Still, he wants to encourage others to consider organ donation.

Im not going to sugarcoat it, he said. It was the hardest thing Ive ever done. It was a year out of my life, one full year when I was thinking about this all the time.

There was a battery of tests, the surgery itself, and now the recovery phase, he said, which all carry physical and emotional risks.

But he is hoping what he did will help generate continued interest in organ donation.

I hope my experience will inspire other people to investigate it for themselves, he said.pjc

Toby Tabachnick can be reached atttabachnick@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.

Link:
California man donates part of his liver to Conservative rabbi in Pittsburgh - The Australian Jewish News

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on California man donates part of his liver to Conservative rabbi in Pittsburgh – The Australian Jewish News | January 24th, 2020

Debuts at the NY20 Foundation for Podiatric Medicine Meeting

HACKENSACK, N.J., Jan. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Royal Biologics, an ortho-biologics company specializing in the research and advancement of novel ortho-biologics solutions, today announced the launch of Cryo-Cord, the first DMSO-free viable umbilical cord graft. The company will be showcasing Cryo-Cord along with its new portfolio of Autologous Live Cellular (ALC) technologies at the NY20 Foundation for Podiatric Medicine meeting, held January 24-26 in New York, NY for more than 1500 clinical attendees.

The company will feature its full suite of surgical biologic offerings at exhibit booth #322, and on the podium for Innovation Theater presentations at 10:30am on Friday 1/24/20 and 12pm on Saturday 1/25/20. These scientific presentations will feature several products within the Royal Biologics portfolio. At its booth, Royal Biologics will showcase its comprehensive ALC portfolio designed to personalize live regenerative healing for a wide variety of wound types across the orthopedics continuum.

The launch of Cryo-Cord enables providers with the first DMSO-free viable umbilical cord tissue. Cryo-Cord has been obtained with consent from healthy mothers during cesarean section delivery and is intended for use as a soft tissue barrier or wound dressing. Cryo-Cord is processed using aseptic techniques and frozen with a proprietary cryoprotectant.

Cryo-Cord offers a new enhancement to traditional wound care therapies and we are excited to pave the way with the first DMSO-free cryoprotectant graft on the market, said Salvatore Leo, Chief Executive Officer of Royal Biologics.

Other featured products at NY20 will include Maxx-Cell, which was launched as the world's most advanced bone marrow aspiration device. Maxx-Cell offers a new technique to a gold standard approach of aspirating a patients autologous bone marrow cells. Maxx-Cell however does not require centrifugation to deliver a final end product. The Maxx-Cell system maximizes stem and progenitor cell yields by giving the surgeon the ability to efficiently harvest bone marrow from multiple levels within the medullary space, while restricting dilution of peripheral blood. As a result, Maxx-Cell delivers a high, most pure enriched form of bone marrow aspirate without the need for centrifugation.

This month, the company has also announced the launch of MAGNUS, which is a DMSO-free viable cellular bone allograft and demos will be available during the conference. MAGNUS presents a unique solution to traditional viable cellular allograft technology as it utilizes a DMSO-free cryoprotectant. This novel approach to the viable cellular allograft market differentiates MAGNUS from other technologies currently available.

Leo added, We are excited to participate in NY20 and share how our Autologous Live Cellular based therapies give the surgeons an efficient and effective way to enhance surgical outcomes by providing alternatives to conventional therapies for bone and soft tissue related injuries. We also believe that in a cost-conscious industry, we can provide novel viable cellular products that provide value at the point of care.

To watch the latest ALC product videos and learn more about the range of regenerative medical products offered by Royal Biologics, along with a schedule of 2020 conferences, visit http://www.RoyalBiologics.com.

About Royal Biologics

Royal Biologics is an ortho-biologics company specializing in the research and advancement of Regenerative Cellular Therapy. Its primary focus is on using autologous bioactive cells to help promote healing in a wide range of clinical settings, with its portfolio of FDA-approved medical devices. For more information on its line of products, visit http://www.royalbiologics.com.

For more media information, contact:Lisa Hendrickson, LCH Communicationslisa@lchcommunications.com516-767-8390

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ee412ed7-d46b-40b7-9322-a65f5cb26430

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Royal Biologics Announces the Launch of Cryo-Cord, the First Non-DMSO Viable Umbilical Cord Graft - Yahoo Finance

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Royal Biologics Announces the Launch of Cryo-Cord, the First Non-DMSO Viable Umbilical Cord Graft – Yahoo Finance | January 23rd, 2020

The key-note speaker of the workshop was Dr. Rita Bakshi, founder and chairperson of International Fertility Centre, the oldest fertility clinic and one of the most renowned IVF clinics in India, one of the organizers of the event. Participants also had a privilege to listen to Dr. Sachin Kadam, CTO, Advancells and gain hands-on experience in the preparation of PRP; Liposuction method; and Bone Marrow aspiration. All these techniques were talked about at length and demonstrated in the form of manual & kit-based models to help the candidates gain exposure.

Dr. Punit Prabha, Head of Clinical Research and Dr. Shradha Singh Gautam, Head of Lab Operations at Advancells successfully set the base of stem cell biology for the participants who were experts in gynecology field, stem cell research and pain specialist. With the help of detailed analysis of Application of PRP for Skin rejuvenation; Preparation of Micro-fragmented Adipose Tissue and Nano Fat & SVF (Stromal Vascular Fraction) from Adipose Tissue; and Cell Culturing and Expansion in a Laboratory, applicants understood the application of stem cells in aesthetics, cosmetology, and anti-aging.

Vipul Jain, Founder & CEO of Advancells Group said, Educating young scientists about stem cells is important for us. With this workshop we wanted to discuss and share the challenges and lessons we have learned in our journey of curing our customers. We wanted to establish more concrete knowledge base in the presence of subject matter experts and help our attendees in more possible ways. We are hopeful to have successfully achieved what we claimed with this workshop.

Given the resounding success of the Sub-Specialty Training in Application of Regenerative Medicine (S.T.A.R. 2020), its hoped that the future events shall offer even greater wisdom to the participants by helping them improve and the lead the community into the age of greater awareness.

About Advancells Group

Advancells is leading the field of stem cell therapies in India and abroad, with representative offices in Bangladesh and Australia. The company provides arrangements for stem cell banking and protocols for partner doctors and hospitals which they can use for treating the patients using regenerative medicine. With a GMP compliant research and processing center that works on different cell lines from various sources such as Bone Marrow, Adipose Tissue, Dental Pulp, Blood, Cord Tissue etc. Advancells also intends to file a patent for this processing technology soon.

For more information, visit https://www.advancells.com/

About International Fertility Centre

IFC is Indias leading fertility center under the leadership and guidance of Dr. Rita Bakshi. She along with her solid team of experienced doctors have create a network of 10+ IVF clinics located in India and Nepal. Their services include In-vitro Fertilization (IVF), Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), Intracytoplasmic Injection (ICSI), Egg Donation, Surrogacy, Blastocyst, Assisted Hatching, Hysteroscopy, Laparoscopy and much more.

For more information, visit https://www.internationalfertilitycentre.com/

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Advancells Group & IFC Concluded their 3-Day Workshop on Regenerative Medicine - Business Wire India

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By GREGORY ZELLER //

That light at the end of the tunnel comes from the Northwell Health Cancer Institute, which provided hope and bona fide bone marrowy health improvements to a record number of patients last year.

As 2019 ticked down, staffers of the NHCIs Don Monti Adult Stem Cell Transplant Program gathered inside North Shore University Hospitalto recognize what Ruthee Lu-Bayer, chief of the Don Monti Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, called a monumental milestone: the units 100th stem cell transplant of the year.

While any cancer clinic worth its salt is going to embrace hope, joy can be a rare commodity but the 100th stem cell transplant of 2019 triggered a full-on celebration at the Manhasset hospital, where stem cell transplants began in 1987 and are now performed in the 10-bed, inpatient Don Monti unit.

Complete with balloons, cake and a salute to No. 100 herself cancer-battling patient Teresa OHalloran the celebration assembled the units myriad doctors, nurses and other professionals, with Bayer applauding the combined efforts of every member of our staff who made this moment happen.

I always say that getting through their diagnosis is half the battle, the board-certified medical oncologist noted. When our patients arrive for transplant, I ask them to think of their transplant date as their second birthday, a time when they can begin to live their lives again.

Century mark: Don Monti Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit chief Ruthee Lu-Bayer and No. 100, Teresa OHalloran.

The gathering was also a celebration of the patients themselves, Bayer added, including OHalloran, whos fighting back against adult acute myeloid leukemia, a type of cancer in which the bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells.

The 62-year-old East Islip resident, known affectionately as No. 100 around the unit, received the tough diagnosis last August and was admitted to NSUH in December for a bone marrow transplant. Following several days of preparatory chemotherapy, she received her infusion as the calendar flipped to 2020 and is now making an unusually rapid recovery, according to Northwell Health.

OHalloran, who joined the celebration from the safety of her isolated recovery room, credits her faith and positive outlook Ive always looked at the glass as half full, she noted and urged potential stem cell donors to check in with Be The Match, the national, nonprofit marrow-donor program.

I wish everyone could understand how important it is to be tested as a possible match, OHalloran added. Its a simple cheek swab and you could wind up saving someones life.

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At NSUH, a cell of the century in the Don Monti unit - Innovate Long Island

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on At NSUH, a cell of the century in the Don Monti unit – Innovate Long Island | January 22nd, 2020

New cell treatment could help maintain healthy blood sugar levels

A new cell treatment to enhance islet transplantation could help maintain healthy blood sugar levels in Type 1 diabetes without the need for multiple transplants of insulin producing cells or regular insulin injections, research suggests.

In Type 1 diabetes the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas are destroyed. Insulin injections maintain health but blood glucose levels can be difficult to control. Currently in the UK it is estimated that approximately 400,000 people in the UK have type 1 diabetes.

The current recommendation for people with type 1 diabetes who have lost awareness of low blood glucose levels is the transplantation of islets the insulin producing part of the pancreas.

A study in mice found that transplanting a combination of islets with connective tissue cells found in umbilical cords known as stromal cells - could potentially reduce the number of pancreases required for the procedure.

Mice that received the islet-stromal cell combination were found to have better control of blood glucose and less evidence of rejection of islets after seven weeks, compared to those that received islets alone.

In humans, more than two donor pancreases, which are scarce, are often needed because islets can be rejected and are slow to form new blood supplies.

Therefore, multiple islet transplantations and anti-rejection medication are required to control blood sugar levels in people with Type 1 diabetes. Scientists at the University of Edinburgh hope their findings could be a way of overcoming these issues.

The researchers found that islets combined with stromal cells successfully returned normal blood glucose levels just three days after transplantation.

Other studies have used cells sourced from bone marrow and fat. This is the first to use stem cells from umbilical cords and has produced superior results.

The research is published in the journal Science Translational Medicine and funded by Chief Scientist Office in Scotland and Diabetes UK.

Shareen Forbes, Professor of Diabetic Medicine at the University of Edinburgh and Lead Physician for the Islet Transplant Program in Scotland, said: Should this research prove successful in humans, we could reduce the number of islets needed to control blood sugar levels using this co-transplantation approach. This would mean more people with Type 1 diabetes could be treated using islet transplantation while significantly reducing the waiting time on the transplant list.

John Campbell, Professor and Associate Director Tissues, Cells & Advanced Therapeutics at the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service has said that further work is needed to establish the long-term safety of using this type of stromal cell in this setting before proceeding to clinical trials in humans.

Dr. Elizabeth Robertson, Director of Research at Diabetes UK, said: Islet transplants have been life changing for some people with Type 1 diabetes, treating dangerous hypo unawareness. But there currently arent enough donated pancreases to go around, and the procedure itself isnt yet as effective as it could be.

This new research from the University of Edinburgh is a promising step forward, and one we hope will lead to islet transplants becoming both more effective and more widely available in the future.

Register for your free SelectScience membership today to receive the latest editorial articles and technology news direct to your inbox>>

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Cell therapy trialed in mice offers diabetes treatment hope - SelectScience

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Janssen has announced that the European Commission (EC) has grantedmarketing authorisationfora new Darzalex (daratumumab) combo, for newly diagnosed, transplant eligible patients with multiple myeloma (MM).

On the news, the combination, which consists of the biologic combined with bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone(VTd) is now the first regimen approved in over six years for newly diagnosed patients who are eligible for a stem cell transplant. It also means that the patient population now has their first opportunity to be treated with a monoclonal antibody.

The company says that the approval was based on results from part one of the Phase III CASSIOPEIA (MMY3006) study, which showed that after consolidation, the stringent complete response (sCR) rate was 9% higher in the Darzalex-VTd arm than the VTd alone arm.

Further, at a median follow-up of 18.8 months, PFS was significantly improved in the Darzalex-VTd group, with the addition of the drug resulting in an 18-month PFS rate of 93%, compared to 85% for VTd alone.

The effectiveness of first line treatment is critical to maximise time until relapse, explained Philippe Moreau, principal investigator and Head of the Haematology Department at the University Hospital of Nantes.

He continued, The CASSIOPEIA study answered that question definitively, demonstrating that the addition of Darzalex in combination with VTd can lead to very deep remissions and also prolong PFS. Im pleased to see the European Commission have recognised this as well.

MM is an incurable blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow and is characterised by an excessive proliferation of plasma cells. In Europe, more than 48,200 people were diagnosed with MM in 2018, with more than 30,800 deaths related to the disease.

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Darzalex EU nod marks first newly diagnosed MM treatment in six years - PharmaTimes

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Darzalex EU nod marks first newly diagnosed MM treatment in six years – PharmaTimes | January 22nd, 2020

When enlarged under a high-resolution microscope, microglia resemble elegant tree branches with many slender limbs. As they pass by neurons, microglia extend and retract their tiny arm-like protrusions, tapping on each neuron as if to inquire, Are we good here? All okay? Or not okay?as a doctor might palpate a patients abdomen, or check reflexes by tapping on knees and elbows.

Back in 2004, Barres and Stevens were examining how synapses originally come to be pruned to form a healthy brain during early, normal development. Theyd recently discovered that immune molecules known as complement were sending out eat me signals from some brain synapses, and these synapsestagged with a kind of kiss of death signagewere destroyed. Think of the way you click and tag emails that you want deleted from your inbox. Your email servers software recognizes those tags, and when you click on the Trash icon, bing, theyre gone. Thats similar to what Stevens and Barres were seeing happen to brain synapses that were tagged by complement. They disappeared.

What they described happening in the brain, which they reported in the journal Cell in 2007, echoed a similar process that was well-understood to happen in the body. When a cell dies in a bodily organ, or if the bodys immune system senses a threatening pathogen, complement molecules tag those unwanted cells and invaders for removal. Then, a type of white blood cell known as macrophagesGreek for big eatersrecognizes the tag, engulfs the cell or pathogen, and destroys it. In the body, macrophages play a role in inflammation as well as in autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and Guillain Barre. When activated, they can mistakenly go too far in their effort to engulf and destroy pathogens and spew forth a slew of inflammatory chemicals that begin to do harm to the bodys own tissue.

Stevens and Barres werent sure what was eating away at these tagged synapses, causing them to disappear in the brain, but Stevens had a hunch that it might have something to do with microglia.

We could see that when microglia sensed even the smallest damage or change to a neuron, they headed, spider-like, in that neurons direction, then they drew in their limbs and morphed into small, amoeba-like blobs, Stevens says. Soon after, those same synapses disappeared. Poof.

Could microglia be the culprit at the center of it all, the macrophage corollary in the brain, responding to eat me signals and pruning the brains circuitry during development? And what if this process was not only taking place in utero? Stevens wondered, when she first saw microglia behaving this way. What if it was also being mistakenly turned back on again later in life, during the teen years, or in adulthoodonly now its a bad thing and microglia are sometimes mistakenly engulfing and destroying healthy brain synapses too?

You can imagine how you could have too many synapses, or not enough synapse connectivity, Stevens says, her hands spreading wide with excitement. And you can imagine, given how our brain works, if that connectivity is even slightly off, that could potentially underlie a range of neuropsychiatric and cognitive disorders.

When she landed at Harvard, Stevens and her postdoc, Dori Schafer, tried to get a closer look at what microglia were up to in the brain. Schafer injected dye into the eyes of mice, which she then traced down from the neurons in the eye nerves and into the brain. This made the brains synapses glow bright fluorescent red. Microglia were stained fluorescent green. If they saw structuresthe synapsesglowing like red, fluorescent lit-up dots inside the bellies of the green microglia, they would know that microglia were eating synapses.

Six months into their efforts, Schafer came running into Stevenss office with photo images flapping in her hand. Theyre in there! she told Stevens. The synapses are inside the microglia! We can see it! It was such a high-five moment, Stevens recalls. Microglia were like tiny little Pac-Men in the brainand brain synapses were in the belly of the Pac-Men! We felt we were on to something really wonderful, really novel. This was deeply important in terms of looking ahead to microglias role in disease.

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The Tiny Brain Cells That Connect Our Mental and Physical Health - WIRED

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on The Tiny Brain Cells That Connect Our Mental and Physical Health – WIRED | January 22nd, 2020

NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES, Jan. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (BCLI), a leading developer of adult stem cell therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases, announced today that Ralph Kern, MD, MHSc, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Medical Officer, will present at the 10th Annual California ALS Research Summit, January 24-25 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.

Dr. Kern will provide an update on BrainStorms Phase 3 ALS Clinical Trial on Friday, January 24, 10:30 -11:10 AM PT, during the session: CIRM funded Stem Cell Clinical Trials in California Updates.

Dr. Kern stated, This prestigious Summit works to increase, expedite and promote the amount and level of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research done in California that has been reinforced and amplified by the international ALS scientific and medical community. I am pleased to have the opportunity to share all that BrainStorm has accomplished in our fully enrolled Phase 3 clinical trial of NurOwn(NCT03280056).

Chaim Lebovits, President and CEO of BrainStorm, stated, California continues to be a global leader in stem cell research and scientific funding. Due to Californias commitment to stem cell scientific investigation, BrainStorm is at an inflection point as we bring our investigational therapy, NurOwn, toward the submission of a biological license application. In July 2017, BrainStorm was awarded a grant of $15.9 million from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and three of Californias most prestigious medical centers: University of California, Irvine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and California Pacific Medical Center have contributed immensely to advancement of NurOwn. Everyone at BrainStorm is proud Dr. Kern will have the opportunity to present to the ALS community of California all that has been accomplished due to their ongoing support and encouragement.

About The California ALS Research Summit:

The California ALS Research Summit is the tenth annual gathering of researchers, investigators, clinicians, biotech companies, government representatives, partner organizations, and advocates in ALS and related fields in the State of California.

The purpose of the Summit is to help increase, expedite and promote the amount and level of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease) and related research done in California; and to foster networking, collaboration and cooperation among investigators, their peers and their colleagues to identify, develop and deliver new and effective treatments, ideas and, ultimately, cures for ALS.

The result of our efforts is an ongoing roadmap for ALS research in California, which will provide the basis for partnering within the state and other supporters to further studies to find new treatments and ultimately a cure for the disease.

About NurOwn

NurOwn (autologous MSC-NTF cells) represent a promising investigational approach to targeting disease pathways important in neurodegenerative disorders. MSC-NTF cells are produced from autologous, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that have been expanded and differentiated ex vivo. MSCs are converted into MSC-NTF cells by growing them under patented conditions that induce the cells to secrete high levels of neurotrophic factors. Autologous MSC-NTF cells can effectively deliver multiple NTFs and immunomodulatory cytokines directly to the site of damage to elicit a desired biological effect and ultimately slow or stabilize disease progression. NurOwn is currently being evaluated in a Phase 3 ALS randomized placebo-controlled trial and in a Phase 2 open-label multicenter trial in Progressive MS.

About BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. is a leading developer of innovative autologous adult stem cell therapeutics for debilitating neurodegenerative diseases. The Company holds the rights to clinical development and commercialization of the NurOwn technology platform used to produce autologous MSC-NTF cells through an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement. Autologous MSC-NTF cells have received Orphan Drug status designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in ALS. BrainStorm has fully enrolled a Phase 3 pivotal trial in ALS (NCT03280056), investigating repeat-administration of autologous MSC-NTF cells at six sites in the U.S., supported by a grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM CLIN2-0989). The pivotal study is intended to support a filing for U.S. FDA approval of autologous MSC-NTF cells in ALS. For more information, visit BrainStorm's website at http://www.brainstorm-cell.com.

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Safe-Harbor Statement

Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information, including statements regarding future clinical trial enrollment and data, constitute "forward-looking statements" and involve risks and uncertainties that could causeBrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.'sactual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. Terms and phrases such as "may", "should", "would", "could", "will", "expect", "likely", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "predict", "potential", and similar terms and phrases are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, BrainStorms need to raise additional capital, BrainStorms ability to continue as a going concern, regulatory approval of BrainStorms NurOwn treatment candidate, the success of BrainStorms product development programs and research, regulatory and personnel issues, development of a global market for our services, the ability to secure and maintain research institutions to conduct our clinical trials, the ability to generate significant revenue, the ability of BrainStorms NurOwn treatment candidate to achieve broad acceptance as a treatment option for ALS or other neurodegenerative diseases, BrainStorms ability to manufacture and commercialize the NurOwn treatment candidate, obtaining patents that provide meaningful protection, competition and market developments, BrainStorms ability to protect our intellectual property from infringement by third parties, heath reform legislation, demand for our services, currency exchange rates and product liability claims and litigation,; and other factors detailed in BrainStorm's annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q available athttp://www.sec.gov. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on BrainStorm's forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management as of the date of this press release. We do not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or assumptions if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, unless otherwise required by law. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.

CONTACTS

Corporate:Uri YablonkaChief Business OfficerBrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.Phone: 646-666-3188uri@brainstorm-cell.com

Media:Sean LeousWestwicke/ICR PRPhone: +1.646.677.1839sean.leous@icrinc.com

Or:Katie GallagherLaVoieHealthSciencesPhone: + 1 617-374-8800 x109kgallagher@lavoiehealthscience.com

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Debuts at the NY20 Foundation for Podiatric Medicine Meeting

HACKENSACK, N.J.,January 21, 2020 RoyalBiologics, an ortho-biologics company specializing inthe research and advancement of novel ortho-biologics solutions, todayannounced the launch of Cryo-Cord, the first DMSO-free viable umbilical cord graft.The company will be showcasing Cryo-Cord along with its new portfolio ofAutologous Live Cellular (ALC) technologies at the NY20 Foundation forPodiatric Medicine meeting, held January 24-26 in New York, NY for more than1500 clinical attendees.

The companywill feature its full suite of surgical biologic offerings at exhibit booth #322,and on the podium for Innovation Theater presentations at 10:30am on Friday1/24/20 and 12pm on Saturday 1/25/20. Thesescientific presentations will feature several products within the RoyalBiologics portfolio. At its booth, RoyalBiologics will showcase its comprehensive ALC portfolio designed to personalizelive regenerative healing for a wide variety of wound types across theorthopedics continuum.

The launch of Cryo-Cordenablesproviders with the first DMSO-free viableumbilical cord tissue. Cryo-Cord hasbeen obtained with consent from healthy mothers during cesarean sectiondelivery and is intended for use as a soft tissue barrier or wound dressing. Cryo-Cord is processed using aseptic techniques and frozenwith a proprietary cryoprotectant.

Cryo-cord offers a new enhancement to traditional wound caretherapies and we are excited to pave the way with the first DMSO-freecryoprotectant graft on the market, said Salvatore Leo, Chief ExecutiveOfficer of Royal Biologics.

Other featuredproducts at NY20 will include Maxx-Cell, which was launched as the worlds mostadvanced bone marrow aspiration device. Maxx-Celloffers a new technique to a gold standard approach of aspirating a patientsautologous bone marrow cells. Maxx-Cell however does not requirecentrifugation to deliver a final end product. The Maxx-Cell system maximizesstem and progenitor cell yields by giving the surgeon the ability toefficiently harvest bone marrow from multiple levels within the medullaryspace, while restricting dilution of peripheral blood. As a result, Maxx-Celldelivers a high, most pure enriched form of bone marrow aspirate without theneed for centrifugation.

This month, the company has alsoannounced the launch of MAGNUS, which is a DMSO-free viable cellular boneallograft and demos will be available during the conference. MAGNUS presents aunique solution to traditional viable cellular allograft technology as itutilizes a DMSO-free cryoprotectant. This novel approach to the viable cellularallograft market differentiates MAGNUS from other technologies currently available.

Leo added, We are excited to participatein NY20 and share how our Autologous Live Cellular based therapies give thesurgeons an efficient and effective way to enhance surgical outcomes by providingalternatives to conventional therapies for bone and soft tissue relatedinjuries. We also believe that in a cost-conscious industry, we can provide novelviable cellular products that provide value at the point of care.

Towatch the latest ALC product videos and learn more about the range ofregenerative medical products offered by Royal Biologics, along with a scheduleof 2020 conferences, visit http://www.RoyalBiologics.com.

About Royal Biologics

Royal Biologics is an orthobiologicscompany specializing in the research and advancement of Regenerative CellularTherapy. Its primary focus is on usingautologous bioactive cells to help promote healing in a wide range of clinicalsettings, with its portfolio of FDA-approved medical devices. For more information on its line of products,visit http://www.royalbiologics.com.

For more mediainformation, contact:

Lisa Hendrickson,LCH Communications

lisa@lchcommunications.com

516-767-8390

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Royal Biologics Announces The Launch of CRYO-CORD The First NON-DMSO Viable Umbilical Cord Graft - OrthoSpineNews

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Royal Biologics Announces The Launch of CRYO-CORD The First NON-DMSO Viable Umbilical Cord Graft – OrthoSpineNews | January 22nd, 2020