DUBLIN, Jan. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Biopreservation Market by Type, Application, End-user, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Biopreservation is a process that assists in the conservation of biospecimens such as DNA, saliva, and plasma. This process of biopreservation generally increases the durability, shelf life, and purity of the biosamples. The types of equipment in this process include freezers, liquid nitrogen, consumables, and also media & laboratory information management systems.

This process is also used to preserve food and extend its shelf life, specifically by using lactic acid bacteria. Growth in healthcare spending is assumed for better access to quality healthcare and advanced technology products such as biopreservation facilities, thereby widening the growth expectations. Moreover, the bio-banks, hospitals, and gene banks, which are major end-users for this market, are stimulating the key providers to establish technologically advanced biopreservation products to improve patient outcomes. The Biopreservation Market is projected to grow at a rate of 9.2% CAGR by 2026.

The biopreservation market has been analyzed by utilizing the optimum combination of secondary sources and in-house methodology, along with an irreplaceable blend of primary insights. The real-time assessment of the market is an integral part of our market sizing and forecasting methodology. Our industry experts and panel of primary participants have helped in compiling relevant aspects with realistic parametric estimations for a comprehensive study. The participation share of different categories of primary participants is given below:

In the market for biopreservation, the application of biopreservation consists of therapeutic applications, research applications, clinical trials, and other applications. The biopreservation is primarily applied in therapeutics due to the advancements in regenerative medicine & customized medicine, an increase in the shift of cord blood banking, and the rising incidence of chronic diseases.

The end-users of the biopreservation market include biobanks, gene banks, hospitals, and other end users. The biobanks segment is expected to have a major share in the market. The major share of this segment is attributed to the increasing preference for the preservation of stem cells and the rising numbers of sperm and egg banks.

Further, according to the regional market of biopreservation, the North American region is recorded for the colossal share in the market. This is due to the continuous drug developments and the arrival of advanced therapies in the domain of biomedical research. Additionally, the increasing requirement of expensive and improved treatment for patients' chronic diseases is the key factor.

The rising incidence of chronic diseases, including cardiac, renal diseases, diabetes, and obesity, is the crucial factor that will propel the biopreservation market growth in the prevailing period. Government initiatives to encourage stem cell therapies to treat the disease, which will again propel market growth. Conversely, the strict regulations for producing biopreservation products and the evolution of room temperature storage procedures may limit the biopreservation market growth.

Merck KGaA, Avantor, Inc., Bio-Techne Corporation, BioLife Solutions, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc, ThermoGenesis Holdings, Inc., Worthington Industries, Inc., Chart Industries, Inc, So-Low Environmental Equipment Co., Inc., Princeton BioCision, LLC, Shanghai Genext Medical Technology Co. Ltd, Exact Sciences Corporation, Helmer Scientific, Inc., CryoTech, Inc., Arctiko, Nippon Genetics Europe, PHC Holdings Corporation, STEMCELL Technologies, Inc., AMS Biotechnology, and OPS Diagnostics. These are the few companies list of the biopreservation market.

Since the rapid increase in the number of research and developments gives the way of potentials for market growth, the biopreservation of biological samples has become a crucial segment. This helps the researchers to access the data of the number of people by the preserved biological samples.

This research presents a thorough analysis of market share, the present trends, and forthcoming evaluations to explain the approaching investment pockets.

This research provides market insights from 2020 to 2026, which is predicted to allow the shareholders to capitalize on the forthcoming opportunities.

This report further offers comprehensive insights into the region, which helps to understand the geographical market and assist in strategic business planning and ascertain future opportunities.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Industry Outlook2.1. Industry Overview2.2. Industry Trends

3. Market Snapshot3.1. Market Definition3.2. Market Outlook3.2.1. PEST Analysis3.2.2. Porter Five Forces3.3. Related Markets

4. Market characteristics4.1. Market Evolution4.2. Market Trends and Impact4.3. Advantages/Disadvantages of Market4.4. Regulatory Impact4.5. Market Offerings4.6. Market Segmentation4.7. Market Dynamics4.7.1. Drivers4.7.2. Restraints4.7.3. Opportunities4.8. DRO - Impact Analysis

5. Type: Market Size & Analysis5.1. Overview5.2. Biopreservation Media5.2.1. Nutrient Media5.2.2. Sera5.2.3. Growth Factors & Supplements5.3. Biospecimen Equipment5.3.1. Temperature Control Systems5.4. Freezers5.5. Cryogenic Storage Systems5.6. Thawing Equipment5.7. Refrigerators5.7.1. Accessories5.7.2. Alarms & Monitoring systems5.7.3. Incubators5.7.4. Centrifuges5.7.5. Other Equipment

6. Application: Market Size & Analysis6.1. Overview6.2. Therapeutic Applications6.3. Research Applications6.4. Clinical Trials6.5. Other Applications

7. End User: Market Size & Analysis7.1. Overview7.2. Biobanks7.3. Gene Banks7.4. Hospitals7.5. Other End Users

8. Geography: Market Size & Analysis8.1. Overview8.2. North America8.3. Europe8.4. Asia Pacific8.5. Rest of the World

9. Competitive Landscape9.1. Competitor Comparison Analysis9.2. Market Developments9.2.1. Mergers and Acquisitions, Legal, Awards, Partnerships9.2.2. Product Launches and execution

10. Vendor Profiles10.1. Merck KGaA10.1.1. Overview10.1.2. Financials10.1.3. Products & Services10.1.4. Recent Developments10.1.5. Business Strategy10.2. Avantor, Inc10.2.1. Overview10.2.2. Financials10.2.3. Products & Services10.2.4. Recent Developments10.2.5. Business Strategy10.3. Bio-Techne Corporation10.3.1. Overview10.3.2. Financials10.3.3. Products & Services10.3.4. Recent Developments10.3.5. Business Strategy10.4. BioLife Solutions, Inc10.4.1. Overview10.4.2. Financials10.4.3. Products & Services10.4.4. Recent Developments10.4.5. Business Strategy10.5. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc10.5.1. Overview10.5.2. Financials10.5.3. Products & Services10.5.4. Recent Developments10.5.5. Business Strategy10.6. ThermoGenesis Holdings, Inc10.6.1. Overview10.6.2. Financials10.6.3. Products & Services10.6.4. Recent Developments10.6.5. Business Strategy10.7. Worthington Industries, Inc10.7.1. Overview10.7.2. Financials10.7.3. Products & Services10.7.4. Recent Developments10.7.5. Business Strategy10.8. Chart Industries, Inc10.8.1. Overview10.8.2. Financials10.8.3. Products & Services10.8.4. Recent Developments10.8.5. Business Strategy10.9. So-Low Environmental Equipment Co.,Inc10.9.1. Overview10.9.2. Financials10.9.3. Products & Services10.9.4. Recent Developments10.9.5. Business Strategy10.10. Princeton BioCision, LLC10.10.1. Overview10.10.2. Financials10.10.3. Products & Services10.10.4. Recent Developments10.10.5. Business Strategy

11. Companies to Watch11.1. Shanghai Genext Medical Technology Co. Ltd11.1.1. Overview11.1.2. Products & Services11.1.3. Business Strategy11.2. Exact Sciences Corporation11.2.1. Overview11.2.2. Products & Services11.2.3. Business Strategy11.3. Helmer Scientific, Inc11.3.1. Overview11.3.2. Products & Services11.3.3. Business Strategy11.4. CryoTech, Inc11.4.1. Overview11.4.2. Products & Services11.4.3. Business Strategy11.5. Arctiko11.5.1. Overview11.5.2. Products & Services11.5.3. Business Strategy11.6. Nippon Genetics Europe11.6.1. Overview11.6.2. Products & Services11.6.3. Business Strategy11.7. PHC Holdings Corporation11.7.1. Overview11.7.2. Products & Services11.7.3. Business Strategy11.8. STEMCELL Technologies, Inc11.8.1. Overview11.8.2. Products & Services11.8.3. Business Strategy11.9. AMS Biotechnology11.9.1. Overview11.9.2. Products & Services11.9.3. Business Strategy11.10. OPS Diagnostics11.10.1. Overview11.10.2. Products & Services11.10.3. Business Strategy

12. Analyst Opinion

13. Annexure13.1. Report Scope13.2. Market Definitions13.3. Research Methodology13.3.1. Data Collation and In-house Estimation13.3.2. Market Triangulation13.3.3. Forecasting13.4. Report Assumptions13.5. Declarations13.6. Stakeholders13.7. Abbreviations

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Worldwide Industry for Biopreservation to 2026 - Key Drivers, Restraints and Opportunities - Yahoo Finance

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Worldwide Industry for Biopreservation to 2026 – Key Drivers, Restraints and Opportunities – Yahoo Finance | January 5th, 2021

Of late, there has been an increasing awareness regarding the therapeutic potential of stem cells for management of diseases which is boosting the growth of the stem cell therapy market. The development of advanced genome based cell analysis techniques, identification of new stem cell lines, increasing investments in research and development as well as infrastructure development for the processing and banking of stem cell are encouraging the growth of the global stem cell therapy market.

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One of the key factors boosting the growth of this market is the limitations of traditional organ transplantation such as the risk of infection, rejection, and immunosuppression risk. Another drawback of conventional organ transplantation is that doctors have to depend on organ donors completely. All these issues can be eliminated, by the application of stem cell therapy. Another factor which is helping the growth in this market is the growing pipeline and development of drugs for emerging applications. Increased research studies aiming to widen the scope of stem cell will also fuel the growth of the market. Scientists are constantly engaged in trying to find out novel methods for creating human stem cells in response to the growing demand for stem cell production to be used for disease management.

It is estimated that the dermatology application will contribute significantly the growth of the global stem cell therapy market. This is because stem cell therapy can help decrease the after effects of general treatments for burns such as infections, scars, and adhesion. The increasing number of patients suffering from diabetes and growing cases of trauma surgery will fuel the adoption of stem cell therapy in the dermatology segment.

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Overview

Also called regenerative medicine, stem cell therapy encourages the reparative response of damaged, diseased, or dysfunctional tissue via the use of stem cells and their derivatives. Replacing the practice of organ transplantations, stem cell therapies have eliminated the dependence on availability of donors. Bone marrow transplant is perhaps the most commonly employed stem cell therapy.

Osteoarthritis, cerebral palsy, heart failure, multiple sclerosis and even hearing loss could be treated using stem cell therapies. Doctors have successfully performed stem cell transplants that significantly aid patients fight cancers such as leukemia and other blood-related diseases.

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Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Key Trends

The key factors influencing the growth of the global stem cell therapy market are increasing funds in the development of new stem lines, the advent of advanced genomic procedures used in stem cell analysis, and greater emphasis on human embryonic stem cells. As the traditional organ transplantations are associated with limitations such as infection, rejection, and immunosuppression along with high reliance on organ donors, the demand for stem cell therapy is likely to soar. The growing deployment of stem cells in the treatment of wounds and damaged skin, scarring, and grafts is another prominent catalyst of the market.

On the contrary, inadequate infrastructural facilities coupled with ethical issues related to embryonic stem cells might impede the growth of the market. However, the ongoing research for the manipulation of stem cells from cord blood cells, bone marrow, and skin for the treatment of ailments including cardiovascular and diabetes will open up new doors for the advancement of the market.

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Market Potential

A number of new studies, research projects, and development of novel therapies have come forth in the global market for stem cell therapy. Several of these treatments are in the pipeline, while many others have received approvals by regulatory bodies.

In March 2017, Belgian biotech company TiGenix announced that its cardiac stem cell therapy, AlloCSC-01 has successfully reached its phase I/II with positive results. Subsequently, it has been approved by the U.S. FDA. If this therapy is well- received by the market, nearly 1.9 million AMI patients could be treated through this stem cell therapy.

Another significant development is the granting of a patent to Israel-based Kadimastem Ltd. for its novel stem-cell based technology to be used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other similar conditions of the nervous system. The companys technology used for producing supporting cells in the central nervous system, taken from human stem cells such as myelin-producing cells is also covered in the patent.

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Regional Outlook

The global market for stem cell therapy can be segmented into Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. North America emerged as the leading regional market, triggered by the rising incidence of chronic health conditions and government support. Europe also displays significant growth potential, as the benefits of this therapy are increasingly acknowledged.

Asia Pacific is slated for maximum growth, thanks to the massive patient pool, bulk of investments in stem cell therapy projects, and the increasing recognition of growth opportunities in countries such as China, Japan, and India by the leading market players.

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Competitive Analysis

Several firms are adopting strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, collaborations, and partnerships, apart from product development with a view to attain a strong foothold in the global market for stem cell therapy.

Some of the major companies operating in the global market for stem cell therapy are RTI Surgical, Inc., MEDIPOST Co., Ltd., Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., NuVasive, Inc., Pharmicell Co., Ltd., Anterogen Co., Ltd., JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., and Holostem Terapie Avanzate S.r.l.

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Stem Cell Therapy Market Estimated to Expand at a Robust CAGR over 2025 - The Monitor

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Stem Cell Therapy Market Estimated to Expand at a Robust CAGR over 2025 – The Monitor | December 30th, 2020

The vape flavorings so popular with kids and young adults are cardiotoxic and disrupt the hearts normal electrical activity, a University of South Florida Health preclinical study finds.

The appealing array of fruit and candy flavors that entice millions of young people take up vaping can harm their hearts, a preclinical study by University of South Florida Health (USF Health) researchers found.

Mounting studies indicate that the nicotine and other chemicals delivered by vaping, while generally less toxic than conventional cigarettes, can damage the lungs and heart. But so far there has been no clear understanding about what happens when the vaporized flavoring molecules in flavored vaping products, after being inhaled, enter the bloodstream and reach the heart, said the studys principal investigator Sami Noujaim, PhD, an associate professor of molecular pharmacology and physiology at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

In their study published on November 20, 2020, in the American Journal of Physiology- Heart and Circulatory Physiology, Dr. Noujaim and colleagues report on a series of experiments assessing the toxicity of vape flavorings in cardiac cells and in young mice.

The flavored electronic nicotine delivery systems widely popular among teens and young adults are not harm-free, Dr. Noujaim said. Altogether, our findings in the cells and mice indicate that vaping does interfere with the normal functioning of the heart and can potentially lead to cardiac rhythm disturbances.

Dr. Noujaims laboratory is among the first beginning to investigate the potential cardiotoxic effects of the many flavoring chemicals added to the e-liquids in electronic nicotine delivery systems, or ENDS. He recently received a five-year, $2.2-million grant from the NIHs National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to carry out this laboratory research. Commonly called e-cigarettes, ENDS include different products such as vape pens, mods, and pods.

Sami Noujaim, PhD, associate professor of molecular pharmacology and physiology at the University of South Florida Health (USF Health) Morsani College of Medicine, has begun investigating preclinically the potential cardiotoxic effects of many flavoring chemicals added to the e-liquids in electronic nicotine delivery systems. Credit: Photo courtesy of USF Health

Vaping involves inhaling an aerosol created by heating an e-liquid containing nicotine, solvents such as propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, and flavorings. The vaping devices battery-powered heat converts this e-liquid into a smoke-like aerosolized mixture (e-vapor). Manufacturers tout e-cigarettes as a tool to help quit smoking, but evidence of their effectiveness for smoking cessation is limited, and they are not FDA approved for this use. E-cigarettes contain the same highly addictive nicotine found in tobacco products, yet many teens and young adults assume they are safe.

Among the USF Health study key findings:

Whether the mouse findings will translate to people is unknown. Dr. Noujaim emphasizes that more preclinical and human studies are needed to further determine the safety profile of flavored ENDS and their long-term health effects.

A partial government ban on flavored e-cigarettes aimed at stopping young people from vaping focused on enforcement against flavored e-cigarettes with pre-filled cartridges, like those produced by industry leader JUUL. However, teens quickly switched to newer disposable e-cigarettes still sold in a staggering assortment of youth-appealing fruity and dessert-like flavors.

Our research matters because regulation of the vaping industry is a work in progress, Dr. Noujaim said. The FDA needs input from the scientific community about all the possible risks of vaping in order to effectively regulate electronic nicotine delivery systems and protect the publics health. At USF Health, in particular, we will continue to examine how vaping may adversely affect cardiac health.

In 2020, 3.6 million U.S. youths still used e-cigarettes, and among current users, more than eight in 10 reported using flavored varieties, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Reference: In Vitro and In Vivo Cardiac Toxicity of Flavored Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems by Obada Abou-Assali, Mengmeng Chang, Bojjibabu Chidipi, Jose L. Martinez-de-Juan, Michelle Reiser, Manasa Kanithi, Ravi Soni, Thomas Vincent McDonald, Bengt Herweg, Javier Saiz, Laurent Calcul and Sami F. Noujaim, 20 November 2020, American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology.DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00283.2020

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Vape Flavorings Are Cardiotoxic and Can Damage the Heart - SciTechDaily

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Vape Flavorings Are Cardiotoxic and Can Damage the Heart – SciTechDaily | December 28th, 2020

Dublin, Dec. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Biopreservation Market by Type, Application, End-user, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Biopreservation is a process that assists in the conservation of biospecimens such as DNA, saliva, and plasma. This process of biopreservation generally increases the durability, shelf life, and purity of the biosamples. The types of equipment in this process include freezers, liquid nitrogen, consumables, and also media & laboratory information management systems.

This process is also used to preserve food and extend its shelf life, specifically by using lactic acid bacteria. Growth in healthcare spending is assumed for better access to quality healthcare and advanced technology products such as biopreservation facilities, thereby widening the growth expectations. Moreover, the bio-banks, hospitals, and gene banks, which are major end-users for this market, are stimulating the key providers to establish technologically advanced biopreservation products to improve patient outcomes. The Biopreservation Market is projected to grow at a rate of 9.2% CAGR by 2026.

The biopreservation market has been analyzed by utilizing the optimum combination of secondary sources and in-house methodology, along with an irreplaceable blend of primary insights. The real-time assessment of the market is an integral part of our market sizing and forecasting methodology. Our industry experts and panel of primary participants have helped in compiling relevant aspects with realistic parametric estimations for a comprehensive study. The participation share of different categories of primary participants is given below:

In the market for biopreservation, the application of biopreservation consists of therapeutic applications, research applications, clinical trials, and other applications. The biopreservation is primarily applied in therapeutics due to the advancements in regenerative medicine & customized medicine, an increase in the shift of cord blood banking, and the rising incidence of chronic diseases.

The end-users of the biopreservation market include biobanks, gene banks, hospitals, and other end users. The biobanks segment is expected to have a major share in the market. The major share of this segment is attributed to the increasing preference for the preservation of stem cells and the rising numbers of sperm and egg banks.

Further, according to the regional market of biopreservation, the North American region is recorded for the colossal share in the market. This is due to the continuous drug developments and the arrival of advanced therapies in the domain of biomedical research. Additionally, the increasing requirement of expensive and improved treatment for patients' chronic diseases is the key factor.

The rising incidence of chronic diseases, including cardiac, renal diseases, diabetes, and obesity, is the crucial factor that will propel the biopreservation market growth in the prevailing period. Government initiatives to encourage stem cell therapies to treat the disease, which will again propel market growth. Conversely, the strict regulations for producing biopreservation products and the evolution of room temperature storage procedures may limit the biopreservation market growth.

Merck KGaA, Avantor, Inc., Bio-Techne Corporation, BioLife Solutions, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc, ThermoGenesis Holdings, Inc., Worthington Industries, Inc., Chart Industries, Inc, So-Low Environmental Equipment Co., Inc., Princeton BioCision, LLC, Shanghai Genext Medical Technology Co. Ltd, Exact Sciences Corporation, Helmer Scientific, Inc., CryoTech, Inc., Arctiko, Nippon Genetics Europe, PHC Holdings Corporation, STEMCELL Technologies, Inc., AMS Biotechnology, and OPS Diagnostics. These are the few companies list of the biopreservation market.

Since the rapid increase in the number of research and developments gives the way of potentials for market growth, the biopreservation of biological samples has become a crucial segment. This helps the researchers to access the data of the number of people by the preserved biological samples.

This research presents a thorough analysis of market share, the present trends, and forthcoming evaluations to explain the approaching investment pockets.

This research provides market insights from 2020 to 2026, which is predicted to allow the shareholders to capitalize on the forthcoming opportunities.

This report further offers comprehensive insights into the region, which helps to understand the geographical market and assist in strategic business planning and ascertain future opportunities.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Industry Outlook2.1. Industry Overview2.2. Industry Trends

3. Market Snapshot3.1. Market Definition3.2. Market Outlook3.2.1. PEST Analysis3.2.2. Porter Five Forces3.3. Related Markets

4. Market characteristics4.1. Market Evolution4.2. Market Trends and Impact4.3. Advantages/Disadvantages of Market4.4. Regulatory Impact4.5. Market Offerings4.6. Market Segmentation4.7. Market Dynamics4.7.1. Drivers4.7.2. Restraints4.7.3. Opportunities4.8. DRO - Impact Analysis

5. Type: Market Size & Analysis5.1. Overview5.2. Biopreservation Media5.2.1. Nutrient Media5.2.2. Sera5.2.3. Growth Factors & Supplements5.3. Biospecimen Equipment5.3.1. Temperature Control Systems5.4. Freezers5.5. Cryogenic Storage Systems5.6. Thawing Equipment5.7. Refrigerators5.7.1. Accessories5.7.2. Alarms & Monitoring systems5.7.3. Incubators5.7.4. Centrifuges5.7.5. Other Equipment

6. Application: Market Size & Analysis6.1. Overview6.2. Therapeutic Applications6.3. Research Applications6.4. Clinical Trials6.5. Other Applications

7. End User: Market Size & Analysis7.1. Overview7.2. Biobanks7.3. Gene Banks7.4. Hospitals7.5. Other End Users

8. Geography: Market Size & Analysis8.1. Overview8.2. North America8.3. Europe8.4. Asia Pacific8.5. Rest of the World

9. Competitive Landscape9.1. Competitor Comparison Analysis9.2. Market Developments9.2.1. Mergers and Acquisitions, Legal, Awards, Partnerships9.2.2. Product Launches and execution

10. Vendor Profiles10.1. Merck KGaA10.1.1. Overview10.1.2. Financials10.1.3. Products & Services10.1.4. Recent Developments10.1.5. Business Strategy10.2. Avantor, Inc10.2.1. Overview10.2.2. Financials10.2.3. Products & Services10.2.4. Recent Developments10.2.5. Business Strategy10.3. Bio-Techne Corporation10.3.1. Overview10.3.2. Financials10.3.3. Products & Services10.3.4. Recent Developments10.3.5. Business Strategy10.4. BioLife Solutions, Inc10.4.1. Overview10.4.2. Financials10.4.3. Products & Services10.4.4. Recent Developments10.4.5. Business Strategy10.5. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc10.5.1. Overview10.5.2. Financials10.5.3. Products & Services10.5.4. Recent Developments10.5.5. Business Strategy10.6. ThermoGenesis Holdings, Inc10.6.1. Overview10.6.2. Financials10.6.3. Products & Services10.6.4. Recent Developments10.6.5. Business Strategy10.7. Worthington Industries, Inc10.7.1. Overview10.7.2. Financials10.7.3. Products & Services10.7.4. Recent Developments10.7.5. Business Strategy10.8. Chart Industries, Inc10.8.1. Overview10.8.2. Financials10.8.3. Products & Services10.8.4. Recent Developments10.8.5. Business Strategy10.9. So-Low Environmental Equipment Co.,Inc10.9.1. Overview10.9.2. Financials10.9.3. Products & Services10.9.4. Recent Developments10.9.5. Business Strategy10.10. Princeton BioCision, LLC10.10.1. Overview10.10.2. Financials10.10.3. Products & Services10.10.4. Recent Developments10.10.5. Business Strategy

11. Companies to Watch11.1. Shanghai Genext Medical Technology Co. Ltd11.1.1. Overview11.1.2. Products & Services11.1.3. Business Strategy11.2. Exact Sciences Corporation11.2.1. Overview11.2.2. Products & Services11.2.3. Business Strategy11.3. Helmer Scientific, Inc11.3.1. Overview11.3.2. Products & Services11.3.3. Business Strategy11.4. CryoTech, Inc11.4.1. Overview11.4.2. Products & Services11.4.3. Business Strategy11.5. Arctiko11.5.1. Overview11.5.2. Products & Services11.5.3. Business Strategy11.6. Nippon Genetics Europe11.6.1. Overview11.6.2. Products & Services11.6.3. Business Strategy11.7. PHC Holdings Corporation11.7.1. Overview11.7.2. Products & Services11.7.3. Business Strategy11.8. STEMCELL Technologies, Inc11.8.1. Overview11.8.2. Products & Services11.8.3. Business Strategy11.9. AMS Biotechnology11.9.1. Overview11.9.2. Products & Services11.9.3. Business Strategy11.10. OPS Diagnostics11.10.1. Overview11.10.2. Products & Services11.10.3. Business Strategy

12. Analyst Opinion

13. Annexure13.1. Report Scope13.2. Market Definitions13.3. Research Methodology13.3.1. Data Collation and In-house Estimation13.3.2. Market Triangulation13.3.3. Forecasting13.4. Report Assumptions13.5. Declarations13.6. Stakeholders13.7. Abbreviations

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/pl06wm

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Outlook on the Biopreservation Global Market to 2026 - Profiling Avantor, BioLife Solutions and ThermoGenesis Among Others - GlobeNewswire

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Outlook on the Biopreservation Global Market to 2026 – Profiling Avantor, BioLife Solutions and ThermoGenesis Among Others – GlobeNewswire | December 22nd, 2020

In this Article In this Article In this Article

Most treatment for heart failure can only slow it down or ease your symptoms. Soon, it may be possible to fix what causes it. Doctors are testing whether stem cells can repair or replace damaged heart cells.

Stem cells can grow into many different kinds of cells. You have them in organs and tissues all over your body. They divide to replace worn-out or damaged cells, and to become new stem cells.

In the lab, scientists have turned stem cells into ones that make up blood vessel walls and linings, and into actual beating heart cells. Now theyre trying to translate that into a treatment.

Scientists have zeroed in on a few specific kinds of cells that may be helpful:

Bone marrow mononuclear cells: A mixture of cells that comes from your own bone marrow.

Cardiac-derived stem cells: Ones found in heart tissue.

Mesenchymal stromal cells: They're usually taken from bone marrow, fat, or umbilical cord blood.

Proangiogenic progenitor cells: These are in blood and bone marrow.

It's not approved to treat heart failure, yet. You can get it through a clinical trial. Thats when the research moves from the lab to the hospital to see if a treatment is safe and if it works.

If you want to try stem cell therapy, ask your doctors if there are studies that may be a good fit for you. The National Library of Medicine has a website that helps you search for all kinds of clinical trials.

Not all experimental treatments are part of a clinical trial, so make sure you understand what youre signing up for. If its a legitimate study, you shouldnt have to pay for treatment or follow-ups.

Most people testing stem cell therapy for heart failure get one treatment. Then theyre checked every few months for a year or more.

Not everyone in a trial actually gets stem cells. Researchers need to compare the results of the new treatment against what happens with a group of people who dont get it.

Doctors are testing several different methods of giving people stem cells:

Intramyocardial injection: Cells go right into the heart muscle, usually during another procedure like open-heart surgery, bypass surgery, or implanting a pacemaker.

Intracoronary infusion: A catheter puts cells into your coronary artery. It goes into a large blood vessel in your groin and threaded through your heart.

Intravenously: Cells go right into the bloodstream through a needle placed in a vein.

With any of these methods, most stem cells leave the body quickly. Researchers are looking for better ways to make them stick. One possibility is growing them into a patch that goes directly to the damaged part of the heart.

Theres no way to fix heart damage that leads to heart failure. Stem cell therapy could change that. Still, its too early to call any treatment a success. The studies done so far have been too small. They've also used very different methods.

But it does look like stem cells could help repair heart tissue. In most studies, people who got them were less likely to die or go to the hospital during the study. Their hearts worked better and their quality of life was better than for people who didnt get them.

It isnt clear how stem cells help. Doctors hope clinical trials and research will help them discover that. They're also hoping to answer many other questions, including:

If you are interested in joining a trial, talk to your doctor.

SOURCES:

International Society for Stem Cell Research: Heart Disease, Types of Stem Cells, About Clinical Trials, Stem Cell Research: What to Ask.

National Institutes of Health: Mending a Broken Heart: Stem Cells and Cardiac Repair, Can Stem Cells Repair a Damaged Heart? Stem Cell Basics, NIH Clinical Research Trials and You.

Current Cardiology Reviews: Cellular Therapy for Heart Failure.

U.S. National Library of Medicine: ClinicalTrials.gov.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Consumer Information on Stem Cells.

Circulation Research: Cell Therapy for Heart Failure, Safety and Efficacy of the Intravenous Infusion of Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Patients With Heart Failure: A Phase 1/2 Randomized Controlled Trial (RIMECARD Trial).

The Lancet: Ixmyelocel-T for patients with ischaemic heart failure: a prospective randomised double-blind trial.

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Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Failure Treatment

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Failure Treatment | December 17th, 2020

TAMPA, Fla. While health officials and lawmakers continue trying to steer young people away from vaping, the wide variety of enticing flavors added to these products make that a tough task. Although most of the worry over vaping comes from the risk of addiction, lung damage, and threat of switching to conventional cigarettes, a new study finds the flavoring chemicals these products use may be just as harmful as anything else. Researchers from the University of South Florida Health say vaporized flavoring molecules are toxic to the heart and damage the organs ability to beat correctly.

While other studies find that vaping is generally less harmful than smoking traditional tobacco products, the nicotine and other chemicals in e-cigarettes still damages the heart and lungs. Until now however, researchers say the impact of flavoring additives inhaled into the bloodstream remained unclear.

The flavored electronic nicotine delivery systems widely popular among teens and young adults are not harm-free, says principal investigator Dr. Sami Noujaim in a university release. Altogether, our findings in the cells and mice indicate that vaping does interfere with the normal functioning of the heart and can potentially lead to cardiac rhythm disturbances.

Dr. Noujaims study is one of the first to investigate the cardiotoxic effects of flavoring chemicals added to the e-liquids in electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). ENDS include a variety of different vaping products like vape pens, mods, and pods.

Researchers define vaping as inhaling aerosols (tiny droplets) which e-cigarettes create by heating liquid nicotine and solvents like propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin. A vaping devices battery-powered heater converts this liquid into a smoke-like mix, or vapor.

The study tested how three popular e-liquid flavors fruit, cinnamon, and vanilla custard affect cardiac muscle cells (HL-1) of mice. After being exposed to e-vapor in a lab dish, the results reveal all three flavors are toxic to HL-1 cells.

The USF team also examined what happens to cardiac cells grown from human stem cells that are exposed to three types of e-vapors. The first substance containing only solvents interfered with the cells electrical activity and beating rate. The second substance, containing both nicotine and solvents, proved to be even more toxic to the heart cells.

The third substance however, containing nicotine, solvents, and vanilla custard flavoring, caused the most damage to the heart and its ability to spontaneously beat correctly. Researchers also determined that vanilla custard flavoring is the most toxic of the varieties tested.

This experiment told us that the flavoring chemicals added to vaping devices can increase harm beyond what the nicotine alone can do, Dr. Noujaim says.

The study also tested flavored vapings impact on live mice. Researchers implanted each subject with a tiny electrocardiogram device before exposing them to 60 puffs of vanilla-flavored e-vapor five days a week for 10 weeks.

Study authors looked at how this exposure impacted heart rate variability (HRV), which is the change in time intervals between successive heartbeats. The results show that HRV decreased in vaping mice compared to those only exposed to puffs of clean air.

The USF team finds vaping interferes with normal HRV by disrupting the autonomic nervous system and its control over heart rate. Mice exposed to flavored vaping are also more prone to a dangerous heart rhythm problem called ventricular tachycardia.

Researchers say they still have to confirm these results in humans. Dr. Noujaim urges policymakers to continue looking at the growing evidence that vaping is not a particularly safer alternative to smoking.

Our research matters because regulation of the vaping industry is a work in progress, Dr. Noujaim explains. The FDA needs input from the scientific community about all the possible risks of vaping in order to effectively regulate electronic nicotine delivery systems and protect the publics health. At USF Health, in particular, we will continue to examine how vaping may adversely affect cardiac health.

The study appears in the American Journal of Physiology- Heart and Circulatory Physiology.

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Flavors added to vaping devices damage the heart, vanilla custard the most toxic of all - Study Finds

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Flavors added to vaping devices damage the heart, vanilla custard the most toxic of all – Study Finds | December 17th, 2020

Avery Therapeutics is projected to be one of the first companies in the US to seek approval for a clinical trial using iPSC-derived technology for heart failure. The goal of this collaboration is to develop a new off-the-shelf treatment to improve the quality of life of patients suffering from heart failure, a debilitating disease that affects tens of millions of people worldwide.

The iPSCs are manufactured at I Peace's state-of-the-art GMP facility in Kyoto, Japan, under comprehensive validation programs of the facility, equipment, and processes including donor recruiting, screening, blood draw, iPSC generation, storage, and distribution. I Peace has obtained a US-based independent institutional review board (IRB) approval for its process of donor sourcing for commercial-use iPSCs. The facility is designed to be PMDA and USFDA compliant.

As Avery Therapeutics expects to expand the application of its regenerative medicine technology to various types of heart diseases and beyond, iPSCs are the key enabling technology for quality and future scalability. This agreement provides a solid foundation to improve the welfare of those suffering from diseases through advancement of tissue-engineered therapeutics.

"We are thrilled to announce this collaboration with I Peace. It is a big step forward in the development of novel cell-based therapeutics for unmet medical needs. Through this collaboration, I Peace brings deep iPSC development and manufacturing expertise to enable Avery's proprietary MyCardia cell delivery platform technology. Together we hope to positively impact millions of patients worldwide in the near future," Said Jordan Lancaster, PhD, Avery Therapeutics' CEO.

This agreement reflects an innovative collaboration involving multiple locations internationally and marks a significant milestone for both I Peace, Inc. and Avery Therapeutics to pursue one of the first US clinical trials using iPSC technology in the area of heart diseases. Koji Tanabe, PhD, founder and CEO of I Peace stated: "By combining I Peace's proprietary clinical grade iPSC technology and Avery's tissue engineering technology, we can bring the regenerative medicine dream closer to reality. We are very excited by Avery's technology and look forward to continue working together."

About I Peace, Inc

I Peace, Inc. is a global supplier of clinical and research grade iPSCs. It was founded in 2015 in Palo Alto, California, USA by Dr. Tanabe, who earned his doctorate at Kyoto University under Nobel laureate Dr. Shinya Yamanaka. I Peace's mission is to alleviate the suffering of diseased patients and help healthy people maintain a high quality of life by making cell therapy accessible to all. I Peace's state-of-the-art GMP facility and proprietary manufacturing platform enables the fully-automated mass production of discrete iPSCs from multiple donors in a single room. Increasing the available number of clinical-grade iPSC lines allows I Peace customers to take differentiation propensity into account to select the most appropriate iPSC line for their clinical research at significantly reduced cost. I Peace aims to create iPSCs for every individual that become their stem cell for life.

Founder, CEO: Koji TanabeSince: 2015Head Quarter: Palo Alto, CaliforniaJapan subsidiary: I Peace, Ltd. (Kyoto, Japan)Cell Manufacturing Facility: Kyoto, JapanWeb: https://www.ipeace.com

About Avery Therapeutics

Avery Therapeutics is a company developing advanced therapies for patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases. Avery's lead candidate is an allogeneic tissue engineered cardiac graft, MyCardia in development for treatment of chronic heart failure. Using Avery's proprietary manufacturing process MyCardia can be manufactured at scale, cryopreserved, and shipped ready to use. Avery is leveraging its proprietary tissue platform to pursue other cardiovascular indications. For more information visit: AveryThera.com. Follow Avery Therapeutics on LinkedInand Twitter.Since: 2016Headquarter: Tucson, AZWebsite: https://www.AveryThera.com

SOURCE I Peace, Inc.

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I Peace, Inc. and Avery Therapeutics announce collaboration to bring iPSC derived cell therapy for heart failure to the clinic - PRNewswire

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on I Peace, Inc. and Avery Therapeutics announce collaboration to bring iPSC derived cell therapy for heart failure to the clinic – PRNewswire | December 17th, 2020

Over two million babies, children, and adults in the United States are living with congenital heart disease--a range of birth defects affecting the heart's structure or function. Now, researchers at Gladstone Institutes and UC San Francisco (UCSF) have made inroads into understanding how a broad network of genes and proteins go awry in a subset of congenital heart diseases.

"We now have a better understanding of what genes are improperly deployed in some cases of congenital heart disease," says Benoit Bruneau, PhD, director of the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease and a senior author of the new study. "Eventually, this might help us get a handle on how to modulate genetic networks to prevent or treat the disease."

Congenital heart disease encompasses a wide variety of heart defects, ranging from mild structural problems that cause no symptoms to severe malformations that disrupt or block the normal flow of blood through the heart. A handful of genetic mutations have been implicated in contributing to congenital heart disease; the first to be identified was in a gene known as TBX5. The TBX5 protein is a transcription factor--it controls the expression of dozens of others genes, giving it far-reaching effects.

Bruneau has spent the last 20 years studying the effect of TBX5 mutations on developing heart cells, mostly conducting research in mice. In the new study published inDevelopmental Cell, he and his colleagues turned instead to human cells, using novel approaches to follow what happens in individual cells when TBX5 is mutated.

"This is really the first time we've been able to study this genetic mutation in a human context," says Bruneau, who is also a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UCSF. "The mouse heart is a good proxy for the human heart, but it's not exactly the same, so it's important to be able to carry out these experiments in human cells."

The scientists began with human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells), which have been reprogrammed to an embryonic-like state, giving them--like embryonic stem cells--the ability to become nearly every cell type in the body.

Then, Bruneau's group used CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology to mutate TBX5 in the cells and began coaxing the iPS cells to become heart cells. As the cells became more like heart cells, the researchers used a method called single-cell RNA sequencing to track how the TBX5 mutation changed which genes were switched on and off in tens of thousands of individual cells.

The experiment revealed many genes that were expressed at higher or lower levels in cells with mutated TBX5. Importantly, not all cells responded to the TBX5 mutation in the same way; some had drastic changes in gene expression while other were less affected. This diversity, the researchers say, reflects the fact that the heart is composed of many different cell types.

"It makes sense that some are more affected than others, but this is the first experimental data in human cells to show that diversity," says Bruneau.

Bruneau's team then collaborated with computational researchers to analyze how the impacted genes and proteins were related to each other. The new data let them sketch out a complex and interconnected network of molecules that work together during heart development.

"We've not only provided a list of genes that are implicated in congenital heart disease, but we've offered context in terms of how those genes are connected," says Irfan Kathiriya, MD, PhD, a pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, an associate professor in the Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care at UCSF, a visiting scientist at Gladstone, and the first author of the study.

Several genes fell into known pathways already associated with heart development or congenital heart disease. Some genes were among those directly regulated by TBX5's function as a transcription factor, while others were affected in a less direct way, the study revealed. In addition, many of the altered genes were relevant to heart function in patients with congenital heart disease as they control the rhythm and relaxation of the heart, and defects in these genes are often found together with the structural defects.

The new paper doesn't point toward any individual drug target that can reverse a congenital heart disease after birth, but a better understanding of the network involved in healthy heart formation, as well as congenital heart disease may lead to ways to prevent the defects, the researchers say. In the same way that folate taken by pregnant women is known to help prevent neural tube defects, there may be a compound that can help ensure that the network of genes and proteins related to congenital heart disease stays balanced during embryonic development.

"Our new data reveal that the genes are really all part of one network--complex but singular--which needs to stay balanced during heart development," says Bruneau. "That means if we can figure out a balancing factor that keeps this network functioning, we might be able to help prevent congenital heart defects."

Reference: Kathiriya IS, Rao KS, Iacono G, et al. Modeling Human TBX5 Haploinsufficiency Predicts Regulatory Networks for Congenital Heart Disease. Developmental Cell. 2020. doi:10.1016/j.devcel.2020.11.020.

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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Network of Genes Involved in Congenital Heart Disease Identified - Technology Networks

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Network of Genes Involved in Congenital Heart Disease Identified – Technology Networks | December 16th, 2020

The agreement will accelerate the development and availability of new medical and pharmaceutical therapies to improve patients lives

Hamamatsu Photonics UK Ltd and Medical Technologies Innovation Facility (MTIF) are pleased to announce they have entered into a partnership agreement enabling customers the ability to view and utilize Hamamatsus Functional Drug Screening System (FDSS) CELL. This is the first FDSS/CELL to be made available in the UK in this way.

This new collaboration aims to leverage the photonics expertise, novel proprietary technology and applications of Hamamatsu, with the significant medical technology research and development capabilities of MTIF.

This is a high-end specialist piece of equipment utilised in the development of innovative medicines around the world. We are very excited to be able to provide customers with this capability, that complements our own research using this technically superb equipment. Says Professor John Hunt, Head of Strategic Research at MTIF and within Nottingham Trent University.

This partnership provides companies with a unique opportunity to use cutting edge high through-put technology to screen compounds for pharmacological activity. These capabilities are usually unavailable to all but the largest organisations. This collaboration allows organisations of every size the opportunity to accelerate their drug discovery programme. Says Professor Mike Hannay, Managing Director of the Medical Technologies Innovation Facility (MTIF) .

Hamamatsu has a long history in developing cutting edge scientific equipment for the life science market; our FDSS/CELL enables scientists, such as those working at MTIF, to make breakthroughs in the field of drug discovery and compound research. We are really excited about this new partnership between Hamamatsu and the team at MTIF helping to make such advanced instrumentation available to hundreds of potential users throughout the UK research community. Tim Stokes, Managing Director of Hamamatsu Photonics UK Ltd.

The FDSS/CELL is a compact, easy to use screening system that enables monitoring of GPCRs and ion channels for drug discovery and life science research. Screening various compounds at high throughput (96 / 384 well assays) is enabled by fluorescence or luminescence measurements using a highly sensitive Hamamatsu camera, which captures cell dynamics under the same conditions with no time lag between wells. It is also capable of recording changes in electrical potential in iPSC-derived neuronal and cardiac stem cells to gain a better understanding of toxic compound effects.

Through this new technical collaboration, HPUK and MTIF will organically integrate their respective advanced technologies and development capabilities to showcase this novel laboratory screening technology onsite at MTIF in Nottingham, UK.

Hamamatsu Photonics and MTIF aim to benefit the UK life science sector by accelerating the availability of new medical and pharmaceutical therapies. By aligning capabilities and ambitions, the parties will deliver benefit to clients by helping them to successfully navigate the complexities of discovering drug and cell therapy candidates.

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Industry News: Hamamatsu Photonics UK Ltd and the Medical Technologies Innovation Facility enter into a partnership agreement - SelectScience

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Industry News: Hamamatsu Photonics UK Ltd and the Medical Technologies Innovation Facility enter into a partnership agreement – SelectScience | December 16th, 2020

The Covid-19 can damage the heart both directly and indirectly, and lead to complications ranging from inflammation of the heart (myocarditis), injury to heart cells (necrosis), heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias), heart attack, and muscle dysfunction that can lead to acute or protracted heart failure, experts said.

Covid-19 is a vascular disease that injures heart cells and muscle. It also leads to the formation of blood clots, both in the microvasculature and large vessels, which can block blood supply to the heart, brain and lungs and lead to stroke, heart attack and respiratory failure, said Dr Ravi R Kasliwal, chairman of clinical and preventive cardiology department at Medanta -The Medicity Hospital.

Also Read: Few Covid-19 deaths in Indias old-age homes, survey finds

A US study using MRI found cardiac abnormalities in 78 of 100 patients who had recently recovered from Covid-19, including 12 of 18 asymptomatic patients. Sixty patients had ongoing myocardial inflammation consistent with myocarditis, found the study, which was published in the Journal of American Medical Association Cardiology in July.

Even people with mild disease or no symptoms can develop life-threatening cardiovascular complications. Whats worrying is that this holds true for healthy adults with no pre-existing risk factors, which raise their risk of complications, said Dr Kasliwal, who recommends that everyone who has recovered from Covid-19 be screened for heart damage

Cardiac trouble

Extensive cardiac involvement is what differentiates Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, from the six other coronaviruses that cause infection in humans, writes cardiologist Dr Eric J Topol, founder, director and professor of molecular medicine at the Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, California, in the journal Science.

The four human coronaviruses that cause cold-like symptoms have not been associated with heart abnormalities, though there have been isolated reports linking the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) caused by MERS-CoV) with myocarditis, and cardiac disease with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) caused by Sars-CoV.

Also Read| Extraordinary uncertainties: Harvard prof on Covid-19, impact on mental health

Sars-CoV-2 is structurally different from Sars-CoV. The virus targets the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (Ace2) receptor throughout the body, facilitating cell entry by way of its spike protein, along with the cooperation of proteases. The heart is one of the many organs with high expression of Ace2. The affinity of Sars-CoV-2 to Ace2 is significantly greater than that of SARS, according to Dr Topol.

Topol notes the ease with which Sars-CoV-2 infects heart cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in vitro, leading to a distinctive pattern of heart muscle cell fragmentation evident in autopsy reports. Besides directly infecting heart muscle cells, Sars-CoV-2 also enters and infects the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels to the heart and multiple vascular beds, leading to a secondary immune response. This causes blood pressure dysregulation, and activation of a proinflammatory response leading to a cytokine storm, which is a potentially fatal systemic inflammatory syndrome associated with Covid-19.

Persisting problems

Studies have found that injury to heart cells reflected in blood concentrations of a cardiac muscle-specific enzyme called troponin affects at least one in five hospitalised patients and more than half of those with pre-existing heart conditions, which raises the risk of death. Patients with higher troponin amounts also have high markers of inflammation (including C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase), high neutrophil count, and heart dysfunction, all of which heighten immune response.

The heightened systemic inflammatory responses and diminished blood supply because of clotting, endotheliitis (blood vessel inflammation), sepsis, or hypoxemia (oxygen deprivation) because of acute lung infection leads to indirect cardiac damage, said Dr Kasliwal.

The cardiovascular damage associated with Sars-CoV-2 infection can persist beyond recovery. Since the virus affects the heart as much as the respiratory tract, further research is needed to understand why some people are more vulnerable to heart damage than others.

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Covid-19 can have impact on heart too, say experts - Hindustan Times

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Covid-19 can have impact on heart too, say experts – Hindustan Times | December 14th, 2020

Author Thomas Thompson once characterized Houston circa 1945 as a city where medicine of the most mediocre sort was practiced, a city with a third-rate medical school, no heritage of scholarly thinking and where extinguishing life by violence was far more common than exploring methods to prolong it.

That all changed in less time than it takes to age a good bottle of wine, according to the author of the true crime classic Blood and Money.

In a swampy area six miles south of the heart of downtown, in fields where racoons and water moccasins lived, there sprang up a collection of medical facilities which, by 1970, had become one of the handful of distinguished medical centers in the world, Thompson wrote in Hearts: Of Surgeons and Transplants, Miracles and Disasters Along the Cardiac Front.

No one was more responsible for the transformation, of course, than Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley, the pioneering surgeons whose innovations made Houston and the Texas Medical Center the epicenter for cardiovascular care, a place where the most cutting-edge therapies were practiced with the greatest skill, a place that drew patients from around the nation and world, both common man and heads of state.

The advances culminated in Cooley implanting the worlds first artificial heart in a person, a dream since the 1940s, a Kitty Hawk type of advance. The story made headlines around the world and, even though the device was never used again, its legacy can be seen in the mechanical cardiac parts people now take for granted valves, pacemakers and, most of all, support devices that help diseased hearts better pump blood.

But the achievements started long before that. In medical school. DeBakey invented the so-called roller pump, which made it possible to provide a surgical patient with a continuous flow of blood. DeBakeys invention would would become the essential component of the heart-lung machine that maintained the patients vital functions during procedures, ushering in the era of open heart surgery.

In 1952, DeBakey performed the first successful operation on an aneurysm a ballooning of the arterial wall by replacing the affecting area with a graft from a cadaver artery. The following year he performed the first successful surgery to remove blood clots and plaque from the inner lining of blood vessels that deliver blood to the brain and head, an advance that would go on to spare countless patients from devastating strokes.

Indeed, though DeBakey was known mostly as a heart surgeon, many experts consider such vascular procedures his greatest achievement. He made the aorta, the vessel that carries blood from the heart throughout the body, a treatable entity. Until then, aortic aneurysms and tears, were almost universally fatal.

Around that time, DeBakey created the first Dacron grafts one of the Texas Medical Centers great stories which enabled durable repair of artery walls weakened by aneurysms. He invented the technique on his wifes sewing machine using the then new material, bought at Foleys in downtown Houston when they were out of nylon and vinyon, the fabrics he preferred. He soon determined Dacron was superior because it didnt degenerate over time.

The role of Providence in human endeavor is speculative, but I like to think that in a personal case it was purposeful, DeBakey wrote in the American Surgeon in 2008. Obviously, because of my good fortune, I was ahead of everyone else in the field.

The invention, one of more than 50 he devised to repair hearts and arteries, won DeBakey the 1963 Lasker Award, the top American award in medicine.

The following year, while attempting a surgery that proved too difficult to complete, Dr. DeBakey improvised a coronary bypass procedure only previously performed successfully in dogs. In so doing, he became the first surgeon to perform a successful coronary bypass on a human patient.

In 1968, DeBakey was credited with the first simultaneous, multi-organ transplant, overseeing a team that removed the heart, lobe of one lung and both kidneys from a 20-year-old victim of a gunshot wound. The organs were transplanted into four patients: a 50-year-old man got the heart; a 39-year man got the partial lung; and two men, 41 and 22, each received a kidney.

Meanwhile, Cooley focused on hearts, performing an estimated 65,000 over four decades, more than any other surgeon. At one time, his surgical team was performing one-tenth of all open heart surgeries in the U.S.

Cooley stood above all others because of his speed and dexterity, a combination that produced what was described at the time as Woolworth volume and Tiffany qualtiy. He was quoted saying he always wanted to be known as the Sam Walton of heart surgery, in reference to the founder of Walmart.

MORNING REPORT: Get the top stories on HoustonChronicle.com sent directly to your inbox

But Cooley also pushed the boundaries of heart surgery. Dr. Christian Baarnard in South Africa beat him to the first heart transplant in December 1967, but Cooley matched the achievement five months later and his patient went on to live 204 days, compared to 18 for Baarnards patient.

In 1969, Cooley stunned the world by implanting a mechanical heart into the chest of Haskell Karp, a printing estimator in the last stages of heart failure. The device worked long enough to replace it with a donor heart when one became available three days later, although Karp died 32 hours later of pneumonia and kidney failure.

For all the attention it generated, the event didnt set off a wave of implants across the nation, the technology considered premature, rejection issues not yet well understood. Instead, it focused attention on alternatives known as left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), which assist the chamber that pumps blood throughout the body replace the heart. The approach was pioneered by DeBakey after he abandoned research into the total artificial heart.

Also pioneered in Houston: a minimally invasive procedure to replace a failing heart valve. The surgery, which entails threading the new valve to the heart through a blood vessel in the patients groin rather than open-heart surgery, was approved first for patients too sick and frail for open-heart surgery, then for patients at intermediate risk. More recently, studies showed it proved better than open surgery in young, healthy patients.

Houston doctors are at forefront of the next great hope for cardiovascular care too: regenerative medicine. The field is based on the idea that stem cells found in early stage embryos and adults, prized for their ability to easily divide and develop into various types of cells may be able to repair injuries and degeneration to heart tissue, an idea first tested at Texas Heart Institute around 2000. Though still a work in progress, the idea is considered the next frontier.

todd.ackerman@chron.com

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Houston healthcare in 1945 was 'mediocre.' The rivalry between DeBakey and Cooley changed it forever - Houston Chronicle

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Houston healthcare in 1945 was ‘mediocre.’ The rivalry between DeBakey and Cooley changed it forever – Houston Chronicle | December 13th, 2020

New York, Dec 12 (IANS) Researchers have revealed the appealing array of fruit and candy flavours that entice millions of young people to take up vaping are cardiotoxic and disrupt the heart's normal electrical activity.

Mounting studies indicate that the nicotine and other chemicals delivered by vaping, while generally less toxic than conventional cigarettes, can damage the lungs and heart.

"But so far there has been no clear understanding about what happens when the vaporized flavouring molecules in flavoured vaping products, after being inhaled, enter the bloodstream and reach the heart," said study author Sami Noujaim from the University of South Florida in the US.

In the study, published in the American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, the research team reported on a series of experiments assessing the toxicity of vape flavourings in cardiac cells and in young mice.

The flavoured electronic nicotine delivery systems widely popular among teens and young adults are not harm-free.

"Altogether, our findings in the cells and mice indicate that vaping does interfere with the normal functioning of the heart and can potentially lead to cardiac rhythm disturbances," Noujaim said.

In mouse cardiac muscle cells (HL-1 cells), the researchers tested the toxicity of three different popular flavours of e-liquid: fruit flavour, cinnamon, and vanilla custard.

All three were toxic to HL-1 cells exposed to e-vapour bubbled into the laboratory dish where the cells were cultured.

Cardiac cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells were exposed to three distinct e-vapours.

The first e-vapour containing the only solvent interfered with the electrical activity and beating rate of cardiac cells in the dish. A second e-vapour with nicotine added to the solvent increased the toxic effects on these cells.

The third e-vapour comprised of nicotine, solvent, and vanilla custard flavouring (the flavour previously identified as most toxic) augmented damage to the spontaneously beating cells even more.

"This experiment told us that the flavouring chemicals added to vaping devices can increase harm beyond what the nicotine alone can do," Noujaim said.

The findings showed that mice exposed to vaping were more prone to an abnormal and dangerous heart rhythm disturbance known as ventricular tachycardia compared to control mice.

"Our research matters because regulation of the vaping industry is a work in progress," Noujaim noted.

--IANS

bu/bg

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Flavours added to vaping devices can damage the heart: Study - Sify News

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Flavours added to vaping devices can damage the heart: Study – Sify News | December 13th, 2020

Abstract

Enzyme replacement therapy, in which a functional copy of an enzyme is injected either systemically or directly into the brain of affected individuals, has proven to be an effective strategy for treating certain lysosomal storage diseases. The inefficient uptake of recombinant enzymes via the mannose-6-phosphate receptor, however, prohibits the broad utility of replacement therapy. Here, to improve the efficiency and efficacy of lysosomal enzyme uptake, we exploited the strategy used by diphtheria toxin to enter into the endolysosomal network of cells by creating a chimera between the receptor-binding fragment of diphtheria toxin and the lysosomal hydrolase TPP1. We show that chimeric TPP1 binds with high affinity to target cells and is efficiently delivered into lysosomes. Further, we show superior uptake of chimeric TPP1 over TPP1 alone in brain tissue following intracerebroventricular injection in mice lacking TPP1, demonstrating the potential of this strategy for enhancing lysosomal storage disease therapy.

Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) are a group of more than 70 inherited childhood diseases characterized by an accumulation of cellular metabolites arising from deficiencies in a specific protein, typically a lysosomal hydrolase. Although each individual disease is considered rare, LSDs have a combined incidence of between 1/5000 and 1/8000 live births, and together, they account for a substantial proportion of the neurodegenerative diseases in children (1). The particular age of onset for a given LSD varies depending on the affected protein and the percentage of enzymatic activity still present; however, in most cases, symptoms manifest early in life and progress insidiously, affecting multiple tissues and organs (2). In all but the mildest of cases, disease progression results in severe physical disability, possible intellectual disability, and a shortened life expectancy, with death occurring in late childhood or early adolescence.

As they are monogenic diseases, reintroducing a functional form of the defective enzyme into lysosomes is in principle a viable strategy for treating LSDs. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) is now approved for the treatment of seven LSDs, and clinical trials are ongoing for five others (3). However, delivering curative doses of recombinant lysosomal enzymes into lysosomes remains a major challenge in practice. ERT typically takes advantage of a specific N-glycan posttranslational modification, mannose-6-phosphorylation (M6P), which controls trafficking of endogenous lysosomal enzymes, as well as exogenous uptake of lysosomal enzymes from circulation by cells having the cation-independent M6P receptor (CIMPR) (4). Hence, a combination of factors including (i) the abundance of the M6P receptor in the liver, (ii) poor levels of CIMPR expression in several key target tissue types such as bone and skeletal muscle, (iii) incomplete and unpredictable M6P labeling of recombinant enzymes, and (iv) the highly variable affinity of recombinant lysosomal enzymes for CIMPR [viz., Kds (dissociation constants) ranging from low to mid micromolar (5, 6)] all contribute to diminishing the overall effectiveness of therapies using CIMPR for cell entry (3).

To improve the delivery of therapeutic lysosomal enzymes, we drew inspiration from bacterial toxins, which, as part of their mechanism, hijack specific host cellsurface receptors to gain entry into the endolysosomal pathway. While we and others have explored exploiting this pathway to deliver cargo into the cytosol (7, 8), here we asked whether this same approach could be used to enhance the delivery of lysosomal enzymes into lysosomes. We choose the diphtheria toxin (DT)diphtheria toxin receptor (DTR) system owing to the ubiquitous nature of the DTR, in particular its high expression levels on neurons.

Corynebacterium diphtheriae secretes DT exotoxin, which is spread to distant organs by the circulatory system, where it affects the lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, and the nervous system (9). It is estimated that 75% of individuals with acute disease also develop some form of peripheral or cranial neuropathy. This multiorgan targeting results from the fact that the DTR, heparin-binding EGF (epidermal growth factor)like growth factor (HBEGF), is ubiquitously expressed. The extent to which DT specifically targets difficult-to-access tissues such as muscle and bone, however, is not currently known.

DT is a three-domain protein that consists of an N-terminal ADP (adenosine diphosphate)ribosyl transferase enzyme (DTC), a central translocation domain (DTT), and a C-terminal receptorbinding domain (DTR). The latter is responsible for both binding cell surface HBEGF with high affinity [viz., Kd = 27 nM (10)] and triggering endocytosis into early endosomes (Fig. 1A). Within endosomes, DTT forms membrane-spanning pores that serve as conduits for DTC to enter the cytosol where it inactivates the host protein synthesis machinery. The remaining portions of the toxin remain in the endosomes and continue to lysosomes where they are degraded (11, 12). We hypothesized that the receptor-binding domain, lacking any means to escape endosomes, would proceed with any attached cargo to lysosomes and, thus, serve as a means to deliver cargo specifically into lysosomes following high-affinity binding to HBEGF.

(A) DT intoxication pathway (left), DT domain architecture, and LTM structure (right). (B and C) DTK51E/E148K, LTM, mCherry-LTM, and LTM-mCherry compete with wild-type DT for binding and inhibit its activity in a dose-dependent manner with IC50 (median inhibitory concentration) values of 46.9, 10.1, 52.7, and 76.1 nM, respectively (means SD; n = 3). (D and E) C-terminal and N-terminal fusions of LTM to mCherry were immunostained (red) and observed to colocalize with the lysosomal marker LAMP1 (39). (F) Fractional co-occurrence of the red channel with the green channel (Manders coefficient M2) were calculated for mCherry-LTM and LTM-mCherry and were found to be 0.61 0.10 and 0.52 0.11, respectively (means SD; n = 6).

In this study, we generated a series of chimeric proteins containing the DTR-binding domain, DTR, with the goal of demonstrating the feasibility of delivering therapeutic enzymes into lysosomes through the DT-HBEGF internalization pathway. We showed that DTR serves as a highly effective and versatile lysosome-targeting moiety (LTM). It can be placed at either the N or C terminus of the cargo, where it retains its high-affinity binding to HBEGF and the ability to promote trafficking into lysosomes both in vitro and in vivo. On the basis of its advantages, over M6P-mediated mechanisms, we further investigated the utility of LTM for the lysosomal delivery of human tripeptidyl peptidase-1 (TPP1) with the long-term goal of treating Batten disease.

To evaluate whether the DTR-binding fragment could function autonomously to traffic cargo into lysosomes, we first asked whether the isolated 17-kDa DTR fragment could be expressed independently from DT holotoxin and retain its affinity for HBEGF. We cloned, expressed, and purified the receptor-binding fragment and evaluated its ability to compete with full-length DT for the DTR, HBEGF. Before treating cells with a fixed dose of wild-type DT that completely inhibits protein synthesis, cells were incubated with a range of concentrations of LTM or a full-length, nontoxic mutant of DT (DTK51E/E148K). LTM-mediated inhibition of wild-type DT-mediated toxicity was equivalent to nontoxic DT (Fig. 1B), demonstrating that the receptor-binding fragment can be isolated from the holotoxin without affecting its ability to fold and bind cell surface HBEGF. Next, we evaluated whether LTM had a positional bias (i.e., was able to bind HBEGF with a fusion partner when positioned at either terminus). To this end, we generated N- and C-terminal fusions of LTM to the model fluorescent protein mCherry (i.e., mCherry-LTM and LTM-mCherry). To determine binding of each chimera to HBEGF, we quantified the ability of each chimera to compete with wild-type DT on cells in the intoxication assay. Both constructs competed with wild-type DT to the same extent as LTM alone and DTK51E/E148K (Fig. 1C), demonstrating that LTM is versatile and autonomously folds in different contexts.

To evaluate intracellular trafficking, HeLa cells were treated with either LTM-mCherry or mCherry-LTM and then fixed and stained 4 hours later with an antibody against the lysosomal marker LAMP1. In both cases, we observed significant uptake of the fusion protein (Fig. 1, D and E). We calculated Manders coefficients (M2) to quantify the extent to which signal in the red channel (LTM-mCherry and mCherry-LTM) was localizing with signal in the green channel (LAMP1). The fraction of red/green co-occurrence was calculated to be 0.61 for mCherry-LTM and 0.52 for LTM-mCherry, indicating trafficking to the lysosomal compartments of the cells and no significant difference (P = 0.196) between the two orientations of chimera (Fig. 1F). Together, these results confirm that the LTM is capable of binding HBEGF and trafficking associated cargo into cells and that the LTM can function in this manner at either terminus of a fusion construct.

With minimal positional bias observed in the mCherry fusion proteins, we next screened LTM fusions to TPP1 to identify a design that maximizes expression, stability, activity, and, ultimately, delivery. TPP1 is a 60-kDa lysosomal serine peptidase encoded by the CLN2 gene, implicated in neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 or Batten disease. Loss of function results in the accumulation of lipofuscin, a proteinaceous, autofluorescent storage material (13). Exposure to the low-pH environment of the lysosome triggers autoproteolytic activation of TPP1 and release of a 20-kDa propeptide that occludes its active site. From a design perspective, we favored an orientation in which the LTM was N terminal to TPP1, as autoprocessing of TPP1 would result in the release of the upstream LTM-TPP1 propeptide, liberating active, mature TPP1 enzyme in the lysosome (Fig. 2A). Given the need for mammalian expression of lysosomal enzymes, we generated synthetic genetic fusions of the LTM to TPP1, in which we converted the codons from bacterially derived DT into the corresponding mammalian codons. Human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293F suspension cells stably expressing recombinant TPP1 (rTPP1) and TPP1 with an N-terminal LTM fusion (LTM-TPP1) were generated using the piggyBac transposon system (14). A C-terminal construct (TPP1-LTM) was also produced; however, expression of this chimera was poor in comparison with rTPP1 and LTM-TPP1 (~0.4 mg/liter, cf. 10 to 15 mg/liter).

(A) Design of LTM-TPP1 fusion protein and delivery schematic. (B) Enzyme kinetics of rTPP1 and LTM-TPP1 against the synthetic substrate AAF-AMC are indistinguishable. Michaelis-Menten plots were generated by varying [AAF-AMC] at a constant concentration of 10 nM enzyme (means SD; n = 3). Plots and kinetic parameters were calculated with GraphPad Prism 7.04. (C) Maturation of TPP1 is unaffected by the N-terminal fusion of LTM. (D) LTM-TPP1 inhibits wild-type DT activity in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 of 17.2 nM), while rTPP1 has no effect on protein synthesis inhibition by DT (means SD; n = 3). (E) LTM and DTR-TPP1 bind HBEGF with apparent Kds of 13.3 and 19.1 nM, respectively. (F) LTM-TPP1 (39) colocalizes with LAMP1 staining (red).

The activity of rTPP1 and LTM-TPP1 against the tripeptide substrate Ala-Ala-Phe-AMC (AAF-AMC) was assessed to determine any effects of the LTM on TPP1 activity. The enzyme activities of rTPP1 and LTM-TPP1 were determined to be equivalent, as evidenced through measurements of their catalytic efficiency (Fig. 2B), demonstrating that there is no inference by LTM on the peptidase activity of TPP1. Maturation of LTM-TPP1 through autocatalytic cleavage of the N-terminal propeptide was analyzed by SDSpolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) (Fig. 2C). Complete processing of the zymogen at pH 3.5 and 37C occurred between 5 and 10 min, which is consistent with what has been observed for the native recombinant enzyme (15).

The ability of LTM-TPP1 to compete with DT for binding to extracellular HBEGF was first assessed with the protein synthesis competition assay. Similar to LTM, mCherry-LTM, and LTM-mCherry, LTM-TPP1 prevents protein synthesis inhibition by 10 pM DT with an IC50 (median inhibitory concentration) of 17.2 nM (Fig. 2D). As expected, rTPP1 alone was unable to inhibit DT-mediated entry and cytotoxicity. To further characterize this interaction, we measured the interaction between LTM and LTM-TPP1 and recombinant HBEGF using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) binding analysis (Fig. 2E). By SPR, LTM and LTM-TPP1 were calculated to have apparent Kds of 13.3 and 19.1 nM, respectively, values closely corresponding to the IC50 values obtained from the competition experiments (10.1 and 17.2 nM, respectively). Consistent with these results, LTM-TPP1 colocalizes with LAMP1 by immunofluorescence (Fig. 2F).

To study uptake of chimeric fusion proteins in cell culture, we generated a cell line deficient in TPP1 activity. A CRISPR RNA (crRNA) was designed to target the signal peptide region of TPP1 in exon 2 of CLN2. Human HeLa Kyoto cells were reverse transfected with a Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complex and then seeded at low density into a 10-cm dish. Single cells were expanded to colonies, which were picked and screened for TPP1 activity. A single clone deficient in TPP1 activity was isolated and expanded, which was determined to have ~4% TPP1 activity relative to wild-type HeLa Kyoto cells plated at the same density (Fig. 3A). The small residual activity observed is likely the result of another cellular enzyme processing the AAFAMC (7-amido-4-methlycoumarin) substrate used in this assay, as there is no apparent TPP1 protein being produced (Fig. 3B). Sanger sequencing of the individual alleles confirmed complete disruption of the CLN2 gene (fig. S1). In total, three unique mutations were identified within exon 2 of CLN2: a single base insertion resulting in a frameshift mutation and two deletions of 24 and 33 base pairs (bp), respectively.

(A) CLN2 knockout cells exhibit ~4% TPP1 activity relative to wild-type HeLa Kyoto cells (means SD; n = 3). (B) Western blotting against TPP1 reveals no detectable protein in the knockout cells. (C) (Left) In vitro maturation of pro-rTPP1 and LTM-TPP1 (16 ng) was analyzed by Western blot. (Right) TPP1 present in wild-type (WT) and TPP1/ cells, and TPP1/ cells treated with 100 nM rTPP1 and LTM-TPP1. (D) Uptake of rTPP1 and LTM-TPP1 into HeLa Kyoto TPP1/ cells was monitored by TPP1 activity (means SD; n = 4). (E) TPP1 activity present in HeLa Kyoto TPP1/ cells following a single treatment with 50 nM LTM-TPP1 (means SD; n = 3).

Next, we compared the delivery and activation of rTPP1 and LTM-TPP1 into lysosomes by treating TPP1/ cells with a fixed concentration of the enzymes (100 nM) and by analyzing entry and processing by Western blot (Fig. 3C). In both cases, most enzymes were present in the mature form, indicating successful delivery to the lysosome; however, the uptake of LTM-TPP1 greatly exceeded the uptake of rTPP1. As both rTPP1 and LTM-TPP1 receive the same M6P posttranslational modifications promoting their uptake by CIMPR, differences in their respective uptake should be directly attributable to uptake by HBEGF. To quantify the difference in uptake and lysosomal delivery, cells were treated overnight with varying amounts of each enzyme, washed, lysed, and assayed for TPP1 activity. The activity assays were performed without a preactivation step, so signal represents protein that has been activated in the lysosome. For both constructs, we observed a dose-dependent increase in delivery of TPP1 to the lysosome (Fig. 3D). Delivery of LTM-TPP1 was significantly enhanced compared with TPP1 alone at all doses, further demonstrating that uptake by HBEGF is more efficient than that by CIMPR alone. TPP1 activity in cells treated with LTM-TPP1 was consistently ~10 greater than that of cells treated with rTPP1, with the relative difference increasing at the highest concentrations tested. This may speak to differences in abundance, replenishment, and/or recycling of HBEGF versus CIMPR, in addition to differences in receptor-ligand affinity. Uptake of LTM-TPP1 and rTPP1 into several other cell types yielded similar results (fig. S2). To assess the lifetime of the delivered enzyme, cells were treated with LTM-TPP1 (50 nM) and incubated overnight. Cells were washed and incubated with fresh media, and TPP1 activity was assayed over the course of several days. Cells treated with LTM-TPP1 still retained measurable TPP1 activity at 1 week after treatment (Fig. 3E).

While the DT competition experiment demonstrated that HBEGF is involved in the uptake of LTM-TPP1 but not rTPP1 (Fig. 2D), it does not account for the contribution of CIMPR to uptake. Endoglycosidase H (EndoH) cleaves between the core N-acetylglucosamine residues of high-mannose N-linked glycans, leaving behind only the asparagine-linked N-acetylglucosamine moiety. Both rTPP1 and LTM-TPP1 were treated with EndoH to remove any M6P moieties, and delivery into Hela TPP1/ was subsequently assessed. While rTPP1 uptake is completely abrogated by treatment with EndoH, LTM-TPP1 uptake is only partially decreased (Fig. 4), indicating that while HBEGF-mediated endocytosis is the principal means by which LTM-TPP1 is taken up into cells, uptake via CIMPR still occurs. The fact that CIMPR uptake is still possible in the LTM-TPP1 fusion means that the fusion is targeted to two receptors simultaneously, increasing its total uptake and, potentially, its biodistribution.

Uptake of LTM-TPP1 via the combination of HBEGF and CIMPR was shown to be 3 to 20 more efficient than CIMPR alone in cellulo (fig. S2). To interrogate this effect in vivo, TPP1-deficient mice (TPP1tm1pLob or TPP1/) were obtained as a gift from P. Lobel at Rutgers University. Targeted disruption of the CLN2 gene was achieved by insertion of a neo cassette into intron 11 in combination with a point mutation (R446H), rendering these mice TPP1 null by both Western blot and enzyme activity assay (16). Prior studies have demonstrated that direct administration of rTPP1 into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) via intracerebroventricular or intrathecal injection results in amelioration of disease phenotype (17) and even extension of life span in the disease mouse (18). To compare the uptake of LTM-TPP1 and rTPP1 in vivo, the enzymes were injected into the left ventricle of 6-week-old TPP1/ mice. Mice were euthanized 24 hours after injection, and brain homogenates of wild-type littermates, untreated, and treated mice were assayed for TPP1 activity (Fig. 5A). Assays were performed without preactivation, and therefore, the results report on enzyme that has been taken up into cells, trafficked to the lysosome, and processed to the mature form.

(A) Assay schematic. (B) TPP1 activity in brain homogenates of 6-week-old mice injected with two doses (5 and 25 g) of either rTPP1 or LTM-TPP1 (5 g, P = 0.01; 25 g, P = 0.002). (C) TPP1 activity in brain homogenates following a single 25-g dose of LTM-TPP1, 1, 7, and 14 days postinjection. Data are presented as box and whisker plots, with whiskers representing minimum and maximum values from n 4 mice per group. Statistical significance was calculated using paired t tests with GraphPad Prism 7.04.

While both enzymes resulted in a dose-dependent increase in TPP1 activity, low (5 g) and high (25 g) doses of rTPP1 resulted in only modest increases of activity, representing ~6 and ~26% of the wild-type levels of activity, respectively (Fig. 5B). At the same doses, LTM-TPP1 restored ~31 and ~103% of the wild-type activity. To assess the lifetime of enzyme in the brain, mice were injected intracerebroventricularly with 25 g of LTM-TPP1 and euthanized either 1 or 2 weeks postinjection. Remarkably, at 1 week postinjection, ~68% of TPP1 activity was retained (compared with 1 day postinjection), and after 2 weeks, activity was reduced to ~31% (Fig. 5C).

ERT is a lifesaving therapy that is a principal method of treatment in non-neurological LSDs. Uptake of M6P-labeled enzymes by CIMPR is relatively ineffective due to variable receptor affinity (5, 6), heterogeneous expression of the receptor, and incomplete labeling of recombinantly produced enzymes (19). Despite its inefficiencies and high cost (~200,000 USD per patient per year) (20), it remains the standard of care for several LSDs, as alternative treatment modalities (substrate reduction therapy, gene therapy, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation) are not effective, not as well developed, or inherently riskier (2125). Improving the efficiency and distribution of recombinant enzyme uptake may help address some of the current shortcomings in traditional ERT.

Several strategies have been used to increase the extent of M6P labeling on recombinantly produced lysosomal enzymes: engineering mammalian and yeast cell lines to produce more specific/uniform N-glycan modification (19, 26, 27), chemical or enzymatic modification of N-glycans posttranslationally (28), and covalent coupling of M6P (29). M6P-independent uptake of a lysosomal hydrolase by CIMPR has been demonstrated for both -glucuronidase (28) and acid -glucosidase (30, 31). In the latter work, a peptide tag (GILT) targeting insulin-like growth factor II receptor (IGF2R) was fused to recombinant alpha glucosidase, which enabled receptor-mediated entry into cells. CIMPR is a ~300-kDa, 15-domain membrane protein with 3 M6P-binding domains and 1 IGF2R domain. By targeting the IGF2R domain with a high-affinity (low nanomolar) peptide rather than the low-affinity M6P-binding domain, the authors were able to demonstrate a >20-fold increase in the uptake of a GAA-peptide fusion protein in cell culture and a ~5-fold increase in the ability to clear built-up muscle glycogen in GAA-deficient mice.

In this study, we have demonstrated efficient uptake and lysosomal trafficking of a model lysosomal enzyme, TPP1, via a CIMPR-independent route, using the receptor-binding domain of a bacterial toxin. HBEGF is a member of the EGF family of growth factors, and DT is its only known ligand. Notably, it plays roles in cardiac development, wound healing, muscle contraction, and neurogenesis; however, it does not act as a receptor in any of these physiological processes (32). Intracellular intoxication by DT is the only known process in which HBEGF acts as a receptor, making it an excellent candidate receptor for ERT, as there is no natural ligand with which to compete. Upon binding, DT is internalized via clathrin-mediated endocytosis and then trafficked toward lysosomes for degradation (33, 34). Acidification of endosomal vesicles by vacuolar ATPases (adenosine triphosphatases) promotes insertion of DTT into the endosomal membrane and subsequent translocation of the catalytic DTC domain into the cytosol. In the absence of an escape mechanism, the majority of internalized LTM should be trafficked to the lysosome, as we have demonstrated with our chimera (Figs. 2F and 3C). Uptake of LTM-TPP1 in vitro is robustly relative to rTPP1 (Fig. 3D and fig. S2), and TPP1 activity is sustained in the lysosome for a substantial length of time (Fig. 3E). We have also demonstrated that the increase in uptake efficiency that we observed in cell culture persists in vivo. TPP1 activity in the brains of CLN2-null mice was significantly greater in animals treated with intracerebroventricularly injected LTM-TPP1, as compared with those treated with TPP1 at two different doses (Fig. 5B), and, remarkably, this activity persists with an apparent half-life of ~8 days (Fig. 5C).

An important consideration for further development of the LTM platform for clinical development is the potential immunogenicity of using a bacterial fragment in this context. Previously, we demonstrated that the receptor-binding fragment of DT could be replaced with a human scFv (single-chain fragment variable) targeting HBEGF (8). With our demonstration of the potential for targeting HBEGF for LSDs, future efforts will focus on increasing the affinity and specificity of these first-generation humanized LTMs to develop high-affinity chimeras with greatly reduced immunogenicity for further development.

While the ability of LTM-TPP1 to affect disease progression has yet to be determined, recent positive clinical trial results (35) and the subsequent approval of rTPP1 (cerliponase alfa) for treatment of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis 2 (NCL2) provide support for this approach. In that clinical trial, 300 mg of rTPP1 was administered by biweekly intracerebroventricular injection to 24 affected children, and this was able to prevent disease progression. While this dose is of the same order of magnitude as other approved ERTs (<1 to 40 mg/kg) (36, 37), it represents a substantial dose, especially considering that it was delivered to a single organ. Improving the efficiency of uptake by targeting an additional receptor as we have done here, is expected to greatly decrease the dose required to improve symptoms, while at the same time decreasing costs and the chances of dose-dependent side effects.

DTK51E/E148K, LTM, LTM-mCherry, mCherry-LTM, and HBEGF constructs were cloned using the In-Fusion HD cloning kit (Clontech) into the Champion pET SUMO expression system (Invitrogen). Recombinant proteins were expressed as 6His-SUMO fusion proteins in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)pLysS cells. Cultures were grown at 37C until an OD600 (optical density at 600 nm) of 0.5, induced with 1 mM IPTG (isopropyl--d-thiogalactopyranoside) for 4 hours at 25C. Cell pellets harvested by centrifugation were resuspended in lysis buffer [20 mM tris (pH 8.0), 160 mM NaCl, 10 mM imidazole, lysozyme, benzonase, and protease inhibitor cocktail] and lysed by three passages through an EmulsiFlex C3 microfluidizer (Avestin). Following clarification by centrifugation at 18,000g for 20 min and syringe filtration (0.2 m), soluble lysate was loaded over a 5-ml His-trap FF column (GE Healthcare) using an AKTA FPLC. Bound protein was washed and eluted over an imidazole gradient (20 to 150 mM). Fractions were assessed for purity by SDS-PAGE, pooled, concentrated, and frozen on dry ice in 25% glycerol for storage at 80C.

TPP1 cDNA was obtained from the SPARC BioCentre (The Hospital for Sick Children) and cloned into the piggyBac plasmid pB-T-PAF (J.M.R., University of Toronto) using Not I and Asc I restriction sites to generate two expression constructs (pB-T-PAF-ProteinA-TEV-LTM-TPP1 and pB-T-PAF-ProteinA-TEV-TPP1). Stably transformed expression cell lines (HEK293F) were then generated using the piggyBac transposon system, as described (14). Protein expression was induced with doxycycline, and secreted fusion protein was separated from expression media using immunoglobulin G (IgG) Sepharose 6 fast flow resin (GE Healthcare) in a 10-ml Poly-Prep chromatography column (Bio-Rad). Resin was washed with 50 column volumes of wash buffer [10 mM tris (pH 7.5) and 150 mM NaCl] and then incubated overnight at 4C with TEV (Tobacco Etch Virus) protease to release the recombinant enzyme from the Protein A tag. Purified protein was then concentrated and frozen on dry ice in 50% glycerol for storage at 80C.

Cellular intoxication by DT was measured using a nanoluciferase reporter strain of Vero cells (Vero NlucP), as described previously (8). Briefly, Vero NlucP cells were treated with a fixed dose of DT at EC99 (10 pM) and a serial dilution of LTM, LTM-mCherry, mCherry-LTM, DTK51E/E148K, LTM-TPP1, or rTPP1 and incubated overnight (17 hours) at 37C. Cell media was then replaced with a 1:1 mixture of fresh media and Nano-Glo luciferase reagent (Promega), and luminescence was measured using a SpectraMax M5e (Molecular Devices). Results were analyzed with GraphPad Prism 7.04.

SPR analysis was performed on a Biacore X100 system (GE Healthcare) using a CM5 sensor chip. Recombinant HBEGF was immobilized to the chip using standard amine coupling at a concentration of 25 g/ml in 10 mM sodium acetate (pH 6.0) with a final response of 1000 to 2500 resonance units (RU). LTM and LTM-TPP1 were diluted in running buffer [200 mM NaCl, 0.02% Tween 20, and 20 mM tris (pH 7.5)] at concentrations of 6.25 to 100 nM and injected in the multicycle analysis mode with a contact time of 180 s and a dissociation time of 600 s. The chip was regenerated between cycles with 10 mM glycine (pH 1.8). Experiments were performed in duplicate using two different chips. Binding data were analyzed with Biacore X100 Evaluation Software version 2.0.2, with apparent dissociation constants calculated using the 1:1 steady-state affinity model.

HeLa cells were incubated with LTM-mCherry (0.5 M), mCherry-LTM (0.5 M), or LTM-TPP1 (2 M) for 2 hours. Cells were washed with ice-cold phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde, and permeabilized with 0.5% Triton X-100. mCherry constructs were visualized with a rabbit polyclonal antibody against mCherry (Abcam, ab16745) and anti-rabbit Alexa Fluor 568 (Thermo Fisher Scientific). LAMP1 was stained with a mouse primary antibody (DSHB 1D4B) and anti-mouse Alexa Fluor 488 (Thermo Fisher Scientific).

Colocalization was quantified using the Volocity (PerkinElmer) software package to measure Manders coefficients of mCherry signal with LAMP1 signal. The minimal threshold for the 488- and 568-nm channels was adjusted to correct the background signal. The same threshold for both channels was used for all the cells examined.

CLN2/ fibroblast 19494 were incubated with LTM-TPP1 (2 M) for 2 hours. Cells were washed with ice-cold PBS, fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde, and permeabilized with 0.5% Triton X-100. LTM-TPP1 was visualized with a mouse monoclonal against TPP1 (Abcam, ab54685) and anti-mouse Alexa Fluor 488 (Thermo Fisher Scientific). LAMP1 was stained with rabbit anti-LAMP1 and anti-rabbit Alexa Fluor 568 (Thermo Fisher Scientific).

TPP1 protease activity was measured using the synthetic substrate AAF-AMC using a protocol adapted from Vines and Warburton (38). Briefly, enzyme was preactivated in 25 l of activation buffer [50 mM NaOAc (pH 3.5) and 100 mM NaCl] for 1 hour at 37C. Assay buffer [50 mM NaOAc (pH 5.0) and 100 mM NaCl] and substrate (200 M AAF-AMC) were then added to a final volume of 100 l. Fluorescence (380 nm excitation/460 nm emission) arising from the release of AMC was monitored in real time using a SpectraMax M5e (Molecular Devices). TPP1 activity in cellulo was measured similarly, without the activation step. Cells in a 96-well plate were incubated with 25 l of 0.5% Triton X-100 in PBS, which was then transferred to a black 96-well plate containing 75 l of assay buffer with substrate in each well.

crRNA targeting the signal peptide sequence in exon 2 of CLN2 was designed using the Integrated DNA Technologies (www.idtdna.com) design tool. The gRNA:Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complex was assembled according to the manufacturers protocol (Integrated DNA Technologies) and reverse transfected using Lipofectamine RNAiMAX (Thermo Fisher Scientific) into HeLa Kyoto cells (40,000 cells in a 96-well plate). Following 48 hours of incubation, 5000 cells were seeded into a 10-cm dish. Clonal colonies were picked after 14 days and transferred to a 96-well plate. Clones were screened for successful CLN2 knockout by assaying TPP1 activity and confirmed by Sanger sequencing and Western blot against TPP1 antibody (Abcam, ab54385).

The pro-form of TPP1 was matured in vitro to the active form in 50 mM NaOAc (pH 3.5) and 100 mM NaCl for 1 to 30 min at 37C. The autoactivation reaction was halted by the addition of 2 Laemmli SDS sample buffer containing 10% 2-mercaptoethanol and boiled for 5 min. Pro and mature TPP1 were separated by SDS-PAGE and imaged on a ChemiDoc gel imaging system (Bio-Rad).

Proteins or cellular lysate were separated by 4 to 20% gradient SDS-PAGE before being transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane using the iBlot (Invitrogen) dry transfer system. Membranes were then blocked for 1 hour with a 5% milktris-buffered saline (TBS) solution and incubated overnight at room temperature with a 1:100 dilution of mouse monoclonal antibody against TPP1 (Abcam, ab54685) in 5% milk-TBS. Membranes were washed 3 5 min with 0.1% Tween 20 (Sigma-Aldrich) in TBS before a 1-hour incubation with a 1:5000 dilution of sheep anti-mouse IgG horseradish peroxidase secondary antibody (GE Healthcare) in 5% milk-TBS. Chemiluminescent signal was developed with Clarity Western ECL substrate (Bio-Rad) and visualized on a ChemiDoc gel imaging system (Bio-Rad).

rTTP1 and LTM-TPP1 were treated with EndoH (New England Biolabs) to remove N-glycan modifications. Enzymes were incubated at 1 mg/ml with 2500 U of EndoH for 48 hours at room temperature in 20 mM tris (pH 8.0) and 150 mM NaCl in a total reaction volume of 20 l. Cleavage of N-glycans was assessed by SDS-PAGE, and concentrations were normalized to native enzyme-specific activities.

Cryopreserved TPP1+/ embryos were obtained from P. Lobel at Rutgers University and rederived in a C57/BL6 background at The Centre for Phenogenomics in Toronto. Animal maintenance and all procedures were approved by The Centre for Phenogenomics Animal Care Committee and are in compliance with the CCAC (Canadian Council on Animal Care) guidelines and the OMAFRA (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs) Animals for Research Act.

TPP1/ mice (60 days old) were anesthetized with isoflurane (inhaled) and injected subcutaneously with sterile saline (1 ml) and meloxicam (2 mg/kg). Mice were secured to a stereotactic system, a small area of the head was shaved, and a single incision was made to expose the skull. A high-speed burr was used to drill a hole at stereotaxic coordinates: anteroposterior (A/P), 1.0 mm; mediolateral (M/L), 0.3 mm; and dorsoventral (D/V), 3.0 mm relative to the bregma, and a 33-gauge needle attached to a 10-l Hamilton syringe was used to perform the intracerebroventricular injection into the left ventricle. Animals received either 1 or 5 l of enzyme (5 g/l), injected at a constant rate. Isoflurane-anesthetized animals were euthanized by transcardial perfusion with PBS. Brains were harvested and frozen immediately, then thawed and homogenized in lysis buffer [500 mM NaCl, 0.5% Triton X-100, 0.1% SDS, and 50 mM Tris (pH 8.0)] using 5-mm stainless steel beads in TissueLyser II (Qiagen). In vitro TPP1 assay was performed, as described, minus the activation step.

Acknowledgments: We thank P. Lobel at Rutgers University for providing the TPP1-deficient mice. Funding: We are grateful to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for funding. Author contributions: S.N.S.-M. devised and performed experiments and drafted the initial manuscript. G.L.B. provided materials and assisted in conceptualization and experimental design. X.Z., D.Z., and R.H. contributed to the experimental design and performed experiments. P.K.K. and B.A.M. contributed to the experimental design. J.M.R. contributed to the experimental design and revised the manuscript. R.A.M. assisted in conceptualization, contributed to the experimental design, and assisted in writing the manuscript. Competing interests: B.A.M. is a chief medical advisor at Taysha Gene Therapies. The authors declare that they have no other competing interests. Data and materials availability: All data needed to evaluate the conclusions in the paper are present in the paper and/or the Supplementary Materials. Additional data related to this paper may be requested from the authors.

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Exploiting the diphtheria toxin internalization receptor enhances delivery of proteins to lysosomes for enzyme replacement therapy - Science Advances

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Exploiting the diphtheria toxin internalization receptor enhances delivery of proteins to lysosomes for enzyme replacement therapy – Science Advances | December 13th, 2020

Researchers with affiliations to Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia Health and the IWK Health Centre are the recipients of over $1.3 million in funding from Research Nova Scotia.

The funding has been provided by the New Health Investigator Grant, which supports new health researchers who are engaged in work that aligns with the provinces health research priorities. The grant aims to provide two years of support of up to $100,000 for researchers who are within the first five years of their academic appointment in Nova Scotia, or who are new to the field of health research.

There has never been a greater need to support new health researchers in Nova Scotia to help inform practice, policy and decision making, says Stefan Leslie, CEO of Research Nova Scotia in a news release. Were pleased to announce funding for these researchers and are confident their work will positively impact the health of Nova Scotians.

For the 2020-21 academic year, funding for this grant is provided by the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness. It will support the establishment of independent programs of research and support and expand the research productivity necessary for obtaining long-term funding from national and external agencies and provide opportunities for early-career investigators to make significant contributions in their field.

Congratulations to all the recipients of funding from Research Nova Scotia, says Dr. Alice Aiken, vice president research and innovation at Dalhousie. With projects that span a wide range of topics, like diabetes, cancer, dementia care, and the COVID-19 pandemic, these researchers are improving health care and helping people in the Maritimes and beyond to be healthier.

Highlights of some of the funded projects:

Dr. Christine Cassidy, Faculty of Health

Designing an integrated pediatric inpatient-ambulatory care service delivery model

The health care system is facing challenges related to poor quality of care, rising health care costs, and outdated technology. Efforts are needed to redesign health services to improve outcomes for patients, health care providers, and the overall health system. One way to address these challenges is to integrate care across multiple health care providers and services. This means that care is coordinated to meet patient needs and preferences.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the IWK Health Care Centre identified gaps in their current approach to delivering services to children, youth, and their families which includes the need to improve the integration of care across their outpatient and inpatient settings. Healthcare interventions are more effective when patients and care providers are included in the design process, and the integrated approach developed by Dr. Cassidy and her research team will help strengthen the delivery of care within the pediatric health system.

Dr. Parisa Ghanouni, Faculty of Health

Community-based services for individuals with developmental disabilities: Transition to adult care

Despite the great progress signaled by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, individuals with disabilities worldwide continue to confront barriers to equitable access to the health resources and social supports that enable their full participation in society. Gaps in access have improved for many, especially for children, but the transition to adulthood continues to represent a services cliff that people with disabilities confront in their late teens.

Through their research, Dr. Ghanouni and her team plan to uncover barriers and facilitators related to community-based healthcare services during the transition of adolescents with developmental disabilities to adulthood in rural areas, and co-develop a toolkit with stakeholders that outlines implementation strategies to promote successful transitions. This initiative will advance knowledge on services available that support the transition to adulthood in rural areas, highlight service gaps, point to important areas for investment, and contribute to academic, policy and community understandings and capacity around services for people with disabilities.

Dr. Brendan Leung, Faculty of Dentistry

Harnessing oral microbiota to prevent chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis: Functional screening using a bio-printed mammalian-microbe co-culture model

Chemotherapy induced oral mucositis (CIOM) is a painful and debilitating side effect of cancer treatment that affects 20-40% of cancer patients. Chemotherapy kills cancer cells, but it also affects fast growing normal cells in the body, especially those that line the mouth. When those are damaged, painful mouth ulcers form. These can affect patients ability to eat, drink, talk and even rest, and significantly reduce their quality of life. Currently there is no effective way to prevent CIOM from happening, and the only way to treat it is to provide supportive care such as numbing gels, ice chips and painkillers.

Research has found that the types of bacteria that normally live in the mouth change when someone develops CIOM. It is difficult to study cause and effect between bacteria and CIOM, partly because it is difficult to grow bacteria and human cells together in the lab in a controlled and repeatable way. Through his research, Dr. Leung will use a unique method to grow oral bacteria to investigate how microbes interact with oral cells during chemotherapy in order to identify microbial species that may offer protection against CIOM.

Dr. Elaine Moody, Faculty of Health

Primary healthcare for people with dementia: Exploring care provided by collaborative family practice teams in Nova Scotia

There is an increasing need to improve the health care of people with dementia in Nova Scotia. As the population ages, it will become even more important to provide good care to people with dementia to ensure they can live well in the community. In Nova Scotia, there has been a move to develop collaborative family practice teams, where physicians, nurse practitioners, family practice nurses and other healthcare providers work together to address the primary health care needs of individuals. Primary care providers in these teams require dementia-specific knowledge, skills, resources and supports to enable people with dementia and their caregivers to live well in the community.

Dr. Moody and her research team hope to better understand how collaborative family practice teams in Nova Scotia are addressing the needs of people living with dementia in the community, and to identify ways to improve their care. To achieve their goal, the researchers will gather the perspectives of people living with dementia and caregivers on how collaborative family practice teams provide care in order to identify gaps in current service provision and opportunities to improve care, with a particular focus on diversity and inclusion. Additionally, they will explore how care provided by collaborative family practice teams to people with dementia has been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Other funded projects include:

Dr. Leah Cahill, Faculty of Medicine

Does a simple blood test predict who needs strict blood sugar control to prevent heart disease?

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Faculty of ManagementHome food gardening in response to the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons for food security considerations

Dr. Ketul Chaudhary, Faculty of MedicineCardiac Vascular Stem Cells in Right Heart Failure

Dr. Jon Dorling, Faculty of MedicinePreterm Infant Gut microbiome associations with Environment and Outcomes in the NICU (PIGEON)

Dr. Denys Khaperskyy, Faculty of MedicineRole of stress granule formation in immune responses to respiratory viruses

Dr. Michael Kucharczyk, Faculty of MedicineCan Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the prostate combined with a Radiomics Evaluation determine the invasive capacity of a tumour (Can MRI-PREDICT)

Dr. Paula McLaughlin, Faculty of MedicineIdentifying, understanding, and mitigating gaps in dementia care

Dr. Sandra Meier, Faculty of MedicineAn app responding to behaviour of people to promote mental wellbeing in anxious youth

Dr. Deniz Top, Faculty of MedicineDifference in the regulation of behaviour genes as a proposed mechanism for mental illness

Dr. Igor Yakovenko, Faculty of ScienceScreening, self-management and referral to treatment for young cannabis users: Fulfilling an unmet need

For a complete list of recipients and projects, visit the Research Nova Scotia website.

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New health researchers at Dal, IWK and Nova Scotia Health receive funding from Research Nova Scotia - Dal News

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on New health researchers at Dal, IWK and Nova Scotia Health receive funding from Research Nova Scotia – Dal News | December 11th, 2020

PHOENIX, Dec. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Creative Medical Technology Holdings trading under the ticker symbol CELZ announced today its patent filing based on data covering utilization of the Company's ImmCelz product at generating what is termed in the field of immunology as "infectious tolerance."

Using an animal model of rheumatoid arthritis, investigators demonstrated administration of ImmCel protected mice from immunologically mediated joint damage. Importantly, cells from treated mice were able to reverse disease when transferred to arthritic mice. Detailed scientific analysis revealed that ImmCelz administration caused generation of T regulatory cells and tolerogenic dendritic cells. Both of these cell types have previously been described to possess ability to suppress autoimmunity.

"In 2003, Dr. Weiping Min from the University of Western Ontario and myself published a paper describing the Tolerogenic Loop, in which we were able to perform fully mis-matched cardiac transplants without need for long term immune suppression1." Said Dr. Thomas Ichim, Chief Scientific Officer of the Company. "We are extremely enthusiastic to discover that ImmCelz, which is a personalized immunotherapy can induce similar biological processes and in this case suppress autoimmunity."

Creative Medical Technology Holdings possesses numerous issued patents in the area of cellular therapy including patent no. 10,842,815 covering use of T regulatory cells for spinal disc regeneration, patent no. 9,598,673 covering stem cell therapy for disc regeneration, patent no. 10,792,310 covering regeneration of ovaries using endothelial progenitor cells and mesenchymal stem cells, patent no. 8,372,797 covering use of stem cells for erectile dysfunction, and patent no. 7,569,385 licensed from the University of California covering a novel stem cell type.

"Given that our issued intellectual property covers multi-billion dollar markets, it is critical in our development plans to establish scientific mechanisms of action. By understanding how our products work at a cellular and molecular level, we feel we have an advantage when engaging Big Pharma in discussions for licensing/partnering interactions." Said Timothy Warbington, President and CEO of the Company.

The company intends to publish an update on the overall 2020 activities in the coming weeks.

About Creative Medical Technology Holdings

Creative Medical Technology Holdings, Inc. is a commercial stage biotechnology company specializing in stem cell technology in the fields of urology, neurology and orthopedics and trades on the OTC under the ticker symbol CELZ. For further information about the company, please visitwww.creativemedicaltechnology.com.

Forward Looking Statements

OTC Markets has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming clinical trials and laboratory results, marketing efforts, funding, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and, therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. See the periodic and other reports filed by Creative Medical Technology Holdings, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on the Commission's website atwww.sec.gov.

Timothy Warbington, CEO[emailprotected] CreativeMedicalHealth.com

Creativemedicaltechnology.comwww.StemSpine.comwww.Caverstem.comwww.Femcelz.com

1 https://www.jimmunol.org/content/170/3/1304

SOURCE Creative Medical Technology Holdings, Inc.

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Creative Medical Technology Holdings files Patent on Induction of Infectious Tolerance by Ex Vivo Reprogrammed Immune Cells Utilizing ImmCelz Cellular...

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Creative Medical Technology Holdings files Patent on Induction of Infectious Tolerance by Ex Vivo Reprogrammed Immune Cells Utilizing ImmCelz Cellular… | December 10th, 2020

Less than two months after Peter Kolchinsky and Raj Shah announced a new $461 million fund, the partners at RA Capital Management appear to have made another investment.

RA is headlining a $45 million Series A round for the Oxford, UK-based biotech PepGen, which focuses on severe neuromuscular diseases like Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The company will use the funding to advance a slate of what theyre calling cell-penetrating peptides combined with some of their proprietary conjugates into the clinic.

We believe PepGens PPMOs have enormous potential for the treatment of severe neuromuscular and cardiac disorders, RA venture partner Ramin Farzaneh-Far told Endpoints News in an email. The financing reflects our confidence, and that of our syndicate partners, in the technology.

Oxford Sciences Innovation, PepGens seed investor, also participated in the round, as well as the University of Oxford and CureDuchenne Ventures. Wednesdays cash will also allow PepGen to build out a corporate team in the new Boston headquarters and expand the R&D hub in the UK, Farzaneh-Far said.

The move from RA comes shortly after Shah told Endpoints News in October that the cash for its Nexus I life sciences fund, roughly $300 million, was churned through at a relatively rapid pace. In just 15 months of investment, RA had spent about 80% of their fund, which prompted the Nexus II raise.

Though the new fund built off largely the first, the cash pools remain separate. Farzaneh-Far declined to comment to which Nexus fund Wednesdays investment belonged.

PepGen itself was spun out of Oxford in 2018 in order to further develop the peptides at the heart of its research. The biotech says that the cell-penetrating nature of the peptides, when conjugated with phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers or PPMOs, could allow for enhanced delivery of oligonucleotides to key tissues, while also improving safety compared to other medicines.

Specifically, PepGen is hoping to leapfrog the exon-skipping approaches already available in order to restore dystrophin expression in DMD patients, CEO and co-founder Caroline Godfrey said in a statement.

One of the areas where PepGen says its programs are beneficial is in the cardiovascular comorbidities that often accompany DMD. Because the peptides can penetrate cells, the company says its drug candidates strongly distribute to cardiac tissue.

With the recent approvals of treatments that generate small increases in dystrophin in skeletal muscle, patients may be ambulating and living longer, but this in turn is expected to shift the burden of morbidity and mortality towards an epidemic of heart disease, which is not adequately addressed by current DMD therapies, Farzaneh-Far said in an earlier statement.

This past summer, the FDA green-lit the third DMD drug when Japanese developer NS Pharma gained an accelerated approval for viltolarsen. That followed a wild back-and-forth between regulators and Sarepta, who originally rejected their DMD candidate in August 2019 but reversed course later that year.

The agency, however, still doesnt have full efficacy data on any of the three approved DMD drugs, as the OKs were all based on the same disease biomarker.

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RA Capital backs Oxford spinout PepGen with a $45M Series A, seeking to treat Duchenne and other similar diseases - Endpoints News

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on RA Capital backs Oxford spinout PepGen with a $45M Series A, seeking to treat Duchenne and other similar diseases – Endpoints News | December 9th, 2020

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--bluebird bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLUE) announced that new data from Group C of its ongoing Phase 1/2 HGB-206 study of investigational LentiGlobin gene therapy (bb1111) for adult and adolescent patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) show a complete elimination of severe VOEs and VOEs between six and 24 months of follow-up. These data are being presented at the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, taking place virtually from December 5-8, 2020.

Now with more than two years of data, we continue to observe promising results in our studies of LentiGlobin for SCD that further illustrate its potential to eliminate the symptoms and devastating complications of sickle cell disease. Consistently achieving the complete resolution of severe vaso-occlusive events (VOEs) and VOEs between Month 6 and Month 24 follow-up is unprecedented other than with allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Importantly, our data show the potential for LentiGlobin for SCD to produce fundamentally disease-modifying effects with sustained pancellular distribution of gene therapy-derived anti-sickling HbAT87Q and improvement of key markers of hemolysis that approach normal levels, said David Davidson, M.D., chief medical officer, bluebird bio. In addition to these clinical outcomes, for the first time with a gene therapy we now have patient-reported outcomes through the validated PROMIS-57 tool, showing reduction in pain intensity at 12 months after treatment with LentiGlobin for SCD. These results provide insight into the potential real-life impact LentiGlobin for SCD may offer patients.

SCD is a serious, progressive and debilitating genetic disease. In the U.S., the median age of death for someone with sickle cell disease is 43 46 years. SCD is caused by a mutation in the -globin gene that leads to the production of abnormal sickle hemoglobin (HbS). HbS causes red blood cells to become sickled and fragile, resulting in chronic hemolytic anemia, vasculopathy and unpredictable, painful VOEs.

In the HGB-206 study of LentiGlobin for SCD, VOEs are defined as episodes of acute pain with no medically determined cause other than a vaso-occlusion, lasting more than two hours and severe enough to require care at a medical facility. This includes acute episodes of pain, acute chest syndrome (ACS), acute hepatic sequestration and acute splenic sequestration. A severe VOE requires a 24-hour hospital stay or emergency room visit or at least two visits to a hospital or emergency room over a 72-hour period, with both visits requiring intravenous treatment.

LentiGlobin for SCD was designed to add functional copies of a modified form of the -globin gene (A-T87Q-globin gene) into a patients own hematopoietic (blood) stem cells (HSCs). Once patients have the A-T87Q-globin gene, their red blood cells can produce anti-sickling hemoglobin (HbAT87Q) that decreases the proportion of HbS, with the goal of reducing sickled red blood cells, hemolysis and other complications.

As a hematologist, I regularly see the debilitating effects of pain events caused by sickle cell disease. Pain has an overwhelmingly negative impact on many facets of my patients lives and can lead to prolonged hospitalizations, said presenting study author Alexis A. Thompson, M.D., professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and head of hematology at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago. The results observed with LentiGlobin gene therapy for SCD include the complete elimination of severe vaso-occlusive pain episodes, which is certainly clinically meaningful, but also for the first time, we have documented patients reporting that they are experiencing improved quality of life. This degree of early clinical benefit is extraordinarily rewarding to observe as a provider."

As of the data cut-off date of August 20, 2020, a total of 44 patients have been treated with LentiGlobin for SCD in the HGB-205 (n=3) and HGB-206 (n=41) clinical studies. The HGB-206 total includes: Groups A (n=7), B (n=2) and C (n=32).

HGB-206: Group C Updated Efficacy Results

The 32 patients treated with LentiGlobin for SCD gene therapy in Group C of HGB-206 had up to 30.9 months of follow-up (median of 13.0; min-max: 1.1 30.9 months).

In patients with six or more months of follow-up whose hemoglobin fractions were available (n=22), median levels of gene therapy-derived anti-sickling hemoglobin, HbAT87Q, were maintained with HbAT87Q contributing at least 40% of total hemoglobin at Month 6. At last visit reported, total hemoglobin ranged from 9.6 15.1 g/dL and HbAT87Q levels ranged from 2.7 8.9 g/dL. At Month 6, the production of HbAT87Q was associated with a reduction in the proportion of HbS in total hemoglobin; median HbS was 50% and remained less than 60% at all follow-up timepoints. All patients in Group C were able to stop regular blood transfusions by three months post-treatment and remain off transfusions as of the data cut-off.

Nineteen patients treated in Group C had a history of severe VOEs, defined as at least four severe VOEs in the 24 months prior to informed consent (annualized rate of severe VOE min-max: 2.0 10.5 events) and at least six months follow-up after treatment with LentiGlobin for SCD. There have been no reports of severe VOEs in these Group C patients following treatment with LentiGlobin for SCD. In addition, all 19 patients had a complete resolution of VOEs after Month 6.

Hemolysis Markers

In SCD, red blood cells become sickled and fragile, rupturing more easily than healthy red blood cells. The breakdown of red blood cells, called hemolysis, occurs normally in the body. However, in sickle cell disease, hemolysis happens too quickly due to the fragility of the red blood cells, which results in hemolytic anemia.

Patients treated with LentiGlobin for SCD in Group C demonstrated near-normal levels in key markers of hemolysis, which are indicators of the health of red blood cells. Lab results assessing these indicators were available for the majority of the 25 patients with 6 months of follow-up.

The medians for reticulocyte counts (n=23), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels (n=21) and total bilirubin (n=24) continued to improve compared to screening values and stabilized by Month 6. In patients with Month 24 data (n=7), these values approached the upper limit of normal by Month 24. These results continue to suggest that treatment with LentiGlobin for SCD may improve biological markers to near-normal levels for SCD.

Pancellularity

As previously reported, assays were developed by bluebird bio to enable the detection of HbAT87Q and HbS protein in individual red blood cells, as well as to assess if HbAT87Q was pancellular, or present throughout all of a patients red blood cells. In 25 patients with at least six months of follow-up, on average, more than 80% of red blood cells contained HbAT87Q, suggesting near-complete pancellularity of HbAT87Q distribution and with pancellularity further increasing over time.

HGB-206: Improvements in Health-Related Quality of Life

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) findings in Group C patients treated with LentiGlobin for SCD in the HGB-206 study were generated using the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System 57 (PROMIS-57), a validated instrument in SCD.

Data assessing pain intensity experienced by nine Group C patients were analyzed according to baseline pain intensity scores relative to the general population normative value: 2.6 on a scale of 0-10, where 10 equals the most intense pain. Data were assessed at baseline, Month 6 and Month 12.

Of the five patients with baseline scores worse than the population normative value average, four demonstrated clinically meaningful reductions in pain intensity at Month 12; the group had a mean score of 6.0 at baseline and a mean score of 2.4 at Month 12. Of the four patients with better than or near population normative values at baseline, two reported improvement and two remained stable with a mean score of 2.3 at baseline and 0.8 at Month 12.

HGB-206: Group C Safety Results

As of August 20, 2020, the safety data from Group C patients in HGB-206 remain generally consistent with the known side effects of hematopoietic stem cell collection and myeloablative single-agent busulfan conditioning, as well as underlying SCD. One non-serious, Grade 2 adverse event (AE) of febrile neutropenia was considered related to LentiGlobin for SCD. There were no serious AEs related to LentiGlobin for SCD.

One patient with significant baseline SCD-related and cardiopulmonary disease died 20 months post-treatment; the treating physician and an independent monitoring committee agreed his death was unlikely related to LentiGlobin for SCD and that SCD-related cardiac and pulmonary disease contributed.

LentiGlobin for SCD Data at ASH

The presentation of HGB-206 Group C results and patient reported outcomes research are now available on demand on the ASH conference website:

About HGB-206

HGB-206 is an ongoing, Phase 1/2 open-label study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of LentiGlobin gene therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD) that includes three treatment cohorts: Groups A (n=7), B (n=2) and C (n=32). A refined manufacturing process designed to increase vector copy number (VCN) and further protocol refinements made to improve engraftment potential of gene-modified stem cells were used for Group C. Group C patients also received LentiGlobin for SCD made from HSCs collected from peripheral blood after mobilization with plerixafor, rather than via bone marrow harvest, which was used in Groups A and B of HGB-206.

About LentiGlobin for SCD (bb1111)

LentiGlobin gene therapy for sickle cell disease (bb1111) is an investigational treatment being studied as a potential treatment for SCD. bluebird bios clinical development program for LentiGlobin for SCD includes the completed Phase 1/2 HGB-205 study, the ongoing Phase 1/2 HGB-206 study, and the ongoing Phase 3 HGB-210 study.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted orphan drug designation, fast track designation, regenerative medicine advanced therapy (RMAT) designation and rare pediatric disease designation for LentiGlobin for SCD.

LentiGlobin for SCD received orphan medicinal product designation from the European Commission for the treatment of SCD, and Priority Medicines (PRIME) eligibility by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in September 2020.

bluebird bio is conducting a long-term safety and efficacy follow-up study (LTF-307) for people who have participated in bluebird bio-sponsored clinical studies of LentiGlobin for SCD. For more information visit: https://www.bluebirdbio.com/our-science/clinical-trials or clinicaltrials.gov and use identifier NCT04628585 for LTF-307.

LentiGlobin for SCD is investigational and has not been approved in any geography.

About bluebird bio, Inc.

bluebird bio is pioneering gene therapy with purpose. From our Cambridge, Mass., headquarters, were developing gene and cell therapies for severe genetic diseases and cancer, with the goal that people facing potentially fatal conditions with limited treatment options can live their lives fully. Beyond our labs, were working to positively disrupt the healthcare system to create access, transparency and education so that gene therapy can become available to all those who can benefit.

bluebird bio is a human company powered by human stories. Were putting our care and expertise to work across a spectrum of disorders: cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy, sickle cell disease, -thalassemia and multiple myeloma, using gene and cell therapy technologies including gene addition, and (megaTAL-enabled) gene editing.

bluebird bio has additional nests in Seattle, Wash.; Durham, N.C.; and Zug, Switzerland. For more information, visit bluebirdbio.com.

Follow bluebird bio on social media: @bluebirdbio, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

LentiGlobin and bluebird bio are trademarks of bluebird bio, Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements are based on managements current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: regarding the potential for LentiGlobin for Sickle Cell Disease to treat SCD; the risk that the efficacy and safety results from our prior and ongoing clinical trials will not continue or be repeated in our ongoing or planned clinical trials; the risk that the current or planned clinical trials of our product candidates will be insufficient to support regulatory submissions or marketing approval in the United States and European Union; the risk that regulatory authorities will require additional information regarding our product candidates, resulting in delay to our anticipated timelines for regulatory submissions, including our applications for marketing approval; and the risk that any one or more of our product candidates, will not be successfully developed, approved or commercialized. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause our actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the section entitled Risk Factors in our most recent Form 10-Q, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in our subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and bluebird bio undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.

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Treatment with Investigational LentiGlobin Gene Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease (bb1111) Results in Complete Elimination of SCD-Related Severe...

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Treatment with Investigational LentiGlobin Gene Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease (bb1111) Results in Complete Elimination of SCD-Related Severe… | December 8th, 2020

It sounds too good to be true - and it is. But Jose Bianco Moreira and the CERG research group at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) are convinced that some of the positive health effects of physical exercise can be achieved using gene therapy and medication.

"We're not talking about healthy people and everyone who can exercise. They still have to train, of course," says Moreira. He and his colleagues at NTNU's Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging are studying the effect of exercise on our cells.

"But some people can't train, or only in a limited way. This could include individuals who've been in accidents, who are in wheelchairs, or who have diseases that prevent the possibility of physical expression. We want to create hope for these folks."

"A small group of healthy people out there also obtain very little effect from physical exercise - so-called low responders - and would benefit from a method that worked at the cellular level," says Moreira.

A lot of research confirms the health benefits of physical exercise, but we know far less about what happens in the cells that provides the positive effects.

"International research in this field is brand new. We've barely scratched the surface," says the researcher.

"We think increasing our knowledge about what happens at the cellular level will be important for discovering medications and treatments for heart disease. My group studies genes, proteins and mitochondria that produce energy and are key for chemical processes in the cells."

Moreira believes that gene therapy is the most effective method for reproducing the health benefits we normally get through physical exercise.

A medicine that uses gene therapy is already in use for spinal muscle atrophy, a serious disease that leads to muscle wasting. The drug uses a harmless virus to deliver a copy that replaces the damaged motor neuron network in patients.

This form of therapy can inhibit or enhance the expression of a gene. This is a very expensive medicine and has not been tried for heart disease, for example.

Moreira believes CRISPR will be the future go-to gene therapy method. He believes this method of editing the genes will revolutionize a lot of disease treatments.

"CRISPR is easier to use, faster and cheaper than today's gene therapy, which only attenuates or enhances the expression of a gene. CRISPR's potential is almost limitless. It can alter the gene itself. The parts of the gene that don't work properly are replaced with well-functioning parts."

Experiments on rats and mice have shown that the method works. Experiments have also been performed on human cells in the laboratory to confirm CRISPR's effectiveness, but it has not yet been tested on humans.

"CRISPR still has to be tested in large clinical studies. I'd be optimistic if I say gene editing will come into regular use in 10-15 years," says Moreira.

Moreira's research group has used CRISPR in its research, but the results are not yet ready for publication.

"We believe gene therapy is the most powerful method because patients don't have to take a pill every day. Usually, gene therapy changes the gene forever, perhaps with an injection or two. The challenge is to find the right gene that needs change, and an effective method to repair it," he says.

NTNU researchers are focusing on the heart. They have identified a protein that heart-diseased rats are deficit in, but which increases when the rats go through training.

"By increasing the amount of this protein through gene therapy, we've managed to strengthen the muscle cells and have replicated some of the positive effects of physical exercise," says Moreira.

Medications are another possible method of mimicking the effects of exercise. Some existing medicines might even be able to recreate some of the positive effect on the heart.

"The research now has powerful technology platforms to find possible other uses for medicines we already have. One problem, of course, is that medicine is chemistry that affects the whole body, not just the organ you want to help. Something that's good for the heart could be detrimental for the liver, for example. Compared to gene therapy, though, the potential for medications is much more limited," Moreira says.

When the research group at NTNU started their study, they had no idea which genes were affected by exercise. They performed experiments where rats with heart defects underwent training. Afterwards, the hearts were removed and examined. Then these hearts were compared with those from untrained rats with heart disease. Afterwards, the hearts of the trained and untrained rats with heart disease were compared to healthy rat hearts.

"We observed that genes were altered in the diseased hearts, but discovered that some of them were repaired in the rats that had trained. This way, we find genes that we can target. Through our measurements, we can find out exactly what training changes at the cellular level," says Moreira.

Reference: Moreira, J.B.N., Wohlwend, M. & Wislff, U. Exercise and cardiac health: physiological and molecular insights. Nat Metab. 2020;2,829839. doi:10.1038/s42255-020-0262-1

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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Editor's note: SpaceX has successfully launched the Dragon CRS-21 cargo mission for NASA and landed its Falcon 9 rocket. Read our launch wrap story here.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. The next SpaceX resupply launch to the International Space Station, scheduled for Sunday (Dec. 6), will carry a host of science gear to the astronauts living and working on the orbiting laboratory.

The robotic flight, called CRS-21, marks the 21st mission for SpaceX under its commercial cargo resupply services contract with NASA. Launch is scheduled for 11:17 a.m. EST (1617 GMT) on Sunday from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and you can watch the action live here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA. You can also watch directly via NASA TV or SpaceX.

SpaceX initially aimed to launch the CRS-21 cargo mission for NASA on Saturday (Dec. 5), but foul weather prompted a delay. "Due to poor weather in the recovery area for todays attempt, now targeting Sunday, December 6 at 11:17 a.m. EST for launch of CRS-21," SpaceX wrote in an update early Saturday morning. SpaceX plans to recover the mission's Falcon 9 booster for later reuse.

The upgraded Dragon cargo capsule that will launch atop a veteran SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is filled with 6,400 lbs. (2,903 kilograms) of supplies and science investigations. The research gear will support a variety of experiments in the life sciences, regenerative medicine and many other fields.

Related: How SpaceX's Dragon space capsule works (infographic)

Saturday's flight will mark the first time SpaceXs upgraded Dragon spacecraft will carry cargo. (Up until now, the advanced Dragon variant has solely carried astronauts.) The vehicle is a modified version of the Crew Dragon spacecraft that lacks the systems necessary for human missions, such as seats, cockpit controls and a life-support system, as well as the SuperDraco thrusters that provide a special emergency escape system that's only used if a problem occurs during launch.

This new Dragon allows more science to ride skyward. Costello explained that the interior of Dragon can now support more powered payloads, which is a huge benefit for the life sciences as it allows for more cold storage and other types of investigations. It also allows for the crew to store some of the powered payloads onboard Dragon while the craft is on orbit.

Several of the payloads on Dragon feature a unique piece of hardware called a tissue chip. Human cells and tissue grow on the chip scaffold, creating a 3D structure in microgravity that researchers can observe to learn more about how fundamental processes work in space, including aging and bone and muscle loss.

One such investigation, run by the University of Florida, will study how muscles atrophy in space. Sixteen samples of skeletal muscle will be sent to the space station, where the bundles of muscle tissue will be observed in microgravity. Half of the muscle samples were donated by younger, active individuals while the other half are from older, more sedentary volunteers.

Half of the samples in each group will be subjected to electric stimuli to see how the muscles contract in the absence of gravity. Researchers will use this experiment as a starting point for future research that will eventually test therapies to see if muscle degradation can be prevented.

Another payload will look at brain organoids created using stem cell technology. This investigation seeks to understand how microgravity affects the survival and function of brain cells, which could lead to advances in treatments for autism and Alzheimers disease, researchers said.

"Space travel mimics the effects of aging we see on Earth, only in a much shorter time span, making it easier to examine the processes that are taking place," Bill McLamb, chief scientist at Kentucky-based company Space Tango, told Space.com. "Its hard to study human brains in space, which is why these types of experiments are so beneficial."

The investigation will take stem cells and convert them into brain cells that will form three-dimensional structures called brain organoids. Stored in a special container called a well, these types of mini organs are able to mimic both the cellular variety and the function of the developing human brain.

This type of research could help NASA and its partners prepare for crewed missions to distant destinations such as Mars, which will expose astronauts to the rigors of space for long stretches, and also help combat degenerative brain disease here on Earth, researchers said.

A team of researchers from Stanford University will be looking at how engineered heart tissue behaves in microgravity. The Cardinal Heart investigation will send tissue samples that consist of cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells and cardiac fibroblasts to study how changes in gravity affect the heart at the cellular level.

Researchers know that microgravity causes changes in the workload and shape of the human heart, but it's still unknown if these changes could become permanent if a person lived for long periods of time in space.

The project's tissue bundles will be affixed to tissue chips. The experiment's results could help identify new treatments and support development of screening measures to predict cardiovascular risk prior to spaceflight, team members said. Follow-on investigations will include therapies that could treat heart disease.

The HemoCue investigation will look at how white blood cells react in space. Here on Earth, doctors use the total number of white blood cells, as well as the various types observed, to diagnose illness. HemoCue will debut a new type of technology that will allow users to do white blood cell counts on orbit.

The goal is to test how well the device works in microgravity. If effective, it could be a valuable tool in an astronauts medical kit, researchers said.

Another payload called Micro-14 looks at how yeast, in particular Candida albicans, responds to the space environment. C. albicans is an opportunistic pathogen, capable of causing severe and even life-threatening illness in immunocompromised hosts. Micro-14 will evaluate how the yeast responds to microgravity, looking for changes at the cellular and molecular levels.

Since astronauts can become immunocompromised during spaceflight, researchers are especially interested in how best to predict the health risks from this organism. Previous research has shown that many microbes exhibit increased virulence in a microgravity environment, but more research is needed on this particular pathogen.

NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California is spearheading a project that will take swab samples from various locations within the station to look at the relationship between bacteria and their metabolites (chemicals produced by bacterial growth). The project will help researchers better understand the distribution of microbes and metabolites within closed environments and how this distribution affects human health. The research could aid administrators of hospitals and nursing homes, where residents are often immunocompromised.

Related: SpaceX rocket launches for record 7th time, nails landing at sea

Sunday's launch marks the 101st flight overall for SpaceXs workhorse two-stage Falcon 9 rocket. The liftoff is expected to feature a veteran Falcon 9 first stage, designated B1058, that already has three flights under its belt. This frequent flyer previously launched SpaceX's Demo-2 mission, which sent two NASA astronauts to the space station this past summer, well as a communications satellite for the South Korean military and a batch of the companys own Starlink satellites.

Flying previously flown boosters has become commonplace for SpaceX, as the company continues to prove the Falcon 9's reliability. In fact, CRS-21 marks the 24th flight of 2020 for SpaceX, with the majority of those missions having flown on veteran rockets rather than brand-new ones.

To date, SpaceX has successfully landed its first-stage boosters 67 times. Now that the company has two fully operational drone-ship landing platforms "Of Course I Still Love You" and "Just Read the Instructions" in Florida, its able to launch (and land) more rockets. "Of Course I Still Love You" is already at the recovery zone waiting for its turn to catch B1058 when it returns to Earth shortly after liftoff.

Weather was a concern for SpaceX going into the weekend. Forecasts predicted iffy weather for a Saturday launch attempt, with the 45th Weather Squadron predicting a 50% chance of favorable conditions for liftoff. The primary concerns were thick clouds and cumulus clouds. The backup attempt on Sunday looks much better, with the forecast improving to 70% favorable on that day.

If all goes as planned, the Dragon will arrive at the station and dock at the Harmony modules space-facing port just over 24 hours after it blasts off.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 8:22 a.m. EST to include SpaceX's launch delay to Sunday, Dec. 6, due to bad weather.

Follow Amy Thompson on Twitter @astrogingersnap. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook.

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Tissue chips and organoids: SpaceX is launching lots of science to space for NASA on Sunday - Space.com

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Key product type:Embryonic Stem CellResident Cardiac Stem CellsUmbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells

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Autologous Stem Cell Based Therapies Market Research Report 2020: Market Competition Trend and Price by Manufacturers till 2026 - Factory Maintenance

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Autologous Stem Cell Based Therapies Market Research Report 2020: Market Competition Trend and Price by Manufacturers till 2026 – Factory Maintenance | December 6th, 2020