New York, July 1 (IANS) A team of US scientists, led by an Indian-origin researcher revealed that SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus), the virus behind Covid-19, can infect heart cells in a lab dish.

This suggests it may be possible for heart cells in Covid-19 patients to be directly infected by the virus.

The discovery, published today in the journal Cell Reports Medicine, was made using heart muscle cells that were produced by stem cell technology.

"We not only uncovered that these stem cell-derived heart cells are susceptible to infection by a novel coronavirus, but that the virus can also quickly divide within the heart muscle cells," said study researcher Arun Sharma from the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute in the US.

"Even more significant, the infected heart cells showed changes in their ability to beat after 72 hours of infection," Sharma added.Although many COVID-19 patients experience heart problems, the reasons remain unclear. Pre-existing cardiac conditions or inflammation and oxygen deprivation resulting from the infection have all been implicated.

But there has until now been only limited evidence the SARS-CoV-2 virus directly infects the individual muscle cells of the heart.The study also demonstrated human stem cell-derived heart cells infected by SARS-CoV-2 change their gene expression profile.This offers further confirmation the cells can be actively infected by the virus and activate innate cellular 'defence mechanisms' in an effort to help clear-out the virus.

"This viral pandemic is predominately defined by respiratory symptoms, but there are also cardiac complications, including arrhythmia, heart failure and viral myocarditis," said study co-author Clive Svendsen.

"While this could be the result of massive inflammation in response to the virus, our data suggest that the heart could also be directly affected by the virus in Covid-19," Svendsen added.

Researchers also found that treatment with an ACE2 antibody was able to blunt viral replication on stem cell-derived heart cells, suggesting that the ACE2 receptor could be used by SARS-CoV-2 to enter human heart muscle cells.

"By blocking the ACE2 protein with an antibody, the virus is not as easily able to bind to the ACE2 protein, and thus cannot easily enter the cell," said Sharma. "This not only helps us understand the mechanisms of how this virus functions, but also suggests therapeutic approaches that could be used as a potential treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection," he explained.

The study used human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), a type of stem cell that is created in the lab from a person's blood or skin cells. IPSCs can make any cell type found in the body, each one carrying the DNA of the individual. "This work illustrates the power of being able to study human tissue in a dish," the authors wrote.

--IANS

bu/pgh

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Coronavirus may infect heart cells of Covid-19 patients: Study - Sify News

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Coronavirus may infect heart cells of Covid-19 patients: Study – Sify News | July 6th, 2020

Bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy are usually performed on the back of the hipbone, or posterior iliac crest. An aspirate can also be obtained from the sternum (breastbone). For the sternal aspirate, the patient lies on their back, with a pillow under the shoulder to raise the chest. A trephine biopsy should never be performed on the sternum, due to the risk of injury to blood vessels, lungs or the heart.

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The need to selectively isolate and concentrate selective cells, such as mononuclear cells, allogeneic cancer cells, T cells and others, is driving the market. Over 30,000 bone marrow transplants occur every year. The explosive growth of stem cells therapies represents the largest growth opportunity for bone marrow processing systems.

Europe and North America spearheaded the market as of 2018, by contributing over 74.0% to the overall revenue. Majority of stem cell transplants are conducted in Europe, and it is one of the major factors contributing to the lucrative share in the cell harvesting system market.

In 2018, North America dominated the research landscape as more than 54.0% of stem cell clinical trials were conducted in this region. The region also accounts for the second largest number of stem cell transplantation, which is further driving the demand for harvesting in the region.

Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness lucrative growth over the forecast period, owing to rising incidence of chronic diseases and increasing demand for stem cell transplantation along with stem cell-based therapy. Japan and China are the biggest markets for harvesting systems in Asia Pacific. Emerging countries such as Mexico, South Korea, and South Africa are also expected to report lucrative growth over the forecast period. Growing investment by government bodies on stem cell-based research and increase in aging population can be attributed to the increasing demand for these therapies in these countries.

Major players operating in the global bone marrow processing systems market are ThermoGenesis (Cesca Therapeutics inc.), RegenMed Systems Inc., MK Alliance Inc., Fresenius Kabi AG, Harvest Technologies (Terumo BCT), Arthrex, Inc. and others..

COVID-19 Impact Analysis@https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/3374

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Bone Marrow Processing Systems Market Expansion Projected to Gain an Uptick during COVID-19 Crisis 2018 2025 - Kentucky Journal 24

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Bone Marrow Processing Systems Market Expansion Projected to Gain an Uptick during COVID-19 Crisis 2018 2025 – Kentucky Journal 24 | July 3rd, 2020

A special thank you to Kathleen Dickson and Dr. John Bergeron for pointing out that yes, indeed, there are also many women who have made and continue to make significant contributions to health. We have added their additions below, but this list is by no means complete.

From open heart surgery to child-resistant containers, prestigious awards and bombs (not that kind), Canada has a long history of Canadians whose ideas and inventions have played huge roles in defining this nations healthcare.

DNA and cancer

Nada Jabado at McGill affiliated Childrens Hospital is a pioneer in pediatric cancer and her discovery of the role of what is known as the epigenome that marks the DNA in our genes in cancer. She is a leader in innovation in Health research and recognized for her leadership in the application of discoveries to address brain tumours in children.

Insulin

Perhaps the most famous health innovation to come out of Canada, if such a thing can be measured. The arrival of insulin has saved countless lives since its creation in 1922 when Frederick Banting and Charles Best isolated and extracted insulin from the pancreas of dogs. Their Nobel Prize arrived swiftly thereafter in 1923.

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28 cool health things that started with a Canadian - Regina Leader-Post

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on 28 cool health things that started with a Canadian – Regina Leader-Post | July 3rd, 2020

Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Marketwas valued US$ XX Bn in 2018 and is expected to reach US$ XX Bn by 2026, at CAGR of 6.5 % during forecast period of 2019 to 2026

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Bone marrow concentrate (BMC) uses stem cells that are harvested from your own bone marrow to help the body heal itself. These cells when injected directly into an injury site, prompt a rapid and efficient restoration of the tissue, returning it to a more healthy state by stimulating the bodys natural healing response. It is non-surgical treatment for various orthopedic injuries, including mild to moderate osteoarthritis, disc degeneration and soft tissue injuries.The report study has analyzed revenue impact of COVID -19 pandemic on the sales revenue of market leaders, market followers and market disrupters in the report and same is reflected in our analysis.

Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market Drivers and RestrainsBone marrow-derived stem cell treatment is considered a promising and advanced therapy. It reduces the injury healing time in orthopedic diseases to five to six weeks from four to six months in case of surgery. Reduction in the healing time is a factor likely to fuel the Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates market during the forecast period.

Pain associated with the treatment, lack of awareness, and use of alternative treatments are major restraints to the Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market. Furthermore, increased investments in R&D and clinical trials attributed to slow approval processes entailing sunken costs, and marginal returns on investment for manufacturers are factors hindering Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market.

Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market key segmentationBy end-use market is divided into hospitals & clinics, pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, Contract Research Organizations (CROs) & Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs), and academic & research institutes. The hospitals & clinics segment dominated the bone marrow aspirate concentrates market in 2018 and is expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period. The hospitals & clinics segmental growth is boosted by the biotechnology & biopharmaceutical companies in terms of revenue during the forecast period. Growth of the segment is attributed to increasing number of biotechnology companies and rising partnerships among the market players to expand globally.

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Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market regional analysisBy regional analysis, global bone marrow aspirate concentrates market is divided into major five geographical regions, including North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. North America held largest share of the Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates market owing to technological advancements and regulatory approval for new devices, rising awareness about stem cell therapy, and number of cosmetic surgical procedures. Furthermore, Asia Pacific orthopedic market is key driver, which led to this massive and augmented growth. The orthopedic market in Asia including bone graft, spine, and bone substitute is anticipated to grow as fast as the overall orthopedic market which will further boost growth of BMAC market in the region during forecast period.

The objective of the report is to present comprehensive analysis of Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market including all the stakeholders of the industry. The past and current status of the industry with forecasted market size and trends are presented in the report with the analysis of complicated data in simple language. The report covers all the aspects of industry with dedicated study of key players that includes market leaders, followers and new entrants by region. PORTER, SVOR, PESTEL analysis with the potential impact of micro-economic factors by region on the market have been presented in the report. External as well as internal factors that are supposed to affect the business positively or negatively have been analyzed, which will give clear futuristic view of the industry to the decision makers.

The report also helps in understanding Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market dynamics, structure by analyzing the market segments, and project the Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market size. Clear representation of competitive analysis of key players by Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Type, price, financial position, product portfolio, growth strategies, and regional presence in the Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market make the report investors guide.Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market by product type

Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Systems Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates AccessoriesGlobal Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market Application

Orthopaedic Surgery, Wound Healing, Chronic Pain, Peripheral Vascular Disease, Dermatology;Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market by region

Asia Pacific North America Europe Latin America Middle East AfricaGlobal Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market by end-user

Hospitals & Clinics Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies Contract Research Organizations (CROs) and Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs) Academic & Research InstitutesKey players operating on Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market

Terumo Corporation (Terumo BCT), Ranfac Corp., Arthrex, Inc., Globus Medical, Inc., Cesca Therapeutics Inc., MK Alliance Inc. (TotipotentSC), and Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc Cesca Therapeutics Inc. Stryker Paul Medical Systems LIFELINX SURGIMED PVT. LTD.

MAJOR TOC OF THE REPORT

Chapter One: Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market Overview

Chapter Two: Manufacturers Profiles

Chapter Three: Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market Competition, by Players

Chapter Four: Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market Size by Regions

Chapter Five: North America Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Revenue by Countries

Chapter Six: Europe Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Revenue by Countries

Chapter Seven: Asia-Pacific Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Revenue by Countries

Chapter Eight: South America Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Revenue by Countries

Chapter Nine: Middle East and Africa Revenue Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates by Countries

Chapter Ten: Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market Segment by Type

Chapter Eleven: Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market Segment by Application

Chapter Twelve: Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates Market Size Forecast (2019-2026)

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Covid 19 Impact On Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates (BMAC) Market: Industry Analysis and forecast (2019 to 2026): By product Type,...

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Covid 19 Impact On Global Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrates (BMAC) Market: Industry Analysis and forecast (2019 to 2026): By product Type,… | July 3rd, 2020

A recent report published by QMI on mesenchymal stem cells market is a detailed assessment of the most important market dynamics. After carrying out a thorough research of mesenchymal stem cells market historical as well as current growth parameters, business expectations for growth are obtained with utmost precision. The study identifies specific and important factors affecting the market for mesenchymal stem cells during the forecast period. It can enable manufacturers of mesenchymal stem cells to change their production and marketing strategies in order to envisage maximum growth.

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According to the report, the mesenchymal stem cells market has been segmented by source (bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, peripheral blood, lung tissue, synovial tissues, amniotic fluids, adipose tissues), by application (injuries, drug discovery, cardiovascular infraction, others).Insights about the regional distribution of market:The market has been segmented in major regions to understand the global development and demand patterns of this market.

For the mesenchymal stem cells market, the segments by region are North America, Asia Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Rest of the World. During the forecast period, North America, Asia Pacific and Western Europe are expected to be major regions on the mesenchymal stem cells market.

North America and Western Europe have been one of the key regions as they have an established healthcare infrastructure for product innovations and early adaptations. This is estimated to drive demand for the mesenchymal stem cells market in these regions. In addition to this, some of the major companies operating in this market are headquartered in these regions.

Asia Pacific is estimated to register a high CAGR mesenchymal stem cells market. The APAC region has witnessed strategic investments by global companies to cater to the growing demand for healthcare solutions in recent years. The Middle East and Rest of the World are estimated to be emerging regions for the mesenchymal stem cells market.

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Market Players Cell Applications, Inc., Cyagen Biosciences Inc. Axol Bioscience Ltd., Cytori Therapeutics Inc., Stem Cell Technologies Inc., Celprogen, Inc.

Reasons to Buy This Report:o It provides niche insights for a decision about every possible segment helping in the strategic decision-making process.o Market size estimation of the mesenchymal stem cells market on a regional and global basis.

o A unique research design for market size estimation and forecast.o Identification of major companies operating in the market with related developmentso Exhaustive scope to cover all the possible segments helping every stakeholder in the mesenchymal stem cells market.

Market Segmentation:By Source:o Bone Marrowo Umbilical Cord Bloodo Peripheral Bloodo Lung Tissueo Synovial Tissueso Amniotic Fluidso Adipose Tissues

By Application:o Injurieso Drug Discoveryo Cardiovascular Infractiono Others

By Region:o North Americao North America, by Country? US? Canada? Mexicoo North America, by Sourceo North America, by Application

o Western Europeo Western Europe, by Country? Germany? UK? France? Italy? Spain? The Netherlands? Rest of Western Europeo Western Europe, by Sourceo Western Europe, by Application

o Asia Pacifico Asia Pacific, by Country? China? India? Japan? South Korea? Australia? Indonesia? Rest of Asia Pacifico Asia Pacific, by Sourceo Asia Pacific, by Application

o Eastern Europeo Eastern Europe, by Country? Russia? Turkey? Rest of Eastern Europeo Eastern Europe, by Sourceo Eastern Europe, by Application

o Middle Easto Middle East, by Country? UAE? Saudi Arabia? Qatar? Iran? Rest of Middle Easto Middle East, by Sourceo Middle East, by Applicationo Rest of the Worldo Rest of the World, by Country? South America? Africao Rest of the World, by Sourceo Rest of the World, by Application

Years Covered in the Study:Historic Year: 2016-2017Base Year: 2018Estimated Year: 2019Forecast Year: 2028

Objectives of this report:o To estimate the market size for mesenchymal stem cells market on a regional and global basis.o To identify major segments in mesenchymal stem cells market and evaluate their market shares and demand.

o To provide a competitive scenario for the mesenchymal stem cells market with major developments observed by key companies in the historic years.o To evaluate key factors governing the dynamics of mesenchymal stem cells market with their potential gravity during the forecast period.Customization:This study is customized to meet your specific requirements:

o By Segmento By Sub-segmento By Region/Countryo Product Specific Competitive Analysis

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ABOUT US:QMI has the most comprehensive collection of market research products and services available on the web. We deliver reports from virtually all major publications and refresh our list regularly to provide you with immediate online access to the worlds most extensive and up-to-date archive of professional insights into global markets, companies, goods, and patterns.

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Impacts of the COVID-19-Mesenchymal Stem Cells Market Size Current and Future Industry Trends, 2020-2028 - 3rd Watch News

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Impacts of the COVID-19-Mesenchymal Stem Cells Market Size Current and Future Industry Trends, 2020-2028 – 3rd Watch News | July 3rd, 2020

Lineage Cell Therapeutics (LCTX) is a small biotech developing 3 different off-the-shelf cell therapy products in dry AMD, spinal cord injuries, and non-small cell lung cancer. These are large unmet medical needs and have attracted interest from third-party groups that have provided some funding to advance Lineages programs. Currently valued at just under $125 million, Lineage could clearly have a huge upside if these programs make it to market. This article provides my assessment of why Lineage is worth the risk at present.

Lineages main pipeline asset is OpRegen which is being developed to treat dry age-related macular degeneration. Dry AMD is a huge market opportunity. One market estimate Ive seen is that the dry AMD market was worth approximately $2.09 billion in 2017 and that the overall growth rate of the AMD market (both dry and wet AMD) as a whole is expected to be around 7.8% in the coming years. It's likely this growth rate understates dry AMD growth potential in particular given the relative lack of treatment options for dry AMD as compared to wet AMD.

According to Lineage, this estimate is likely way under what the true market size could be, too. Lineage says the wet AMD market is greater than $10 billion yet dry AMD represents about 90% of the total cases.

Figure 1: Lineages Dry AMD Competition (source: corporate presentation)

Apellis (APLS) has a Phase 3 candidate for dry AMD that, if successful, will likely hit the market before OpRegen. In addition, there are a couple other potential therapies that are more early-stage products. As you can see from Figure 1 though, OpRegen should stack up pretty well if Lineage can continue to successfully develop the product.

OpRegen utilizes Lineages technology platform of off-the-shelf pluripotent stem cells.

Figure 2: Lineages Technology Platform (source: corporate presentation)

In the case of OpRegen, Lineage is using these pluripotent stem cells to create retinal pigment epithelium cells that are injected into the eye to replace those lost due to disease. This should support photoreceptors that otherwise would have lost function due to disease progression, causing decreased levels of vision and eventually blindness over time in severe cases.

Figure 3: OpRegen Mechanism of Action (source: corporate presentation)

Lineage has an ongoing Phase 1/2a trial that is close to full enrollment, lacking just 3 patients now. Enrollment was temporarily paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the company has re-initiated patient enrollment and hopes to have complete enrollment later this quarter (Q3). Lineage also recently reported that 1 of the 18 patients enrolled to date has already shown signs of retinal tissue regeneration, a first-in-human clinical result.

Although very early, this type of progress is encouraging, and its clear that the market potential is huge if Lineage can make it to the finish line. Investors should be aware though that a major setback in a lead program like OpRegen could be devastating to Lineage and its shareholders.

Lineages Other 2 Pipeline Programs Have Received Third-Party Funding and Similarly Address Large Market Needs

In addition to OpRegen, Lineage has 2 other potentially lucrative products in its pipeline.

Figure 4: Lineages Pipeline (source: Lineages website)

The one that is furthest along after OpRegen is OPC1 for spinal cord injury. Spinal cord trauma was a $2.27 billion market in 2017 and is expected to grow at 3.7% per year. Unfortunately for patients affected, there are no current treatments on the market that affect disease progression or reversal of the traumatic damage, but by contrast, OPC1 is intended to actually improve the function of a patients upper extremities.

Lineage uses its pluripotent stem cell technology to create oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and injects them into the area of the spinal injury. This hopefully allows for re-myelination at the injury site and increased nerve and blood vessel growth in the area. A Phase 1 and a Phase 1/2a trial have already been completed with promising results. Although obviously just one anecdotal case, Lineage has shared the story of 1 clinical trial patient going from complete paralysis to throwing out the first pitch at a baseball game.

Figure 5: Results of 1 OPC1 Trial Participant (source: Lineages website)

Lineage is in the process of evaluating this trial data and plans as a next step to have a meeting with the FDA about proceeding with a Phase 2/3 trial.

Lineages last pipeline asset is VAC2, which is a potential dendritic cell-based cancer vaccine that has received support from Cancer Research UK. The underlying VAC platform could potentially be used for both cancers and infectious diseases based on what type of antigen is loaded into the cells before injection into the body. The first targeted indication is in non-small cell lung cancer, for which there is already an ongoing Phase 1 trial. Interim Phase 1 data should be available in Q4. Upon receiving positive results, Lineage intends to try using VAC2 in conjunction with an immune checkpoint inhibitor in a Phase 2 trial.

A couple years back, the 20th drug on the list of best-selling anti-cancer agents still brought in $960 million and the 1st brought in $6.7 billion. That market is already larger now and will be even more so by the time Lineages therapy might hit the market because the estimated CAGR is around 7.6%. Non-small cell lung cancer in particular is estimated to be a $10.9 billion market next year and is notoriously hard to treat.

Also noteworthy is that Lineage has said it is investigating using its VAC platform for a potential COVID-19 vaccine. Lineage is reportedly seeking grant funding to continue this program. It seems like a long-shot for Lineage to get meaningfully involved in this effort well after many other better-funded companies, but I am glad to see that Lineage intends to use grant funding to pursue this opportunity rather than its own resources if there is funding to be had.

Lineage reported having $9.8 million in cash and $15.9 million in marketable securities as of the end of Q1. These marketable securities include stakes in OncoCyte (OCX), AgeX (AGE), and Hadasit. Lineage also holds a $24 million promissory note from Juvenescence that matures this August, but this note automatically converts to Juvenescence securities in the event of an IPO by Juvenescence before then.

Lineage has no long-term debt and reported an $8.4 million loss in Q1. This level of cash burn implies that Lineage can only make it to around the end of this year on its cash and securities alone. Lineage should get liquidity on its promissory note from Juvenescence later this year whether through repayment or an IPO. This will buy Lineage until late next year at current levels of spending.

I think its also worth noting that there is certainly a risk that the value of Lineages marketable securities will decline resulting in Lineage getting less cash from an eventual sale. For example, just this week OncoCyte reported that its lung nodule liquid biopsy failed and the stock tanked about 40%. Lineages remaining Oncocyte holdings are now worth only about $8.2 million rather than the $11.3 million estimated value reported at the end of Q1. Lineage may find it has far less cash available than expected if similar things keep happening.

Regardless, a company like Lineage will have to sell a large amount of its own stock to raise cash before its therapies will ever even have a chance of hitting the market. Lineages current stock price would make this means of funding inefficient and highly dilutive. Lineage investors need to be aware that major setbacks to its pipeline at this stage could result in the loss of most, if not all, invested capital.

I first analyzed future revenue and earnings estimates to assess Lineages value proposition. There were only 2 analyst estimates posted for most years over the next decade this is less than I would like to see but still a good starting point since these 2 analysts estimates are reasonably similar.

Figure 6: Lineage Sales and Earnings Estimates (source: Seeking Alpha)

As you can see from Figure 6, once Lineage is estimated to be cash-flow positive in 2023, its sales and earnings ratios become extremely low. Im not sure I can recall analyzing a company that was trading at less than .2x estimated future earnings when 15x is about average. I then discounted these estimates to see how the ratios changed.

Figure 7: Lineage Present Value Estimates (source: sales and earnings estimates from Seeking Alpha and my calculations based on them)

Even at an extremely high 30% discount rate to factor in the risky, early-stage nature of Lineage's pipeline, Lineage shares have roughly 2.5x upside to the present value estimate I calculated at an average 5 P/S and about 4.5x upside to my present value estimate calculated at an average 15 P/E. These are strongly suggestive that Lineage is undervalued. Despite this, given how early-stage and unproven as Lineages therapies are, I wanted to conduct a discounted cash flow analysis to see if it would confirm that Lineage shares provide a good risk/reward balance.

I estimated SG&A expenses as 34% of revenue, marketing expense at 5% of revenue, and cost of goods sold at 10%, at the point where the company has substantial cash flow in a few years, and I scale the numbers up fairly evenly from present values for the years in between. I also adjusted for future cash flow needs based on continuing cash burn for the foreseeable future. I used the market size estimates as described above for each of Lineages potential dry AMD and spinal cord trauma therapies, and for the potential cancer therapy, I modeled it as having peak sales equivalent to what would put it just barely in the top 20 of best-selling cancer drugs, albeit scaled up for expected overall market growth.

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Figure 8: Lineage Discounted Cash Flow Analysis (source: Lineages 10-Q and my calculations based on it)

As you can see in Figure 8, my model shows a potential fair value of $1.69 per share, which is over 80% above where Lineage is currently trading. In my view, this analysis, in combination with the sales and earnings estimates in Figure 7, shows that Lineage does present a relatively good risk/reward opportunity for long-term investors at current price levels. I recently added a small speculative position in Lineage stock to my portfolio, and I intend to hold on to most of the position long term, absent a substantial change to the companys outlook.

Lineage is targeting disease indications that are big, unmet market needs, but each pipeline therapy is still very early. Any potential investor should note that an investment in Lineage comes with a very real possibility of the loss of the entire investment if Lineages technology proves unsuccessful. That being said, I view the risk/reward as a decent bet at current price levels and have initiated a small position myself.

Disclosure: I am/we are long LCTX. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Additional disclosure: Im not a registered investment advisor. Despite that I strive to provide the most accurate information, I neither guarantee the accuracy nor the timeliness. Past performance does NOT guarantee future results. I reserve the right to make any investment decision for myself without notification. The thesis that I presented may change anytime due to the changing nature of information itself. Investment in stocks and options can result in a loss of capital. The information presented should NOT be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any form of security. My articles are best utilized as educational and informational materials to assist investors in your own due diligence process. You are expected to perform your own due diligence and take responsibility for your actions. You should also consult with your own financial advisor for specific guidance as financial circumstances are individualized.

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Lineage Cell Therapeutics Is A High-Risk But High-Reward Opportunity To Consider - Seeking Alpha

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Lineage Cell Therapeutics Is A High-Risk But High-Reward Opportunity To Consider – Seeking Alpha | July 3rd, 2020

No matter how many molecules he threw at them, Paul Tesar couldnt get the brain cells to survive. Or he got them to survive, but then to everyones bafflement they still couldnt do what they were supposed to.

Tesar, a professor of innovative therapeutics at Case Western University, had spent years building stem cell models for multiple sclerosis, growing brain organoids in dishes and then seeing what small molecules restored myelin production. Now he was trying to do the same for other myelin diseases, particularly an ultra-rare genetic condition called Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, where a single mutation leads to the death of the myelin-producing neurons, called oligodendrocytes, and can kill patients in infancy.

Weve screened many thousands of small molecule compounds, Tesar toldEndpoints News. But we could not get them to restore function.

Then Tesar got an email from Ionis, the California biotech that had just used an RNA-modifying technology called antisense to build Spinraza, the first FDA-approved drug for the genetic neurological disorder spinal muscular atrophy.

Now, in a study published inNature,Tesar and Ionis have shown they can use a single dose of drug built from that technology to keep those neurons both alive and well-functioning and treat the disease at least in mice. The publication isnt groundbreaking, antisense researchers say, but it shows for the first time that antisense can be used to effectively target oligodendrocytes, an insight its authors hope will open up other rare myelin disorders to therapy.

Its not that its different than everything thats been done before, but it goes further than everything thats gone before, Jon Watts, a professor at the RNA Therapeutics Institute at UMass Medical School who is not affiliated with Ionis or the paper, told Endpoints, both in terms of duration of effect after a single dose, and the real focus in getting the biology, the therapeutic effect in oligodendrocytes.

The applicability to the most famous and common of myelin disorders, multiple sclerosis, is limited, researchers say, both because the therapy relied on having a specific gene to target and because the paper doesnt prove you can get an effect on the peripheral nervous system. Still, Berit Powers, an assistant director at Ioniss neurology research department and a co-author, pointed to several other genetic myelin disorders, known as leukodystrophies. That includes an Ionis program on Alexander disease, a rare childhood condition with Parkinsons-like symptoms.

Were certainly exploring the potential of ASOs in non-monogenic conditions like MS, Powers told Endpoints, using a shorthand for antisense oligonucleotides. But that work is very new.

This is hardly Tesars first foray into biotech. In 2015, he showed in Naturehow certain small molecules could regenerate myelin the holy grail for an MS therapy and founded Convelo Therapeutics around that work. Last year, they partnered with Genentech for an undisclosed sum and an exclusive option to acquire the company.

Myelin is a fatty substance that coats neurons, insulating them and helping electric currents pass through. Tesars lab was broadly interested in the question of why myelin fails, both in MS and rare diseases, and about 7 years ago he got a grant to work from the PMD Foundation.

First, Tesar built stem cell models of the disease, figuring out how different mutations in a single gene, called PLP1, lead oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (the stem cell-like cells that will become oligodendrocytes) to create a toxic RNA and a mutated protein that kills them soon after they differentiate. Then, he tried to suppress that gene with different chemicals, eventually testing over 3,000 different compounds.

He was able to eventually get the oligodendrocytes to survive, but to his surprise, they didnt produce myelin as they should. The surviving cells still couldnt properly function, revealing, he wrote in a 2018 Cell paper a second phase of pathology. A hypothetical treatment, he argued, would have to both keep progenitor cells alive and then treat the survivors in a way that induces myelination.

With antisense, he and Powers Ionis team were able to do both. Antisense oligonucelotides consist of strands of RNA that are a mirror image of the RNA you want to target. The mirror binds to and silences, or turns off, that gene. In the study, the researchers confirmed that PLP1 was disease-causing by knocking out the gene in cell lines with CRISPR. Then they injected mice with antisense strands through the spinal cord, the same way Spinraza is delivered. (You cant use CRISPR to treat the disease in humans, because theres no good way yet of delivering it.)

Powers and Tesar were unsure if they would be able to target oligodendrocytes and progenitor cells. What they found, though, was complete restoration of oligodendrocytes and a profound rescue of neurological function. Myelin, too, was finally restored. Mice that died after 3 weeks now lived for over 200 days.

Ionis hasnt licensed the drug and its unclear yet the implications for other diseases, but researchers say the results could translate into humans quickly, at least by drug development standards.

I do think its very rapidly translatable, Watts said. Based on the data theyre showing here, and based on the unmet need, this appears to be something that could be translated pretty quickly into a Phase I trial.

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The doping drug EPO seems to ease severe corona cases. This is what researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine in Gttingen, Germany, have now discovered. The drug that was originally intended as a cure for anemia might also be able to protect patients from neurological side effects once the SARS Cov-2 virus attacks the brain. The initial case studies were already very positive. The researchers are now starting a randomized clinical trial to systematically investigate the effects of EPO treatment in COVID-19 patients.

A patient with serious symptoms of COVID-19 was admitted to an Iranian hospital at the end of March. As he also had bad blood values, the doctors prescribed EPO in his case too. Another indication that EPO plays a protective role in COVID-19 comes from South America. There, serious diseases are rarer in high altitude areas than in the low-lying regions. Possibly because people living at higher altitudes produce more EPO themselves. In other words, they have more red blood cells and are better adapted to oxygen deficiencies. Could EPO have contributed to the rapid healing of the Iranian patient? And also explain the variances in the frequency of the disease in South America?

Hannelore Ehrenreich believes that this might indeed be possible. The scientist at the Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine suspects a correlation between the administration of EPO and a mild progression of the disease. We have found, for example, that dialysis patients tolerate COVID-19 remarkably well. It is precisely these patients who regularly receive erythropoietin (EPO) as part of their dialysis treatment, says Ehrenreich. EPO is released in our bodies as a natural reaction to reduced oxygen levels. The molecule stimulates the formation of red blood cells and thus improves the oxygen supply to the brain and muscles. Athletes who use synthetically produced EPO as a doping drug also benefit from this effect. However, EPO not only stimulates the blood cells but also a lot of other tissues in the body.

Ehrenreich and her colleagues have now summarized the studies on the effects of EPO that are already available. Including animal studies suggesting that EPO acts on the sections of the brain stem and spinal cord that regulate respiration. This improves respiration whenever there is a lack of oxygen. EPO also has an anti-inflammatory effect on immune cells, which may help to reduce the often exaggerated immune response occurring in COVID-19 patients. EPO can also protect against neurological symptoms and side effects of the disease, such as headaches, dizziness, loss of taste and smell, and epileptic seizures.

The protective effects of EPO have been demonstrated both in animals and in a large number of studies on people who have various brain disorders. However, pharmaceutical companies have only limited interest in funding any further required studies on approved active substances such as erythropoietin, (of which the patent protection has since expired). COVID-19 can have such serious consequences for health that we need to examine all evidence of the protective effect that EPO might have. After all, there is currently no vaccine or drug available at present. This is why we are in the process of preparing a clinical trial with people to examine the effect EPO has on COVID-19; a so-called proof-of-concept study, Ehrenreich explains. In this clinical trial, critically ill Covid-19 patients will be given additional amounts of EPO.

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Spending extra time indoors (and separated from our typical grooming resources) has shifted our focus to the few aesthetic things we can control, like doubling down on our skin care routine.

Perhaps thats why Marissa Collections has seen an increase in demand for Vintners Daughter, a beauty line founded by Naples native and third-generation winemaker April Gargiulo. During times of stress, self-care is the one thing people can do for themselves to give that balance, since they cant go to a hair salon or their favorite shop, says Laura Pangallo, Marissa Collections jewelry and beauty sales manager.

Vintners Daughter has experienced a meteoric rise since it launched in 2013, as one of the pioneering names in the clean-beauty movementa shift away from using chemical-ridden products and toward embracing simpler, plant-based skin care routines.

Marissa Collections started carrying the line three years ago, when Pangallo began noticing an uptick of natural skin care brands entering the market. With its local connection, Vintners Daughter was a natural fit for Naples. Garguilo, whose parents still live here part-time and are trustees of the Naples Children & Education Foundation, grew up with the shops CEO, Jay Hartington. Many members of the team also use the products and attest to their effectiveness. One thing thats unique is that Vintners Daughter doesnt have 20 or 30 products; they have two, and they make them well, and they really work, Pangallo says. Im a skin care junkie, and when I started using the essence, I instantly noticed the difference.

Gargiulo has been called the sommelier of skin care and her award-winning seruma face oil infused with 22 nutrient-rich botanicals, including skin-firming cypress from Spain and pore-shrinking hazelnut from Piedmontis what she considers to be her desert island, holy grail skin product.

Eight years ago, when Gargiulo was pregnant with her first daughter and working with her familys eponymous winery in California, she started examining the labels of the luxury products she was slathering on her face. She was shocked that only 0.01% of what was in the bottles contained active ingredients (those that address the targeted issue)the rest were filler. For me, luxury was far more than a price tag, and the only thing luxurious about these products was the price, she says.

At the time, face oils hadnt become mainstream and the 10-step Korean skin care routine was still popular. I thought if you were using natural, you had to compromise, she admits. She was eager to keep her body and family clear from toxins, but none of the chemical-free products she found were powerful enough to address her lifelong struggle with acne and discoloration and the onset of wrinkles she started to experience in her 30s.

Working with a seasoned formulator, Gargiulo spent the next two years developing the formula for her liquid gold serum. It would be another four years before shed release a second product, the Active Treatment Essence, which launched last year.

Labs she met with initially, when she was developing the serum, turned her away. They were put off by her proposition for a beauty product that would take three weeks (instead of the standard six hours) to produce. Im coming from winemaking, where youre thinking of the grapes and where theyre grown, and it takes three years to make a bottle of wine, she says. I thought three weeks was nothing. Another hitch? Instead of relying on the usual mix of chemicals and extracts, her formula required whole plantsall sourced from growers with generations of experience.

Napa Valleys winemaking culture motivated her to push onward when she was rejected by labs and retailers. Over the past 60 to 70 years, really audacious men and women put Napa Valley on the map for the finest wines in the world, and the passion it took is something that I still look to for inspiration, Gargiulo says.

The launch presented a revelation for the beauty industry. With no marketing dollars spent, editors, celebs and name-brand aestheticians flocked to this brand that had a singular product, doled out in tiny, unassuming, matte black bottles, retailing for $185. Whether they were looking to tackle pore size or reduce fine lines, early adopters found the serum actually worked across generations, skin types and for various issues.

Every dimension of the productfrom the tiny particle size, which allows the serum to better penetrate the skin, to the ratios usedis thought out to effectively target skin concerns. The serum still takes three weeks to make, a process that includes extracting every nutrient the plant has to offer.

Gargiulo took her time in developing the brands second product. The essencea primer applied to clean skin to boost hydration and the serums other effectstakes five weeks to make. The ingredients are fermented for better absorption and to deliver antioxidant-rich prebiotics and probiotics. Added plant stem cells and hyaluronic acid help the skin produce more collagen and hydrate at the deepest level.

For now, the 45-year-old skin care guru is perfectly happy selling the two products, which combine for a two-step process that promises to brighten, tighten and protect skin. The prescription? Pat on the essence, then press a few drops of the serum onto your skin, followed by sunscreen during the day.

At the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, like so many of us, Gargiulo turned to her beauty products as a way to de-stress. She was loading up on masks and applying products multiple times a day, only to find her acne-prone skin flared up. The experience nudged her back to her baseline. I was like, April, what are you thinking? You know better, she says. After years of winemaking, she knows that higher quality and a smaller yield always offers you better results.

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Seed to Skin - Gulfshore Life

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Jul 4th 2020

Editors note: Each of these climate-change articles is fiction, but grounded in historical fact and real science. The year, concentration of carbon dioxide and average temperature rise (above pre-industrial average) are shown for each one. The scenarios do not present a unified narrative but are set in different worlds, with a range of climate sensitivities, on different emissions pathways

IN THE LATE 1980s Michael Crichton, a novelist and filmmaker, had a lucrative idea. He picked up on the work of Allan Wilson, a geneticist at the University of California, Berkeley, and let his imagination run riot. Wilson had extracted DNA from an extinct type of zebra called a quagga. The DNA in question was fragmented, and the extinction of the quagga only a century in the past, but that did not matter. Crichton speculated about recovering far older DNA than the quaggas by looking in the guts of bloodsucking insects preserved in amber that had formed millions of years ago, during the age of the dinosaurs. If the insects had been feasting on dinosaurs, he mused, they might have preserved those creatures DNA. And if you have somethings DNA you could, perhaps, recreate it. The result was Jurassic Park.

Sadly, there is no sign of any real DNA having been preserved from that far back in the past. But be a bit less ambitious in your time-travelling, and apply the three decades worth of biotechnological advances that have happened since Jurassic Park was published to the question of how you might go forward from here, and the aspiration of recreating at least some prehistoric creatures no longer seems completely fanciful. It may, moreover, be of practical importance, because one animal the de-extinctionists have in their sights is the woolly mammoth. And some people believe that reintroducing mammoths into the wild would make a change to the ecology of Earths northern reaches sufficiently large as to help curb global warming.

This, then, is the idea behind the Harvard Woolly Mammoth Revival Project, run by George Church. Unlike the long-dead dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, mammoths were present on Earth as recently as 4,000 years ago. That, and the fact that many of the parts of the world in which they lived are still pretty chilly, means quite a lot of mammoth DNA remains reasonably intact in frozen corpses recovered from the tundraenough for palaeogeneticists to have reconstructed the animals genome. And with a genome, as Crichton mused, you can aspire to produce an animal.

Mammoths are a species of elephant. This helps because two (or, according to some taxonomists, three) other species of these animals remain alive today to provide assistance to the mammoth-revivers. Though African elephants (one species, or possibly two) are closer in size to mammoths than their Asian cousins are, genetics show that the Asian variety are mammoths closest living relatives, so it is they that are the focus of Dr Churchs research.

People once fantasised about cloning a mammoth directly, from cells or cell nuclei somehow revived from a fossil specimen. Dr Churchs approach is less ambitious and more realistic. It is to engineer the crucial elements of mammothness into Asian-elephant cells and then use these modified cells to create beasts which have the characteristics of mammoths, even if they are not strictly the real thing.

The technology that may make this possible is CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, which permits precise changes to be made at particular places in an existing genome. In the case of mammoths the task does not, at first sight, seem too hard. An Asian elephants genome is 99.96% similar to a mammoths. Unfortunately, the 0.04% of difference amounts to about 1.4m places in the genome where the genetic letters of the DNA message differ between the species. Most of these differences are, admittedly, in places where they probably do not matter. But there are 2,020 exceptions which, collectively, change the nature of 1,642 genesabout 6.5% of the total. It is these differences that make mammoths and Asian elephants distinct.

Dr Churchs team are therefore concentrating on mammothising what they perceive to be the most pertinent of these genomic locations. They are tweaking the genes of laboratory-grown Asian-elephant skin cells one at a time, focusing on changes they hope will promote mammoths famed hairiness, their propensity to store layers of fat beneath their skin, their cold-adapted haemoglobin and even the protein molecules in their cell membranes that act as channels for the passage of sodium ions, and which are also adapted to the cold. Whether they also tinker with genes for size is, for now at least, undecided.

The teams hope, once enough mammothness has been engendered into these cells, is that they can then be induced, by what is now a well-established laboratory procedure, to turn from being skin cells into stem cells. A stem cell is one that has the developmental plasticity needed to give rise to all sorts of other cells as it multiplies. In the short term, this approach will let Dr Church and his colleagues grow tissues such as blood, for further study. In the longer term, perhaps using an artificial womb, a stem cell of this sort might be grown into an embryo that can be brought to term. Not quite a true mammoth. But not a bad imitation.

That is all a huge technical challenge. But it is not completely fanciful. And success would usher in the second part of the plan: to liberate groups of newly created mammothoids into the wild, and let them multiply and change the Earth. This is the long-held dream of another group of researchers, led by Sergey Zimov, who runs the Russian Academy of Sciences Northeast Scientific Station, near Cherskii. Not only is it an attractive idea in its own rightfor who could resist the idea of mammoths once again thundering over Siberia?but it might also alter the climate for the better.

Dr Zimovs plan is a grand project of biogeoengineering. Recreated mammoths are the boldest part of his aspiration to revive the grassland-steppe ecosystem that dominated Siberia until the arrival there of human beings, about 30,000 years ago. It had more or less disappeared by about 10,000 years ago, the end of the Pleistocene epoch, to be replaced by the modern tundra, which is dominated by moss and small trees.

This shift in vegetation was, Dr Zimov and his colleagues believe, a result of the extinction or near-extinction at that time of most of the areas large herbivore species. This was almost certainly a consequence of hunting by human beings. Where once there were woolly rhinoceros, musk ox, bison, saiga, yaks, wild horses and mammoths, there now remain only reindeer and elk. The hooves of those vast herds of herbivores were, he believes, the crucial factor stopping the spread of moss at the expense of grass. And the crashing bulk and appetites of the largest speciesmammoths in particularwould have dealt with young trees before they could grow up, as is still the case for elephants in what remains of Africas savannah. The loss of the grassland, climate modelling suggests, propelled an increase in temperature.

One factor driving this change was that forest and moss are darker than grassland. Their spread has therefore increased the amount of sunlight absorbed by the area they are growing in, causing warming.

A second factor was that large animals helped maintain the soil in the perpetually frozen state known as permafrost, by churning up the winter snowfall and thus bringing the soil into contact with the freezing winter air. But without them, the snow instead forms an insulating blanket that allows the soil beneath to warm up. And when permafrost melts, the organic matter in it breaks down, releasing methane and carbon dioxideboth greenhouse gases.

The third pertinent effect is that grass sequesters carbon in the soil in its roots. In Arctic habitats it would do this better than the small, sparse trees now present, and much better than moss, a type of plant that has no roots. Carbon stored this way is thus kept out of the atmosphere where, in the form of carbon dioxide, it would contribute to global warming. When the grass disappeared, the storage capacity did, too.

All these things point to the idea that restoring the Siberian grasslands at the expense of the tundra would be a good thing to do. And Dr Zimov has indeed made a start at doing so, in an area of tundra, covering 160 square kilometres (62 square miles), near his research station. In 1988 he enclosed part of this area and has gradually populated it with reindeer, Yakutian horses, elk, bison, musk ox, yaks, Kalmykian cows and sheep. These coexist with several species of predator, including lynx, wolverines and brown bears. He calls this rewilding project Pleistocene Park, and thinks it would benefit greatly from having a few mammoths, or even mammoth substitutes, in it as well.

Pleistocene Park is an experiment, but it seems to be working. Grasses now dominate large parts of it, carbon storage in the soil is going up and the rate of nutrient turnover is increasing, too. This last point is important because a faster turnover of nutrients means more animals can be supported by a given areaa prerequisite for re-establishing large herds.

Clearly, for Dr Zimovs project to have any effect on the climate it would have to be carried out on a grand scale. The Northeast Siberian coastal tundra, to give the area of habitat in which Pleistocene Park is located its proper name, covers about 850,000 square kilometres, so the park is, at the moment, a mere pinprick. It would also take many decades, even without the complication of introducing as-yet-imaginary mammothoids into the mix.

Expansive though the tundra is, however, whether that effect will be large enough to weigh in the scales of a planet-sized problem is a matter of debate. The models suggest that the global temperature rise brought about by the shift from steppe to tundra was a bit over 0.1C. Reversing this shift would, presumably, push the temperature down by a similar amount. That, as Chris Field of Stanford University, in California, who was one of the modellers, points out, would help stabilise the climate, provided global temperature rises above preindustrial levels can be kept, by other means, below 1.5-2C, the objective agreed in Paris in 2015. But if the rise were much greater than this, he thinks the permafrost would melt anywaymammoths or no.

This article appeared in the The World If section of the print edition under the headline "Doing the tundra quick-steppe"

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What if mammoths are brought back from extinction? - The Economist

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Los Angeles: Researchers, including those of Indian-origin, have shown that the novel coronavirus can infect lab-grown cardiac muscle cells, indicating it may be possible for the virus to directly cause heart infection in COVID-19 patients.The study, published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine, was based on experiments conducted in lab-grown heart muscle cells which were produced from unspecialised human stem cells.We not only uncovered that these stem cell-derived heart cells are susceptible to infection by novel coronavirus, but that the virus can also quickly divide within the heart muscle cells, said study co-author Arun Sharma from the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute in the US.Even more significant, the infected heart cells showed changes in their ability to beat after 72 hours of infection, Sharma said.Although many COVID-19 patients experience heart problems, the scientists said the reasons for these symptoms are not entirely clear. They said pre-existing cardiac conditions, or inflammation and oxygen deprivation that result from the infection have all been implicated.According to the scientists, there is only limited evidence available that the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, directly infects individual muscle cells of the heart. The current study showed that SARS-CoV-2 can infect heart cells derived from human stem-cells and change how the genes in these cells helped make proteins.Based on this observation, the scientists confirmed that human heart cells can be actively infected by the virus, activating innate cellular defense mechanisms in an effort to help clear out the virus. Citing the limitations of the study, they said these findings are not a perfect replicate of what is happening in the human body since the research was carried out in lab-grown heart cells. However, this knowledge may help investigators use stem cell-derived heart cells as a screening platform to identify new antiviral compounds that could alleviate viral infection of the heart, believes study co-author Clive Svendsen.This viral pandemic is predominately defined by respiratory symptoms, but there are also cardiac complications, including arrhythmias, heart failure and viral myocarditis, said Svendsen, director of the Regenerative Medicine Institute.While this could be the result of massive inflammation in response to the virus, our data suggest that the heart could also be directly affected by the virus in COVID-19, Svendsen said. The scientists also found that treatment with an antibody protein could lock onto the human cell surface receptor ACE2 a known SARS-CoV-2 gateway into cells.According to the researchers, the antibody treatment was able to blunt viral replication on the lab-grown heart cells, suggesting that the ACE2 receptor could be used by the virus to enter human heart muscle cells. By blocking the ACE2 protein with an antibody, the virus is not as easily able to bind to the ACE2 protein, and thus cannot easily enter the cell, Sharma said.This not only helps us understand the mechanisms of how this virus functions, but also suggests therapeutic approaches that could be used as a potential treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection, he added.In the study, the researchers also used human induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs, which are a type of undifferentiated cells grown in the lab from a persons blood or skin cells. They said iPSCs can make any cell type found in the body, each one carrying the genetic material of the individual. According to the scientists, tissue-specific cells created in this way are used for research, and for creating and testing potential disease treatments.It is plausible that direct infection of cardiac muscle cells may contribute to COVID-related heart disease, said Eduardo Marban, executive director of the Smidt Heart Institute in the US, and study co-author. This key experimental system could be useful to understand the differences in disease processes of related coronaviral pathogens, SARS and MERS, said Vaithilingaraja Arumugaswami, another co-author of the study from the University of California Los Angeles in the US.PTI

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Coronavirus may infect heart cells of COVID-19 patients, scientists say - Kashmir Reader

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In this episode, supported by the UK Medical Research Council, geneticist Kat Arney and reporter Georgia Mills explore how researchers are letting the light shine in, literally, by uncovering the underlying genetic faults that cause eye diseases and developing game-changing gene therapies to save sight.

Mills speaks with sight loss charity campaigner and fundraiser Ken Reid about his experiences of living with the genetic eye condition Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP)a hereditary disease that causes the gradual degeneration of light-sensitive cells in the back of the eye. He first realized that something was wrong with his sight when he was a party-going teenager in the 1970s.

I always had very poor eyesight and couldnt understand how people could do things in the dark, he says. Most people probably dont remember what discos in the 70s were like, but they were just dark. You had this lovely interaction where it was very noisy, it was very dark and there were some flashing lights. I could see nothing and trying to find somebody to dance with was a real torment. I didnt know how people managed it!

At the MRC Human Genetics Unit in Edinburgh, Chloe Stanton is searching for the gene faults that underpin RP and other hereditary eye diseases, with more than 100 RP genes identified so far. To find out more about what all these genes actually do, her colleague Roly Megaw is growing tiny mini-eyes in the lab from reprogrammed stem cells originally derived from skin samples including one from Reid himself.

Finally, Robin Ali at Kings College London is running clinical trials of gene therapy for inherited eye disorders. Theres been impressive progress in recent years, and Ali is hopeful that treatments will come through for people like Reid.

In the 25 years Ive been working on developing gene therapy for retinal degeneration, weve seen huge advances. I think we couldnt imagine how far we could come. I remember when I first started, we were working out ways to deliver genes to the retina and we were pleased if we saw just one or two cells that had taken up a virus and maybe expressing a gene for a couple of weeks. We are now able to rescue dozens of different animal models highly effectively. Its just a matter of time until this technology can be applied as effectively to humans.

Full transcript, links and references available online at GeneticsUnzipped.com

Genetics Unzippedis the podcast from the UKGenetics Society,presented by award-winning science communicator and biologistKat Arneyand produced byFirst Create the Media.Follow Kat on Twitter@Kat_Arney,Genetics Unzipped@geneticsunzip,and the Genetics Society at@GenSocUK

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Podcast: Let the light shineTackling eye disease with gene therapy - Genetic Literacy Project

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Transparency Market Research (TMR) has published a new report titled, Autologous cell therapy Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20192027. According to the report, the global autologous cell therapy market was valued at US$ 7.5 Bn in 2018 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 18.1% from 2019 to 2027.

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Overview

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Rise in Prevalence of Neurological Disorders & Cancer and Others to Drive Market

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Bone Marrow Segment to Dominate Market

Neurology Segment to be Highly Lucrative Segment

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Hospitals Segment to be Highly Lucrative Segment

North America to Dominate Global Market

Competitive Landscape

The global autologous cell therapy market is fragmented in terms of number of players. Key players in the global market include Pharmicell Co., Inc., Castle Creek Biosciences, Inc., Vericel Corporation, Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Inc., BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics, Caladrius Biosciences, Inc., Opexa Therapeutics, Inc., Regeneus Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited., Sangamo Therapeutics, U.S. Stem Cell, Inc. and other prominent players.

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Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for several decision makers. Our experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.

Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

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Autologous Cell Therapy Market by Leading Manufacturers, Demand and Growth Overview 2019 to 2027 - 3rd Watch News

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Stem Cell Therapy Market In-Depth Analysis

Stem cells are preliminary body cells from which all other cells with specialized functions are generated. Under controlled environment in the body or a clinical laboratory, these cells divide to form more cells called daughter cells. Due to the advent of modern health science, these cells play a major role in understanding the occurrence of diseases, generation of advanced regenerative medicines, and drug discovery. There are certain sources such as embryo, bone marrow, body fats, and umbilical cord blood amongst others, where stem cells are generated. The globalstem cell therapy marketis driven by factors such as increasing awareness related to the stem cells therapy in effective disease management and growing demand for regenerative medicines. However, high cost related with stem cell therapy is likely to obstruct the growth of the stem cell therapy market during the forecast period. The growing research and development activities in Asia Pacific region is expected to offer huge growth opportunity for stem cell therapy market.

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Some of the key players profiled in the study are MEDIPOST, Pharmicell Co., Inc., RichSource, BioTime Inc. (Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Inc.), Mesoblast Limited, Holostem Terapie Avanzate Srl, U.S. Stem Cell, Inc., Caladrius Biosciences, Inc., TiGenix NV, AlloSource, etc.

The research report provides deep insights into the global market revenue, parent market trends, macro-economic indicators, and governing factors, along with market attractiveness per market segment. The report provides an overview of the growth rate of the Stem Cell Therapy market during the forecast period, i.e., 20202027. Most importantly, the report further identifies the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies. The research segments the market on the basis of product type, application, technology, and region. To offer more clarity regarding the industry, the report takes a closer look at the current status of various factors including but not limited to supply chain management, niche markets, distribution channel, trade, supply, and demand and production capability across different countries.

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market to 2027 Global Analysis and Forecast by Type (Adult Stem Cell Therapy, Embryonic Stem Cell Therapy, Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapy, Other Stem Cell Therapy); Treatment (Allogeneic, Autologous ); Application (Musculoskeletal, Dermatology, Cardiology, Drug Discovery and Development, Other Applications); End User (Hospitals and Specialty Clinics, Academic and Research Institutes)

Key Benefits

The report profiles the key players in the industry, along with a detailed analysis of their individual positions against the global landscape. The study conducts SWOT analysis to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of the key players in the Stem Cell Therapy market. The researcher provides an extensive analysis of the Stem Cell Therapy market size, share, trends, overall earnings, gross revenue, and profit margin to accurately draw a forecast and provide expert insights to investors to keep them updated with the trends in the market.

Competitive scenario:

The study assesses factors such as segmentation, description, and applications of Stem Cell Therapy industries. It derives accurate insights to give a holistic view of the dynamic features of the business, including shares, profit generation, thereby directing focus on the critical aspects of the business.

Scope of the Report

The research on the Stem Cell Therapy market focuses on mining out valuable data on investment pockets, growth opportunities, and major market vendors to help clients understand their competitors methodologies. The research also segments the Stem Cell Therapy market on the basis of end user, product type, application, and demography for the forecast period 20212027. Comprehensive analysis of critical aspects such as impacting factors and competitive landscape are showcased with the help of vital resources, such as charts, tables, and infographics.

Promising Regions & Countries Mentioned in The Stem Cell Therapy Market Report:

Major highlights of the report:

All-inclusive evaluation of the parent market

Evolution of significant market aspects

Industry-wide investigation of market segments

Assessment of market value and volume in past, present, and forecast years

Evaluation of market share

Study of niche industrial sectors

Tactical approaches of market leaders

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Stem Cell Therapy Market 2020 to Witness Lucrative Growth in Coming Years with Top Key Players RichSource, Mesoblast Limited, TiGenix NV, AlloSource -...

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Stem Cell Therapy Market 2020 to Witness Lucrative Growth in Coming Years with Top Key Players RichSource, Mesoblast Limited, TiGenix NV, AlloSource -… | July 2nd, 2020

Myelofibrosis or osteomyelofibrosis is a myeloproliferative disorder which is characterized by proliferation of abnormal clone of hematopoietic stem cells. Myelofibrosis is a rare type of chronic leukemia which affects the blood forming function of the bone marrow tissue. National Institute of Health (NIH) has listed it as a rare disease as the prevalence of myelofibrosis in UK is as low as 0.5 cases per 100,000 population. The cause of myelofibrosis is the genetic mutation in bone marrow stem cells. The disorder is found to occur mainly in the people of age 50 or more and shows no symptoms at an early stage. The common symptoms associated with myelofibrosis include weakness, fatigue, anemia, splenomegaly (spleen enlargement) and gout. However, the disease progresses very slowly and 10% of the patients eventually develop acute myeloid leukemia. Treatment options for myelofibrosis are mainly to prevent the complications associated with low blood count and splenomegaly.

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The global market for myelofibrosis treatment is expected to grow moderately due to low incidence of a disease. However, increasing incidence of genetic disorders, lifestyle up-gradation and rise in smoking population are the factors which can boost the growth of global myelofibrosis treatment market. The high cost of therapy will the growth of global myelofibrosis treatment market.

The global market for myelofibrosis treatment is segmented on basis of treatment type, end user and geography:

As myelofibrosis is considered as non-curable disease treatment options mainly depend on visible symptoms of a disease. Primary stages of the myelofibrosis are treated with supportive therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However, there are serious unmet needs in myelofibrosis treatment market due to lack of disease modifying agents. Approval of JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor Ruxolitinib in 2011 is considered as a breakthrough in myelofibrosis treatment. Stem cell transplantation for the treatment of myelofibrosis also holds tremendous potential for market growth but high cost of therapy is foreseen to limits the growth of the segment.

On the basis of treatment type, the global myelofibrosis treatment market has been segmented into blood transfusion, chemotherapy, androgen therapy and stem cell or bone marrow transplantation. Chemotherapy segment is expected to contribute major share due to easy availability of chemotherapeutic agents. Ruxolitinib is the only chemotherapeutic agent approved by the USFDA specifically for the treatment of myelofibrosis, which will drive the global myelofibrosis treatment market over the forecast period.

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Geographically, global myelofibrosis treatment market is segmented into five regions viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa. Northe America is anticipated to lead the global myelofibrosis treatment market due to comparatively high prevalence of the disease in the region.

Some of the key market players in the global myelofibrosis treatment market are Incyte Corporation, Novartis AG, Celgene Corporation, Mylan Pharmaceuticals Ulc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Eli Lilly and Company, Taro Pharmaceuticals Inc., AllCells LLC, Lonza Group Ltd., ATCC Inc. and others.

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COVID 19 to Lead the Sales of Myelofibrosis Treatment to Register Stellar Growth in the Next 10 Years - The Canton Independent Sentinel

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on COVID 19 to Lead the Sales of Myelofibrosis Treatment to Register Stellar Growth in the Next 10 Years – The Canton Independent Sentinel | July 2nd, 2020

Zinc finger and BTB domain-containing protein 46 (Zbtb46) is a transcription factor identified in classical dendritic cells, and maintains dendritic cell quiescence in a steady state. Zbtb46 has been reported to be a negative indicator of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We found that Zbtb46 was expressed at a relatively higher level in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) compared to mature cells, and higher in AML cells compared to normal bone marrow (BM) cells. However, the role of Zbtb46 in HSPCs and AML cells remains unclear. Therefore, we sought to elucidate the effect of Zbtb46 in normal hematopoiesis and AML cells.We generated Zbtb46 and Zbtb46Mx1-Cre mice. The deletion of Zbtb46 in Zbtb46Mx1-Cre mice was induced by intraperitoneal injection of double-stranded poly (I). poly (C) (poly(I:C)), and referred as Zbtb46 cKO. After confirming the deletion of Zbtb46, the frequency and numbers of HSPCs and mature blood cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Serial intraperitoneal injection of 5-fluorouracil was administrated to determine the repopulation ability of HSCs from Zbtb46 and Zbtb46 cKO mice. The correlation between Zbtb46 expression and prognosis was analyzed using the data from the Cancer Genome Atlas. To investigate the role of Zbtb46 in AML cells, we knocked down the expression of Zbtb46 in THP-1 cells using lentiviral vectors expressing small hairpin RNAs targeting Zbtb46. Cell proliferation rate was determined by cell count assay. Cell apoptosis and bromodeoxyuridine incorporation were determined by flow cytometry.The percentages and absolute numbers of HSPCs and mature blood cells were comparable in Zbtb46 cKO mice and its Zbtb46 littermates (Zbtb46vs. Zbtb46 cKO, HPC: 801,31084,282 vs. 907,20297,403, t = 0.82, P = 0.46; LSK: 86,8957802 vs. 102,2105025, t=1.65, P=0.17; HSC: 19,7533116 vs. 17,6083508, t=0.46, P=0.67). The repopulation ability of HSCs from Zbtb46Mx1-Cre mice was similar to those from Zbtb46 control (P=0.26). Zbtb46 had elevated expression in AML cells compared to total BM cells from normal control. Knockdown of Zbtb46 in THP-1 cells led to a significant increase in cell apoptosis and reduced cell growth and proliferation.Collectively, our data indicate that Zbtb46 is essential for survival and proliferation of AML cells, but dispensable for normal hematopoiesis.

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Zinc finger and BTB domain-containing protein 46 is essential for survival and proliferation of acute myeloid leukemia cell line but dispensable for...

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Zinc finger and BTB domain-containing protein 46 is essential for survival and proliferation of acute myeloid leukemia cell line but dispensable for… | July 2nd, 2020

Theglobal bioprinting marketshould reach $1.4 billion by 2024 from $306.2 million in 2019 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 35.4% for the period 2019 to 2024.

Report Scope:

This new BCC Research report on the topic Current Bioprinting Prospects and Future Innovations offers a detailed perspective on bioprinting technology, its current market and future prospects. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the trending applications of bioprinting in the market in the global context, including market forecasts and sales through 2024. The report is focused on the analysis of the bioprinting market by various product types, regions and applications.

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The products that matter the most, i.e., instruments (bioprinters), reagents (bioinks), 3D cell culture products, and software and services, are discussed and analyzed. Each of these segments are sub-divided into different types (as detailed later). The emphasis is on the printing instruments, reagents, tissue products, skin substitutes, etc. The report also highlights the popular and emerging applications of bioprinting in the clinical and research domains. The end user markets, i.e., research and development, cosmetics, drug discovery, clinical and others, are analyzed in this report. Other end user markets include chemical, agrochemical, educational, hobbyist and veterinary applications. This study includes a survey of the bioprinting market in all geographic regions, including North America, Europe, and Emerging markets. The Emerging markets include regions like India, China, Korea, Taiwan, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Latin America, among others.

The report elaborates on the critical issues and challenges facing the bioprinting industry as well as emerging trends in bioprinting technologies. It additionally features the new developments and new product launches in the global market.

The new BCC report provides relevant patent analysis and comprehensive profiles of market players in the industry. The industry structure chapter focuses on changing market trends, important manufacturers/suppliers, their market shares and product offerings. The chapter also covers mergers and acquisitions and any other collaborations or partnerships that happened during the evaluation period of this report that are expected to shape the industry.

Factors such as the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities that are expected to play a role in the evolution of the bioprinting market are also evaluated. Any regulatory changes or new initiatives are highlighted explicitly.

Excluded from this report is medical 3D printing, which focuses on nonliving materials used in medical devices. Examples of medical devices that are not covered include treatment models, surgical tools and guides, prosthetics, dental restorations and crowns, and surgical implants.

Report Includes:

85 data tables and 27 additional tables Comprehensive analysis of the bioprinting technologies and their trending applications in the market at a global scale Analyses of the global market trends with data from 2017 to 2018, estimates for 2019, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2024 Segmentation of the global market by technologies and products, notably instruments (bioprinters), reagents (bioinks), 3D cell culture products, and software and services Focus on the popular and emerging applications of bioprinting in the clinical and research domains Regional dynamics of bioprinting technologies covering North America, Europe and Other emerging markets including India, China, Korea, Taiwan, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Latin America etc. Discussion of new developments and new product launches in the global bioprinting market A relevant patent analysis Company profiles of market players in the industry, including 3Dynamic Systems Ltd., Aspect Biosystems, GeSiM, n3D Biosciences Inc., Organovo Holdings Inc., Prellis Biologics Inc. and regenHU Ltd.

Summary

Bioprinting is a form of additive manufacturing technology, that can be used to fabricate biomimicking 3D tissue constructs and organs. The reliability and accuracy offered by these 3D tissue structures and organ constructs have made them highly attractive for a number of applications. The use of stem cells in bioprinting has significant prospects in the area of personalized medicine, to develop customized tissues/organs for repair or for the fabrication of personalized 3D tissue models for drug toxicity testing.

There is a huge unmet demand for organs. Bioprinting of 3D organs has the potential to reduce the endless wait lists of organ donations and revolutionize the medical industry. Though a number of studies are going on catering to the development of fully, functional organs by bioprinting, a number of challenges remain. These pertain to the fabrication of complex tissues with multiple cell types, the issue of resolution, and the incorporation of vascularization, among other factors.

Despite these challenges, 3D bioprinting has undergone extensive progress and is used in many other applications. The 3D tissues being biofabricated can be used for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. From the treatment of wounds (3D skin tissues), to craniomaxillofacial repair and orthopedic reconstructive surgeries (bone grafts), to the vascular grafts used to treat the growing number of heart disease patientsthese are just some of the potential clinical applications of bioprinting. In addition, in situ bioprinters that have the ability to treat the wounds/injuries by directly printing cells at a wound site are also gaining immense popularity.

One of the main drivers of the bioprinting market are the applications of 3D tissue constructs and biofabricated organ-on-chips for in vitro drug testing. The pharmaceutical industry is constrained by a high rate of drug failures at the clinical stage. Bioprinted 3D models reproduce natural tissues very closely and, therefore, are ideal materials for in vitro drug testing and other preclinical testing studies. The potential of 3D tissues to alleviate the burden on animal testing is another reason for their increased popularity. Poietis recently launched the biofabricated skin tissue, Poieskin, which can be used for cosmetic testing applications. Moreover, a multitude research organizations and universities aredeveloping 3D tissue models for disease modeling, drug research and cancer studies, among others.

The bioprinting market is propelled by innovations in bioprinting technologies and products encompassing bioprinters, bioinks, software, and 3D tissue products. The number of U.S. patents issued in 2018 (through November 4, 2018) in the field of bioprinting increased to 38, from a total of 27 in 2017. The highest number of patents were issued in the category of 3D cell culture products followed by the bioinks segment. Strategic collaborations and partnerships among research institutes and bioprinting companies along with interested partners from the pharmaceuticals and cosmetics sectors are supporting the growth of bioprinting market in a big way. Other factors driving the growth of the bioprinting market include increased government grants, the rising interest of private venture capitalists supporting several bioprinting start-ups, and the increasing healthcare burden.

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Bioprinting Market Trends and Segments 2018-2023 Cole Reports - Cole of Duty

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Bioprinting Market Trends and Segments 2018-2023 Cole Reports – Cole of Duty | July 2nd, 2020

A new study suggests COVID-19 has the potential to infect cardiaccells, causing changes in their ability to function after just 72 hours.

The researchers found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID-19, was capable of infecting heart muscle cells created with stem cell technology and stored in a lab dish. They shared their findings in Cell Reports Medicine.

We not only uncovered that these stem cell-derived heart cells are susceptible to infection by novel coronavirus, but that the virus can also quickly divide within the heart muscle cells, first author Arun Sharma, PhD, a research fellow at the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute in Los Angeles, said in a statement.

The infected heart cells changed their gene expression profile, the authors added, providing additional context about how the body attempts to combat the infection. And the stem cell-derived heart cells show potential as an effective way to identify and test new methods for treating COVID-19-related heart infections.

Excerpt from:
Study shows COVID-19 can infect heart cellsand do serious damage in the process - Cardiovascular Business

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Study shows COVID-19 can infect heart cellsand do serious damage in the process – Cardiovascular Business | July 2nd, 2020

LOS ANGELES As medical experts learn about the novel coronavirus, which continues to exhibit an array of ever-evolving symptoms and long-term effects, researchers have found that the deadly illness can have deleterious impacts on the heart and brain.

A recent study published on June 25 in the journalCell Reports Medicine, found that while COVID-19 is commonly known as a respiratory illness, the disease has also been known to instigate inflammatory responses in the body which can negatively affect the function of ones heart and brain.

According to the study, researchers observed SARS-CoV-2 infecting human heart cells that were grown from stem cells in a lab. Within 72 hours of infection, the virus managed to spread and replicate, killing the heart cells.

The researchers brought up the particularly alarming possibility that if COVID-19 can infect the heart cells in a laboratory setting, it could possibly infect those specific organs, prompting the need for a cardiac-specific antiviral drug screen program.

And those concerns are not unwarranted, according to doctors and other researchers who have been observing and studying the wide range of health problems and negative outcomes that appear to come with the not-yet-fully-known territory of the novel virus.

The most common coronavirus symptoms are fever, a dry cough and shortness of breath and some people are contagious despite never experiencing symptoms. But as the virus continues to spread, less common symptoms are being reported, including loss of smell, vomiting and diarrhea, along with a variety of skin problems and harmful neurological effects.

A recentreportfromDr. Robert Stevens, M.D., the associate director of the Johns Hopkins Precision Medicine Center of Excellence for Neurocritical Care, said that coronavirus patients are continuously experiencing a wide range of disconcerting effects on the brain.

Some of the neural symptoms, according to Johns Hopkins, include:

Patients are also having peripheral nerve issues, such as Guillain-Barr syndrome, which can lead to paralysis and respiratory failure, wrote Stevens. I estimate that at least half of the patients Im seeing in the COVID-19 units have neurological symptoms.

While medical experts have continuously repeated that more is still being discovered about the virus, Stevens listed some possibilities on how COVID-19, a respiratory illness, is making its way to the brain.

The first possible way is that the virus may have the capacity to enter the brain and cause a severe and sudden infection. Cases reported in China and Japan found the viruss genetic material in spinal fluid, and a case in Florida found viral particles in brain cells, Stevens wrote.

He added that viral particles in the brain and spine may occur when the virus enters the body through a patients bloodstream or nerve endings.

The second possibility is that the bodys immune system has an overreaction to the virus, causing severe inflammatory responses that cause organ and tissue damage.

The third theory is the erratic physiological changes the disease causes in the body, which involve extremely high fever and low oxygen levels in the blood, result in harmful effects to the brain.

Stevens added that there has been an abnormal observance of blood clotting that has caused some coronavirus patients to suffer strokes. A stroke could occur if a blood clot were to block or narrow arteries leading to the brain, he said.

Another illness that has been known to impact the brain in patients with COVID-19 is currently being studied by Dr. Mady Hornig, an immunologist and professor of epidemiology at Columbia University.

Hornig said that Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is an illness that has been found in patients who have recovered from coronaviruses such as SARS.

TheCenters for Disease Control and Preventioncites a 2015 report from the nations top medical advisory body, the Institute of Medicine, which says that an estimated 836,000 to 2.5 million Americans suffer from ME/CFS.

The CDC says that people with ME/CFS experience severe fatigue, sleep problems, as well as difficulty with thinking and concentrating while experiencing pain and dizziness.

Hornig said SARS-CoV-1 and MERS have been associated with longer-term difficulties, in which many people appeared to have symptoms of ME/CFS.

Hornig is currently researching the long-term effects of COVID-19, and has been confronted with an array of concerning symptoms that have persisted in patients, as well as herself.

She can personally attest to the variety of symptoms that have been reported in coronavirus patients, ever since she began to experience her own COVID-19 symptoms in April that have continued to impact her daily life for the past few months.

She has also experienced cardiac complications while dealing with the illness.

Since getting sick, Hornig said shes had to carry a pulse oximeter with her, a device which registers her pulse since she began to have tachycardia episodes when her fever began to decline. Tachycardia is a condition that can make a persons heart beat abnormally fast, reducing blood flow to the rest of the body,according to the Mayo Clinic.

Hornigs most recent episode was on June 22. Her pulse registered at 135 beats per minute, which she said occurred just from her sitting at her computer. She said a normal pulse for someone her age would be around 60-70 beats per minute.

The findings on the novel virus potential effects on the heart and brain come as the CDC continues to update itslistof coronavirus symptoms and high-risk conditions for COVID-19 complications.

Notably, the CDC also removed the specific age threshold from the older adult classification. CDC now warns that among adults, risk increases steadily as you age, and its not just those over the age of 65 who are at increased risk for severe illness, the agency wrote.

Johns Hopkins has noted that younger patients in their 30s and 40s are reportedly having strokes as a result of COVID-19.

It may have something to do with the hyperactive blood-clotting system in these patients, Stevens said. Another system that is hyper-activated in patients with COVID-19 is the endothelial system, which consists of the cells that form the barrier between blood vessels and body tissue. This system is more biologically active in younger patients, and the combination of hyperactive endothelial and blood-clotting systems puts these patients at a major risk for developing blood clots.

But Stevens cautioned that more conclusive data is needed before the medical community can say with assurance that younger people are particularly susceptible to strokes caused by the novel coronavirus.

It is also plausible that theres an increase in stroke in COVID-19 patients of all ages, Stevens said.

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Its not just the lungs: COVID-19 can affect the brain and heart of those infected, researchers say - WITI FOX 6 Milwaukee

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Its not just the lungs: COVID-19 can affect the brain and heart of those infected, researchers say – WITI FOX 6 Milwaukee | July 2nd, 2020

Washington, July 2 : The overall number of global COVID-19 cases has increased to over 10.6 million, while the deaths have soared to more than 515,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

As of Thursday morning, the total number of cases increased to 10,667,217, while the fatalities stood at to 515,542, the Universitys Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

The US accounted for the worlds highest number of infections and fatalities with 2,685,806 and 128,061, respectively, according to the CSSE.

Brazil came in the second place with 1,448,753 infections and 60,632 deaths.

In terms of cases, Russia ranks third (653,479), and is followed by India (585,493), the UK (314,992), Peru (288,477), Chile (282,043), Spain (249,659), Italy (240,760), Mexico (231,770), Iran (230,211), Pakistan (213,470), France (202,981), Turkey (201,098), Germany (195,893), Saudi Arabia (194,225), South Africa (159,333), Bangladesh (149,258) and Canada (106,288), the CSSE figures showed.

The other countries with over 10,000 deaths are the UK (43,991), Italy (34,788), France (29,864), Mexico (28,510), Spain (28,364), India (17,400) and Iran (10,958).

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WHO says living with COVID-19 to be new normal as global cases top 10 mln - WeForNews

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on WHO says living with COVID-19 to be new normal as global cases top 10 mln – WeForNews | July 2nd, 2020