NewLink Genetics to Be Added to NASDAQ Biotechnology Index – Marketwire – Marketwire (press release)
By Dr. Matthew Watson
NewLink Genetics to Be Added to NASDAQ Biotechnology Index - Marketwire Marketwire (press release) The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index is designed to track the performance of a set of NASDAQ-listed securities classified according to the Industry Classification Benchmark (ICB) as either Biotechnology or Pharmaceuticals. These companies must meet ... |
Clinical testing of Singapore’s first influenza vaccine starts – Channel News Asia
By Dr. Matthew Watson
![]() Channel News Asia | Clinical testing of Singapore's first influenza vaccine starts Channel News Asia Singapore's first healthy volunteer has been given a dose of the H1N1 influenza vaccine developed by Singapore's A*STAR and Switzerland's Cytos Biotechnology AG in a clinical trial. PHOTOS. A medical technician performs tests for viruses (AFP) ... First influenza vaccine brought to clinical testing - Medical XpressMedical Xpress Singapore's first H1N1 flu vaccine starts clinical testXinhua A*Star and Cytos advance Singapore's first flu vaccinePharmaTimes |
Sony Biotechnology Inc.’s New Technology for Science Provides Researchers … – PR Newswire (press release)
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Sony Biotechnology Inc.'s New Technology for Science Provides Researchers ... PR Newswire (press release) CHAMPAIGN, Ill., May 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Biotechnology Inc. ("Sony") today announced the launch of the new Sony SP6800 Spectral Analyzer (SP6800). Sony will be exhibiting and taking orders for this system at CYTO 2013, which will be held at ... Sony Delivers New Technology for Science to CYTO 2013International Business Times (press release) |
Bowman decision affirms future of seed biotechnology – Delta Farm Press
By Dr. Matthew Watson
![]() Daily Beast | Bowman decision affirms future of seed biotechnology Delta Farm Press The TheTThe The???? In a 9-0 ruling, the Supreme Court rejected soybean farmer Vernon Bowman's claim that he was within his rights to plant Monsanto's Roundup Ready soybeans without the company's approval. The decision upholds Monsanto's seed ... Supreme Court unanimously upholds patent-holders rights in agricultural ...Lexology (registration) Supreme Court Holds That Exhaustion Doctrine Does Not Permit Purchasers Of ...Mondaq News Alerts (registration) Supreme Court Sides with Monsanto on Issue of Patent Protection for ...The National Law Review agprofessional.com all 50 news articles » |
PUMA BIOTECHNOLOGY INC : Puma Biotechnology Comment on Trading Activity – 4-traders (press release)
By Dr. Matthew Watson
PUMA BIOTECHNOLOGY INC : Puma Biotechnology Comment on Trading Activity 4-traders (press release) Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (NYSE: PBYI), a development stage biopharmaceutical company, has been contacted by the New York Stock Exchange regarding today's trading in the Company's common stock. It is the Company's policy not to comment on trading ... Puma Biotech Gains After Rival Drug Data Show No ThreatBloomberg |
Sanford Research Team Discovers Promising Batten Disease Therapy – PRWeb – PR Web (press release)
By Dr. Matthew Watson
![]() PR Web (press release) | Sanford Research Team Discovers Promising Batten Disease Therapy - PRWeb PR Web (press release) A team from Sanford Research has discovered a potentially promising therapy for reducing the degenerative effects of Batten disease, according to a recent study published by Human Molecular Genetics. Sanford Research's Jake Miller, Chun-Hung Chan, ... |
Term Limits: Eugenie C. Scott and the Retirement of "Darwinism" – Discovery Institute
By Dr. Matthew Watson
![]() Discovery Institute | Term Limits: Eugenie C. Scott and the Retirement of "Darwinism" Discovery Institute Dragutin Savic is professor of Molecular Genetics at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Belgrade. He spent several years as a visiting scientist at Johns Hopkins University, Carolinska Institute and Institute J. Monod. This article considers ... |
Sisters increase awareness of hereditary breast cancer – Richmond Times Dispatch
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Sisters increase awareness of hereditary breast cancer Richmond Times Dispatch “As much as we try to be science-based, there's not a real clear algorithm that says this is the path you should take,” said John Quillin, an assistant professor of human and molecular genetics at VCU Massey Cancer Center and a genetic counselor in the ... |
Pennington Biomedical Research Center, LSU to honor Dr. Jeffery Friedman – NOLA.com
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Pennington Biomedical Research Center, LSU to honor Dr. Jeffery Friedman NOLA.com Friedman, a Marilyn M. Simpson Professor at The Rockefeller University and investigator at Howard Hughes Medical Institute, was nominated for his scientific achievement in the field of molecular genetics, and for his discovery of leptin, a hormone that ... |
plant throws out ‘junk’ DNA – University at Buffalo Reporter
By Dr. Matthew Watson
![]() University at Buffalo Reporter | plant throws out 'junk' DNA University at Buffalo Reporter ... State University; Nanyang Technological University; Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona; Universitat Pompeu Fabra; Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics; Indiana University; Rutgers University; and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. |
Technion professor to lecture here on ‘Genetics of Being Jewish’ – St. Louis Jewish Light
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Technion professor to lecture here on 'Genetics of Being Jewish' St. Louis Jewish Light He now conducts research in human molecular genetics and stem cell biology. Skorecki's interest in population genetics began with a series of research studies tracing patrilineal genealogies in the Jewish priesthood and shared ancestries of Diaspora ... |
Replicating Oregon Cloning in California: Views on the Legality
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Oregon's stem cell cloning achievement
has triggered some discussion about whether it could be replicated
legally in California, which bans paying for eggs as was done in
Oregon.
it is “not true” that Oregon's stem cell research would be
illegal in California. Leftovers from IVF clinics could be used, he said.
Shoukhrat Mitalipov said that “SCNT (the process he used) did not
work with discarded human eggs.”
“SCNT worked with eggs from
healthy young volunteers (paid of course). IVF patients (whether paid
or not) have reproductive health problems and may not provide
acceptable quality eggs for SCNT.”
California Stem Cell Report in connection with yesterday's item that said because the Oregon researchers used paid donors for eggs, the research would be illegal in the Golden State.
"Not true. They did
it with nearly 40 percent efficiency, which does not require paying
for eggs, just use leftovers from IVF clinics."
to pay donors for their eggs in California. The question is whether
the research could be done properly without using paid donors. In recent
years, researchers at Harvard and elsewhere have said they needed paid donors for stem cell research to properly perform their research
and could not find them without providing compensation.
Source:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/uqpFc/~3/IimgOYxndkg/replicating-oregon-cloning-in.html
Weissman Says Oregon-style Stem Cell Research Could be Done in California
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Stanford researcher Irv Weissman says it
is “not true” that Oregon's stem cell research could not be done
legally in California.
Cell Report, he commented in connection with yesterday's item that said because the Oregon researchers used paid donors for eggs,the research would be illegal in the Golden State.
"Not true. They did
it with nearly 40 percent efficiency, which does not require paying
for eggs, just use leftovers from IVF clinics."
to pay donors for their eggs in California. The question is whether
the research could be done without using paid donors. In recent
years, researchers at Harvard and elsewhere have said they needed paid donors to properly perform their research
and could not find them without providing compensation.
Oregon concerning his views on Weissman's comments. We welcome other
comments as well. Comments can be filed directly by clicking on the word "comment" at the end of this item or you can email them to djensen@californiastemcellreport.com.
researcher Paul Knoepfler of UC Davis who notes that SCNT cloning is
permissible in California, which is what was done in Oregon. The
state does ban reproductive cloning, however.
Oregon-style Stem Cell Cloning Research Illegal in California: No Pay for Eggs in Golden State
By Dr. Matthew Watson
The good news out of Oregon is that
some diligent scientists in the Beaver State have accomplished a
major advance in stem cell research --- the cloning of human stem
cells.
would have been illegal in California, and probably will be banned
for decades, if not longer – thanks to Proposition 71 of 2004.
initiative that created the $3 billion California stem cell agency,
which is hailed internationally as being one of the world leaders in
financing stem cell science. Unfortunately, the 10,000-word
initiative also contains language that was aimed at winning voter
approval of the measure -- not promoting good science.
Robert Klein, the former and first chairman of the stem cell agency,
put in a provision that made it illegal to pay women for their eggs.
The Oregon researchers paid women $3,000 to $7,000 each for their eggs, reflecting the current market rate based on prices paid in
connection with IVF. In some cases for IVF, the compensation is
dramatically higher. (See here and here.) Stem cell researchers in
recent years in the United States have found that they cannot secure
an adequate number of donors without matching IVF donor compensation.
of some controversy, strong cases have been made that women
should make their own decisions about selling their eggs – not the what some call the nanny state. Of course, that should occur under well-regulated
situations. But Proposition 71 backers wanted to remove any possible
campaign objections by opponents of stem cell research, and so they
inserted the ban along with management minutia and other dubious
material.
Not without a herculean effort. That means another ballot measure or
a super, super majority vote in the California legislature plus the
signature of the governor. Imagine a measure on the ballot to
allow women to sell their eggs. The uproar would be heard
internationally. In 2004, when Proposition 71 was approved, it would
have been better to leave the compensation issue unaddressed. Then it
could have been dealt with through regulation or normal legislation,
both of which are far more flexible than ballot measures that alter
the state Constitution and state law.
news coverage indicated that many of the mainstream media stories
omitted the price of the eggs, which may suggest that the issue of
compensation is becoming moot.
accomplishment, UC Davis stem cell researcher Paul Knoepfler has
posted a good look at the some of the misinformation that is
surfacing on the Internet about the research, including its
implications.
“Keep in mind that on day one of the
iPS cell era in the stem cell field we had a huge number of
misconceptions because we simply had so much to learn. Same is true
here.”
Berkeley-based Biopolitical Times also has a solid roundup of the
coverage of the Oregon research and the analysis of its significance.
the California stem cell agency on the Oregon research, including one
dealing with “cloning hysteria” and a more general look.
Klein, StemCells, Inc., and $31,000 in Consulting Fees for Torres
By Dr. Matthew Watson
The Robert Klein-StemCells, Inc.,
affair has taken another turn with the disclosure that a vice
chairman of the California stem cell agency was paid at least $31,000
over a two-year period by Klein and also voted on behalf of Klein's
effort to win approval of a $20 million award for StemCells, Inc.
consulting fees during 2011 and 2012 from firms controlled by Klein, former chairman of
the agency. In 2012, Torres backed Klein's
efforts to override grant reviewers' rejection of the $20 million
application from the Newark, Ca., publicly traded firm.
Art Torres, center, with Bob Klein, left, at Klein's last meeting in 2011 as chairman of the California stem cell agency. Incoming chairman Jonathan Thomas is at right. |
The 29-member board of the California
Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), as the agency is formally
known, narrowly voted 7-5 last September for the award. It was the
first time that the board has approved an application rejected twice
by its scientific reviewers. It was also the first time that Klein
has lobbied the board on behalf of a specific application since
stepping down in June 2011. He was elected chairman in 2005 as the
agency was just beginning its work and is an iconic figure to many in
the California stem cell community.
California Stem Cell Report, Torres said,
"My decision to support an award
to StemCells, Inc. to explore the use of neural stem cell
transplantation to treat Alzheimer's disease was based on the merits
of the application and the hope it offers to patients who suffer from
Alzheimer's, a disease that affects millions, including Bob Klein's
late mother. I have no financial interest in StemCells, Inc. nor does
Bob Klein, and my decision to support the award has no connection
whatsoever to the work I do with Bob Klein."
public communications at CIRM, said that Torres' statement would be
the only comment on the matter from the agency.
declaring that personal issues were occupying his time.
questions to all three dealt with the propriety of Torres' employment
by both CIRM and Klein while Klein was asking the board to award a
business $20 million. The governing board has a code of conduct that
declares members should “maintain the highest standards of
integrity and professionalism.” However, it does not speak to
questions of appropriate employment by CIRM directors outside of the
agency.
are intended “to eliminate even the appearance of impropriety.”
He also referred to CIRM's policy on “incompatible activities”
for employees. It deals with activities that could “discredit”
the agency or that are “inimical” to it. However, it does not
specifically deal with the type of situation involving Torres and
Klein, who is a real estate investment banker and attorney. The policy additionally does not address cases where a
governing board member is also an employee of the agency.
which are required by state law, contain only broad ranges for compensation, and the amount could be significantly higher than
$31,000. Torres reported that in 2011 he was paid between $10,001 and
$100,000 by both Klein Financial Corp. and K CP Cal, which share the
same address as Klein's offices in Palo Alto. In 2012, Torres reported receiving between $10,001 and $100,000 from K CP Cal and
between $1,001 and $10,000 from Klein Ventures LLC, which also has
the same address.
consulting fees and that the firms dealt with real estate. He did not
respond to requests for more details.
arrangement, he works four days a week.
Democratic Party and a longtime state legislator. He was nominated
for vice chairman in 2009 by state Treasurer Bill Lockyer, among
others.
arrangement involving Klein surfaced in connection with the
StemCells, Inc., application. Klein gave the agency $21,000 last May,two months before he pitched the board on the StemCells, Inc.,application. The donation was not reported to the board prior to
Klein's appearances before the panel. The agency's regulations
require such gifts to be reported to the board but do not specify a
time frame. Following inquiries from the California Stem Cell Report,
the agency said it would report the donation at the agency board
meeting next week.
CIRM science officers to Japan for an international stem cell
conference. The agency directed the officers to give special access
to Klein. Two of the officers were heavily involved in the grant
round that included the StemCells, Inc., application, which scientific reviewers scored at 61 on a scale of 100.
Source:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/uqpFc/~3/7zwWISe_LMA/klein-stemcells-inc-and-31000-in.html
A Patent War on iPS: One Researcher’s View
By Dr. Matthew Watson
As the California stem cell agency
pushes ever more aggressively to turn research into cures, the second
largest share of its awards, in terms of numbers of grants, has gone
to efforts involving induced pluripotent cells, also known as
reprogrammed adult cells.
efforts can surmount barriers that have to do with patents and
ownership of the intellectual property.
Paul Knoepfler discussed some of the problems in a post yesterday. He wrote,
“All the talk and the slew of
publications about potentially using iPS cells to develop therapies
to help patients is exciting in theory, but unfortunately the reality
is that it is not entirely clear if most researchers are, from a
legal standpoint, even allowed to develop and commercialize iPS
cell-based therapies at all.
“The patent landscape for iPS cells
is complicated to put it mildly. A
Google patent search for “induced pluripotent stem cells”
produced almost 200,000 results.
“A search for “cellular
reprogramming produced more than 1,000
results.
I’m not sure all of these results are
really separate patents, but still….that’s a big complicated
mess.…..
“It is no exaggeration to say
there are likely dozens of institutions around the world wanting to
commercialize iPS cell-based products.
“Will they all have to pay expensive
licensing fees or end up in court?
…or will the patent holders
voluntarily and freely allow others to commercialize iPS cell-based
medical treatments?
“I don’t think so.
“This could get really messy.”
Patient Advocate Reed Defends Klein Donation to Stem Cell Agency
By Dr. Matthew Watson
received the following email from Don Reed, a patient advocate, who
has long been involved in California stem cell agency affairs. Reed
is vice president of public policy for Americans for Cures
Foundation, a position he has held for some years. Americans for
Cures is the personal lobbying organization created by Robert Klein,
former chairman of the California stem cell agency. Reed said his
opinions below are his own and may or may not reflect those of the
foundation.
“I must take issue with your entry,
'Robert Klein Gives $21,630 to the California Stem Cell Agency,' May
05, 2013.
“When
Bob Klein donated $21,630 to the California stem cell program (to
allow scientists to attend a research conference in Japan) he was
doing exactly what he always does: advancing research to ease
suffering and save lives. The scientists needed a way to attend
a top-level conference. Believing in the benefits of researchers
sharing thoughts, Bob paid for their trip.
“Unfortunately,
your article appears to imply corrupt motivations.
“'A
seemingly innocuous…gift…generated a wave of special favors for
(Klein) that stretched out to include a gold mining multimillionaire
from Canada.'.
A 'wave of special favors?' The article
states that 'Klein wanted to meet with the six science officers…'
and to get their impressions on the conference.
“Is
that not natural? First, would it not be helpful to hear from the
scientists if the trip was worth the time and expense? Second, Bob
Klein works in real estate, a full-time job. He does not have the
scientist’s automatic involvement to keep him up to speed on
everything new in regenerative research. But he wants to know the
latest: what is working, what is not. He is always eager for a chance
to speak one-on-one with an expert.
“He met with a Canadian
millionaire? Why is this shocking? The millionaire supports stem cell
research; so does Bob. California is working closely with Canada on
several projects; they pay their scientists, we pay ours; more bang
for the buck. If there is a person with the resources and will to
advance Canadian research, it is natural that Bob would want to
develop a deeper interest in the shared research.
“And why
should Klein be criticized for supporting a research project
attempting to alleviate Alzheimer’s? He saw his own mother die of
the disease, after losing the ability to recognize her own son.
I am familiar with that particular Alzheimer’s project, and
it had some amazing results, restoring memory to laboratory rats.
This was a water maze test, and the rats recovered the memory of a
pathway out of the water, which they had forgotten. To the best of my
knowledge, no one else in the world had achieved memory return, and
the project deserved the most serious consideration. Yes, the
board of directors voted against the Grants Working Group; it is not
only their right but their responsibility to exercise judgment, and
not merely be a rubber stamp for the GWG.
“There is also the
matter of free speech. Anybody else in California can come to the
meetings of the program and voice their opinion—why should Klein be
denied the right to voice his opinion?
“Bob Klein owns no
stem cell stock, no biomedical enterprises. Financially, supporting
stem cell research has cost him a great deal. This is the man who led
the fight to build the California stem cell program, donating roughly
six million dollars, taking out loans on his house to help finance
Proposition 71. And, for six years (without salary) he worked
full-time as Chair of the Board of the oversight committee.
Physically and emotionally, it has been an exhausting decade for him.
He has not profited in any way, except to see the advancement of
research for cure.
“Passing a $3 billion stem cell program
in the midst of a recession was like relocating Mount
Everest—seemingly impossible, but he did it anyway. He moved the
mountain. Thousands of people helped, but one man made it possible.
Without Bob Klein, California would not have the greatest stem cell
program in the world: challenging diseases considered incurable since
the dawn of time. That he should continue to support it, with his
dollars, time, energy and creativity, is commendable.
“Sometimes
a good deed is just that: no sinister motivations, no secret
agendas-- just a positive action which benefits all.”
WARF hESC Patent Update: Seven Years and Challenge Still Underway
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Last week UC Davis stem cell researcher
Paul Knoepfler and Scripps researcher Jeanne Loring engaged in an
online Q&A that touched on patents and how they can stifle
research and discourage development of therapies.
but she is the key figure in the ongoing challenge to the WARF
(Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation) patents on human embryonic
stem cells. Her effort began in 2006 but has dropped out of the news.
We asked her for an update on the case.
“Dan Ravicher is the lawyer behind
several big patent cases, including the recent Supreme Court case
challenging human gene patenting (Myriad), and a challenge to
Monsanto's restrictive enforcement of its patents on genetically
modified seeds.
“I'm lucky that he is also the lawyer
working with John M. Simpson (of Consumer Watchdog) and me to
challenge the WARF patents. Currently, we are getting ready for
another year of appeals and counter-appeals on the third of WARF's
three patents that give them control over all human embryonic stem
cells.
“This is Dan's summary of the current
situation:
"'We filed challenges at the
Patent Office to all three of WARF's hESC patents. During those
challenges, WARF agreed to narrow all three of the patents, and
they also loosened their licensing requirements. But, even
though the patents were narrowed, we still think they're invalid, and
thus disagree with the Patent Office's decision to re-issue them in
the narrowed forms. Unfortunately, due to the age of the patents and
changes in the law, we were only allowed to appeal one of the three
decisions, and that appeal is now pending at the Court of Appeals in
Washington. But, we expect the decision in our appeal will affect
the validity of the other two patents, since they're all basically
on the same technology."
“The 'narrowing' of the patents has
had an unexpected consequence. Before the narrowing, WARF's
patents would have covered iPSCs as well as hESCs. After the
narrowing, they can only claim hESCs.”
which also involved an interesting discussion of IPS research,
Loring said,
“Patents
on fundamental things --
genes, human embryonic stem cells, iPS cells --
allow the patent holder to have a monopoly, preventing anyone else
from using whatever they’ve patented.
“Patents
are supposed to stimulate investment in development. Why, as
Justice Scalia said last week, would anyone have the incentive to
study a gene and, for example, develop diagnostic tests, if they
couldn’t prevent everyone else from working on that gene?
“But
patents also stifle competition and the advances that come from
having many different groups studying the genes or cells. One
of the main reasons I returned to academia was so I could have
freedom to study human ES cells without worrying about getting
threatening letters from a patent holder, demanding that I either
stop working on the cells or pay a steep licensing fee.
“There
will inevitably be problems commercializing iPSC-based therapies and
assays, because at least three institutions own patents on aspects of
iPSCs. I’m paying attention to the patent 'landscape,'
but have decided to deal with those problems when they arise, and
hope that the iPSC patent holders realize that the potential of these
cells is too great to keep to themselves. It would be better
for all of us if the issue of stem cell patents never has to be
decided in the Supreme Court.”
SUNY Fredonia Lists 2013 Graduates – Jamestown Post Journal
By Dr. Matthew Watson
SUNY Fredonia Lists 2013 Graduates Jamestown Post Journal ... Bachelor of Science, Social Work; Megan E. Gardner, Bachelor of Science, Social Work; Diala I. Ghazal, Bachelor of Science, Molecular Genetics; Lisa D. Heintzelman, Master of Science, Speech-Language Pathology; Cory P. Hunter, Bachelor of Science, ... |
Dr. Tom Reh on Stem Cell Therapy – Video
By JoanneRUSSELL25
Dr. Tom Reh on Stem Cell Therapy
http://www.fightblindness.org | Thomas Reh, Ph.D, of the University of Washington, discusses how stem cell therapy, a term for using stem cells to treat and prevent...
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Dr. Tom Reh on Stem Cell Therapy - Video