Mass High Tech

Equity Research on Sequenom Inc. and Biogen Idec Inc. -- Biotechnology ... MarketWatch (press release) NEW YORK, NY, Jul 06, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- http://www.ShinesRooms.com has a handpicked team of market professionals with over 100 years of combined investing experience. Today they are providing members comprehensive research on ... Biogen Idec and Sobi Initiate Global Clinical Trials of Long-Lasting ...EON: Enhanced Online News (press release) all 31 news articles »

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Indian Colleges

Why study biotechnology? Indian Colleges Why study biotechnology? - Biotechnology affects all human beings as it improves the quality of life. The options in the field are fast expanding... : education & college news, announcement, notifications & updates of Indian Colleges at IndanColleges.com.

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French Tribune

Nature Biotechnology Publications Showcase Value of PacBio RS in De Novo ... MarketWatch (press release) MENLO PARK, Calif., Jul 02, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Two papers in Nature Biotechnology, both published online on July 1, 2012 highlight the unique value for de novo genome assembly provided by the PacBio(R) RS High Resolution Genetic Analyzer ... The Return of Finished Genomes: Hybrid Sequencing Strategy Boosts Pacific ...Bio-IT World all 23 news articles »

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MANILA, Philippines Stem cell therapy, aside from being a potential cure for a wide range of illnesses, can also make a patient look and feel younger, a stem cell therapist said.

Dr. Ricardo Quiones, a cosmetic surgeon and dermatologist, has trained to conduct stem cell therapy, which he describes as the future of medicine.

Quiones said stem cell therapy has become popular for its ability to regenerate and heal properties of adult stem cells.

As we grow old, our stem cells dramatically decline. When we were children, we had 80 million stem cells. As we reach the age of 40, our stem cells decline to 35 million, he told Mornings@ANC on Friday.

Quiones explained that the procedure is similar to turning back the clock because it can increase a persons stem cells to 100 million.

Ive done two patients from Zamboanga City. I called them up after the procedure and they told me they look younger. They have the stamina, the vigor and they have felt an increase in short-term memory, powers of attention and concentration, he said.

Quiones also said the procedure has the potential to cure diabetes, heart damage, brain damage such as Parkinsons and Alzheimers, osteoarthritis, stroke, baldness and even sports injuries.

3-hour procedure

Quiones said any patient, except those diagnosed with cancer, can undergo the procedure, which he said will only last for about 3 to 4 hours.

After receiving clearance from a physician and passing medical and laboratory tests, anesthesia will be administered to a patient before stem cells are harvested.

Go here to read the rest:
Stem cell therapy 'turns back clock'

Some worry that a ruling giving donors the ability to sell their bone-marrow tissue will encourage legal sale of other body parts.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

(Time.com) -- How much would it take for you to consider selling your bone marrow? A U.S. appeals court puts the price at about $3,000 in a ruling that now makes it legal to pay donors for their bone-marrow tissue.

The court's decision may well help thousands of sick patients who need bone-marrow transplants to survive, but it also begs the question, What other body parts might next be up for sale?

The ruling came about at the end of 2011, in a decision to an October 2009 lawsuit brought by a group of cancer patients, parents and bone-marrow-donation advocates against the government over the federal law banning the buying and selling of bodily organs. The plaintiffs were led by Doreen Flynn, who has three daughters who suffer from Fanconi anemia, a blood disorder that requires bone-marrow transplants to treat.

Flynn and the other plaintiffs said that too many such patients die waiting for transplants and argued that we should be allowed to pay people to donate their marrow as a way of ensuring a more reliable supply. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit agreed.

Time.com: Facebook now lets organ donors tell their friends

At the core of the plaintiffs' argument was the National Organ Transplantation Act (NOTA), which since 1984 has forbid the buying and selling of human organs, including bone marrow. But new developments in bone-marrow extraction have made marrow donation not much different from donating blood.

Traditionally, bone-marrow donation required anesthesia and long needles to extract the marrow from the hip bones of donors. Now, a technique called peripheral apheresis allows doctors to extract blood stem cells directly from the blood, instead of the bone -- patients first take a drug that pulls stem cells from the bone and into the blood -- meaning that the marrow cells should be considered a fluid like blood, rather than an organ, the plaintiffs argued. NOTA doesn't prohibit payments for blood or other fluids, such as plasma or semen.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder decided not to ask the Supreme Court to review the appellate court's decision, which would have been the next step in overturning it. That means the ruling stands -- and that people can now be paid up to $3,000 for their marrow, as long as it is collected by apheresis. In a concession to the spirit of NOTA, however, the compensation can't be in cash; it needs to be in the form of a voucher that can be applied to things such as scholarships, education, housing or a donation to a charity.

Read more here:
Should you be allowed to sell organs?

Some worry that a ruling giving donors the ability to sell their bone-marrow tissue will encourage legal sale of other body parts.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

(Time.com) -- How much would it take for you to consider selling your bone marrow? A U.S. appeals court puts the price at about $3,000 in a ruling that now makes it legal to pay donors for their bone-marrow tissue.

The court's decision may well help thousands of sick patients who need bone-marrow transplants to survive, but it also begs the question, What other body parts might next be up for sale?

The ruling came about at the end of 2011, in a decision to an October 2009 lawsuit brought by a group of cancer patients, parents and bone-marrow-donation advocates against the government over the federal law banning the buying and selling of bodily organs. The plaintiffs were led by Doreen Flynn, who has three daughters who suffer from Fanconi anemia, a blood disorder that requires bone-marrow transplants to treat.

Flynn and the other plaintiffs said that too many such patients die waiting for transplants and argued that we should be allowed to pay people to donate their marrow as a way of ensuring a more reliable supply. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit agreed.

Time.com: Facebook now lets organ donors tell their friends

At the core of the plaintiffs' argument was the National Organ Transplantation Act (NOTA), which since 1984 has forbid the buying and selling of human organs, including bone marrow. But new developments in bone-marrow extraction have made marrow donation not much different from donating blood.

Traditionally, bone-marrow donation required anesthesia and long needles to extract the marrow from the hip bones of donors. Now, a technique called peripheral apheresis allows doctors to extract blood stem cells directly from the blood, instead of the bone -- patients first take a drug that pulls stem cells from the bone and into the blood -- meaning that the marrow cells should be considered a fluid like blood, rather than an organ, the plaintiffs argued. NOTA doesn't prohibit payments for blood or other fluids, such as plasma or semen.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder decided not to ask the Supreme Court to review the appellate court's decision, which would have been the next step in overturning it. That means the ruling stands -- and that people can now be paid up to $3,000 for their marrow, as long as it is collected by apheresis. In a concession to the spirit of NOTA, however, the compensation can't be in cash; it needs to be in the form of a voucher that can be applied to things such as scholarships, education, housing or a donation to a charity.

Link:
Should people be allowed to sell their organs?

ScienceDaily (July 3, 2012) searchers from the University of Maryland School of Maryland report promising results from using adult stem cells from bone marrow in mice to help create tissue cells of other organs, such as the heart, brain and pancreas -- a scientific step they hope may lead to potential new ways to replace cells lost in diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's or Alzheimer's.

The research in collaboration with the University of Paris Descartes is published online in the June 29, 2012 edition of Comptes Rendus Biologies, a publication of the French Academy of Sciences.

"Finding stem cells capable of restoring function to different damaged organs would be the Holy Grail of tissue engineering," says lead author David Trisler, PhD, assistant professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

He adds, "This research takes us another step in that process by identifying the potential of these adult bone marrow cells, or a subset of them known as CD34+ bone marrow cells, to be 'multipotent,' meaning they could transform and function as the normal cells in several different organs."

University of Maryland researchers previously developed a special culturing system to collect a select sample of these adult stem cells in bone marrow, which normally makes red and white blood cells and immune cells. In this project, the team followed a widely recognized study model, used to prove the multipotency of embryonic stem cells, to prove that these bone marrow stem cells could make more than just blood cells. The investigators also found that the CD34+ cells had a limited lifespan and did not produce teratomas, tumors that sometimes form with the use of embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells cultivated from other methods that require some genetic manipulation.

"When taken at an early stage, we found that the CD34+ cells exhibited similar multipotent capabilities as embryonic stem cells, which have been shown to be the most flexible and versatile. Because these CD34+ cells already exist in normal bone marrow, they offer a vast source for potential cell replacement therapy, particularly because they come from a person's own body, eliminating the need to suppress the immune system, which is sometimes required when using adults stem cells derived from other sources," explains Paul Fishman, MD, PhD, professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

The researchers say that proving the potential of these adult bone marrow stem cells opens new possibilities for scientific exploration, but that more research will be needed to see how this science can be translated to humans.

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Adult stem cells from bone marrow: Cell replacement/tissue repair potential in adult bone marrow stem cells in animal ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 3, 2012

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE INVESTIGATORS FIND CELL REPLACEMENT/ TISSUE REPAIR POTENTIAL IN ADULT BONE MARROW STEM CELLS IN ANIMAL MODEL

Scientists Looking for Potential Avenue to Grow Cells of Different Organs

Newswise Baltimore, MD July 3, 2012. Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Maryland report promising results from using adult stem cells from bone marrow in mice to help create tissue cells of other organs, such as the heart, brain and pancreas - a scientific step they hope may lead to potential new ways to replace cells lost in diseases such as diabetes, Parkinsons or Alzheimers. The research in collaboration with the University of Paris Descartes is published online in the June 29, 2012 edition of Comptes Rendus Biologies, a publication of the French Academy of Sciences.

Finding stem cells capable of restoring function to different damaged organs would be the Holy Grail of tissue engineering, says lead author David Trisler, PhD, assistant professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

He adds, This research takes us another step in that process by identifying the potential of these adult bone marrow cells, or a subset of them known as CD34+ bone marrow cells, to be multipotent, meaning they could transform and function as the normal cells in several different organs.

University of Maryland researchers previously developed a special culturing system to collect a select sample of these adult stem cells in bone marrow, which normally makes red and white blood cells and immune cells. In this project, the team followed a widely recognized study model, used to prove the multipotency of embryonic stem cells, to prove that these bone marrow stem cells could make more than just blood cells. The investigators also found that the CD34+ cells had a limited lifespan and did not produce teratomas, tumors that sometimes form with the use of embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells cultivated from other methods that require some genetic manipulation.

When taken at an early stage, we found that the CD34+ cells exhibited similar multipotent capabilities as embryonic stem cells, which have been shown to be the most flexible and versatile. Because these CD34+ cells already exist in normal bone marrow, they offer a vast source for potential cell replacement therapy, particularly because they come from a persons own body, eliminating the need to suppress the immune system, which is sometimes required when using adults stem cells derived from other sources, explains Paul Fishman, MD, PhD, professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

The researchers say that proving the potential of these adult bone marrow stem cells opens new possibilities for scientific exploration, but that more research will be needed to see how this science can be translated to humans.

The results of this international collaboration show the important role that University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers play in advancing scientific understanding, investigating new avenues for the development of potentially life-changing treatments, says E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., vice president for medical affairs at the University of Maryland and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

View original post here:
Study Results: Adult Stem Cells From Bone Marrow

TAMPA, Fla., July 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --On behalf of Saneron CCEL Therapeutics, Inc., President and COO, Nicole Kuzmin-Nichols, MBA, expressed strong support today for the Cryo-Cell International, Inc. (CCEL) current executive management in response to a proxy bid by a former Board member. Cryo-Cell is a major shareholder in Saneron, a Tampa based biotechnology research and development company that was spun out from the University of South Florida to develop cellular therapies for deadly diseases that lack adequate treatment options.

"Saneron has enjoyed a good working relationship with David and Mark Portnoy since they assumed leadership at Cryo-Cell in August 2011, and our board is convinced that their guidance is adding shareholder value," commented Kuzmin-Nichols. "They have shown themselves to be committed partners with Saneron as we continue breaking new ground in cord and menstrual blood stem cell research. Our Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) Phase II efforts are producing real progress towards effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease and stroke and we look forward to continuing our research in concert with Cryo-Cell."

"Our research team is very impressed with Dr. Linda Kelley, Cryo-Cell's new chief scientific officer, who joined the company from Harvard's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She will be a valuable collaborator. The Portnoys' ability to attract such top notch talent speaks volumes about their clear vision for the company's future and commitment to keeping it on the leading edge of regenerative medicine," she continued.

"Mark and David Portnoy have made great strides in establishing strong relationships with obstetricians and gynecologists to enhance patient awareness of Cryo-Cell. Our team has worked hand in hand with them to inform physicians about the latest developments in cord blood and cord tissue stem cell research so the physicians understand how important it is to encourage expectant parents to store their cord blood and cord tissue. During the 11 years that Saneron and Cryo-Cell have been associated, this is the first time we've seen Cryo-Cell reach out so assertively to the core physicians who have the ability to create streams of revenue for the company. We couldn't be more pleased to be working with David, Mark and their team as they take the company to the next level. Shareholders would be wise to retain them."

About Saneron CCEL Therapeutics, Inc. Saneron CCEL Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology research and development company focused on neurological and cardiac cell therapy for the early intervention and treatment of several devastating or deadly diseases which lack adequate treatment options. Saneron, a University of South Florida spin-out company, is located at the Tampa Bay Technology Incubator. Saneron is committed to providing readily available, noncontroversial stem cells for cellular therapies and has patented and patent-pending technology relating to its platform technology of umbilical cord blood and Sertoli cells.

http://www.saneron-ccel.com

http://www.cryo-cell.com

Forward-Looking Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current expectations, as of the date of this press release, and involve certain risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward- looking statements as a result of various factors. The Company's further development is highly dependent on future medical and research developments and market acceptance, which is outside its control.

View original post here:
Bio-Innovator Saneron CCEL Therapeutics Supports Cryo-Cell International Leadership and Board of Directors in Proxy ...

Tuesday, July 03 16:25:12

Ireland has the capacity to be an international centre for commercialisation in the field of regenerative medicine, delegates at an international stem cell conference in NUI Galway heard today.

Reflecting this potential, new Irish company Orbsen Therapeutics is developing proprietary technologies designed to isolate stem cells. The NUI Galway spin-out is targeting the rapidly maturing and expanding regenerative medicine market, which is expected to grow to $118 billion next year.

Frank Barry is Professor of Cellular Therapy at NUI Galway, Director of Orbsen Therapeutics, and organiser of the Mesenchymal Stem Cell Conference, which opened yesterday.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a type of adult stem cell, and this event brings together the world's leading scientists in the field to discuss their latest ideas and findings. This is the first major stem cell conference to take place in Ireland, and is looking at all aspects of adult stem cells, from basic biology to manufacturing to clinical trials and therapeutics.

Stem cells hold great promise as an alternative to drugs and surgical procedures for treating a wide range of medical conditions including heart disease, arterial disease of the limbs, diabetes complications, arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. The treatment potential of stem cells is linked to their natural capacity to dampen inflammation and promote healing, repair and regeneration of damaged tissues.

According to Professor Barry: "Ireland has a strong research base in adult stem cell therapy and has the capcacity for advanced stem cell bioprocessing. There is huge potential in this market and we anticipate that there will be extraordinary growth over the next 5-10 years. There are currently over 400 regenerative medicine products on the market with many more in development." Orbsen Therapeutics has developed a clear pipeline of clinical indications which they hope, using their proprietary technologies, to bring through to clinical trial over the coming years. These include osteoarthritis, acute lung injury syndrome, diabetic foot ulcer, critical limb ischemia and others."

"Combining the utility, novelty and the value of its technologies, Orbsen is well placed to take advantage of the many opportunities in this fast moving and important emerging market", said Brian Molloy, CEO of Orbsen Theraepeutics."

Orbsen Therapeutics Limited was formed as a spin out company to develop and commercialise new intellectual property built up by researchers at the SFI-funded Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) at NUI Galway.

Scientists at NUI Galway are investigating how adult stems cells might be used to develop new treatments for vascular disease, osteoarthritis and lung injury. The University has become a leading centre of translational research in adult stem cells involving its National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science (NCBES) and REMEDI.

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Ireland could be stem cell research hub

SHENZHEN, China, July 3, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/-- A study conducted by Beike Biotechnology Company (http://www.beikebiotech.com) in conjunction with physicians and researchers at two Chinese hospitals, documents the effectiveness of cord blood-derived stem cells in treating primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). The study, which was published in the April 2012 issue of the Stem Cell Discovery, was the first of its kind. Researchers noted that additional clinical trials would be required before stem cells can become an accepted therapy for liver cirrhosis.

Prof. Jin-hui Yang, Director of the Department of Hepatology in the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical College stated, "Given the severity of liver cirrhosis and its related conditions, and the limited number of options available to treat those who suffer from it, this finding represents an important, potentially significant breakthrough."

PBC is a chronic, progressive liver disease that leads eventually to fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver. It affects 1 in 1,000 women over the age of 40.Approximately one-third of those who suffer from PBC and its related conditions do not respond well to Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment, which is the only currently FDA-approved standard medical treatment for the condition. Many of those patients ultimately require liver transplantation.

Beike Chairman, Dr. Sean Hu, commented, "With a growing body of research that demonstrates the effectiveness of cord blood-derived stem cell therapies in treating a broad range of chronic conditions, this latest study is a milestone in the continuing effort to gain broad acceptance and recognition of regenerative medicine as a mainstream treatment option.We look forward to conducting more comprehensive clinical trials to attempt to validate the positive outcomes we have already observed."

The case study reported in the Stem Cell Discovery involved a 58 year old woman suffering from PBC who developed an incarcerated hernia and uncontrolled hydrothorax after undergoing UDCA treatment.One week after completing two stem cell transplantations with no observed adverse effects, the patient showed improvement in both liver function and in her general condition. She was released from the hospital but continued to receive twice-daily UDCA treatments. Six months after her discharge, doctors observed continued improvements in her liver function and overall condition.

To review the full text of the published study, please visit: http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?paperID=18710. Study authors included physicians and researchers from the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical College, Beike Biotechnology Company, and the Yunnan Provincial 1st People's Hospital in Kunming, China.

About Beike Biotechnology Company

Shenzhen Beike Biotechnology Co., Ltd. is China's leading biotechnology company focusing on the production of adult stem cells for use in medical therapies. Headquartered in Shenzhen (near Hong Kong) with a flagship regenerative medicine facility at the China Medical City in Jiangsu province, Beike produces a full line of stem cell products derived from umbilical cord, cord blood and autologous bone marrow.

For any questions regarding this release, please call:

Contact Person: T. Gutmann Phone Number: +86-532-6677-6659

Continue reading here:
Stem Cell Therapy Shown to be Effective in Treating Liver Cirrhosis

Ed Reschke / Getty Images

A color-enhanced photograph of spongy (Cancellous) bone red bone marrow fills the space.

How much would it take for you to consider selling your bone marrow? A U.S. appeals court puts the price at about $3,000 in a ruling that now makes it legal to pay donors for their bone-marrow tissue.

The courts decision may well help thousands of sick patients who need bone-marrow transplants to survive, but it also begs the question, what other body parts might next be up for sale?

The ruling came about at the end of 2011, in a decision to an October 2009 lawsuit brought by a group of cancer patients, parents and bone-marrow donation advocates against the government over the federal law banning the buying and selling of bodily organs. The plaintiffs were led by Doreen Flynn, who has three daughters who suffer from Fanconi anemia, a blood disorder that requires bone-marrow transplants to treat. Flynn and the other plaintiffs said that too many such patients die waiting for transplants and argued that we should be allowed to pay people to donate their marrow as a way of ensuring a more reliable supply. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit agreed.

(MORE: Facebook Now Lets Organ Donors Tell Their Friends)

At the core of the plaintiffs argument was the National Organ Transplantation Act (NOTA), which since 1984 has forbid the buying and selling of human organs, including bone marrow. But new developments in bone-marrow extraction have made marrow donation not much different from donating blood: traditionally, bone marrow donation required anesthesia and long needles to extract the marrow from the hipbones of donors. Now, a technique called peripheral apheresis allows doctors to extract blood stem cells directly from the blood, instead of the bone patients first take a drug that pulls stem cells from the bone and into the blood meaning that the marrow cells should be considered a fluid like blood, rather than an organ, the plaintiffs argued. NOTA doesnt prohibit payments for blood or other fluids, such as plasma or semen.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder decided not to ask the Supreme Court to review the appellate courts decision, which would have been the next step in overturning it. That means the ruling stands and that people can now be paid up to $3,000 for their marrow, as long as it is collected by apheresis. In a concession to the spirit of NOTA, however, the compensation cant be in cash; it needs to be in the form of a voucher that can be applied to things such as scholarships, education, housing or a donation to a charity.

While the decision applies only to the nine states covered by the Ninth Circuit court, and only to bone marrow obtained through apheresis, it does raise bigger questions about how we will look at organ donation in the future. With about 114,000 people waiting for organs in the U.S. alone on any given day, and only 3,300 donors, the urgent medical need runs up against moral standards of the value human life. Once we start paying for the parts we need, though, how far do we go? We dont allow people to buy and sell human beings, thats slavery, says Dr. Robert Klitzman, director of the bioethics program at Columbia University. Should we allow people to buy and sell human body parts?

(MORE: Where Do (Some) Babies Come From? In Washington, a New Law Bans Anonymous Sperm and Egg Donors)

Read more from the original source:
A Court Allows Payment for Bone Marrow. Should People Be Able to Sell Their Parts?

Ed Reschke / Getty Images

A color-enhanced photograph of spongy (Cancellous) bone red bone marrow fills the space.

How much would it take for you to consider selling your bone marrow? A U.S. appeals court puts the price at about $3,000 in a ruling that now makes it legal to pay donors for their bone-marrow tissue.

The courts decision may well help thousands of sick patients who need bone-marrow transplants to survive, but it also begs the question, what other body parts might next be up for sale?

The ruling came about at the end of 2011, in a decision to an October 2009 lawsuit brought by a group of cancer patients, parents and bone-marrow donation advocates against the government over the federal law banning the buying and selling of bodily organs. The plaintiffs were led by Doreen Flynn, who has three daughters who suffer from Fanconi anemia, a blood disorder that requires bone-marrow transplants to treat. Flynn and the other plaintiffs said that too many such patients die waiting for transplants and argued that we should be allowed to pay people to donate their marrow as a way of ensuring a more reliable supply. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit agreed.

(MORE: Facebook Now Lets Organ Donors Tell Their Friends)

At the core of the plaintiffs argument was the National Organ Transplantation Act (NOTA), which since 1984 has forbid the buying and selling of human organs, including bone marrow. But new developments in bone-marrow extraction have made marrow donation not much different from donating blood: traditionally, bone marrow donation required anesthesia and long needles to extract the marrow from the hipbones of donors. Now, a technique called peripheral apheresis allows doctors to extract blood stem cells directly from the blood, instead of the bone patients first take a drug that pulls stem cells from the bone and into the blood meaning that the marrow cells should be considered a fluid like blood, rather than an organ, the plaintiffs argued. NOTA doesnt prohibit payments for blood or other fluids, such as plasma or semen.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder decided not to ask the Supreme Court to review the appellate courts decision, which would have been the next step in overturning it. That means the ruling stands and that people can now be paid up to $3,000 for their marrow, as long as it is collected by apheresis. In a concession to the spirit of NOTA, however, the compensation cant be in cash; it needs to be in the form of a voucher that can be applied to things such as scholarships, education, housing or a donation to a charity.

While the decision applies only to the nine states covered by the Ninth Circuit court, and only to bone marrow obtained through apheresis, it does raise bigger questions about how we will look at organ donation in the future. With about 114,000 people waiting for organs in the U.S. alone on any given day, and only 3,300 donors, the urgent medical need runs up against moral standards of the value human life. Once we start paying for the parts we need, though, how far do we go? We dont allow people to buy and sell human beings, thats slavery, says Dr. Robert Klitzman, director of the bioethics program at Columbia University. Should we allow people to buy and sell human body parts?

(MORE: Where Do (Some) Babies Come From? In Washington, a New Law Bans Anonymous Sperm and Egg Donors)

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Paying for Bone Marrow: Should We Be Able to Sell Our Parts?

Public release date: 2-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sarah Jackson press_releases@the-jci.org Journal of Clinical Investigation

In Parkinson's disease, the loss of dopamine-producing cells in the midbrain causes well-characterized motor symptoms. Though embryonic stem cells could potentially be used to replace dopaminergic (DA) neurons in Parkinson's disease patients, such cell therapy options must still overcome technical obstacles before the approach is ready for the clinic. Embryonic stem cell-based transplantation regimens carry a risk of introducing inappropriate cells or even cancer-prone cells. To develop cell purification strategies to minimize these risks, Dr. Lorenza Studer and colleagues at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York developed three different mouse lines to fluorescently label dopaminergic neurons at early, mid, and late stages of differentiation. Their data suggest that mouse embryonic stem cells induced to the mid stage of neuronal differentiation are best suited for transplantation to replace dopaminergic neurons. Further, their work identified new genes associated with each stage of neuronal differentiation. Their results in the mouse model system help define the differentiation stage and specific attributes of embryonic stem cell-derived, dopamine-generating cells that hold promise for cell therapy applications.

###

TITLE:

Identification of embryonic stem cellderived midbrain dopaminergic neurons for engraftment

AUTHOR CONTACT:

Lorenz Studer

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

Phone: 212.639.6126; E-mail: studerl@mskcc.org

Original post:
Generating dopamine via cell therapy for Parkinson's disease

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

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACT; OTCBB: ACTC), a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, today announced treatment of the second patient in its Phase 1/2 clinical trial for Stargardts macular dystrophy (SMD) using retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). The surgery was performed on Friday, June 29 at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, the same site as the first patient treatment in January, by a team of surgeons led by Professor James Bainbridge, consultant surgeon at Moorfields and Chair of Retinal Studies at University College London. The procedure was successfully performed without any complications. ACT and Moorfields Eye Hospital recently received clearance from the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) to treat the final two patients in the first cohort of this clinical trial.

We are very pleased to continue our forward momentum with both our U.S. trials and our European trial, commented Gary Rabin, chairman and CEO. It was less than a month ago that we received DSMB approval to treat the second and third patients in our E.U. trial, and it is very gratifying to have already completed dosing of the second. It is a pleasure to be working with Professor Bainbridge and the rest of his team at Moorfields Eye Hospital, and we continue to be encouraged by the steady progress of the trial thus far.

The Phase 1/2 trial is designed to determine the safety and tolerability of hESC-derived RPE cells following sub-retinal transplantation in patients with SMD at 12 months, the studys primary endpoint. It will involve a total of 12 patients, with cohorts of three patients each in an ascending dosage format. It is similar in design to the U.S. trial for SMD that was initiated in July 2011.

The European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) has officially designated ACT's human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells as an orphan medicinal product for the treatment of Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy (SMD).

More information on the status of the companys clinical trials will be posted today on Mr. Rabins Chairmans blog.

About Stargardts Disease Stargardts disease or Stargardts Macular Dystrophy is a genetic disease that causes progressive vision loss, usually starting in children between 10 to 20 years of age. Eventually, blindness results from photoreceptor loss associated with degeneration in the pigmented layer of the retina, called the retinal pigment epithelium, which is the site of damage that the company believes the hESC-derived RPE may be able to target for repair after administration.

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

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

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ACT Announces Second Patient with Stargardt’s Disease Treated in EU Clinical Trial

02-07-2012 09:43 State of the Nation is a nightly newscast anchored by award-winning broadcast journalist, Jessica Soho. It airs Mondays to Fridays at 9:00 PM (PHL Time) on GMA News TV Channel 11. For more videos from State of the Nation, visit fthenation.

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SONA: Stem cell therapy, kaya raw makapagpabata ng pangangatawan - Video

COLUMBIA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. (OSIR), announced today interim one-year results from its groundbreaking clinical trial evaluating Prochymal (remestemcel-L) for the treatment of patients experiencing first-time acute myocardial infarction. The trial is the largest study of allogeneic or "off-the-shelf" stem cells ever conducted in heart attack patients. A total of 220 patients were given a single infusion of either Prochymal or placebo through a standard intravenous line within seven days of an acute heart attack.

Cardiac MRI assessments were conducted for six months following infarct to evaluate cardiac remodeling. Patients receiving Prochymal had significantly less cardiac hypertrophy, as measured by cardiac MRI, compared to patients receiving placebo (p<0.05). Patients treated with Prochymal also experienced significantly less stress-induced ventricular arrhythmia (p<0.05). Cardiac hypertrophy and ventricular arrhythmia are indicators of pathological remodeling following heart injury and provide insight into the mechanism by which mesenchymal stem cells attenuate heart injury following a myocardial infarction.

The mechanistic data is complemented by clinical data showing treatment with Prochymal resulted in a statistically significant reduction in heart failure. In the study, seven patients who were treated with placebo have progressed to heart failure requiring treatment with intravenous diuretics, compared to none of the Prochymal patients (p=0.01). Furthermore, patients receiving placebo tended to require re-hospitalization for cardiac issues sooner than the patients receiving Prochymal (median 27.5 days vs. 85.5 days).

This study is the largest of its kind and provides key insights into the mechanism of action of mesenchymal stem cells in the setting of acute myocardial infarction, said Lode Debrabandere, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Therapeutics at Osiris. These important mechanistic observations are consistent with data obtained from our preclinical models and from the first placebo-controlled human trial with Prochymal published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Given the quality of the data and highly encouraging results observed thus far, we are extending the trial's duration to capture a better understanding of the long-term clinical benefits of MSCs."

The trial also demonstrated that treatment with Prochymal was safe. There were no infusional toxicities observed in patients receiving Prochymal. Serious adverse events occurred with equal frequency in both treatment groups (31.8%). To date, there have been 5 deaths in the trial, 2 in the Prochymal group and 3 in the placebo group.

For interventional cardiologists, keeping our myocardial infarction patients from progressing to heart failure is central to our mission, said Mark Vesely, M.D., Principal Investigator on the Study and Assistant Professor of Medicine (Interventional Cardiology) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. It is remarkable and very encouraging to see significant changes in clinically meaningful parameters this early in the study. We look forward to the additional data that will be gathered as the study progresses, which will help us to better understand both the magnitude and durability of the benefit to treatment.

Prochymal, the worlds first and only stem cell drug approved by an internationally recognized regulatory authority, is used for the treatment of graft vs. host disease (GvHD). GvHD is a devastating complication of bone marrow transplantation that kills up to 80 percent of children affected. Prochymal is now approved in Canada and New Zealand, and is currently available in seven other countries including the United States under an Expanded Access Program (EAP).

About the Trial

This Phase 2, multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study is evaluating the safety and efficacy of Prochymal (ex-vivo cultured adult human mesenchymal stem cells) intravenous infusion following acute myocardial infarction. A total of 220 patients were randomized (1:1) at 33 centers in the United States and Canada and received a single intravenous infusion of Prochymal or placebo within 7 days following first acute myocardial infarction. In addition to screening and baseline visits prior to the infusion, initially follow-up evaluations were scheduled to be conducted through 2 years. Given the encouraging results observed at the one year time-point, the trial is being extended to include 5 years of follow-up. Both male and female subjects between 21 and 85 years of age were enrolled. Patients had to have a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) between 20% and 45% as determined by quantitative echocardiography or cardiac MRI at least 24 hours after successful reperfusion of the culprit vessel. In addition, troponin levels must have been greater than 4 times the upper limit of normal during the first 72 hours of hospitalization for the MI.

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Prochymal Significantly Reduces Hypertrophy, Arrhythmia and Progression to Heart Failure in Patients Suffering a Heart ...

Public release date: 2-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Kim Newman sciencenews@einstein.yu.edu 718-430-3101 Albert Einstein College of Medicine

July 2, 2012 -- (Bronx, NY) -- Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found that abnormal bone marrow stem cells drive the development of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), serious blood diseases that are common among the elderly and that can progress to acute leukemia. The findings could lead to targeted therapies against MDS and prevent MDS-related cancers. The study is published today in the online edition of the journal Blood.

"Researchers have suspected that MDS is a 'stem cell disease,' and now we finally have proof," said co-senior author Amit Verma, M.B.B.S., associate professor of medicine and of developmental and molecular biology at Einstein and attending physician in oncology at Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care. "Equally important, we found that even after MDS standard treatment, abnormal stem cells persist in the bone marrow. So, although the patient may be in remission, those stem cells don't die and the disease will inevitably return. Based on our findings, it's clear that we need to wipe out the abnormal stem cells in order to improve cure rates."

MDS are a diverse group of incurable diseases that affect the bone marrow and lead to low numbers of blood cells. While some forms of MDS are mild and easily managed, some 25 to 30 percent of cases develop into an aggressive disease called acute myeloid leukemia. Each year, about 10,000 to 15,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with MDS, according to the National Marrow Donor Program.

Most cases of MDS occur in people over age 60, but the disease can affect people of any age and is more common in men than women. Symptoms vary widely, ranging from anemia to infections, fever and bleeding. Treatment usually involves chemotherapy to destroy abnormal blood cells plus supportive care such as blood transfusions.

In the current study, lead author Britta Will, Ph.D., research associate in the department of cell biology, and her colleagues analyzed bone marrow stem cells and progenitor cells (i.e., cells formed by stem cells) from 16 patients with various types of MDS and 17 healthy controls. The stem and progenitor cells were isolated from bone marrow using novel cell-sorting methods developed in the laboratory of co-senior author Ulrich Steidl, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of cell biology and of medicine and the Diane and Arthur B. Belfer Faculty Scholar in Cancer Research at Einstein.

Genome-wide analysis revealed widespread genetic and epigenetic alterations in stem and progenitor cells taken from MDS patients, in comparison to cells taken from healthy controls. The abnormalities were more pronounced in patients with types of MDS likely to prove fatal than in patients with lower-risk types.

"Our study offers new hope that MDS can be more effectively treated, with therapies that specifically target genes that are deregulated in early stem and progenitor cells," said Dr. Steidl. "In addition, our findings could help to detect minimal residual disease in patients in remission, allowing for more individualized treatment strategies that permanently eradicate the disease."

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Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) linked to abnormal stem cells

The Irish Times - Monday, July 2, 2012

LORNA SIGGINS

WORLD leaders in stem-cell technology are due to exchange knowledge of potential treatments at a conference opening in NUI Galway today.

Researchers from NUIG, University College Cork and NUI Maynooth will participate in the event, which has been billed as the first major conference on stem-cell therapy in Ireland.

Prof Anthony Hollander of the University of Bristol, England who was one of a team which successful created and then transplanted the first tissue-engineered trachea or windpipe is among a number of international speakers presenting findings.

The gathering will focus on the realities of stem-cell treatment, Prof Frank Barry, director of NUIGs National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science has said.

The therapy is complex and controversial, and sometimes exaggerated claims are made, he said.

The researchers are specialists in Mesenchymal, or adult, stem cells, and will be concentrating on what is likely in the future, he added.

The list of conditions which could be treated successfully by stem cells is small, but growing, Prof Barry said.

Leukaemia and other diseases of the blood appear to respond best.

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Stem-cell research leaders to meet in NUIG

Scientists have for the first time watched and manipulated stem cells as they regenerate tissue in an uninjured mammal, Yale researchers report July 1 online in the journal Nature.

Using a sophisticated imaging technique, the researchers also demonstrated that mice lacking a certain type of cell do not regrow hair. The same technique could shed light on how stem cells interact with other cells and trigger repairs in a variety of other organs, including lung and heart tissue.

This tells us a lot about how the tissue regeneration process works, said Valentina Greco, assistant professor of genetics and of dermatology at the Yale Stem Cell Center, researcher for the Yale Cancer Center and senior author of the study.

Greco and her team focused on stem cell behavior in the hair follicle of the mouse. The accessibility of the hair follicle allowed real-time and non-invasive imaging through a technology called 2-photon intravital microscopy.

Using this method, Panteleimon Rompolas, a post-doctoral fellow in Grecos lab and lead author of this paper, was able to study the interaction between stem cells and their progeny, which produce all the different types of cells in the tissue. The interaction of these cells with the immediate environment determines how cells divide, where they migrate and which specialized cells they become.

The technology allowed the team to discover that hair growth in mice cannot take place in the absence of connective tissue called mesenchyme, which appears early in embryonic development.

Stem cells not only spur growth of hair in mammals including humans, but also can serve to regenerate many other types of tissues.

Understanding how stem cell behavior is regulated by the microenvironment can advance our use of stem cells for therapeutic purposes and uncover mechanisms that go wrong in cancer and other diseases, Greco said.

The study was funded by an Alexander Brown Coxe postdoctoral fellowship. This work was supported in part by the American Skin Association and the American Cancer Society and the Yale Rheumatologic Disease Research Core Center and the National Institutes of Health.

Other Yale authors include Elizabeth Deschene, Giovanni Zito, David G. Gonzalez, Ichiko Saotome and Ann M. Haberman.

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In real time, Yale scientists watch stem cells at work regenerating tissue