Why stem cells could be the medical innovation of the century – World Economic Forum
Posted: January 16, 2020 at 1:48 pm
Right now, your bodys stem cells are working hard replacing your skin every two weeks, creating new red and white blood cells and completing thousands of other tasks essential to life. They are your own personalized fountain of youth.
Scientists generally agree that a stem cell should be able to do both of the following:
One theory of ageing suggests that between the ages of 30 and 50, our stem cells reach a turning point and start to decline in number and function. This results in the typical features associated with ageing.
There does not seem to be a single discoverer of stem cells. Accounts date back to the 1800s and even further, but the first successful medical procedure was a bone marrow transfusion in 1939. Advances in immunology led to donor matching, initially via siblings and close relatives. Unrelated donor matching flourished in the 1970s, alongside donor registries.
In the 1980s, scientists identified embryonic stem cells in mice, leading to the 1997 cloning of Dolly the Sheep. This created immense interest for human and medical applications and a backlash in the US as federal R&D funding was essentially halted in 2001.
In 2012, a Nobel Prize was awarded for the earlier discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). Essentially, they return potency and self-renewal properties to mature non-stem cells, essentially making them act like stem cells again.
In the decade between 2010 and 2019, the first wave of stem cell start-ups emerged, alongside R&D programmes at many large pharmaceutical companies, leading to innovation and the first human clinical trials for iPS and other related therapies.
According to Q3 2019 data from the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine, there are 959 regenerative medicine companies worldwide sponsoring 1,052 active clinical trials; 525 of these companies are in North America, 233 in Europe and Israel, and 166 in Asia. In aggregate, $7.4 billion has been invested in regenerative medicine companies in 2019; $5.6 billion of which has been dedicated to gene and gene-modified cell therapy, $3.3 billion in cell therapy, and $114 million in tissue engineering.
Overview of the cancer stem cells market
Perhaps most excitingly, curative therapies are hitting the market and the results are astonishing: 60% of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia patients taking Novartis Kymirah showed a complete response (no traces of cancer) and were declared in full remission. Meanwhile, 75% of patients with Transfusion-Dependent -Thalassaemia treated with bluebird bios Zynteglo achieved independence from transfusions. Perhaps most astonishingly, 93% of spinal muscular atrophy patients treated with Novartis Zolgensma were alive without permanent ventilation 24 months after treatment. We should expect more medical breakthroughs in the coming years.
New science, new start-ups: several companies in the sector have gone public or been acquired. These exits led to the recycling of talent and capital into new companies. Because the science and commercial systems have also advanced, the companies in the next wave are pursuing bigger challenges, driving innovation, with even greater resources.
Patients are eager: the current market for stem cell therapies is growing at 36% per year, though it will rapidly expand when a breakthrough occurs toward the treatment of a non-communicable disease (such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease) or a lifestyle factor (for example, growing hair in the correct places, expanding cognitive abilities or increasing healthy lifespan).
New R&D models: funding is flowing into the sector from large companies, VC funds, and institutions such as the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and New York State Stem Cell Science programme (NYSTEM). Some of the leading university R&D platforms include the Center for the Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine in Toronto, the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, the Oxford Stem Cell Institute, and most notably, the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI).
Founded in 2004, HSCI has established a phenomenal track record. It provided the first $200,000 in funding to Derrick Rossis lab, which inspired the largest biotech IPO to date. HSCI scientists were also co-founders or principals in the three most prominent gene-editing companies (CRISPR Tx, Intellia and Editas), the combined $1.55-billion True North/iPierian acquisitions and the recent $950-million acquisition of Semma Tx, Frequency Tx, Fate Tx, Epizyme Inc., and Magenta Tx.
For the casual investor, Evercore ISI is building a Regenerative Medicine Index, which may be the simplest way to build a portfolio. For institutions and those with deeper pockets, regenerative medicine funds are forming, including the Boston-centric Hexagon Regenerative Medicine Fund, which aims to create companies out of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.
Caveat emptor. Though patients needs are immediate, those seeking treatments should think very carefully about the risks. There are many dubious clinics touting expensive stem cell treatments and some patients have experienced horrifying complications. Dr. Paul Knoepfler of UC-Davis has written a practical and scientifically accurate guide, a strongly recommended read if you or a family member are considering treatment or a clinical trial.
The leading causes of death in 1900 were mostly infectious/communicable diseases. While the prevalence of most causes has diminished, the largest increases include heart disease (+40%) and cancer (+300%). Granted, this is partly due to doubling life expectancy and a lack of death from other causes. However, given time and resources, scientists and physicians may cure these challenging diseases.
Total disease burden by disease or injury
Today, six of the seven leading causes of death are non-communicable diseases (heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, cancer, Alzheimers disease and diabetes). Based on the early promise mentioned above, regenerative medicine may be our best hope to solve the great non-communicable diseases of our time, and perhaps the single most transformative medical innovation in a century.
License and Republishing
World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with our Terms of Use.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.
Excerpt from:
Why stem cells could be the medical innovation of the century - World Economic Forum
- Ying Liu discusses IPS cell therapy for ALS [Last Updated On: August 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 6th, 2011]
- IPs cells Part 1 [Last Updated On: September 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 5th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Implications for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) [Last Updated On: September 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 5th, 2011]
- A Century of Stem Cells - Johns Hopkins Medicine [Last Updated On: September 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 5th, 2011]
- Myelin Repair Foundation on Stem Cell Research [Last Updated On: September 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 6th, 2011]
- Jeanne Loring talks about stem cells, part 2 [Last Updated On: September 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 6th, 2011]
- IPs Cells Part 4 [Last Updated On: September 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 6th, 2011]
- Embryonic Stem Cells From Skin: Making Old Cells Young [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2011]
- National Medical Report [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2011]
- National Medical Report [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2011]
- Jeanne Loring talks about stem cells, part 3 [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2011]
- Kristopher Nazor 2 [Last Updated On: September 9th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 9th, 2011]
- Myelin Repair Foundation on Stem Cell Research [Last Updated On: September 9th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 9th, 2011]
- Dr. Oz to Oprah and Michael J Fox: "The stem cell debate is dead." [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2011]
- Dr. Oz to Oprah and Michael J Fox: "The stem cell debate is dead." [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2011]
- Andalusian Stem Cell Bank [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2011]
- IPs cells Part3 [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2011]
- Andalusian Stem Cell Bank [Last Updated On: September 11th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 11th, 2011]
- IPs Cells Part 4 [Last Updated On: September 11th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 11th, 2011]
- iPS Stem Cell-Based Treatment of Epidermolysis Bullosa [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2011]
- Jeanne Loring talks about stem cells, part 1 [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2011]
- Jeanne Loring talks about stem cells, part 2 [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2011]
- Jeanne Loring talks about stem cells, part 3 [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2011]
- Kristopher Nazor 2 [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Implications for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2011]
- IPs cells Part 2 [Last Updated On: September 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 13th, 2011]
- Cellular Reprogramming Stem Cell Domain Name For Sale! - CellularReprogramming.com [Last Updated On: September 14th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 14th, 2011]
- Cellular Reprogramming Stem Cell Domain Name For Sale! - CellularReprogramming.com [Last Updated On: September 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 19th, 2011]
- IPs cells Part 2 [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Healthy Body = Functional Body. Hollywood Look Side Effect: Healthy Function [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- Hollywood, Smith [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2011]
- Manning, Owens Try Stem Cell Therapy [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2011]
- Epidermolysis Bullosa: Corrected iPS Stem Cell-Based Therapy - Video [Last Updated On: October 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 13th, 2011]
- Spinal Cord Injury - Embryonic Stem Cells - Dr. Keirstead - Video [Last Updated On: October 15th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 15th, 2011]
- Introduction to Stem Cells - Video [Last Updated On: October 15th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 15th, 2011]
- Parkinson's Disease: Progress and Promise in Stem Cell Research - Video [Last Updated On: October 16th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 16th, 2011]
- Visions Episode 92: Stem Cells Discovery - Video [Last Updated On: October 16th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 16th, 2011]
- James Bond Sam Botta Roger Moore I Married A Beautiful Woman - Video [Last Updated On: October 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 17th, 2011]
- James Bond Sam Botta Roger Moore I Married A Beautiful Woman - Video [Last Updated On: October 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 18th, 2011]
- induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells: Part 2 - Video [Last Updated On: October 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 25th, 2011]
- TEACHERS OWN CALPERS/GID Managed Apartments, Teachers EVICTING Paraplegic - Video [Last Updated On: November 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: November 5th, 2011]
- TEACHERS OWN CALPERS/GID Managed Apartments, Teachers EVICTING Paraplegic - Video [Last Updated On: November 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: November 6th, 2011]
- Stem Cells Could Repair Heart [11-14-2011] - Video [Last Updated On: November 21st, 2011] [Originally Added On: November 21st, 2011]
- Advantages Seroquel - Video [Last Updated On: December 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 6th, 2011]
- induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells: Part 2 - Video [Last Updated On: December 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 6th, 2011]
- Advantages Seroquel - Video [Last Updated On: December 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 6th, 2011]
- stem cell research - Video [Last Updated On: December 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 7th, 2011]
- Ian Wilmut discusses stem cell and direct cellular transformation therapy - Video [Last Updated On: December 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 7th, 2011]
- Lec 22 | MIT 16.885J Aircraft Systems Engineering, Fall 2005 - Video [Last Updated On: December 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 7th, 2011]
- Paralyzed rat walks with own stem cells in 11 wks. - Video [Last Updated On: December 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 7th, 2011]
- Lec 22 | MIT 16.885J Aircraft Systems Engineering, Fall 2005 - Video [Last Updated On: December 8th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 8th, 2011]
- Jeff Bluestone: Immune rejection of stem cell transplants - Video [Last Updated On: December 8th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 8th, 2011]
- Advances in Stem Cell Research: Shinya Yamanaka - Video [Last Updated On: December 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 10th, 2011]
- 2011 Summit: Stem Cells, Reprogramming and Personalized Medicine, Rudolf Jaenisch, MD - Video [Last Updated On: December 14th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 14th, 2011]
- Parkinson's Disease: Advancing Stem Cell Therapies - 2011 CIRM Grantee Meeting - Video [Last Updated On: January 19th, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 19th, 2012]
- Parkinson's Disease: Advancing Stem Cell Therapies - 2011 CIRM Grantee Meeting - Video [Last Updated On: January 20th, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 20th, 2012]
- Professor Alan Trounson - World focus on stem cell research - Video [Last Updated On: January 26th, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 26th, 2012]
- Professor Alan Trounson - World focus on stem cell research - Video [Last Updated On: January 26th, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 26th, 2012]
- Researchers turn skin cells into neural precusors, bypassing stem-cell stage [Last Updated On: January 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 31st, 2012]
- Skin cells turned into neural precusors, bypassing stem-cell stage [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2012]
- “Wide-ranging applications for pluripotent stem cells” [Last Updated On: February 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 2nd, 2012]
- New era of medicine in the offing, says scientist [Last Updated On: February 5th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 5th, 2012]
- EC transfers Basti Commissioner to pacify agitating IPS officers [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2012]
- Radiation treatment transforms breast cancer cells into cancer stem cells [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2012]
- Radiation treatment generates cancer stem cells from less aggressive breast cancer cells, study suggests [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2012]
- Radiation Treatment Generates Cancer Stem Cells from Less Aggressive Breast Cancer Cells [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2012]
- Life Technologies Scientist Uma Lakshmipathy presents, "Solving Challenges in the Generation of Induced Pluripotent ... [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2012]
- Radiation therapy transforms breast cancer cells into cancer stem cells [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2012]
- Radiation treatment transforms breast cancer cells into cancer stem cells [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2012]
- Radiation treatment generates cancer stem cells from less aggressive breast cancer cells, study suggests [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2012]
- Life Technologies Scientist Uma Lakshmipathy presents, "Solving Challenges in the Generation of Induced Pluripotent ... [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2012]
- Radiation Treatment Generates Cancer Stem Cells from Less Aggressive Breast Cancer Cells [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2012]
- Horizon in new super-cell elite [Last Updated On: February 16th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 16th, 2012]
- albuterol adverse effects - Video [Last Updated On: February 21st, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 21st, 2012]
- Presentations at the Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting Demonstrate Superior Predictivity of Cellular Dynamics ... [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2012] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2012]
- A new approach to treating type I diabetes? Gut cells transformed into insulin factories [Last Updated On: March 11th, 2012] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2012]
- New approach to treating type 1 diabetes? Transforming gut cells into insulin factories [Last Updated On: March 11th, 2012] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2012]
- New approach to treating type 1 diabetes? Transforming gut cells into insulin factories [Last Updated On: March 11th, 2012] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2012]
- A new approach to treating type I diabetes? Gut cells transformed into insulin factories [Last Updated On: March 11th, 2012] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2012]
- Gut cells transformed into insulin factories 'could help to treat type I diabetes' [Last Updated On: March 12th, 2012] [Originally Added On: March 12th, 2012]