For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL June 18, 2013 Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Myriad Genetics Inc. (MYGN-Free Report), Anika Therapeutics Inc. (ANIK-Free Report), Biogen Idec Inc. (BIIB-Free Report), Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ALXN-Free Report) and Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation (COG-Free Report).

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

Here are highlights from Mondays Analyst Blog:

Myriad: End to Legal Battle Over Patents

The much hyped Supreme Court ruling regarding legal claims that challenge its patent landscape is out for Myriad Genetics Inc. (MYGN-Free Report) and it seems like a halfway triumph for this molecular diagnostic company.

The Issue

In Nov 2012, Myriad revealed that the U.S. Supreme Court would review the decision of U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. It applies to the companys composition of matter claims that isolated DNA of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are patentable. Earlier, in Apr 2012, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit declared that Myriads composition of matter claims covering isolated DNA of the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes were patentable.

Following the Supreme Court review, earlier ruling by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals to declare the patentability of Myriads composition of matter claims covering isolated DNA of the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes were subject to legal scrutiny once again. The legal claims pertain to the companys flagship Bracanalysis test. The decision was anticipated in Jun 2013.

The Verdict

Read more:
The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Myriad Genetics, Anika Therapeutics, Biogen Idec , Alexion Pharmaceuticals and ...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The issue of when or where canines were domesticated has geneticists in a tug of war. Image: Les Hirondelles Photography/Flickr/Getty Images

How does a Venus flytrap know when to snap shut? Can it actually feel an insects tiny, spindly legs? And how do cherry blossoms know when to bloom? Can they...

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Scientists investigating the transformation of wolves into dogs are behaving a bit like the animals they study, as disputes roil among those using genetics to understand dog domestication.

In recent months, three international teams have published papers comparing the genomes of dogs and wolves. On some matters such as the types of genetic changes that make the two differ the researchers are more or less in agreement. Yet the teams have all arrived at wildly different conclusions about the timing, location and basis for the reinvention of ferocious wolves as placid pooches. Its a sexy field, says Greger Larson, an archeogeneticist at the University of Durham, UK. He has won a 950,000 (US$1.5-million) grant to study dog domestication starting in October. Youve got a lot of big personalities, a lot of money, and people who want to get their Nature paper first.

In January, Erik Axelsson and Kerstin Lindblad-Toh, geneticists at Uppsala University in Sweden, and their colleagues reported in Nature that genes involved in the breaking down of starch seemed to set domestic dogs apart from wild wolves. In the paper and in media interviews, the researchers argued that dog domestication was catalyzed by the dawn of agriculture around 10,000years ago in the Middle East, as wolves began to loiter around human settlements and rubbish heaps (see Nature http://doi.org/mv4; 2013).

But Larson, who has worked with Lindblad-Toh on other projects, says that their claim is dubious. He notes that bones that look similar to those of domestic dogs predate the Neolithic revolution by at least several thousand years, so domestication must have occurred before then. Why waste space [in a paper] saying something that is patently untrue? he says.

Axelsson concedes that the changes in starch digestion in dogs could have occurred after they were domesticated. But he also counters that the Neolithic era lasted for thousands of years, and that dogs may have been domesticated during the earliest steps towards agrarian life when human hunter-gatherers settled down and began eating more starch-rich wild plants.

A second study, published last month in Nature Communications, argues that dogs were domesticated 32,000years ago when they began scavenging with Palaeolithic humans in southern China. A team led by Ya-ping Zhang at the Kunming Institute of Zoology in China drew that conclusion from studying the whole genomes of several grey wolves, modern European dog breeds and indigenous Chinese dogs.

Read this article:
Dog Genetics Spur Scientific Spat

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Scientists have discovered and amplified an evolved adeno-associated virus (AAV) to target and deliver gene therapy to retinal cells in mice. This discovery could lead to less invasive and more precise gene therapies for retinal degeneration diseases such as retinoschisis and Lebers congenital amaurosis, as well as disease in other organs that normally couldnt be treated with gene therapy because of the lack of tissue specific drug delivery systems.

This study, which was published in Science Translational Medicine and reported by TheScientist.com, is still in animal trials but has already been praised because of its potential to improve the outcome of gene therapy as well as to expand the use of gene therapy to other diseases.

For disease with genetic causes, gene therapy can be very effective because it treats the root of the problem, defective of missing genes. But one of the biggest problems with gene therapy is the delivery system: our bodies naturally digest DNA or RNA, and oftentimes the gene used for treatment breaks down before it reaches the target cells or tissues.

AAV vectors or delivery systems are very effective because it takes advantage of the virus life cycle. Most of us are aware that when viruses infect cells, as in the case of the common cold or even HIV, they destroy the cells in the process of creating more copies.

But some viruses dont destroy the cells they infect. Instead, they leave behind genes and insert them in the host DNA. Some viruses that cause cancer make use of this mechanism in order to shut down a cells natural apoptotic or self-destruct mechanism, causing the cells to grow uncontrollably and develop into cancer. Viruses like AAV often leave harmless genes and can even be manipulated to insert useful or therapeutic genes, making them great drug delivery systems.

But the problem with AAV is it often prefers to infect lung cells, making them hard to use for diseases that target other organs.

What Prof David Shaffer, research lead, and his team at the University of California in Berkley did was to isolate and propagate a version of the AAV virus that could infect other cells, in this case, retinal cells. AAV is a respiratory virus and so it evolved to infect lung epithelial cells, explained Schaffer to TheScientist.com. It never evolved to penetrate deep into tissue.

To test if it would be possible for AAV to evolve, they first injected regular AAV into the vitreous of the mouse eyes and a week later harvested cells from deep within the retina. As expected, most of the AAV didnt infect the retinal cells but a small portion eventually evolved and became capable of infecting photoreceptor cells. They then harvested these virus particles, repackaged them, and reinfected into another mouses eye. They did this six times in order to harvest enough virus variants to study and test, which they identified variant 7m8.

They then tested the effectiveness of this variant as a gene therapy vector by testing on mouse models with retinoschisis and Lebers congenital amaurosis. Both diseases are caused by missing genes, which made them ideal candidates for gene therapy through simple gene replacement. Those treated with the new AAV variant showed improved retinal function while those who were treated with regular AAV did not.

Lastly, they tested the variant on a macaque eye to see the variant would perform just as well in primates. Primates, which includes humans, have thicker retinas and the researchers had concerns that the AAV vector may not be able to penetrate deep enough into the retinal cells. The designed the AAV vector to express a fluorescent protein when it infects retinal cells and their results showed that the vector was able to target the photoreceptors up to the thinnest part of the retina or the fovea.

See the original post here:
Mutant virus used to treat blindness

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Sarasota, Florida (PRWEB) June 18, 2013

After almost 20 years of performing regenerative treatments in the field of non surgical orthopedics, Wellington Chen, M.D., will begin conducting clinical trials for many degenerative diseases using adipose-derived stem cell therapy in Sarasota, Florida. The independent review board of the International cell medicine society is responsible for overseeing these trials.

Advanced Rejuvenation will treat patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and osteoarthritis following the IRB-approved protocols. Advanced Rejuvenation will be using adult autologous stem cells, harvested from the patients own adipose (fat) tissue or bone marrow if fat is not available. Because patients are receiving their own cells, there is no risk of rejection. As of 2007, over 9,000 studies have shown the safety using these cell lines.

Autologous stem cell therapy are your bodies repair men. They are circulated throughout your body and as soon as there is a need for them, chemical messages trigger them to migrate to the area and do their magic. They are both immune modulating and also regenerative which makes them a great therapeutic agent for osteoarthritis and COPD. Numerous studies have shown them to have the capacity to grow new cartilage, muscle, ligaments, glands and even organs. We believe stem cell treatments will become the future of care for most orthopedic problems avoiding the need for surgery. With COPD, when stem cells are run into the blood stream through an IV they will mostly pass through the lungs. We are excited to be apart of these research studies.

Advanced Rejuvenation trained under scientist Kristin Comella, CEO of Stemlogix. She was recently named in the Wall Street Journal as one of the 50 most influential people on stem cell research. Advanced Rejuvenation will implement Stemlogixs patented extraction process, allowing for an exceptionally high yield and viability of stem cells from fat.

During the in-office and same day procedure, a mini liposuction is performed. A half of a cup of fat in harvested from around the abdominal region which produces approximately 8 million stem cells. The stem cells are isolated put back into the patients joints or with COPD via an IV infusion. Local anesthesia is all that is needed and pain medication can be prescribed but is rarely necessary.

Advanced Rejuvenation has treated various orthopedic conditions for 4 years using fat transfer and now offers these treatments to patients ranging from NFL players to retired golfers. If you would like more information, e-mail Advanced Rejuveantion at AskDrGecko(at)Gmail(dot)com or call our office.

About Advanced Rejuvenation

Advanced Rejuvenation is a multi specialty practice in Sarasota, Florida, specializing in regenerative treatments such as Stem Cell Treatments, Prolotherapy, Ozone Therapy, Naturopathic, Acupuncture, Chiropractic Functional Neurology, Osteopathy, Functional Medicine, Active Isolated Stretching (AIS)

Contact: Advanced Rejuvenation Phone: (941) 330-8553 E-mail: AskDrGecko(at)Gmail(dot)com Website: http://www.SarasotaStemCell.com Office address: 2033 Wood Street #210 Sarasota, Florida 34237

Read more:
Wellington Chen, M.D. of Advanced Rejuvenation Introduces Stem Cell Therapy For OsteoArthritis & COPD in Sarasota ...

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

Jesse Talks About Spinal Cord Injury Ontario
Jess talks about his experiences with SCI Ontario.

By: SpinalCord InjuryOntario

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Jesse Talks About Spinal Cord Injury Ontario - Video

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Public release date: 15-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Aaron Lohr alohr@endocrine.org 240-482-1380 The Endocrine Society

A new genetic test accurately and consistently diagnoses benign growths, or nodules, on the thyroid gland, according to a study from Chile. The results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

"We have developed a 'gene signature' that effectively identifies benign thyroid nodules," said Hernan Gonzalez, MD, PhD, associate professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in Santiago. "This test is potentially useful to identify patients who do not require surgery."

The thyroid gland, located in the front of the neck, secretes thyroid hormone. This hormone is involved in many bodily processes, including turning food into energy. For unknown reasons, the thyroid gland sometimes develops small nodules. Although these nodules are extremely common and usually benign, a small number are cancerous, which makes screening tests essential.

In the United States this year, slightly more than 60,000 cases of thyroid cancer will be diagnosed and about 1,850 related deaths will occur, according to estimates from the American Cancer Society. Of these diagnosed cases, more than 45,000 will occur in women, who develop the disease more often than men.

Fortunately, thyroid cancer usually is curable. Screening for thyroid cancer involves using a thin needle to take a biopsy of the growth, called a fine needle aspirate biopsy, which is then analyzed for cancer cells.

The problem with the currently available screening test is that it often yields inconclusive results. In one-fifth to one-fourth of these tests, the results are unclear. In addition to causing anxiety among patients, inconclusive tests lead to repeated tests to rule out cancer, or even to surgery, given that cancer is present in about 25 percent of inconclusive cases. As a result, three out of four patients have unnecessary surgery, leading to rising treatment costs and the risk of possible complications related to unnecessary medical procedures.

The genetic test developed by the current study accurately identified benign nodules in nearly all samples analyzed. Specifically, the test differentiated between cancerous and non-cancerous tissue in 96 percent of thyroid samples.

"For the general public, this is important since it will offer a diagnostic tool that will avoid thousands of surgeries, with a major impact in health costs, eliminating potential surgical complications and the need for permanent thyroid hormone supplementation," Gonzalez said. "In addition, it should be widely available to local labs and hospitals and at a reasonable cost for the health system."

See more here:
'Gene signature' test diagnoses benign thyroid growths

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Public release date: 17-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Keith Herrell keith.herrell@uc.edu 513-558-4559 University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center

CINCINNATIThe University of Cincinnati's (UC) environmental health department has received an $8.7 million federal grant to continue operating its Center for Environmental Genetics (CEG).

Led by Shuk-mei Ho, PhD, director, the CEG supports state-of-the-art core facilities and technologies needed to conduct innovative research that focuses on how environmental agents interact with genetic and epigenetic factors to influence disease risk and outcome.

This funding renewal, from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), will be dispersed in annual increments of about $1.74 million through March 31, 2018. The center is one of 20 Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) Core Centers funded by the NIEHS, designed to build scientific collaboration to identify toxicants in the environment, learn how these toxicants affect people's health and provide insights into preventing environmentally induced illnesses.

Additional missions of the center are to attract new talents to EHS research and empower communities to impact public health policies.

"This grant validates the important work of the CEG and will allow us to continue to conduct state-of-the-art environmental research at UC's Academic Health Center and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center," says Ho, Jacob G. Schmidlapp professor and chair of UC's environmental health department, a University System of Ohio (USO) Center of Excellence.

Founded in 1992 by Daniel Nebert, MD, now a UC professor emeritus of environmental health, the CEG encourages research collaboration between basic and applied scientists, epidemiologists and clinicians seeking to understand the complex relationships between genetic predisposition to disease and environmental exposures.

Susan Pinney, PhD, professor of environmental health, serves as deputy director of the CEG. Alvaro Puga, PhD, an associate professor of environmental health, and Daniel Woo, MD, a professor in UC's department of neurology and rehabilitation medicine, are associate directors.

"Environmental chemicals and their potential health effects are increasingly part of the public consciousness," Pinney says. "This funding will allow us to respond to questions from the public with cutting-edge science."

Read the original here:
$8.7 million grant supports 'Gene-Environment Interaction' research

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Last month, Angelina Jolie stunned the world with a New York Times op/ed titled, My Medical Choice. Angelina confessed she had undergone a preventative double mastectomy and breast reconstruction as a result of learning that she carries the BRCA1 gene mutation and therefore had an 87% risk of breast cancer.

Her goal of going public with this news was to encourage public discussion, awareness and acceptance around genetic screening and the preventative measures available to women (and men) at high risk of developing cancer.

Near the end of Angelinas editorial, she writes: It has got to be a priority to ensure that more women can access gene testing and lifesaving preventive treatment, whatever their means and background, wherever they live. The cost of testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2, at more than $3,000 in the United States, remains an obstacle for many women.

Which raises a critical point: Even if you can afford to get the testing done, would you be able to afford the preventative surgeries and treatments? How much does it all cost anyway?

Can you put a price on a stay-at-home mom?

Genetic screening

The actual cost for the BRCA gene mutation tests (called BRACAnalysis) depends on how extensive the testing is and can range between $400 and $4,000. The costs are the same everywhere, since all BRACAnalysis tests are conducted by one company: Myriad Genetics (MYGN) in Salt Lake City, Utah. The publicly listed biotech company has patents on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and the tests for mutations in those genes is their main line of business. After Angelinas op/ed, Myriads stock rose to a three-year high.

How can a company patent genes that exist in all our bodies, you ask? Great question. In fact, this is a question currently being considered by the US Supreme Court. Opponents argue that Myriads monopoly on the tests hampers scientific research, keeps costs high and restricts testing accessibility.

In Myriads defense, the company claims that over 95% of patients are reimbursed for the cost of the tests through insurance and that if a patient is not insured and in financial need, they offer an assistance program to provide testing at a reduced cost or even free.

Unbreak my heart: The crippling effect of health struggles on your finances

Read this article:
The Jolie Gene: What does it all cost?

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

NEW YORK, June 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Personalized Medicine Diagnostics (Flow Cytometry, Sepsis Immunos, Routine Coagulation, Psychiatric Disorders, Tumor Markers, Molecular Blood Typing and Other Testing)

http://www.reportlinker.com/p01360928/Personalized-Medicine-Diagnostics-Flow-Cytometry-Sepsis-Immunos-Routine-Coagulation-Psychiatric-Disorders-Tumor-Markers-Molecular-Blood-Typing-and-Other-Testing.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=In_Vitro_Diagnostic

Personalized Medicine Diagnostics - Market Overview

Personalized Medicine is often defined as "the right treatment for the right person at the right time." Personalized medicine is becoming the place to be in clinical diagnostics as well and slowly becoming the reality of future in the diagnostics industry

By Technology Segment - Personalized Medicine diagnostics market is expected to grow with a double digit CAGR for the period of 2013 to 2018. It is expected that personalized medicine diagnostics market by technology is going to double by 2018 from its current market size in 2012. In this segment, Point of Care Testing and Molecular Diagnostics segments control the #1 and #2 positions in 2012.

By Diseases Segment - Personalized Medicine diagnostics market is expected to be more than US$ 30 Billion by 2018. Diabetes management test and Cancer management test are the leading market in this segment.

Renub Research report entitled "Personalized Medicine Diagnostics (Flow Cytometry, Sepsis Immunos, Routine Coagulation, Psychiatric Disorders, Tumor Markers, Molecular Blood Typing and Other Testing)" report provides a comprehensive analysis of the emerging personalized medicine diagnostic market segments, including their dynamics, size, market share, key investors, clinical trials statement, technological trends, company analysis and a realistic future potential for personalized medicine in clinical testing. The report also entails major drivers and challenges of personalized medicine diagnostic market. This 173 page report contains 94 Figures and 16 Tables studies the Personalized Medicine Diagnostics Market. This report contains 12 chapters

Chapter 1 is Executive Summary

Chapter 2 contains worldwide personalized medicine diagnostic market & forecast (2011 2018). The market includes technological & disease-wise personalized medicine diagnostics market

Original post:
Personalized Medicine Diagnostics (Flow Cytometry, Sepsis Immunos, Routine Coagulation, Psychiatric Disorders, Tumor ...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Genetics Shop
Science is the cool and stuff.

By: FicocelliMr

Read more here:
Genetics Shop - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Human Genetics - Blood Type Video
I had some trouble with iMovie but the articles referenced are as follows: cassiopaea.org https://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.ph... http://en.wikipedia.org/wi...

By: Nomad1217

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Human Genetics - Blood Type Video - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwired - Jun 17, 2013) - Atossa Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATOS), The Breast Health Company, has entered into a contractual agreement with HealthSmart, a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) network serving clients in all 50 states.

The agreement with HealthSmart affords preferred providers and their patients with greater access to Atossa'sForeCYTE Breast Health Test by ensuring timely reimbursement for the laboratory costs associated with the test.

"Our science-based approach to breast cancer risk assessment provides doctors and their patients with vital information concerning a woman's breast health status and risk for breast cancer," stated Dr. Steven Quay, Chairman CEO & President of Atossa Genetics. "The agreement with HealthSmart, our third agreement with a PPO organization, will help more doctors and patients access the ForeCYTE test."

About the ForeCYTE Breast Health Test

TheForeCYTE Breast Health Test is a painless, quick and non-invasive procedure that can be done in a physician's office. A small sample of fluid, aspirated from the nipple of each breast with the Company's modified breast pump, can provide vital early detection of cancer or pre-cancerous conditions that may progress to cancer over an approximately eight year period and before cancer can be detected by mammography and without the risks of radiation, especially in women younger than age 50. No invasive biopsy needles or open surgical incisions are used in the Atossa test and the test is painless. The ForeCYTE test is targeted to the 110 million women in the U.S. ages 18 to 73.

Just as the Pap smear has reduced cervical cancer rates by over 70 percent in women who receive regular testing, becoming the most successful screening test in medicine, the goal of Atossa Genetics is to reduce the stubbornly high rate of breast cancer through the early detection of the precursor changes that can lead to breast cancer and the treatment of those early changes.

About Atossa Genetics, Inc.

Atossa Genetics, Inc., The Breast Health Company, based in Seattle, WA, is focused on preventing breast cancer through the commercialization of patented, FDA-designated Class II diagnostic medical devices and patented, laboratory developed tests that can detect precursors to breast cancer up to eight years before mammography.

The National Reference Laboratory for Breast Health (NRLBH), a wholly owned subsidiary of Atossa Genetics, Inc., is a CLIA-certified high-complexity molecular diagnostic laboratory located in Seattle, Washington.

For additional information on Atossa Genetics, please visit http://www.atossagenetics.com. To see a video about Atossa and the ForeCYTE test, click here: http://vimeo.com/62214008

See more here:
Atossa Genetics Announces Nationwide Agreement With Network Provider HealthSmart

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Los Angeles, California (PRWEB) June 16, 2013

According to a May 29, 2013 NBC News article, titled Gene Therapies for Regenerative Surgery Are Getting Closer, Says Review in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, researchers have made significant progress in the development of gene therapy techniques that can grow skin, bone and tissue for reconstructive surgery. Researchers from Padua University Hospital in Italy who conducted the review claim the potential benefits of using gene therapy in reconstructive surgery are numerous. (Go to goo.gl/kYjFa)

According to the article, gene therapy may be instrumental in solving a problem that most plastic and reconstructive surgeons face, which is the lack of sufficient tissue to correct deformities that patients have in certain areas of their body. For example, while most surgeons can effectively treat small burns, they often face major challenges while trying to treat patients with large burns, because such patients generally lack sufficient tissue to develop skin flaps that can adequately cover the affected area(s).

What this means, says Dr. Simon Ourian, Medical Director of Epione Beverly Hills, is that despite undergoing plastic surgery, some patients still need to use cosmetics to improve the appearance of their burns. However, by using gene therapy to promote the growth of specific tissue, reconstructive surgeons can, in future, improve the quality of plastic surgery treatments.

Further according to the report, in addition to improving the effectiveness of regenerative surgery through growth of different tissue, gene therapy can be used to control the growth factors that aid in skin healing, in the bone formation process, and the regeneration of injured nerves.

I look forward to seeing the results of future research and hope that the day we have practical ways to apply this technology isnt too far off, says Dr. Ourian.

Dr. Ourian has been a pioneer in laser technology and non-invasive aesthetic procedures including Restylane, Juvderm, Radiesse and Sculptra. These treatments are used for the correction or reversal of a variety of conditions such as acne, acne scars, skin discoloration, wrinkles, stretch marks, varicose veins, cellulite, and others. More information about gene therapy can be found on Epiones website.

Go here to read the rest:
Plastic Surgery – Is Gene Therapy the Future?

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., June 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --In an effort to aid progress in gene therapy clinical research, representatives of Clontech laboratories, Inc. and its parent company Takara Bio Inc. announce the availability of clinical grade RetroNectin reagent for direct supply to biomedical researchers.

RetroNectin reagent is designed to enable efficient retroviral transduction of genes into hematopoietic stem cells as well as lymphocytes and other blood cells. The RetroNectin method has been recognized as a standard gene transduction method in ex vivo gene therapy around the world. In addition, RetroNectin reagent has another remarkable feature that can also be useful for cell therapies: during the expansion culture of human T lymphocytes, RetroNectin reagent helps to increase proportion of nave T cells. This RetroNectin induced T cell method has already become available as a cancer therapy in three Japanese clinics under technical support from Takara Bio.

Takara Bio is the exclusive supplier of RetroNectin reagent, a recombinant human fibronectin fragment developed in 1995 by Takara Bio in collaboration with Indiana University. It has been used in 68 gene therapy clinical trials in 44 institutes and hospitals in 10 countries to date.

Previously, access to clinical-grade RetroNectin reagent required a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) between a research institution and Takara Bio. Researchers may now submit direct orders to Clontech or local Takara Bio subsidiaries for RetroNectin (GMP), which is manufactured as a quality-assured product according to guidelines for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). The Drug Master File for RetroNectin (GMP) has been filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In a recent study published in Science Translational Medicine in March 2013, scientists at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center reported an immunotherapy strategy for the treatment of five adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Each patient's T cells were extracted, altered by introduction of DNA that would cause the cells to attack tumor cells, and infused back into the patient's bloodstream. According to researchers, all patients achieved tumor eradication and complete remission. RetroNectin reagent was used during T cell transduction.

Corresponding author Dr. Renier J. Brentjens said, "It was very clear to us even 10 years ago that the use of RetroNectin coated plates markedly, massively improved gene transfer." Dr. Brentjens continued, "The methodologies that many of us now use have been developed over a number of years. Once you have a system that works, you become very reliant and dependent on those reagents."

"RetroNectin reagent has become a standard reagent for many gene transfer protocols worldwide," said Carol Lou, General Manager of Clontech. "We are sure that such direct access to RetroNectin (GMP) without MTA execution will make this reagent available much more easily to any scientists or clinicians interested in RetroNectin clinical applications, which aligns with Takara Bio's mission of contributing to the health of mankind through gene therapy."

About Clontech Laboratories, Inc.Clontech Laboratories, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Takara Bio Inc., develops, manufactures, and distributes a wide range of life science research reagents under the Clontech and Takara brands. Key products include the Living Colors fluorescent proteins; high-performance qPCR and PCR reagents (including theTaKaRa Ex Taq,TaKaRa LA Taq, Titanium, and Advantage enzymes); RT enzymes and SMART library construction kits; the innovative In-Fusion cloning system; Tet-based inducible gene expression systems; and a range of Macherey-Nagel nucleic acid purification tools. These and other products support applications including gene discovery, regulation, and function; protein expression and purification; RNAi and stem cell studies; and plant and food research. For more information, visit http://www.clontech.com.

About Takara Bio Inc.Takara Bio Inc. is an innovative biotechnology company based in Shiga, Japan. As a world leader in biotechnology research and development, Takara Bio was the first company to market PCR technology in Japan and is also the developer of the RetroNectin reagent, which is used as a world-standard in gene therapy protocols. In addition to providing research reagents and equipment to the life science research market, Takara Bio has active research and product development activities in the fields of gene and cell-based therapy, and agricultural biotechnology; and is committed to preventing disease and improving the quality of life for all people through the use of biotechnology. Through strategic alliances with other industry leaders, the Company aims to extend its reach around the world. More information is available athttp://www.takara-bio.com.

For more information, contact:

Lorna Neilson, Ph.D. Director, Business Development Clontech Laboratories, Inc. A TakaraBio Company lorna_neilson@clontech.com (650) 919-7372

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Clinical Grade RetroNectin® Reagent Available To Support Gene Therapy Clinical Research

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

DUBLIN, June 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/dfcq6z/gene_therapy) has announced a new report "Gene Therapy - Technologies, Markets and Companies" to its offering.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130307/600769 )

Gene therapy can be broadly defined as the transfer of defined genetic material to specific target cells of a patient for the ultimate purpose of preventing or altering a particular disease state. Genes and DNA are now being introduced without the use of vectors and various techniques are being used to modify the function of genes in vivo without gene transfer. If one adds to this the cell therapy particularly with use of genetically modified cells, the scope of gene therapy becomes much broader. Gene therapy can now be combined with antisense techniques such as RNA interference (RNAi), further increasing the therapeutic applications. This report takes a broad overview of gene therapy and is the most up-to-date presentation from the author on this topic built-up from a series of gene therapy reports written by him during the past decade, including a textbook of gene therapy and a book on gene therapy companies. This report describes the setbacks of gene therapy and renewed interest in the topic.

Gene therapy technologies are described in detail including viral vectors, nonviral vectors and cell therapy with genetically modified vectors. Gene therapy is an excellent method of drug delivery and various routes of administration, as well as targeted gene therapy, are described. There is an introduction to technologies for gene suppression as well as molecular diagnostics to detect and monitor gene expression.

Clinical applications of gene therapy are extensive and cover most systems and their disorders. Full chapters are devoted to genetic syndromes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders and viral infections with emphasis on AIDS. Applications of gene therapy in veterinary medicine, particularly for treating cats and dogs, are included.

Research and development is in progress in both the academic and the industrial sectors. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the US is playing an important part. As of 2012, over 2030 clinical trials have been completed, are ongoing or have been approved worldwide. A breakdown of these trials is shown according to the areas of application.

The voluminous literature on gene therapy was reviewed and selected 750 references are appended in the bibliography. The references are constantly updated. The text is supplemented with 73 tables and 15 figures.

Profiles of 181 companies involved in developing gene therapy are presented, along with 204 collaborations. There were only 44 companies involved in this area in 1995. In spite of some failures and mergers, the number of companies has increased more than 4-fold within a decade. These companies have been followed up since they were the topic of a book on gene therapy companies by the author of this report. John Wiley & Sons published the book in 2000 and from 2001 to 2003, updated versions of these companies (approximately 160 at mid-2003) were available on Wiley's web site. Since that free service was discontinued and the rights reverted to the author, this report remains the only authorized continuously updated version on gene therapy companies.

Benefits of this report

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Gene Therapy - Technologies, Markets and Companies 2013

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Adoptive Cell Therapy for Cancer
Presented by Jeffrey Weber, MD February, 2012.

By: MelanomaIntl

See more here:
Adoptive Cell Therapy for Cancer - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Stemlogix Stem Cell Therapy Heals Angie the Chimp!
A year ago Stemlogix donated its stem cell technology to veterinarians in Florida to treat a rescue chimpanzee at the "Save The Chimps" facility named Angie. Angie was suffering from an ACL...

By: Stemlogix, LLC

More here:
Stemlogix Stem Cell Therapy Heals Angie the Chimp! - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

And of course, the human gene.

The human gene?

How is that even possible? Could you patent a cat's whiskers? A cloud formation? A comb-over for a balding man? (Ah, well, yes, there is a comb-over patent out there somewhere.)

The idea that the essence of our biology could be patented in the manner of an alarm clock or windshield wiper, however, came as a shock to the many of us who don't follow the legal struggles of the biotech world. Yet gene patents have existed for 30 years.

Until, that is, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously declared last week that the natural human gene cannot be commercially owned.

Many of us were unaware that this was even a thing until last month, when Angelina Jolie announced that she had opted for a double mastectomy after discovering she carries a genetic mutation that gave her an 87% chance of developing breast cancer and a 50% chance of ovarian cancer at some point in her life. She had discovered her risk after taking an expensive test developed by Myriad Genetics, the Utah firm whose gene patents were the subject of the Supreme Court decision.

"The cost of testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2, at more than $3,000 in the United States, remains an obstacle for many women," Jolie wrote in the New York Times.

Her mild critique unleashed a whiff of unseemliness about the cost of the BRACAnalysis test, as many women especially the uninsured came forward to say they were at risk but could not afford to take it.

Why is the test so expensive? There's no competition; Myriad has a zealously enforced monopoly.

After Jolie's bombshell essay ran, Myriad went into something of a defensive crouch, insisting the great majority of its tests are covered by health insurance. The company said it has provided financial assistance to 5,000 women who could not afford the fee.

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Human gene patenting is a thing most of us aren't ready for

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Washington, June 16 (ANI): Researchers have identified two gene variants that may predict which women are likely to benefit from a long-term drug treatment that can cut the risk of developing the disease in half.

The work represents a major step toward truly individualized breast cancer prevention in women at high risk for the disease based on their age, family history of breast cancer, and personal medical history.

The study's lead scientist, James N. Ingle, M.D., professor of oncology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said that their study reveals the first known genetic factors that can help predict which high-risk women should be offered breast cancer prevention treatment and which women should be spared any unnecessary expense and risk from taking these medications.

He said that they also discovered new info about how the drugs tamoxifen and raloxifene work to prevent breast cancer.

Ingle and Mayo-based colleagues in the NIH Pharmacogenomics Research Network (PGRN) conducted the study in collaboration with PGRN-affiliated researchers at the RIKEN Center for Genomic Medicine in Tokyo.

Data and patient DNA came from the long-running National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP), supported by the National Cancer Institute.

The scientists analyzed the genomic data by focusing on more than 500,000 genetic markers called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Each SNP represents a single variation in the DNA sequence at a particular location within the genome.

To determine whether any SNPs were associated with breast cancer risk, the researchers computationally searched for SNPs that occurred more commonly in women who developed breast cancer during the trial than in women who remained free of the disease. The analysis identified two such SNPs-one in a gene called ZNF423 and the other near a gene called CTSO.

Neither ZNF423 nor CTSO-nor any SNPs related to these genes-had previously been associated with breast cancer or response to the preventive drugs. The scientists' work revealed that women with the beneficial version of the two SNPs were 5.71 times less likely to develop breast cancer while taking preventive drugs than were women with neither advantageous SNP.

Using a variety of biochemical studies, the scientists learned that ZNF423 and CTSO act by affecting the activity of BRCA1, a known breast cancer risk gene. Healthy versions of BRCA1 reduce disease by repairing a serious form of genetic damage. Harmful versions of BRCA1 dramatically increase a woman's chance of developing breast cancer.

The rest is here:
Gene variants to predict women benefitting from breast cancer prevention drugs

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

From an editorial in Fridays Washington Post:

No, a unanimous Supreme Court ruled Thursday, genes cannot be patented, no matter how much effort a company expends in finding them. It is the right call but cant be the last word. Congress must explore how to encourage useful genetic research while allowing the fruits of that inquiry to be used as freely as possible.

At issue before the court was a series of patents that the biotechnology firm Myriad Genetics obtained on two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2. Certain mutations of these genes are associated with a much higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer. The company sorted through the massive strand of genetic code to find them and determine what they look like normally. This knowledge allows doctors and medical researchers to determine whether a persons genes look different in ways that indicate that higher risk of illness. With the patents in place, only Myriad or those to whom the company gave permission were allowed to isolate and examine the genes.

The problem with that, according to the court, is that Myriad did not create anything.

Groundbreaking, innovative, or even brilliant discovery does not by itself warrant patent exclusivity, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote for the court, if the resulting discovery is a naturally occurring thing. Isaac Newton couldnt have patented the apple he watched fall off that tree, nor the theory of gravity he subsequently developed.

Supporters of the courts stand say that unwarranted patent barriers will no longer impede valuable genetic research or the practice of individualized medicine. Since patent claims have been made on something like 4,000 of the 23,000 human genes, it could have been extremely costly to sort through a patients genetic code to determine the particular medical risks that person faces. Following the ruling, doctors and researchers wont face a thicket of gene patents, and patients will now be able to get second opinions from different genetic-analysis firms.

Those benefits are compelling. But policymakers must also keep in mind the extensive effort, as Thomas put it, of companies such as Myriad that has enabled doctors and researchers to know what to look for. The company can rightly claim its work has advanced womens health.

Congress should examine whether government-funded research and persisting market opportunities are enough to motivate genetic research, or whether it should offer more narrowly drawn patents, prize money or other new incentives for companies to continue sorting through the genome.

Continue reading here:
Court makes right call, but encourage genetic research

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

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