Doctors don't promise cure with stem cell therapy
MANILA, Philippines Amid the recent warning issued by the Department of Health (DOH) regarding stem cell therapy, doctors who are offering the treatment in the Philippines clarified that they are not promising a cure.
We are very careful about claiming cure. These days ang dami nagsasalita, nawala ang sakit. All of a sudden siya (stem cell therapy) na yung magic bullet ng buong mundo, like if you get stem cell, you get cured, said Dr. Michelle de Vera, deputy director of the Institute of Personalized Molecular Medicine at The Medical City.
Kapag may narinig na ganyan dapat lalo silang mag-ingat. Cure is zero evidence of disease or kung genetic yung disease dapat napalitan yung genes mo. Hindi mangyayari yun at this point," he stressed.
De Vera, an allergologist and immunologist, does stem cell therapy on her patients at The Medical City but he said he believes that the DOH is right in warning patients on stem cell therapy.
Tama naman na magbigay sila ng warning,I think what their trying to do is regulate stem cell therapy, the doctor said.
Public advisory
The DOH recently came out with a public advisory on stem cell therapies saying that there is an "observed proliferation of centers offering stem cell treatments for medical and aesthetic purpose, and although this technology holds promise, stem cell therapy is not yet part of the standard of care and is considered an investigative procedure for compassionate use."
The DOH further stated that "applications of stem cells for the treatment of malignancies, blood disorders, degenerative diseases (e.g. Alzhimer's), metaboloc diseases (eg diabetes), and immune cell therapy are still under clinical evaluation and study."
I did not say it doesn't work but it takes a while, a lot of experiments and clinical studies before it is considered a standard of care in medicine, clarified Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona.
Ona also added in his statement that "the public is strongly advised to avoid stem cell therapies which use the following as sources for stem cells: embryonic stem cells, aborted fetuses, genetically-altered and animal fresh cells." Not from animals
Continued here:
Doctors don't promise cure with stem cell therapy
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Cardiovascular and Chronic Liver Disease Cell Therapy Clinical Studies Approved in Japan
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Cytori Therapeutics (CYTX) today announced two independent investigator-sponsored and funded cell therapy clinical studies in Japan have been approved by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare under the Guidelines on Clinical Research Using Human Stem Cells. One study will investigate the use of Cytoris cell therapy as a treatment for ischemic heart failure and the other as a treatment for cirrhosis of the liver. The studies will be performed by Shuichi Kaneko, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Chairman of Departments of Gastroenterology, and Disease Control and Hemostasis, Graduate School of Medicine at Kanazawa University Hospital School of Medicine.
In each study, patients will receive an injection of Cytoris cell therapy, which consists of their own adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells (ADRCs) processed at the point-of-care using the Cytoris proprietary and automated Celution System. The ischemic heart failure study will enroll patients with low left ventricular function due to a prior heart attack and the ADRCs will be delivered through the coronary artery. In the study of patients with cirrhosis of the liver, the ADRCs will be delivered through the hepatic artery.
About Cytori
Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. is developing cell therapies based on autologous adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) to treat cardiovascular disease and repair soft tissue defects. Our scientific data suggest ADRCs improve blood flow, moderate the immune response and keep tissue at risk of dying alive. As a result, we believe these cells can be applied across multiple "ischemic" conditions. These therapies are made available to the physician and patient at the point-of-care by Cytori's proprietary technologies and products, including the Celution system product family. http://www.cytori.com
Read the original post:
Cardiovascular and Chronic Liver Disease Cell Therapy Clinical Studies Approved in Japan
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Autologous Stem Cell and Non-Stem Cell Based Therapies Market (2012-2017) (Neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, cancer …
NEW YORK, Nov. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:
Autologous Stem Cell and Non-Stem Cell Based Therapies Market (2012-2017) (Neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, cancer & autoimmune, skin and infectious diseases)
Autologous cell therapies are new therapeutic intervention where it introduces or uses cells or tissues from the individual, cultured, expanded and re-introduced at the site of the disease of the donor. They are widely promoted as next pillar or advancement in medical care.
Growth of the market is very rapid especially in regulatory approvals, applications areas and rapid improvements in efficacy of treatment; it has enormous advantages over allogenic stem cell therapies. Autologous transplants are relatively safe procedures, with less rates of complications and infections compared with allogenic transplants. In many instances, much of the procedure can be done on an outpatient basis. It helps in treating various dreadful diseases by transplanting their own body cells where it results in meager chances of transplant rejection.
We have also profiled leading players of this industry with their recent developments and other strategic industry activities. These include: Neostem (U.S.), Tengion (U.S.), Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (U.S.), Dendreon Corporation (U.S.), Georgia Health Sciences University (U.S.), Regenexx (U.S.), Regeneus (Australia), Cytori Therapeutics (U.S.), Tigenix (Belgium).
Scope of the Report
This research report titled "Autologous Cell Therapy (2012-2017)" provides details about various ACT based treatments and their application areas. Every health regulatory bodies will be expecting companies and universities to develop therapy treatments, which are safer, affordable, robust, rapid, easy to use, effective and deliverable to the end user. ACT treatments for particular application areas it is safe, experiencing robust growth, minimal steps of procedure to follow and rapid in deriving the results. As for now the treatments prices are not affordable, but by the intrusion of government bodies, it will definitely experience a immense market growth.
The report gives a detailed analysis about state of the art of autologous cell therapies. It includes the current advances and applications of the technology and trends in terms of market size and growth of autologous cellular therapies in medical treatments globally. It also consists of funding details of the innovative therapy and recent activities in terms of mergers & acquisitions of the company, revenue forecasting. It includes latest therapy details and products which are available for licensing and approvals from various regulatory bodies. Using drivers, restraints and challenges it is forecasted for a period of five years i.e. 2012-2017. Opportunity strategy evaluation has been included which gives information for investors.
Autologous Cell Therapy technology is changing the medicinal treatments by introducing various new therapies. Its scope is vast and promising for the future despite challenges.
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Investigator-Sponsored Cell Therapy Clinical Study for Scleroderma Initiated in France
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Cytori Therapeutics (CYTX) today announced that an investigator-sponsored and funded clinical study evaluating Cytoris cell therapy as a potential treatment for limited and diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) has been approved to begin in France by the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM, formerly AFSSAPS). The study will be conducted by Professor Guy Magalon, M.D., Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery and Professor of Universities, at Hpital de la Conception, AP-HM Marseille, France, Professor Brigitte Granel, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine of Hospital Nord and Professor of Universities, and Professor Florence Sabatier, M.D., Head of the Department of Cell Therapy.
We are interested in investigating Cytoris cell therapy as a potential treatment for scleroderma because earlier data suggest it can improve blood flow and minimize the immune response, said Professor Magalon. Based on these properties, the treatment has the potential to reverse the ischemic effects, where there is tightening of the arteries in the affected areas, and counter the autoimmune reaction. While this research is in its early stages, if we begin to observe encouraging efficacy, we intend to expand the trial to include more hospitals and patients.
Per the study protocol, 13 patients will receive an injection of their own adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells (ADRCs) into the affected areas of their fingers. ADRCs will be processed using Cytoris automated Celution System so that their own cells may be redelivered immediately. The primary endpoints are safety and the improvement in function of the hands, as measured by the Cochin hand functional scale at six months. Secondary endpoints include severity of pain visual analog scale, Systemic Sclerosis Health Assessment Questionnaire, Rodnan score adapted to the hand, HAMIS test, and severity of the Raynauds syndrome. The first patient in the study is expected to be treated in November 2012.
Scleroderma is a rare autoimmune disorder that results in an overproduction of collagen in the skin and vital organs. It ranges from mild to severe, is typically detected between the ages of 40 and 50, and it affects women four times more frequently than men. It is classified as localized or systemic. Two forms of systemic sclerosis include limited cutaneous and diffuse cutaneous, depending on the extent of skin fibrosis. In both subgroups, skin fibrosis affects the hands and leads to disability. Combined prevalence for limited and diffuse cutaneous systemic scleroderma in the G6 European countries is approximately 42,000 people. It is classified as an orphan disease by Orphanet, a European consortium on rare diseases.
The study is being organized by a multidisciplinary team of researchers at Hpital de le Conception. The researchers include Julie Veran, Cell Manufacturing Manager, Laurent Giraudo, Laboratory Chief Assistant, and Laurent Arnaud, Cell Characterization responsible, of the Cell Therapy Department. In addition, Aurelie Daumas, Chief Clinician Assistant from the Department of Internal Medicine, and Pierre Nguyen, M.D., Chief Clinician Assistant from the Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, will support implementation of the study. Per the request of the ANSM, the Department of Cell Therapy had previously validated the cell characterization, viability and reproducibility of the ADRCs processed by the Celution System.
About Cytori Therapeutics
Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. is developing cell therapies based on autologous adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) to treat cardiovascular disease and repair soft tissue defects. Our scientific data suggest ADRCs improve blood flow, moderate the immune response and keep tissue at risk of dying alive. As a result, we believe these cells can be applied across multiple "ischemic" conditions. These therapies are made available to the physician and patient at the point-of-care by Cytori's proprietary technologies and products, including the Celution System product family. http://www.cytori.com
Visit link:
Investigator-Sponsored Cell Therapy Clinical Study for Scleroderma Initiated in France
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Stem cell therapy for muscle, sports injury alternative to surgery
By Erika Sauler Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines This type of stem cell therapy does not claim to be the fountain of youth, but an alternative treatment to arthritis, muscle pain and tendon tear.
Two Filipino doctors who trained in the United States said in a media forum on Sunday that autologous stem cell therapy could speed up the healing of musculoskeletal and sports-related injuries, which could be an optional remedy before undergoing surgery.
Dr. Jeimylo de Castro explained that the procedure would involve taking stem cells from the patients blood, fat tissue or bone marrow and injecting them to the injured area of the same person. This type of therapy is different from the controversial embryonic stem cells which are harvested from animals or fertilized eggs.
With stem cell therapy being a current fad for anti-aging, the Department of Health has warned the public that the benefits of stem cell therapy are still under evaluation. The DOH will soon issue guidelines for the use of stem cell therapy and the licensing of facilities offering this service.
De Castro and Dr. Franklin Domingo are both fellows of the Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine. They underwent training for stem cell therapy under Dr. Joseph Purita of the Institute of Regenerative and Molecular Orthopaedics, and Dr. Sherwin Kevy of Harvards Immune Disease Institute.
If you have arthritis and you take anti-inflammatory drugs, you will not feel the pain so you will move around and further damage the cartilage. Whereas stem cells will regenerate tissues and ease the pain, making the damaged cells become young again, De Castro said.
Domingo likened the stem cells to high school students who have no career yet and could be trained to be professionals in a field where they are needed. So if the stem cells are injected into an injured knee, they will develop into tissues that hasten the recovery of the area.
According to Domingo, stem cell therapy is not for everybody and is not a quick-fix solution because it uses the bodys natural ability to heal.
Patients who have cancer and infection are not allowed to undergo stem cell therapy, and so are those under the influence of alcohol or who have taken blood-thinning medicine like Coumadin at the time of extraction.
Read more from the original source:
Stem cell therapy for muscle, sports injury alternative to surgery
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Stem cell therapy a cure-all? Not so fast
MANILA, Philippines Its supposed to cure various illnesses such as cancer, spinal cord injury and Parkinsons disease. Is stem cell therapy the cure-all that it is touted to be?
Health Undersecretary Teodoro Herbosa said it is important to note that stem cell treatments are still at the experimental stage.
"The advisory is very clear. This is still an investigative form of therapy. Anecdotal reports are not enough evidence to say there is treatment, he said in an interview on ANC's Talkback with Tina Palma.
He said there are only two standard stem cell therapies considered effective and acceptable to the medical community.
"To date, I can only name two cases that are considered standard therapy. That is bone marrow transplantation--one for severe cancer, blood cancer and the other one is bone marrow transplantation after chemotherapy for any type of cancer, he said.
Herbosa said the Department of Health cannot confirm yet if stem cell treatment is indeed effective against certain diseases.
Dr. Tranquilino Elicao Jr., an oncologist who availed of the treatment in April in Frankfurt, Germany, said stem cell therapy cured his high blood pressure, sugar, cholesterol and uric acid.
He had 12 injections of cells, which came from lambs.
After a month, I had my blood tests. Everything went down to normal, Elicao said.
Elicao also said he is not taking medication anymore because he has regained his health.
Go here to read the rest:
Stem cell therapy a cure-all? Not so fast
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Irvine Scientific Offers Cell Therapy Products
SANTA ANA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Irvine Scientific, a leading cell culture media/ medical device company for more than 40 years, announced their newly launched cell therapy PRIME-XV product portfolio as part of the companys commitment to accelerate basic research and clinical applications in cell therapy and regenerative medicine. Using their expertise in cell culture media development, PRIME-XV products were designed to function as part of an integrated workflow solution in culturing primary cells, where all products have been pre-validated to decrease end user qualification time. Initially, PRIME-XV products will comprise of a serum-free medium for the expansion of human mesenchymal stromal/ stem cells (MSCs), biopreservation solutions and extracellular matrix proteins. However, Irvine Scientific intends to expand this product line to offer other cell culture media and reagents, such as stem cell qualified fetal bovine serum, tumorsphere and neural progenitor cell expansion media. Examples of existing PRIME-XV products include:
PRIME-XV MatrIS F: a recombinant human matrix protein intended for the culture of human stem/ progenitor cells under serum-free conditions. PRIME-XV MatrIS F provides an alternative substrate to the PRIME-XV Human Fibronectin product, which has a wide variety of applications in primary cell spreading and attachment.
PRIME-XV MSC EXPANSION SFM: a complete, serum-free expansion medium specifically designed for the culture of primary human MSCs derived from bone marrow and adipose tissues. This medium is supplied as a convenient one 250mL bottle and is ready-to-use without the need of additional cytokine/ growth factor supplements. MSCs cultured in PRIME-XV MSC EXPANSION SFM out performed serum-containing medium as well as leading competitors in cell expansion studies without losing their multipotent characteristics or immune modulation functions.
PRIME-XV Hypothermic Biopreservation Solution: a protein-free, defined solution intended for storage and stable shipping of cells and tissue samples under hypothermic (2-8C) condition. By preserving cells above freezing temperature, it reduces cellular stress response associated from chilling and re-warming of cells and tissues, and retains high culture viabilities after recovery. Simply replace the culture medium with this animal component-free, cGMP manufactured product for short term storage. To recover from preservation, PRIME-XV Hypothermic Biopreservation Solution is removed and replaced with growth medium of choice.
As an alternative to the PRIME-XV Hypothermic Biopreservation Solution, Irvine Scientific also carries a protein-free, defined PRIME-XV Cryogenic Preservation Solution, which allows for cryopreservation of biologics at -80C to -196C.
About Irvine Scientific
Irvine Scientific, a member of JX group, is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of medical devices, including Cell Therapy, Industrial Cell Culture, Cytogenetic and Assisted Reproductive Technology products. We are a large scale producer of advanced quality cell culture media for the cell therapy, industrial bioprocess, medical and diagnostic markets. Our companys extensive experience in the design of culture media, compliance with ISO and FDA regulations for class II/III medical devices and industrial scale manufacturing capacity provides our customers with unique capabilities and support. Irvine Scientific delivers products worldwide to the biopharmaceutical industry, research and medical laboratory communities.
For more information:
- Visit http://www.irvinesci.com
Originally posted here:
Irvine Scientific Offers Cell Therapy Products
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Courtyard Columbus Downtown Hotel Video – Video
Courtyard Columbus Downtown Hotel Video
View an official hotel video of the Courtyard Columbus Downtown before your stay, only on Marriott.com. Marriott.com hotel videos include shots of the hotel exterior, hotel rooms, and amenities, fitness and recreation areas, and meeting and event space. Book on Marriott.com today!From:marriotthotelvideosViews:123 0ratingsTime:01:08More inTravel Events
View original post here:
Courtyard Columbus Downtown Hotel Video - Video
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Love Never Fails Climb4SMA 2.wmv – Video
Love Never Fails Climb4SMA 2.wmv
This video was made for the Jadon #39;s Hope 2nd Annual Event - Climb4SMA Kickoff Party. Climb4SMA has partnered with the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation to raise money for gene therapy research. What an incredible night it was fighting such a horrible disease.From:50ttownViews:1329 3ratingsTime:03:04More inNonprofits Activism
Originally posted here:
Love Never Fails Climb4SMA 2.wmv - Video
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
BALIF: David Tsai, Esq. – Video
BALIF: David Tsai, Esq.
DAVID TSAI, Esq. Perkins Coie LLP BALIF Co-Chair, 2011 Best Under 40, and 2010 Barrister of the Year David has served as the BALIF Co-Chair for the past year and a half. He is an intellectual property litigator at Perkins Coie LLP in San Francisco and focuses on trade secret and patent litigation involving the Internet, software, semiconductors, smartphones, LEDs, pharmaceuticals, biotechnologies, and medical devices. His interest in technology stems from his prior work as a product manager at internet startups, where he focused on developing platforms for online collaborative communications, and during his time at Stanford, where he helped develop Stanford #39;s first online problem sets (while conducting stem cell gene therapy research). David is currently the Vice President of the Silicon Valley Intellectual Property Law Association (SVIPLA) and also sits on the Board of the Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF). David is fluent in spoken Taiwanese and Chinese Mandarin and represents numerous Taiwan-based companies. David decided to attend law school while driving home to SF from Silicon Valley in 2002. Having already volunteered for Project Open Hand and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation for over three years, David wanted to make a bigger difference for minority communities through the law. While at law school, he spent many afternoons volunteering with the AIDS Legal Services in San Jose and the East Palo Alto Community Law Center. Today, David remains committed to ...From:BALIF SFViews:652 5ratingsTime:04:26More inNonprofits Activism
Read the rest here:
BALIF: David Tsai, Esq. - Video
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Bacterial Bioluminescence in the GIT – Video
Bacterial Bioluminescence in the GIT
Bacterial Bioluminescence in the GIT High Resolution In Vivo Bioluminescent Imaging for the Study of Bacterial Tumour Targeting (Movie S1 - journal.pone.0030940.s001.avi): Movie depicting rotational 3D optical tomography in combination with mouse anatomical atlas displaying luminescence in GIT of mice 27 days post oral administration of lux-labelled E. coli MG1655. - Engineered Bacteria Effectively Target Tumors, Enabling Tumor Imaging Potential in Mice Tumor-targeted bioluminescent bacteria have been shown for the first time to provide accurate 3-D images of tumors in mice, further advancing the potential for targeted cancer drug delivery, according to a study published in the Jan. 25 issue of the online journal PLoS ONE. http://www.sciencedaily.com Reference High Resolution In Vivo Bioluminescent Imaging for the Study of Bacterial Tumour Targeting PLoS ONE 7(1): e30940. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0030940 http://www.plosone.org Abstract The ability to track microbes in real time in vivo is of enormous value for preclinical investigations in infectious disease or gene therapy research. Bacteria present an attractive class of vector for cancer therapy, possessing a natural ability to grow preferentially within tumours following systemic administration. Bioluminescent Imaging (BLI) represents a powerful tool for use with bacteria engineered to express reporter genes such as lux. BLI is traditionally used as a 2D modality resulting in images that are limited in their ability to anatomically ...From:SergeytuleViews:160 0ratingsTime:00:11More inScience Technology
Read the original:
Bacterial Bioluminescence in the GIT - Video
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
3D Co-localisation of Tumour And Bacterial Bioluminescence – Video
3D Co-localisation of Tumour And Bacterial Bioluminescence
3D Co-localisation of Tumour And Bacterial Bioluminescence High Resolution In Vivo Bioluminescent Imaging for the Study of Bacterial Tumour Targeting (Movie S2 - journal.pone.0030940.s002.mov): Movie providing tomographic detail of source signal distribution of B. breve lux (green) 10 days post IV administration to mice bearing HCT116 FLuc (orange) expressing tumours. B. breve lux is observed in multiple disparate #39;clusters #39; within the tumour. - Engineered Bacteria Effectively Target Tumors, Enabling Tumor Imaging Potential in Mice Tumor-targeted bioluminescent bacteria have been shown for the first time to provide accurate 3-D images of tumors in mice, further advancing the potential for targeted cancer drug delivery, according to a study published in the Jan. 25 issue of the online journal PLoS ONE. http://www.sciencedaily.com Reference High Resolution In Vivo Bioluminescent Imaging for the Study of Bacterial Tumour Targeting PLoS ONE 7(1): e30940. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0030940 http://www.plosone.org Abstract The ability to track microbes in real time in vivo is of enormous value for preclinical investigations in infectious disease or gene therapy research. Bacteria present an attractive class of vector for cancer therapy, possessing a natural ability to grow preferentially within tumours following systemic administration. Bioluminescent Imaging (BLI) represents a powerful tool for use with bacteria engineered to express reporter genes such as lux. BLI is traditionally used as a ...From:SergeytuleViews:195 0ratingsTime:00:34More inScience Technology
Read more:
3D Co-localisation of Tumour And Bacterial Bioluminescence - Video
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
3D Intratumoural Optical and μCT Imaging – Video
3D Intratumoural Optical and mu;CT Imaging
3D Intratumoural Optical and µCT Imaging High Resolution In Vivo Bioluminescent Imaging for the Study of Bacterial Tumour Targeting (Movie S3 - journal.pone.0030940.s003.mov): Combined µCT and luminescence imaging of subcutaneous HCT116-luc2 tumour colonised by B. breve. Viable tumour (FLuc green/blue), vasculature (contrast agent -- red) and bacterial (orange/yellow) signals are visualised. - Engineered Bacteria Effectively Target Tumors, Enabling Tumor Imaging Potential in Mice Tumor-targeted bioluminescent bacteria have been shown for the first time to provide accurate 3-D images of tumors in mice, further advancing the potential for targeted cancer drug delivery, according to a study published in the Jan. 25 issue of the online journal PLoS ONE. http://www.sciencedaily.com Reference High Resolution In Vivo Bioluminescent Imaging for the Study of Bacterial Tumour Targeting PLoS ONE 7(1): e30940. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0030940 http://www.plosone.org Abstract The ability to track microbes in real time in vivo is of enormous value for preclinical investigations in infectious disease or gene therapy research. Bacteria present an attractive class of vector for cancer therapy, possessing a natural ability to grow preferentially within tumours following systemic administration. Bioluminescent Imaging (BLI) represents a powerful tool for use with bacteria engineered to express reporter genes such as lux. BLI is traditionally used as a 2D modality resulting in images that are limited in ...From:SergeytuleViews:99 0ratingsTime:00:18More inScience Technology
Link:
3D Intratumoural Optical and μCT Imaging - Video
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Healthy U – Virotherapy Research – Video
Healthy U - Virotherapy Research
Researchers at LSU Health Shreveport and Washington University in St. Louis are conducting joint research to see if a common cold virus can be used to deliver a #39;suicide gene #39; to wipe out colon cancer.From:LSUHSCShreveportViews:233 1ratingsTime:01:24More inAutos Vehicles
Continued here:
Healthy U - Virotherapy Research - Video
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Charged Gold Nanoparticles "Unzip" DNA – Video
Charged Gold Nanoparticles "Unzip" DNA
Learn more on Zeitnews: Research from North Carolina State University shows that gold nanoparticles with a slight positive charge work collectively to unravel DNA #39;s double helix. This finding has ramifications for gene therapy research and the emerging field of DNA-based electronics. More information available at news.ncsu.eduFrom:ZeitNewsViews:324 7ratingsTime:00:40More inScience Technology
The rest is here:
Charged Gold Nanoparticles "Unzip" DNA - Video
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
bluebird bio is awarded $9.3m to support its gene therapy treatments
By Chris Reidy, Globe Staff
bluebird bio, a Cambridge company that eschews capital letters, said in a Friday press release that the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine has approved a $9.3 million award to support the development one of bluebird bios gene therapies.
The award will support the testing of a gene therapy called LentiGlobin, said the company, which also has an office in San Francisco.
LentiGlobin is designed to treat beta-thalassemia, an inherited blood disorder that causes the body to have an inadequate amount of functional hemoglobin; in its most severe form, patients typically require life-long monthly supportive red blood cell transfusions to treat their severe anemia, according to bluebird bios website.
According to bluebird bio, LentiGlobin is a one-time transformative gene therapy for patients with beta-thalassemia.
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine was established in November 2004 with the passage of Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Act. The statewide ballot measure provided $3 billion in funding for stem cell research.
Read more:
bluebird bio is awarded $9.3m to support its gene therapy treatments
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
OHSU Unveils A Potential Breakthrough In Gene Therapy
Health | Oregon | Science
OPB | Oct. 24, 2012 4:44 p.m. | Portland, Oregon
Oregon Health & Science University unveiled Wednesday what may be a new gene therapy. The hope is to avoid some dreaded hereditary disorders.
The new therapy was developed in monkeys at the Oregon National Primate Research Center.
It involves swapping the mitochondrial DNA in a mother's egg with mitochondrial DNA from another woman. That swapping could bypass mutations that cause damaging conditions like diabetes and dementia.
Doctor Shoukhrat Mitalipov says he's successfully demonstrated the procedure in human cells -- and he wants the FDA to allow clinical trials in people.
"It might take probably at least two or three years before we start these clinical trials. But how long the FDA would like us to follow up this case is unclear at this point."
The Center for Genetics and Society says this kind of genetic engineering has been ruled off-limits because it could be used for genetic enhancement. For example, improving a child's IQ or physical appearance.
The Center also warns that a mistake could introduce a new genetic disease into the population.
The research is published in the journal Nature.
See more here:
OHSU Unveils A Potential Breakthrough In Gene Therapy
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
RNA (miRNA, RNAi & siRNA) Therapy in Oncology Drug Pipeline Update 2012
NEW YORK, Oct. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:
RNA (miRNA, RNAi & siRNA) Therapy in Oncology Drug Pipeline Update 2012 http://www.reportlinker.com/p0933030/RNA-miRNA-RNAi--siRNA-Therapy-in-Oncology-Drug-Pipeline-Update-2012.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Drug_Discovery_and_Development
Potentially any disease-causing gene, cell type or tissue can be targeted with miRNA, RNAi or siRNA, including those not 'druggable' with small molecules or protein-based therapies. There are today 49 companies plus partners developing 70 RNA (miRNA, RNAi & siRNA) drugs in 95 developmental projects in cancer. In addition, the accumulated number of ceased drugs over the last years amount to another 25 drugs. Rna (Mirna, Rnai & Sirna) Therapy In Oncology Drug Pipeline Update lists all drugs and gives you a progress analysis on each one of them. Identified drugs are linked to 52 different targets. These targets are further categorized on in the software application by 24 classifications of molecular function and with pathway referrals to BioCarta, KEGG and NetPath.
How May Drug Pipeline Update Be of Use? * Show investors/board/management that you are right on top of drug development progress in your therapeutic area. * Find competitors, collaborations partners, M&A candidates etc. * Jump start competitive drug intelligence operations * Excellent starting point for world wide benchmarking * Compare portfolio and therapy focus with your peers * Speed up pro-active in-/out licensing strategy work * Fast and easy way of tracking drugs using search engines; just one click from inside the application and you may search the World Wide Web and PubMed for any drug.
Drug Pipeline Update is delivered to you as a downloadable application, which requires no installation on your computer. Please read more about application features and system requirements below.
Drug Pipeline Update at a Glance
Investigators Includes more than 49 principal investigators plus their collaborators. There is direct access from inside the application to web pages of all principal investigators.
Note: You are able to sort and find drugs according to investigators and partners from drop-down menus in the application. You may also sort and find drugs according to country of investigator.
Drug name & Synonyms Lists commercial, generic and code names for drugs.
See the rest here:
RNA (miRNA, RNAi & siRNA) Therapy in Oncology Drug Pipeline Update 2012
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Mutated Mitochondrial DNA Can Be Replaced With Healthy Copies In Human Cells
Connie K. Ho for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online
Researchers from Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) recently revealed a new gene therapy method that can successfully prevent particular inherited diseases. The scientists worked under the colleges Oregon National Primate Research Center as well as the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at OHSU and were able to complete the procedure in human cells. With the findings of the study, the new gene therapy will provide new methods for clinical trials with human subjects in the future.
The gene therapy was originally developed as research in nonhuman primates to stop diseases associated with gene defects in the cell mitochondria.
Previous research conducted in the Mitalipov lab in 2009 using monkey egg cells proved that this procedure was possible and that healthy baby monkeys were the result. This research illustrates that the procedure is also possible in human cells and the resulting egg cells were normal and healthy upon observation, explained researcher Shoukhrat Mitalipov in a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) section on the OHSU website.
The results of the study were recently featured in the online edition of the journal Nature as well as presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Conference in San Diego this past week.
Cell mitochondria contain genetic material just like the cell nucleus and these genes are passed from mother to infant, commented Mitalipov in a prepared statement. When certain mutations in mitochondrial DNA are present, a child can be born with severe conditions, including diabetes, deafness, eye disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, heart disease, dementia and several other neurological diseases. Because mitochondrial-based genetic diseases are passed from one generation to the next, the risk of disease is often quite clear. The goal of this research is to develop a therapy to prevent transmission of these disease-causing gene mutations.
In the study, 106 human eggs were obtained from study volunteers from OHSUs Division of Fertility and Reproductive Endocrinology. The team of investigators transferred the nucleus from one cell to another with the help of a method developed during another research project with nonhuman primates. The cells cytoplasm that helps the mitochondria was swapped out and, by fertilizing the eggs, the researchers were able to observe whether the transfer was effective in helping the cells undergo normal development. The scientists then discovered that the method was successful in replacing defective mitochondria that had mutated DNA.
As described above, there are four steps to the new gene therapy. According to the Los Angeles Times, in the last step, the egg is fertilized when a sperm cell is injected into it and this process is known as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The fertilized egg would develop into blastocyts, which are early-stage embryos. If the method was developed into a treatment, the blastocysts would then be re-implanted in the womb of the mother and forms into a healthy baby.
Using this process, we have shown that mutated DNA from the mitochondria can be replaced with healthy copies in human cells, noted Mitalipov in the statement. While the human cells in our study only allowed to develop to the embryonic stem cell stage, this research shows that this gene therapy method may well be a viable alternative for preventing devastating diseases passed from mother to infant.
According to the article in Nature, the method was successful when the researchers utilized frozen egg cells. A health baby monkey was born as a result of the replacement of mitochondria in a frozen/thawed monkey egg cells. The second part of the study focused on preservation through freezing. After being harvested from a donor, egg cells only stay viable for a short duration of time. Freezing allowed the donor cell and the mothers cell to be viable during the procedure. However, the process didnt work as smoothly for human eggs as it did for monkey eggs and the scientists believe that the method was effective enough to produce a minimum of two viable embryos from each treatment cycle.
See the article here:
Mutated Mitochondrial DNA Can Be Replaced With Healthy Copies In Human Cells
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Nuvilex Initial Pancreatic Cancer Trial Preparations Underway
SILVER SPRING, Md., Oct. 31, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nuvilex, Inc. (NVLX), an international biotechnology provider of cell and gene therapy solutions, announced today a contract has been signed with ViruSure GmbH to perform the initial amplification of cells to ultimately be used in Nuvilex's treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer.
ViruSure GmbH, located in Vienna, Austria, is an important biosafety company within the international biotechnology community as a result of its cell culture, virus, prion, and other infectious agents testing, growth and assessment capabilities. Dr. Robert Ryan, President and CEO of Nuvilex, recently visited the ViruSure GmbH facilities with Dr. Walter Gunzburg, Chairman of Nuvilex's subsidiary, Austrianova Singapore (ASPL). ViruSure has state-of-the-art facilities for amplification of any cells under GLP (Good Laboratory Practices) conditions. As a result of substantial planning, ViruSure will carry out the first amplification of the cells needed for the planned pancreatic cancer clinical trials designed to treat advanced, non-surgically removable pancreatic cancer.
Dr. Gunzburg commented, "We have been discussing and planning an agreement with ViruSure GmbH for some time so they can perform the initial amplification of these cells. These specially designed cells that were part of both the prior successful Phase 1/2 clinical trials are critical for our planned clinical trials in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Acquiring funding for this contract by Nuvilex represents a major and vital step in our preparations."
Nuvilex's pancreatic cancer treatment employs implantation of living cells encapsulated in a specially designed capsule, after which the patients are provided with the anticancer drug ifosfamide. The encapsulated cells are first implanted near the patient's pancreatic cancer tumor. The chemotherapeutic drug ifosfamide is given the following day into the blood stream. The implanted encapsulated live cells serve as "miniature factories" to convert ifosfamide into its active, cancer-killing, form. The present contract with ViruSure is the initial step in the process of preparing large numbers of cells for storage, ultimate encapsulation and use in the planned clinical trials.
Dr. Ryan, Head of Nuvilex, stated, "After visiting ViruSure I was satisfied with the facilities, personnel and their overall capabilities and was pleased to engage them for this important task. We feel that their expertise will provide us the best potential to perform this work successfully. Our efforts will continue to prepare the development of our pancreatic cancer treatment, clinical trials, and future direction of the Company. Funding by Nuvilex has enabled initiation of this project."
About Nuvilex
Nuvilex, Inc. (NVLX) is an international biotechnology provider of live therapeutically valuable, encapsulated cells and services for research and medicine. A great deal of work is ongoing to move Nuvilex forward, including preparations for the clinical trial and in addition to the ViruSure amplification, as we complete all other necessary activities for the Company which are moving toward completion. Our company's clinical offerings will include cancer, diabetes and other treatments using the company's cell and gene therapy expertise and live-cell encapsulation technology.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements described within the 1995 Private Securities Litigation Reform Act involving risks and uncertainties including product demand, market competition, and meeting current or future plans which may cause actual results, events, and performances, expressed or implied, to vary and/or differ from those contemplated or predicted. Investors should study and understand all risks before making an investment decision. Readers are recommended not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. Nuvilex is not obliged to publicly release revisions to any forward-looking statement, reflect events or circumstances afterward, or disclose unanticipated occurrences, except as required under applicable laws.
The Nuvilex, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=13494
Original post:
Nuvilex Initial Pancreatic Cancer Trial Preparations Underway
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Nu Skin’ s innovation with LifeGen Technologies – Video
Nu Skin #39; s innovation with LifeGen Technologies
A partnership made in heaven - 30 years gene research with 27 years of compound R D - resulting in breakthrough product development. Will aging soon be optional?!From:Nu OutlookViews:259 2ratingsTime:03:53More inEducation
See the rest here:
Nu Skin' s innovation with LifeGen Technologies - Video
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Living to be 300 – Video
Living to be 300
New gene research could allow people to expand life expectency - Captured Live on Ustream at http://www.ustream.tvFrom:WEZLCrewViews:9 0ratingsTime:04:22More inPeople Blogs
The rest is here:
Living to be 300 - Video
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Zebrafish Research at Lawrence University.mov – Video
Zebrafish Research at Lawrence University.mov
Lawrence University student Cameron Gmehlin #39;14 discusses gene research on zebrafish.From:LawrenceUNewsViews:183 0ratingsTime:00:47More inEducation
See the original post:
Zebrafish Research at Lawrence University.mov - Video
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
WSU gene research aims for stem-free cherries – Video
WSU gene research aims for stem-free cherries
Stem-free cherries are well on their way to reaching consumers within seven to 10 years. Washington State University is working toward providing the cherry industry with this unique niche product. WSU received a $3.9 million grant from the US Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative two years ago and is halfway through the project, said Amit Dhingra, WSU assistant professor and scientist. For more about this story, click the link news.wsu.eduFrom:washingtonstateunivViews:169 0ratingsTime:01:23More inEducation
Continued here:
WSU gene research aims for stem-free cherries - Video
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith
Half man half pig – Video
Half man half pig
Why gene research should be halted NOW!!!From:GlidermanukViews:46 1ratingsTime:00:18More inComedy
Read more:
Half man half pig - Video
Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith