Regenerative Medicine - How It #39;s Made Minisodes
How Regenerative Medicine are madeFrom:Santhosh SuryavanshiViews:1 0ratingsTime:05:00More inScience Technology

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Gov. Perry Speaks at the Inaugural Houston Stem Cell Summit
10/26/2012 - HOUSTON - Gov. Rick Perry highlighted Texas #39; leading role in the advancement of regenerative medicine to produce safe, effective and ethical adult stem cell therapies. The governor spoke at the inaugural Houston Stem Cell Summit, which focuses on adult stem cell research and its potential to tackle life-threatening diseases. for more information: governor.state.tx.usFrom:govperryViews:128 0ratingsTime:22:30More inNews Politics

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Stem cell commercialization panel discussion
How can companies make a business out of regenerative medicine, now that the science looks increasingly solid. Panel discussion Monday, Oct, 29 at Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa tackles this. Speaking in this clip are are Dean Tozer of Shire Regenerative Medicine (pin-striped suit), Jay Siegel, Janssen Pharmaceutical Cops, (dark blue suit and tie), and Greg Lucier, Life Technologies, (lighter blue suit and tie), the moderator.From:Bradley FikesViews:85 0ratingsTime:06:43More inScience Technology

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Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa
The 2012 Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa is a three-day conference aimed at bringing together senior members of the business development and scientific research communities in regenerative medicine to advance stem cell science into cures for debilitating diseases and injuries. The meeting features a nationally recognized Scientific Symposium attended by more than 600 leading scientists and researchers along side the regenerative medicine industry #39;s premier annual Investor and Partnering Forum designed to facilitate a bridge between academia and industry through one-on-one meetings and further the translation of clinical research. Scientific Meeting Agenda at a Glance 8:00 am -- Welcome Remarks Alan Trounson, President, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine 8:15 am -- Morning Keynote Speaker ** NO FILMING - Speaker did not consent to being recorded. Michele De Luca, Professor, Director, Centre for Regnerative Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia; Scientific Director, Holostem Terapie Avanzate Srl 8:45 am -- Panel 1: Cancer and Cancer Stem Cells Chair: Robert Wechsler-Reya, Professor, Director, Tumor Development Program, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute Panelists: Jeremy Rich, Chairman, Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Cleveland Clinic Luke Lairson, Assistant Professor, The Scripps Research Institute Ben Spike, Senior Research Associate, Salk Institute for Biological Studies Catriona Jamieson, Associate Professor ...From:SalkInstituteViews:50 0ratingsTime:00:00More inScience Technology

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SENS Talk - Dr. Aubrey de Grey gives a lecture at the University of Delaware
Dr. Aubrey de Grey from the SENS Foundation gives a talk on regenerative medicine at the University of Delaware on October 2, 2012. He is introduced by Marvin Whitaker, who is President of the Socratic Club and is a PhD student in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Delaware. This event was hosted by the Socratic Club and co-hosted by the University of Delaware #39;s Center for Science, Ethics, and Public Policy.From:Socratic ClubudelViews:126 5ratingsTime:01:16:40More inScience Technology

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Regenerative medicine from an engineering perspective
The Miyata Group at Keio University is doing research that helps with regenerative medicine, by looking at cells and tissues from the viewpoint of engineering. Q. Growing cells, bone, and cartilage outside the body is usually done just by culturing them, using in jelly- or sponge-like materials. In that case, the cells themselves form 3D tissue from nutrients in the culture medium, resulting in block-like solids. However, the strength and hardness of the tissue are by no means sufficient. Currently, the strength obtained is ten to a hundred times less than that of similar materials in the human body. Our approach is to try giving the materials some kind of stimulus -- in particular, a physical or mechanical stimulus. When making cartilage from cells grown outside the body, we wondered if we could produce harder, stronger cartilage by compressing the cell-containing hydrogel rhythmically, at the same frequency as in walking. The Miyata Group designed, built, and tested their own machine for giving cells a compressive stimulus at the same frequency as walking. Compared with cartilage cells grown in hydrogel without the stimulus, the resulting cartilage was twice as hard. In another project, the researchers are working on cell sorting technology, to separate cells with a therapeutic effect from among all the cultured cells. Q. Currently, there are commercially available technologies that use fluorescent pigments, magnetic particles, and magnetic beads. But equipment like ...From:keiouniversityViews:0 2ratingsTime:04:25More inScience Technology

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George Brown of Kool The Gang Talks About His Stem Cell Treatment At MetroMD Hollywood
Musician George Brown, an original member of the jazz funk band, Kool and The Gang, talks with us about his day at MetroMD. George was in Los Angeles on tour with rockers Van Halen David Lee Roth in June 2012. George had an orthopedic stem cell treatment performed by Dr. Alex Martin MD at about noon and was on stage performing 8 hours later. For more info, visit us at MetroMD.net or call (323) 285-5300. The MetroMD Institute of Regenerative Medicine is located in Hollywood at the heart of Los Angeles.From:MetroMDViews:6 0ratingsTime:02:02More inScience Technology

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Can Adults Grow Taller With HGH (Human Growth Hormone)?
MetroMD.net Because of the overwhelming success of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) Therapy in effecting growth in short-statured children, adults often ask whether the treatment will work for them also. Dr. Martin explains the function of our body #39;s growth plates and how these determine future growth potential. For more info, visit us at http or call (323) 285-5300. The MetroMD Institute of Regenerative Medicine is located in Hollywood at the heart of Los Angeles.From:MetroMDViews:8 0ratingsTime:02:55More inScience Technology

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Lords Science and Technology Committee evidence session on Regenerative Medicine: #RegenMedQs
For more information visit: http://www.parliament.ukFrom:UKParliamentViews:13 0ratingsTime:01:53:22More inNews Politics

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The potential of regenerative medicine
Alan Russell: The potential of regenerative medicine http://www.youtube.com http://www.ted.com Alan Russell studies regenerative medicine -- a breakthrough way of thinking about disease and injury by helping the body to rebuild itself. He shows how engineered tissue that "speaks the body #39;s language" has helped a man regrow his lost fingertip, how stem cells can rebuild damaged heart muscle, and how cell therapy can regenerate the skin of burned soldiers. This new, low-impact medicine comes just in time, Russell says -- our aging population, with its steeply rising medical bills, will otherwise (and soon) cause a crisis in health care systems around the world. Some graphic medical imagery.From:BroadcastBCViews:1 0ratingsTime:19:30More inScience Technology

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SAN DIEGO, Oct. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --ViaCyte, Inc., a leading regenerative medicine company developing a transformative cell therapy for treatment of diabetes, announced today that it has received a $10.1 million Strategic Partnership Award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121026/LA00871LOGO-a)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121026/LA00871LOGO-b)

ViaCyte's innovative stem cell-based therapy for diabetes has been supported by several previous rounds of funding from CIRM, including a $20 million Disease Team Award in 2009. This support has directly aided the development of VC-01, a regenerative medicine, combination product consisting of pancreatic beta cell progenitors encapsulated in a durable macroencapsulation device. When implanted under the skin of a patient with diabetes, VC-01 is expected to produce insulin and other factors which should safely and effectively control their disease. In its review of ViaCyte's application, CIRM's Grants Working Group characterized the Company's proposed therapy as the "holy grail" of diabetes treatments.

ViaCyte recently held a successful Pre-IND meeting with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is on track to file an Investigational New Drug (IND) Application and initiate clinical evaluation of VC-01 in 2014. The Strategic Partnership Award from CIRM will be used to support these efforts, reflecting CIRM's commitment to following promising science through the progressive stages of product development.

"We are very grateful for the assistance that we are receiving from CIRM to advance our promising technology", stated Dr. Paul Laikind, President and CEO of ViaCyte. "Today's grant allows us to continue our efforts on behalf of the California taxpayers to break new ground with our stem cell-based product that has the potential to essentially cure patients with type 1 diabetes and provide a powerful new treatment for those with type 2 disease as well."

Approval of the award came from CIRM's governing board, the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee (ICOC), with advisement from the Scientific and Medical Research Funding Working Group. "ViaCyte has made good on their initial Disease Team award from CIRM, including a successful Pre-IND FDA meeting, and as a consequence, CIRM and the ICOC are glad to have the opportunity to continue funding ViaCyte's efforts to provide this product to patients with diabetes in California and the rest of the world," said Dr. Alan Trounson, President of CIRM.

About ViaCyte

ViaCyte is a private company focused on developing a novel cell therapy for the treatment of diabetes. The Company's technology is based on the production of pancreatic beta cell progenitors derived from human pluripotent stem cells. These cells are implanted using a durable and retrievable encapsulation device. Once implanted and matured, these cells secrete insulin and other regulatory factors in response to blood glucose levels. ViaCyte's goal is long term insulin independence without immune suppression, and without risk of hypoglycemia and other diabetes-related complications.

ViaCyte is headquartered in San Diego, California with additional operations in Athens, Georgia. The Company is funded in part by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and JDRF.

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ViaCyte Receives $10.1 Million Strategic Partnership Award from CIRM to Continue Development of Diabetes Therapy

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Companies that want to make big money developing therapies with stem cells and regenerative medicine must take big risks.

Health care executives involved in commercializing these technologies made that point Monday morning at the annual Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa. But with the science increasingly looking solid, it's time for companies to do their part to bring new treatments to patients, they said in a panel discussion.

Among the unknowns: How effective therapies will be, how much they'll cost, how much insurers will reimburse and the effect of the health care overhaul. Companies have to focus on such questions if they want to succeed, said Dean Tozer, vice president of corporate development for Shire Regenerative Medicine. The unit was formed in July by Shire Pharmaceuticals, which bought San Diego-based Advanced BioHealing last year for $750 million.

"What I'm seeing is: Innovation for innovation's sake is not going to work," said Tozer, who was an Advanced BioHealing senior vice president.

The right approach is to focus innovation on the large-scale trends in health, such as an aging population, that create opportunities, Tozer said. And that's what the business side is taking a more assertive role in doing.

"The business guys are involved a lot earlier, in taking these opportunities and really critically deciding if there is a business to be had," Tozer said. "And it's not just whether it can get to the market and can it help you, but can you identify a payback model."

Stem cells are being tested for a variety of diseases and injuries, usually after being changed into the mature cells required. Besides the well-known embryonic stem cells, there are "adult" stem cells, IPS cells that act like embryonic stem cells but are made from skin cells, parthenogenic stem cells made from unfertilized human egg cells, and others. With this plethora of approaches, one question is which technology to focus on.

"As a business guy -- I'm not a scientist -- I do find it interesting that I'm getting drawn into meetings more often now where I have no idea what the scientists are talking about, but all I've got to do is figure out is there a business model," Tozer said

The panel was moderated by Greg Lucier, chief executive of Life Technologies Corp. The Carlsbad company sells products used in life science research, including stem cell research. Lucier asked the panel if the increased focus on commercialization means that the underlying technology is getting better.

Tozer replied that even with good technology, the real hurdle is financial. Advanced BioHealing is a good example, he said. The company acquired its living skin product Dermagraft in 2001, but only got the payoff 10 years later when the company was sold. Dermagraft promotes healing in diabetic foot ulcers.

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Stem cell therapies a big risk for biotechs

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San Diego, CA/PRNewswire/ - ViaCyte, Inc., a leading regenerative medicine company developing a transformative cell therapy for treatment of diabetes, announced today that it has received a$10.1 millionStrategic Partnership Award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).

ViaCyte's innovative stem cell-based therapy for diabetes has been supported by several previous rounds of funding from CIRM, including a$20 millionDisease Team Award in 2009. This support has directly aided the development of VC-01, a regenerative medicine, combination product consisting of pancreatic beta cell progenitors encapsulated in a durable macroencapsulation device. When implanted under the skin of a patient with diabetes, VC-01 is expected to produce insulin and other factors which should safely and effectively control their disease. In its review of ViaCyte's application, CIRM's Grants Working Group characterized the Company's proposed therapy as the "holy grail" of diabetes treatments.

ViaCyte recently held a successful Pre-IND meeting with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is on track to file an Investigational New Drug (IND) Application and initiate clinical evaluation of VC-01 in 2014. The Strategic Partnership Award from CIRM will be used to support these efforts, reflecting CIRM's commitment to following promising science through the progressive stages of product development.

"We are very grateful for the assistance that we are receiving from CIRM to advance our promising technology", stated Dr.Paul Laikind, President and CEO of ViaCyte. "Today's grant allows us to continue our efforts on behalf of theCaliforniataxpayers to break new ground with our stem cell-based product that has the potential to essentially cure patients with type 1 diabetes and provide a powerful new treatment for those with type 2 disease as well."

Approval of the award came from CIRM's governing board, the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee (ICOC), with advisement from the Scientific and Medical Research Funding Working Group. "ViaCyte has made good on their initial Disease Team award from CIRM, including a successful Pre-IND FDA meeting, and as a consequence, CIRM and the ICOC are glad to have the opportunity to continue funding ViaCyte's efforts to provide this product to patients with diabetes inCaliforniaand the rest of the world," said Dr.Alan Trounson, President of CIRM.

About ViaCyte

ViaCyte is a private company focused on developing a novel cell therapy for the treatment of diabetes. The Company's technology is based on the production of pancreatic beta cell progenitors derived from human pluripotent stem cells. These cells are implanted using a durable and retrievable encapsulation device. Once implanted and matured, these cells secrete insulin and other regulatory factors in response to blood glucose levels. ViaCyte's goal is long term insulin independence without immune suppression, and without risk of hypoglycemia and other diabetes-related complications.

ViaCyte is headquartered inSan Diego, Californiawith additional operations inAthens, Georgia. The Company is funded in part by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and JDRF.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

About CIRM

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ViaCyte Receives $10.1M Strategic Partnership Award From CIRM To Continue Development Of Diabetes Therapy

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TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct 29, 2012) - Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. (TSX VENTURE: SSS) ("the Company"), a life sciences development company for stem cell-based medicines, today reported its admission to the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine''s (CCRM) industry consortium.

"We are the only public Canadian company to be part of CCRM''s twenty-member consortium of international leaders in the regenerative medicine arena, a consortium designed to bridge business and scientific expertise to translate stem cell-based and regenerative medicine discoveries into commercial products and therapies," said David Allan, Executive Chairman of Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. "Participating in this consortium links us to one of the key hubs in Canada for the commercialization of this country''s extraordinary output in stem cell-based science."

The corporate objectives for repositioning the Company include the now-announced involvement with CCRM, the identification and acquisition of additional technologies that will serve to attract capital to revitalize our organization, and striving to extract value from the important patented approaches for the stimulation of endogenous stem cells from Dr. Sam Weiss on which this Company was founded. Stem Cell is pleased to announce this involvement with CCRM as well as the receipt of US$175,000 of a $250,000 arrangement with NeuroNova AB, a Swedish private company developing new therapeutics for ALS and Parkinson''s. The full payment will settle a patent interference case initiated by the United States Patent and Trademark Office under which Stem Cell has withdrawn certain pending and issued patents to treat Parkinson''s disease.

The Company further advises that two additional patient have now been enrolled in its ongoing trial in Traumatic Brain Injury at Calgary''s Foothills Hospital. These patients bring the trial to the midpoint of enrollment, restoring the prospect of the trial to meet the original timelines anticipated by the investigators after enduring a slow initial recruitment period. The Company continues to concentrate its efforts on the conclusion of its remaining objectives.

About Stem Cell Therapeutics:

Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. (TSX VENTURE:SSS) is a Canadian commercialization receptor company in the business of developing stem cell-based therapeutics through partnerships with research institutions or technology transfer organizations. The Company''s corporate objectives include the analysis and acquisition of additional stem cell-related development opportunities and securing capital for the advancement of the licensed or acquired products. SCT has extensive expertise and experience in the stem cell biotechnology sector based on the intellectual property of Dr. Samuel Weiss in stem cell research. SCT proposes to build upon this existing pipeline of stem cell technologies by acquiring new early-stage clinical or late-stage preclinical candidates. SCT''s Traumatic Brain Injury product, NTx-428, is currently in a Phase II clinical trial. For more information, visit: http://www.stemcellthera.com

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian provincial securities legislation (collectively, the "forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, SCT''s objectives, goals, targets, strategies, intentions, plans, beliefs, estimates and outlook, and can, in some cases, be identified by the use of words such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "will," "may" and other similar expressions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management''s current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management. Certain material factors or assumptions are applied in making forward-looking statements, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these expectations include, among other things: uncertainties and risks related to, the availability of capital, changes in capital markets, uncertainties related to clinical trials and product development, rapid technological change, uncertainties related to forecasts, competition, potential product liability, unproven markets for technologies in development, the cost and supply of raw materials, management of growth, effects of payers'''' willingness to pay for products, risks related to regulatory matters and risks related to intellectual property matters. Additional information about these factors and about the material factors or assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements may be found in the body of this news release, as well as under the heading "Risk Factors" contained in SCT''s 2010 annual information form. SCT cautions that the foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive.

When relying on SCT''s forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to SCT, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of estimates and assumptions which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions regarding the availability of financing for research and development companies in addition to general business and economic conditions. These risks and uncertainties should be considered carefully and investors and others should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, SCT cannot provide assurance that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. SCT undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.

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Stem Cell Therapeutics Announces Admission to Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) Consortium

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TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct 29, 2012) - The collaborative network created by the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) has been strengthened with the addition of Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. to its 20-member industry consortium.

"I am pleased to welcome Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. to the industry consortium," says Dr. Michael May, CEO of CCRM. "Since our Centre mobilizes business and scientific expertise to translate regenerative medicine (RM) and stem cell-based medical discoveries into commercial products and therapies, the industry consortium provides critical expertise, experience and market-pull information for the development of innovative RM technologies. We are delighted to have them on board."

CCRM is working with its industry consortium to address real-life bottlenecks in their RM and stem cell-based product pipelines. The companies in the industry consortium represent the key sectors of the industry: therapeutics, devices, reagents, and cells as tools.

"Being included in CCRM''s industry consortium is a step in the repositioning of our company - an aim described in our corporate objectives - to participate along with the other 20 Canadian, American and international companies," says David Allan, Executive Chairman of Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. "The concept of CCRM as a hub for the commercialization of Canada''s extraordinary commitment to stem cell research, and its provision of facilities and infrastructure, is outstanding.

"As Canada''s only public company dedicated to the development of stem cell therapeutics from academic research, we hope to become one of CCRM''s commercialization partners of choice for the novel work ongoing at so many of Canada''s internationally recognized academic centres."

To-date, CCRM has launched its first industry project with EMD Millipore and created an innovation fund with Pfizer Canada. CCRM has built three core development platforms: reprogramming and engineering; cell manufacturing; and, biomaterials and devices to carry out projects commissioned by academia and industry. CCRM has a fully resourced, 6,000 square foot development facility where all development work takes place.

Please visit http://www.ccrm.ca to see a complete list of CCRM''s industry consortium members.

About the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM)

CCRM, a Canadian not-for-profit organization funded by the Government of Canada''s Networks of Centres of Excellence program and six academic partners, supports the development of technologies that accelerate the commercialization of stem cell- and biomaterials-based technologies and therapies. A network of academics, industry and entrepreneurs, CCRM aims to translate scientific discoveries into marketable products for patients. CCRM launched in Toronto''s Discovery District on June 14, 2011.

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Canadian Regenerative Medicine Community Growing Stronger

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/9xf3cb/developments_in) has announced the addition of Woodhead Publishing Ltd's new book "Developments in tissue engineered and regenerative medicine products: A practical approach" to their offering.

Developments in Tissue Engineered and Regenerative Medicine Products summarizes recent developments in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine with an emphasis on commercialization and product development. Features of current cell therapy and tissue engineered products which have facilitated successful commercialization are emphasized. Roadblocks to successful product development are also highlighted. Preclinical and clinical testing of tissue engineered and regenerative medicine products, regulatory, quality control, manufacturing issues, as well as generating and securing intellectual property and freedom to operate considerations are presented.

This book represents a complete 'how-to' manual for the development of tissue engineered and regenerative medicine products from conceptualization to clinical trial to manufacturing.

Key Topics Covered:

- Overview of tissue engineering/regenerative medicine

- Cells

- Biomaterials for TE/RM products

- Neo-Bladder: A foundational technology platform for tubular organ regeneration

- Neo-Urinary Conduit

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Research and Markets: Developments in Tissue Engineered and Regenerative Medicine Products: A Practical Approach

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ScienceDaily (Oct. 17, 2012) One of the world's leading bone marrow transplant experts is recommending a significant change to current transplant practice for patients who need marrow or adult stem cells from an unrelated donor to treat hematologic malignancies. Fred Appelbaum, M.D., director of the Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, asserts that bone marrow -- not circulating, peripheral blood, which is the current norm -- should be the source for unrelated donor adult stem cells for most patients who require a transplant. The reason: because there is less incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which can be a debilitating side effect of transplantation.

Appelbaum called for the change in an Oct. 18 editorial in The New England Journal of Medicine in response to a new study, published in the same issue, which compared survival rates and side effects of treating patients with hematopoietic adult stem cells derived from bone marrow versus circulating peripheral blood. The study found a higher incidence of chronic GVHD -- 53 percent when peripheral blood was the source of stem cells for transplant -- versus 41 percent when bone marrow is the source.

"For the majority of unrelated transplants following a standard high-dose preparative regimen, bone marrow should be used since survival is equivalent with the two sources but the incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease, which can be a debilitating complication, is significantly less with marrow," Appelbaum wrote.

GVHD is a common side effect in people who receive cells from an unrelated donor. It occurs when the transplanted cells recognize the recipient's tissues as foreign and attack the tissues. This can cause a variety of problems, including skin rashes, liver problems and diarrhea. Chronic GVHD can develop any time between three months and three years after the transplant and can range from mild to serious in intensity.

Appelbaum said that stem cells derived from peripheral blood should only be used for the minority of patients in whom the benefits outweigh the risks. These include patients in need of rapid engraftment, such as those with life-threatening infections, or patients at high risk for graft rejection, such as those who receive reduced-intensity conditioning that does not include intensive chemotherapy.

For the past 10 years peripheral blood has been the norm as a source of matched related and matched unrelated adult stem cells for transplant because, despite the higher risk of GVHD, they are easier to harvest from the donor, they can be stimulated to grow in large numbers prior to harvesting, and they engraft, or set up shop, quickly inside the recipient's body.

The potential impact if such a practice change were widely implemented is large. Currently, about 75 percent of unrelated donor transplants are done using stem cells that are collected from the peripheral blood of donors. About 70 percent of all patients who undergo a life-saving transplant to treat blood cancers such as leukemia require an unrelated donor. Collecting adult stem cells from bone marrow is a more invasive process than collecting them from the bloodstream.

According to Appelbaum, about 5,500 unrelated donor transplants were performed in the United States last year. More than 20 million potential unrelated donors are typed and listed in registries in the Americas, Europe and Asia.

The study that compared the two sources of adult stem cells was the first randomized trial of its kind to compare the two sources of cells. It was led by former Hutchinson Center transplant physician Claudio Anasetti, M.D., who is now at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla. It found no difference in two-year survival, faster engraftment and less graft failure, but a significant increase in chronic GVHD, when patients were transplanted with stem cells derived from peripheral blood.

"While this study should change practice, it will be interesting to see if it really does," Appelbaum wrote. "The benefits of peripheral blood are seen early, under the watchful eyes of the transplant physician, while the deleterious effects occur late, often after the patient has left the transplant center."

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Leading bone marrow transplant expert recommends significant change to current practice

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The nuclei of brain stem cells in some Parkinson's patients become misshapen with age. The discovery opens up new ways to target the disease.

Nubby nucleus: Brain cells from a deceased Parkinsons patient have deformed nuclei (bottom) compared with normal brain cells from an individual of a similar age. Merce Marti and Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte

Stem cells in the brains of some Parkinson's patients are increasingly damaged as they age, an effect that eventually diminishes their ability to replicate and differentiate into mature cell types. Researchers studied neural stem cells created from patients' own skin cells to identify the defects. The findings offer a new focus for therapeutics that target the cellular change.

The report, published today in Nature, takes advantage of the ability to model diseases in cell culture by turning patient's own cells first into so-called induced pluripotent stem cells and then into disease-relevant cell typesin this case, neural stem cells. The basis of these techniques was recognized with a Nobel Prize in medicine last week.

The authors studied cells taken from patients with a heritable form of Parkinson's that stems from mutations in a gene. After growing several generation of neural stem cells derived from patients with that mutation, they saw the cell nuclei start to develop abnormal shapes. Those abnormalities compromise the survival of the neural stem cells, says study coauthor Ignacio Sancho-Martinez of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California.

Today's study "brings to light a new avenue for trying to figure out the mechanism of Parkinson's," says Scott Noggle of the New York Stem Cell Foundation. It also provides a new set of therapeutic targets: "Drugs that target or modify the activity [of the gene] could be applicable to Parkinson's patients. This gives you a handle on what to start designing drug screens around."

The strange nuclei were also seen in patients who did not have a known genetic basis for Parkinson's disease. The authors suggest this indicates that dysfunctional neural stem cells could contribute to Parkinson's. While that conclusion is "highly speculative," says Ole Isacson, a neuroscientist at Harvard Medical School, the study demonstrates the "wealth of data and information that we now can gain from iPS cells."

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Parkinson's cells

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The nuclei of brain stem cells in some Parkinson's patients become misshapen with age. The discovery opens up new ways to target the disease.

Nubby nucleus: Brain cells from a deceased Parkinsons patient have deformed nuclei (bottom) compared with normal brain cells from an individual of a similar age. Merce Marti and Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte

Stem cells in the brains of some Parkinson's patients are increasingly damaged as they age, an effect that eventually diminishes their ability to replicate and differentiate into mature cell types. Researchers studied neural stem cells created from patients' own skin cells to identify the defects. The findings offer a new focus for therapeutics that target the cellular change.

The report, published today in Nature, takes advantage of the ability to model diseases in cell culture by turning patient's own cells first into so-called induced pluripotent stem cells and then into disease-relevant cell typesin this case, neural stem cells. The basis of these techniques was recognized with a Nobel Prize in medicine last week.

The authors studied cells taken from patients with a heritable form of Parkinson's that stems from mutations in a gene. After growing several generation of neural stem cells derived from patients with that mutation, they saw the cell nuclei start to develop abnormal shapes. Those abnormalities compromise the survival of the neural stem cells, says study coauthor Ignacio Sancho-Martinez of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California.

Today's study "brings to light a new avenue for trying to figure out the mechanism of Parkinson's," says Scott Noggle of the New York Stem Cell Foundation. It also provides a new set of therapeutic targets: "Drugs that target or modify the activity [of the gene] could be applicable to Parkinson's patients. This gives you a handle on what to start designing drug screens around."

The strange nuclei were also seen in patients who did not have a known genetic basis for Parkinson's disease. The authors suggest this indicates that dysfunctional neural stem cells could contribute to Parkinson's. While that conclusion is "highly speculative," says Ole Isacson, a neuroscientist at Harvard Medical School, the study demonstrates the "wealth of data and information that we now can gain from iPS cells."

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Stem Cells Reveal Defect in Parkinson's Cells

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

HORSHAM, Pa., Oct. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The 2012 U.S. Conference on Rare Diseases and Orphan Products will bring together the rare disease and orphan product communities to collaborate on and advance product research, drug development and access to treatments to help the 30 million Americans suffering from rare diseases. Sponsored by DIA and the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), the conference will be held Oct. 22-24 at the Capital Hilton hotel in Washington, D.C.

Among the conference's influential speakers and moderators will be keynote speaker John J. Castellani, president and CEO of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, who will discuss special challenges in rare diseases, and Stephen C. Groft, director of the National Institutes of Health Office of Rare Diseases Research, who will moderate several panel discussions including one on gene therapy and genome sequencing.

Two influential journalists also will play a part in the sessions. Wall Street Journal reporter Thomas Burton will moderate a discussion about the environment surrounding investments in orphan products, and Steve Usdin, Washington editor of BioCentury and co-host of "BioCentury This Week," will moderate panel discussions about the ethical challenges of genetic testing and internationalization of the rare disease community.

Participants and other presenters will include representatives of patient organizations and drug and medical device companies, researchers, investors, thought leaders and regulatory officials.

Other conference sessions to be featured are Well-Designed and Well-Conducted Clinical Trials; Challenges of Reimbursement for the Rare Disease Patient; Comparative Effectiveness Research and Health Technology Assessments; and Role of Academic Centers in Orphan Product Development.

Another unique component of the 2012 conference will be an inspiring panel discussion on Oct. 22 featuring patients who have a rare disease and their advocates, who will talk about how nonprofit associations for rare diseases are playing a key role in the development of orphan products.

Visit http://www.diahome.org to learn more about the conference and register.

ABOUT DIA: DIA is a neutral, global, professional and member-driven association of nearly 18,000 professionals involved in the discovery, development and lifecycle management of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices and related health care products. Through our international educational offerings and myriad networking opportunities, DIA provides a global forum for knowledge exchange that fosters the innovation of products, technologies and services to improve health and well-being worldwide. Headquarters are in Horsham, Pa., USA, with offices in Basel, Switzerland; Tokyo; Mumbai, India; and Beijing.

ABOUT NORD: NORD is a nonprofit organization representing U.S. patients and families affected by rare diseases. NORD was established in 1983 by leaders of rare disease patient organizations who worked together for the enactment of the Orphan Drug Act. Today, NORD provides programs and services that include advocacy, education of patients and medical professionals, support for research and patient assistance programs to help patients access lifesaving therapies.

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2012 U.S. Conference on Rare Diseases and Orphan Products: Shaping the Future Now

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

New research which has unravelled the barley genome could help produce better varieties of the crop - a vital part of the beer and whisky industries.

Scientists said the breakthrough is a critical step towards developing barley varieties able to cope with the demands of climate change.

The study, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Scottish Government, should also help in the fight against cereal crop diseases which cause millions of pounds of losses annually.

Researchers said barley is the second most important crop in UK agriculture, and malting barley, some 30% of the total, underpins the beer and whisky sector which is worth around 20 billion to the UK economy.

The UK team behind the international research was led by Professor Robbie Waugh, of Scotland's James Hutton Institute, who worked with researchers at the Genome Analysis Centre in Norwich.

He said: "Access to the assembled catalogue of gene sequences will streamline efforts to improve barley production through breeding for varieties better able to withstand pests and disease, and deal with adverse environmental conditions such as drought and heat stress.

"It will accelerate research in barley, and its close relative, wheat. Armed with this information, breeders and scientists will be much better placed to deal with the challenge of effectively addressing the food security agenda under the constraints of a rapidly changing environment."

As well as being used in the beer and whisky industry, barley is also a major component of the animal feed for the meat and dairy industries, while barley straw is used for animal bedding in the winter, and for frost protection in horticulture.

Unravelling the sequence of barley's DNA has proved a major challenge as the barley genome is almost twice the size of that of humans. Scientists from the International Barley Genome Sequencing Consortium (IBSC) managed to construct a high-resolution draft DNA sequence assembly which contains the majority of barley genes in linear order.

Published in the journal Nature, the sequence provides a detailed overview of the functional portions of the barley genome, revealing the order and structure of most of its 32,000 genes and a detailed analysis of where and when genes are switched on in different tissues and at different stages of development.

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Barley gene work 'can boost crops'

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Submitted by The Life Sciences Report as part of our contributors program .

This interview was conducted by The Life Sciences Report (10/11/12)

The myth of technology, whether for smartphones or cancer treatments, is that the next big thing appears suddenly and magically. Casey Research Analyst Alex Daley sets the record straight in this exclusive interview with The Life Sciences Report . While the science of genetic medicine has accelerated the process of turning magical thinking into practical medicine, Daley cautions investors in biotech and medical device companies to be patient, and names companies with innovative technologies poised for explosive growth.

The Life Sciences Report: At Casey Research's "Navigating the Politicized Economy" summit, you talked about the difference between the speed of science and the speed of technology, and how quickly the time to market and cost of products in the life sciences space is decreasing. Can you provide some examples?

Alex Daley: Many technologies, like the touch-screen tablets and smartphones that now dominate the market, seem to come out of nowhere, perpetuating the myth of technology as almost magical. But you only have to look as far as the as-yet-unfulfilled promises of recent years to see the slow development curve that leads to explosive growth. This has been most noticeable in the advent of genetic medicine.

We all remember the sequencing of the human genome as a scientific milestone. Announced in 2000, just at the turn of the millennium, it was followed by much media fanfare about the dawn of genetic medicine. Every untreatable disease was going to be cured. Every person was going to receive medicine tailored to his or her unique makeup.

Yet, more than a decade later, that promise remains almost entirely unfulfilled. It's not that the science has stood still. Quite the opposite: It has been moving forward at blazing speed. The original human genome project, which sequenced a single person's genome to 92%?including everything but some particularly difficult areas?took 13 years and cost more than $3 billion ($3B). It was a monumental advancement, but not practical for everyday use.

Over the last decade the cost of genome sequencing has fallen far faster than many predicted. We've gone from taking 13 years to taking just about one day to sequence a whole genome. And the cost has fallen from billions to thousands of dollars. We've now sequenced tens of thousands of genomes for scientific research, and with the falling price that number is skyrocketing. We have built an amazing scientific base for study, and driven down costs to make it viable for mainstream use. All of that had to happen before genetic medicine could even begin to crawl forward?precisely what is happening now, with the advent of the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved antisense drug and other genetic milestones just being reached.

Just as the plasma TV (invented in the 1930s), the LED light (1960s), the industrial robot (also a child of the '60s), the touch-screen interface for computers (early 1980s) and other inventions we think of as thoroughly modern took decades to go from the lab into our everyday lives, it will take considerable time for genetic medicine to fully develop. But the pace is ever-increasing and advances happen at an astounding rate. The decrease in time needed for gene-sequencing, for instance, far outpaced the development of computer chips in terms of cost/speed, as in the famous Moore's law (predicting a doubling of circuit capacity every two years).

TLSR: What is the role of FDA in that race to market? Is it a speed bump, a safety crew or something else?

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Casey Analyst Forecasts Explosive Biotech Growth

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - Oct 17, 2012) - The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM), the international organization representing the interests of the regenerative medicine community, announced the publication today of an article on FDA communications to help companies developing cell-based therapies by clarifying the development pathway. The article, entitled "Communications with the FDA on the Development Pathway for a Cell-Based Therapy: Why, What, When, and How?" will be published in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine. It is co-authored by representatives from ARM, Janssen R&D, GE Healthcare and Life Technologies, with the lead author from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).

"There are a number of ways cell-based therapy companies can communicate with FDA that will help them navigate the road from the bench to a regulatory submission," said Michael Werner, Executive Director of ARM. "We hope that our combined experience as co-authors, and our attempt to create a single source of guidance on the regulatory process, will help companies bring new cell-based therapies through clinical trials and the regulatory review process more quickly so they can reach patients faster," added Mr. Werner.

Lead author Ellen Feigal, MD, Senior Vice President for Research and Development at the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) commented, "Cell-based therapies represent a fundamentally new way to treat or cure disease, but developing a new therapy is costly, time consuming and fraught with uncertainty. Our paper takes a practical approach to clarifying the path to market."

"Communications with the FDA on the Development Pathway for a Cell-Based Therapy: Why, What, When, and How?" provides detailed information on options for communicating with the FDA at different stages; the official communications tied to each stage of development; and the most common reasons regulatory applications are delayed. The article can be accessed at: http://stemcellstm.alphamedpress.org/content/early/recent

About CIRM: CIRM was established in November 2004 with the passage of Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Act. The statewide ballot measure, which provided $3 billion in funding for stem cell research at California universities and research institutions, was overwhelmingly approved by voters, and called for the establishment of an entity to make grants and provide loans for stem cell research, research facilities, and other vital research opportunities. A list of grants and loans awarded to date may be seen here: http://www.cirm.ca.gov/for-researchers/researchfunding.

About ARM: The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine is a Washington, DC-based multi-stakeholder advocacy organization that promotes legislative, regulatory and reimbursement initiatives necessary to facilitate access to life-giving advances in regenerative medicine. ARM also works to increase public understanding of the field and its potential to transform human healthcare, providing business development and investor outreach services to support the growth of its member companies and research organizations. Prior to the formation of ARM in 2009, there was no advocacy organization operating in Washington, DC to specifically represent the interests of the companies, research institutions, investors and patient groups that comprise the entire regenerative medicine community. Today ARM has more than 120 members and is the leading global advocacy organization in this field. In March 2012, ARM launched a sister organization in Europe -- the Alliance for Advanced Therapies. For more information go to http://www.alliancerm.org.

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Journal Stem Cell Translational Medicine to Publish Article on FDA Communications and the Regulatory Pathway for Cell ...

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

General Manager, Nancy Grden to speak on cutting edge technology.

Chalfont, PA (PRWEB) October 17, 2012

The session titled Genetics, Neurotech & Personalized Medicine: Using Emerging Science to Improve Treatment of Cognitive Disorders, will discuss the advancements in personalized medicine and how this changing facet of the health care industry will affect how patients and medical professionals approach diagnosis and treatment in the future. Grden will share the recent success Genomind has made with the companys Genecept Assay, which analyzes patient saliva for biomarkers and genes that may have impact on treatments for psychiatric disorders. She will also weigh in on the implications of such advancements on service providers, and future breakthroughs that may be on the horizon. The session will take place at 9:30 am.

Grden is an experienced executive in numerous industries, and was instrumental in Genominds formation and launch. As general manager she is responsible for all aspects of Genominds development, commercialization, and future strategy.

OPEN MINDS Technology & Informatics Institute (ww.openminds.com/tii) will run October 17-18 at the Baltimore Convention Center. It is the only event of its kind that focuses on the latest advancements in technology and informatics for the health care field and how they will impact the public.

About Genomind

Genomind is a personalized medicine company, comprised of innovative researchers and expert leaders in psychiatry and neurology. Genomind is committed to discovery of the underlying causes of neuropsychiatric disorders and supports the development of personalized medicine that improves patients lives. Genomind was founded by Ronald I. Dozoretz, MD, a psychiatrist who has devoted his career to improving mental health. Jay Lombard, DO, a neurologist and co-founder of Genomind, is a critically acclaimed author and nationally recognized thought leader in neuropsychiatry practice and research. Learn more at http://www.genomind.com.

About the Genecept Assay

The Genecept Assay is a comprehensive, simple-to-use tool for understanding genetic and biological markers that best inform response to different psychiatric treatments. The Assay is Genominds core product, and contains a proprietary panel of biomarker tests, an analytic report, and a psychopharmacologist consultation. The Assay can be used for a range of psychiatric conditions including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, OCD and ADHD. For more information on the Assay, including information about the specific genes in the panel, please visit http://www.genomind.com/products/assay.

Doreen Korba Genomind, LLC 215.396.5596 Email Information

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Genomind Executive to Speak at Open Minds Technology & Informatics Institute

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Photo by Joni Eareckson Tada

Joni Eareckson Tada

Being a quadriplegic, Joni Eareckson Tada never thought she would get cancer.

"I was too busy tending to all the challenges of being a spinal cord injury survivor, and so my last mammogram was nine years ago," said Tada, 63, of Calabasas, who was injured in a diving accident at age 17.

After a needle biopsy in June 2010, followed by a mastectomy the next week, "I was told I had stage 3 breast cancer ... a 3-inch tumor and several lymph nodes affected. Then it was an arduous treatment of chemotherapy."

Because Tada thought cancer only happened to other women, she decided to be the keynote speaker at the 16th annual Breast Cancer Awareness Seminar. Sponsored by Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center, the event will take place from 8 a.m. to 1p.m. Saturday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.

"I wanted to speak at this event to alert every woman of the growing statistics impacting one in eight women," said Tada, whose ministry, Joni and Friends International Disability Center, is in Agoura Hills.

"In last week's Newsweek magazine, the National Cancer Institute stated that one in every three women will develop some sort of cancer," Tada said. "It's a growing problem, and I'm grateful I've been offered a platform from which to share my story."

Each year, the seminar has a nonmedical guest speaker address topics that are not clinically related to breast cancer, said Kris Carraway-Bowman, vice president of marketing and public relations for the hospital.

"As if her handicap wasn't enough to deal with, she was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago," Carraway-Bowman said. "Instead of hiding it, she had her journey to fight breast cancer documented on film to share with other women fighting the disease so that they may find strength together."

Originally posted here:
Quadriplegic to share her breast cancer survival story

Recommendation and review posted by sam