Category Archives: Cell Medicine

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- bioTheranostics, Inc., provider of solutions for metastatic cancer through the development of innovative oncology diagnostic tests, today announced that its PRCISSM Precision Medicine biomarker profiles for non-small cell lung and colorectal cancers have been expanded. The profiles now include 13 non-small cell lung and seven colorectal cancer clinically relevant tumor biomarkers, many of which also may be used in other cancers such as melanoma. The PRCIS product lineintroduced earlier this yearincludes response, resistance, and tumor biomarkers to drive optimal treatment strategies. The PRCIS tests help oncologists predict potential treatment response and evaluate underlying disease pathways as they consider targeted therapies. These biomarkers are highly actionable and supported by strong clinical evidence. Richard Ding, CEO of bioTheranostics, said the expanded PRCIS Precision Medicine biomarker profiles reflect the companys commitment to providing the best care for metastatic cancer patientsfrom diagnosis of primary tumor site with the CancerTYPE ID molecular classifier through predictive biomarker testing with PRCIS. Precision medicine requires accurate diagnosis of cancer of origin and precise information about tumor pathways, Ding said. With our industry-leading molecular classifier CancerTYPE ID, and comprehensive and actionable PRCIS tumor biomarkers, bioTheranostics is at the forefront of personalized medicine for metastatic cancers. The … Continue reading →

RIO DE JANEIRO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cryopraxis established in 2001 as the pioneer private umbilical cord blood bank in Brazil will be present at Bio 2012 in Boston. Eduardo Cruz, chairman of the board, will be a speaker at the Brazilian break-out session speaking about The Brazilian Biotechnology Sector and showing the results of the company's commitment to R&D. Cryopraxis has already collected and processed more than 25000 cord blood units (CBU) and is actively involved in several R&D projects in Brazil and abroad. A spin-off of Cryopraxis, Cellpraxis, has recently finished one of the world's first cell therapy project clinical trials in Brazil: ReACT. ReACT is a stem cell formulation. This regenerative medicine pioneer product aims on treating an orphan disease condition called refractory angina. Refractory angina patients suffer from untreatable severe chest pain and the results of the clinical trial in a 5 years follow up proved ReACT to positively interfere in the course of the pathology. Most of the individuals treated experienced relief in pain and better quality of life. ReACT will be presented at Bio2012 as an example of Brazil's dynamic biotechnology research. Cryopraxis is accredited by the American Association of Blood Bank since 2009. According to Tatiana … Continue reading →

SEATTLE, June 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Cell Therapeutics, Inc. ("CTI") (NASDAQ and MTA: CTIC) today announced that the University of Washington ("UW") has begun enrolling patients in a randomized phase II study testing the combination of tosedostat with either cytarabine or decitabine for elderly patients with newly-diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia ("AML") or high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome ("MDS"). Drs. John Pagel and Elihu Estey, from the University of Washington School of Medicine and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, are leading the study. "This is the first study to examine the effects of tosedostat in combination with either cytarabine or decitabine as a first-line therapy. The study will evaluate how well patients tolerate these combinations, and their effectiveness. Given that there have been no major advances in treatment of elderly patients with AML, and the results of a previous study of tosedostat by itself in relapsed or refractory patients with AML or MDS showed promising anti-leukemic effects and acceptable tolerability, we are hopeful that this study will demonstrate that tosedostat increases the limited efficacy of these commonly used anti-leukemic agents," Dr. Estey said. The study's primary objectives are to determine the four-month survival and complete response ("CR") rates of tosedostat in combination with either … Continue reading →

SEATTLE, June 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Cell Therapeutics, Inc. ("CTI") (NASDAQ and MTA: CTIC) today announced that the University of Washington ("UW") has begun enrolling patients in a randomized phase II study testing the combination of tosedostat with either cytarabine or decitabine for elderly patients with newly-diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia ("AML") or high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome ("MDS"). Drs. John Pagel and Elihu Estey, from the University of Washington School of Medicine and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, are leading the study. "This is the first study to examine the effects of tosedostat in combination with either cytarabine or decitabine as a first-line therapy. The study will evaluate how well patients tolerate these combinations, and their effectiveness. Given that there have been no major advances in treatment of elderly patients with AML, and the results of a previous study of tosedostat by itself in relapsed or refractory patients with AML or MDS showed promising anti-leukemic effects and acceptable tolerability, we are hopeful that this study will demonstrate that tosedostat increases the limited efficacy of these commonly used anti-leukemic agents," Dr. Estey said. The study's primary objectives are to determine the four-month survival and complete response ("CR") rates of tosedostat in combination with either … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (June 18, 2012) Chicagoan Ieshea Thomas is the first Midwest patient to receive a successful stem cell transplant to cure her sickle cell disease without chemotherapy in preparation for the transplant. University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System physicians performed the procedure using medication to suppress her immune system and one small dose of total body radiation right before the transplant. The transplant technique is relatively uncommon and is a much more tolerable treatment for patients with aggressive sickle cell disease who often have underlying organ disease and other complications, says Dr. Damiano Rondelli, professor of medicine at UIC, who performed Thomas's transplant. The procedure initially allows a patient's own bone marrow to coexist with that of the donor. Since the patient's bone marrow is not completely destroyed by chemotherapy or radiation prior to transplant, part of the immune defense survives, lessening the risk of infection. The goal is for the transplanted stem cells to gradually take over the bone marrow's role to produce red blood cells -- normal, healthy ones. Thomas, 33, had her first sickle cell crisis when she was just 8 months old. Her disease became progressively worse as an adult, particularly after the birth … Continue reading →

Editor's Choice Main Category: Eye Health / Blindness Article Date: 15 Jun 2012 - 15:00 PDT Current ratings for: 'Corneal Dysfunction - Cell Regeneration May Restore Vision' 4 (1 votes) Leading researcher, Noriko Koizumi, MD, PhD, from the Doshisha University's Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences in Kyotanabe, Japan explained: Previous studies demonstrated that Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) signaling interferes with adhesion.We found that transplanting cultivated CECs in combination with a low-molecular weight compound that inhibits ROCK (ROCK inhibitor Y-27632), successfully achieved the recovery of corneal transparency." The researchers cultivated rabbit CECs in the lab, which they subsequently injected into the anterior chamber of these eyes of rabbits with damaged corneal endothelia.Judging by the recovery of the corneal endothelial function, they discovered that the rabbits' corneas regained complete transparency 48 hours after they were injected with the cultivated cells and Y-27632, whilst the rabbits injected with CECs but without Y-27632 had hazy and severely swollen corneas. The team reported no procedure-related complications, noting that the rabbits in the CEC plus Y-27632 group's reconstructed corneal endothelium regained a normal hexagonal cell shape. The scientists decided to continue their experiments with monkey CECs, as these are more similar to … Continue reading →

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire -06/15/12)- Bio-Matrix Scientific Group (BMSN) (BMSN) announced today the appointment of David Audley to the advisory board of Its Regen BioPharma subsidiary. Mr. Audley will advise Regen BioPharma on strategic leveraging of national and international clinical research resources. Mr. Audley is viewed by the Company as a key component in the commercialization of stem cell intellectual property. Additionally, it is anticipated that he will assist in raising international awareness for the regenerative therapies being developed by the Company. In his function as executive director and CEO of the International Cellular Medicine Society (ICMS), Mr. Audley has spearheaded development and implementation of global guidelines for accreditation of stem cell clinics. Under his leadership, the ICMS has grown from a loose association of a handful of physicians to a major international standards organization with over 3500 members from 36 countries. He is a strong advocate for stem cell therapy development and implementation, and is the chief architect of the ICMS accreditation program that is currently evaluating the practices of nearly 20 facilities in a dozen countries. Mr. Audley also has strong professional relationships with Ministries of Health and governmental agencies in South America, Asia and the Middle East. "My … Continue reading →

Osiris Therapeutics has won a second nations imprimatur for its stem cell treatment for a deadly complication of bone marrow transplants in children. Following Canada's lead last month, New Zealand this week gave the Columbia company marketing approval for Prochymal to treat pediatric graft-vs.-host disease, Osiris reported. Canada was the first internationally recognized regulatory body to approve a stem cell drug. The disease kills up to 80 percent of children who contract it, many within weeks of diagnosis. "With each of our approvals it becomes clearer that the time for life-saving stem cell therapies in the practice of medicine has arrived, and we are humbled to have a leading role, CEO C. Randal Mills said in a company statement. More cases of the disease are expected "as the demographic profile of our transplant population evolves," Hans Klingemann, professor of medicine and director of the Bone Marrow & Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Program at Tufts University School of Medicine, said in the statement. "Effective strategies to manage the often lethal consequences of [graft-vs.-host disease] reduce the overall risk to transplantation ..." Osiris applied for marketing approval in New Zealand in May 2011 and was given priority review the following month. Besides … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (June 14, 2012) Six new human embryonic stem cell lines derived at the University of Michigan have just been placed on the U.S. National Institutes of Health's registry, making the cells available for federally-funded research. U-M now has a total of eight cell lines on the registry, including five that carry genetic mutations for serious diseases such as the severe bleeding disorder hemophilia B, the fatal brain disorder Huntington's disease and the heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which causes sudden death in athletes and others. Researchers at U-M and around the country can now begin using the stem cell lines to study the origins of these diseases and potential treatments. Two of the cell lines are believed to be the first in the world bearing that particular disease gene. The three U-M stem cell lines now in the registry that do not carry disease genes are also useful for general studies and as comparisons for stem cells with disease genes. In all, there are 163 stem cell lines in the federal registry, most of them without major disease genes. Each of the lines was derived from a cluster of about 30 cells removed from a donated five-day-old embryo roughly … Continue reading →

Carlous Drake, photographed in his father's recording studio Thursday, will host a gospel concert at Olivet Baptist Church on Saturday to raise funds for the Sickle Cell Foundation of Tennessee. HOW TO HELP Passion of Praise Concert at Olivet Baptist Church. 6 p.m. Saturday. Donations requested. Sickle Cell Awareness Carnival at Coolidge Park. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Local Bone Marrow Registry office is at 423-752-5951. What it is: Sickle cell disease is an inherited group of red blood cell disorders. Abnormally shaped red blood cells get stuck in small blood vessels and block the flow of blood and oxygen to organs in the body. The blockages can cause repeated episodes of severe pain, organ damage, serious infections and stroke. Who it affects: Sickle cell affects 90,000 to 100,000 people in the United States, mainly blacks. It occurs among one out of every 36,000 Hispanic-American births. It is especially common among people who have ancestry in sub-Saharan Africa, South America, the Caribbean, Central America, Saudi Arabia, India and Mediterranean countries such as Turkey. Source: Centers for Disease Control The pain from sickle cell is like placing your thumb on the table and having someone slam a hammer on it, … Continue reading →