Category Archives: Cell Therapy

NEW YORK, Oct. 10, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeoStem, Inc. (NBS), an emerging leader in the fast growing cell therapy market, announced today that a new article published by the International Scholarly Research Network provides further evidence that AMR-001, NeoStem's lead product candidate through its Amorcyte subsidiary, appears capable of preserving heart muscle function following a large myocardial infarction. Amorcyte demonstrated in its Phase 1 trial that AMR-001 preserved heart muscle function when a therapeutic dose of cells was administered. No patient experienced a deterioration in heart muscle function who received 10 million cells or more whereas 30 to 40 percent of patients not receiving a therapeutic dose did. The new study shows that cardiac muscle function sparing effects are evident even earlier after treatment than previously shown. The article titled "Assessment of myocardial contractile function using global and segmental circumferential strain following intracoronary stem cell infusion after myocardial infarction: MRI Feature Tracking Feasibility Study" by Sabha Bhatti, MD, et al. appears in ISRN Radiology Volume 2013, Article ID 371028 and is published online at http://www.isrn.com/journals/radiology/2013/371028. The publication by Dr. Bhatti and colleagues, including Dr. Andrew Pecora, Chief Medical Officer of NeoStem, supports the finding that AMR-001 preserves heart function. … Continue reading →

SAN CARLOS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cellerant Therapeutics Inc., a biotechnology company developing novel hematopoietic stem cell-based cellular and antibody therapies for blood disorders and cancer, announced today that it has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 contract and a Phase 2 option from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) valued up to $1,683,503. The SBIR Contract funds the development of CLT-009, a first-in-class, human allogeneic Megakaryocyte Progenitor Cell therapy for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in cancer patients and allows the Company to conduct studies to enable an Investigational New Drug (IND) Application to be filed with the FDA in the next two years. Thrombocytopenia is characterized as a significant reduction in the concentration of circulating platelets. Platelets are crucial in the process of coagulation to stop bleeding, and thrombocytopenia can increase the risk of severe bleeding in patients. It is becoming an increasingly common problem among oncology patients and a significant dose-limiting toxicity, especially in the treatment of hematological malignancies. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are the most common causes of thrombocytopenia because the platelet-producing cells, megakaryocytes, and their precursors are highly sensitive to myelosuppressive cytotoxics and ionizing radiation. Thrombocytopenia typically occurs during the initial cycles of high-dose chemotherapy … Continue reading →

NEW YORK, Oct. 8, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeoStem, Inc. (NYSE MKT:NBS), an emerging leader in the fast growing cell therapy market, announced today that data from its collaborative studies with the University of Michigan School of Dentistry further expands the therapeutic potential of its proprietary regenerative cell therapy product, "VSELSTM" (very small embryonic-like stem cells), by demonstrating bone regeneration capabilities in a study published online ahead of print1 in the journal Stem Cells and Development (DOI: 10.1089/scd.2012.0327). The paper highlights that human VSEL stem cells form human bone when implanted in the bone tissue of SCID mice. VSELs are a population of stem cells found in adult bone marrow with potential regenerative properties similar to those of embryonic stem cells. NeoStem has shown that these cells can be mobilized into the peripheral blood, enabling a minimally invasive means for collecting what NeoStem believes to be a population of stem cells that have the potential to achieve the positive benefits associated with embryonic stem cells without the ethical or moral dilemmas or the potential negative effects known to be associated with embryonic stem cells. This published controlled study, funded by NIH and led by Dr. Russell Taichman, Major Ash Collegiate … Continue reading →

A company with the first FDA-approved personalized cell therapy for reducing wrinkles has raised $45 million in a private stock sale. The financing was sought to improve manufacturing capacity for the therapy and advance other uses for it such as treating burn victims, according to a company statement. Fibrocell Sciences aesthetic therapeutic, Laviv, secured got the green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last year. Laviv uses individuals fibroblast cells to reduce nasolabial fold wrinkles, creases on the face that start from the outer corners of the nose and go down to the corners of the mouth. It also has an acne therapy in phase 3 clinical trials and a burn scar therapy in phase 2 trials. The Exton, Pennsylvania biopharmaceutical companys personalized cell development platform technology isolates, purifies and multiplies a patients fibroblast cells, connective skin cells that make collagen. Additionally, Fibrocell agreed to a strategic collaboration with biotechnology firm Intrexon which can provide genome engineering, cell processing, and cell system engineering, among other services, to help advance Fibrocells personalized cell therapy program. As part of the financing deal, Third Security LLC will get two seats on Fibrocells board. Personalized stem cell development fits into the broader … Continue reading →

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cytori Therapeutics (CYTX) announced that three oral presentations related to its cell therapy are being presented today at the 10th annual International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Sciences meeting. The findings provide insights into the mechanisms-of-action for Cytoris cell therapy. One study identified high levels of micro-RNA (miRNA) markers in human tissue thought to play a role in the repair of tissue injury resulting from ischemia, or lack of blood flow. Two additional characterization and comparative analysis studies on human tissue reaffirmed cellular characteristics of Cytoris cell therapy and distinguished the safety, viability and cell make-up as compared to cell outputs derived from alternate approaches. Results from all three studies have important implications for how the cells repair injured tissue and on the safety and viability of cell-based treatments derived from adipose tissue, said John Fraser, Ph.D., Chief Scientist of Cytori Therapeutics. Mechanisms identified in our miRNA analysis are consistent with our prior clinical and preclinical data, which suggest these mechanisms include angiogenesis, immune-modulation, and remodeling and wound repair. The miRNA study provides baseline data, which we can apply to our U.S. ATHENA clinical trial in refractory heart failure patients and other activities including our recently announced … Continue reading →

PALM BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Genetics Policy Institute (GPI) announced today that Bernard Siegel, Executive Director of GPI, will make two keynote presentations this month at regional conferences: Midwest Conference on Stem Cell Biology and Therapy October 5-7 in Rochester, Michigan and BioFlorida Conference 2012 October 7-9 in Miami, Florida. Siegel will present a keynote address titled The Power of Advocacy at the Midwest Conference on Stem Cell Biology and Therapy. The Genetics Policy Institute joined with the Oakland University William Beaumont Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (ISCRM) as a collaborating partner for the event. Researchers from hospitals, medical organizations, academic institutions and the business community throughout the Midwest will discuss not only the latest advances in this rapidly expanding field of medical science, but the ethical and moral issues that surround it. "I am pleased to participate in these important conferences, which showcase the latest scientific developments in their respective regions and beyond. ISCRM and the World Stem Cell Summit have a strong connection, as the Institute was officially launched at our 2010 Summit in Detroit, said Bernard Siegel, GPI's Executive Director and founder of the annual World Stem Cell Summit. BioFloridas 15th annual Conference is the premier … Continue reading →

Newswise LOS ANGELES (Oct. 2, 2012) Researchers at Cedars-Sinais Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute have found that a blood vessel-building gene boosts the ability of human bone marrow stem cells to sustain pancreatic recovery in a laboratory mouse model of insulin-dependent diabetes. The findings, published in a PLoS ONE article of the Public Library of Science, offer new insights on mechanisms involved in regeneration of insulin-producing cells and provide new evidence that a diabetics own bone marrow one day may be a source of treatment. Scientists began studying bone marrow-derived stem cells for pancreatic regeneration a decade ago. Recent studies involving several pancreas-related genes and delivery methods transplantation into the organ or injection into the blood have shown that bone marrow stem cell therapy could reverse or improve diabetes in some laboratory mice. But little has been known about how stem cells affect beta cells pancreas cells that produce insulin or how scientists could promote sustained beta cell renewal and insulin production. When the Cedars-Sinai researchers modified bone marrow stem cells to express a certain gene (vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF), pancreatic recovery was sustained as mouse pancreases were able to generate new beta cells. The VEGF-modified stem cells promoted … Continue reading →

SILVER SPRING, Md. and SINGAPORE, Oct. 2, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nuvilex, Inc. (NVLX), an international biotechnology provider of cell and gene therapy solutions, announced today its wholly-owned subsidiary, Austrianova Singapore Pte Ltd (ASPL) will attend this year's AusBiotech event. The annual AusBiotech event this year will be held from October 30 - November 2 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne, Australia. It has earned a reputation as the industry's premier biotechnology conference for the Asia Pacific region and has successfully expanded its relevance to the Australian and International Biotechnology industries by attracting more than 1100 participants from over 20 countries. Dr Brian Salmons, CEO of ASPL said, "AusBiotech has grown in stature over the past several years. In prior years, we entered agreements with companies and found it to be one of the most valuable events for networking with new contacts. We anticipate meeting with companies with proprietary therapeutic cells, such as stem cells, that can leverage their technology with our Cell-in-a-Box(R) delivery system. We believe the new contacts we make will expand our customer base and increase the use of cell and gene therapy for making therapeutic products and treating diseases. We will also be promoting … Continue reading →

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Histogenics, a regenerative medicine company combining cell therapy and tissue engineering technologies to develop highly innovative products for tissue repair and regeneration, announced today that it has been named to the FierceMedicalDevices Fierce 15 list, designating it as one of the leading medical device and diagnostic companies of 2012. FierceMedicalDevicesEditors Mark Hollmer and Damian Garde, in conjunction with Editor-in-Chief John Carroll and Executive Editor Ryan McBride, chose this years winners based on their top management teams, notable financial backing, and promising technologies and market opportunities. We have worked hard over the past year, securing $49 million in financing and adding key new staff, investors and board members, so that we are now in the position to focus our full attention on continued successful clinical and regulatory execution for NeoCart cartilage regeneration implant, which is currently enrolling patients into the Phase 3 IND clinical study, and the EU regulatory development of our VeriCart cartilage repair scaffold, said Patrick ODonnell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Histogenics. We believe our product candidates have the potential to transform the treatment of cartilage injury with the goal of returning some of the estimated 1.8 million patients each year in the U.S. … Continue reading →

NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeoStem, Inc. (NYSE MKT:NBS) ("NeoStem" or the "Company"), an emerging leader in the fast growing cell therapy market, today announced that Company management and management of its subsidiary, Progenitor Cell Therapy ("PCT"), have been invited to present at multiple conferences in October. RetailInvestorConferences.com The RedChip 15th Annual Fall Small-Cap Conference Regenerative Medicine Foundation 2012 Conference 2012 Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa, 2nd Annual Investor and Partnering Forum About NeoStem, Inc. NeoStem, Inc. continues to develop and build on its core capabilities in cell therapy, capitalizing on the paradigm shift that we see occurring in medicine. In particular, we anticipate that cell therapy will have a significant role in the fight against chronic disease and in lessening the economic burden that these diseases pose to modern society. We are emerging as a technology and market leading company in this fast developing cell therapy market. Our multi-faceted business strategy combines a state-of-the-art contract development and manufacturing subsidiary, Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC ("PCT"), with a medically important cell therapy product development program, enabling near and long-term revenue growth opportunities. We believe this expertise and existing research capabilities and collaborations will enable us to achieve … Continue reading →