Category Archives: Stem Cell Human Trials

July 1, 2013 Vitamin C affects whether genes are switched on or off inside mouse stem cells, and may thereby play a previously unknown and fundamental role in helping to guide normal development in mice, humans and other animals, a scientific team led by UC San Francisco researchers has discovered. The researchers found that vitamin C assists enzymes that play a crucial role in releasing the brakes that keep certain genes from becoming activated in the embryo soon after fertilization, when egg and sperm fuse. The discovery might eventually lead to the use of vitamin C to improve results of in vitro fertilization, in which early embryos now are typically grown without the vitamin, and also to treat cancer, in which tumor cells abnormally engage or release these brakes on gene activation, the researchers concluded in a study published June 30, 2013 in the journal Nature. In the near term, stem-cell scientists may begin incorporating vitamin C more systematically into their procedures for growing the most healthy and useful stem cells, according to UCSF stem-cell scientist Miguel Ramalho-Santos, PhD, who led the study. In fact, the unanticipated discovery emerged from an effort to compare different formulations of the growth medium, … Continue reading →

BEERSE, Belgium--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Janssen-Cilag International NV (Janssen) announced today that The Committee for Medical Products for Human Use (CHMP) of The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted a positive opinion on two variations relating to the use of VELCADE.1 VELCADE is indicated for the treatment of multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. The first recommendation is for the use of VELCADE (bortezomib) as retreatment in adult patients who have previously responded to treatment with the same medicine.1 The positive opinion re-enforces the existing data supporting the use of VELCADE in this wider relapsedpatient population in the European Union. This is now included in the label and does not require an additional decision from the European Commission. Concurrently, the CHMP also announced a positive opinion recommending the approval of VELCADE as induction therapy in combination with dexamethasone (VD) or dexamethasone and thalidomide (VDT). This is for adult patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma who are eligible for high-dose chemotherapy with haematological stem cell transplantation.1 This will now bereferred for approval to the European Commission. VELCADE was previously indicated for use in combination with melphalan and prednisone for the treatment of multiple myeloma in adult patients that are previously untreated but … Continue reading →

Thursday, June 27, 2013 A leading researcher into severe spinal cord injuries says trials for stem-cell therapy show groundbreaking results in helping immobile patients to walk again. After progress in a second round of tests using stem cells to regrow nerve fibers, the China Spinal Cord Injury Network, set up in Hong Kong, has applied for regulatory approval in the mainland for a third and final phase, which could start in the autumn. "This will convince the doctors of the world that they do not need to tell patients `you will never walk again,"' said US- based doctor Wise Young, the alliance's chief executive. "Hong Kong is going to be way ahead of all countries if the spinal cord injury trial turns out to be positive. He said 15 of 20 patients in Kunming who received umbilical cord blood cell transplants and intensive therapy were on average able to walk with minimal assistance seven years after suffering complete spinal cord injury. "It's the first time in human history that we can see the regeneration of the spinal cord," Young added. The treatment involves injecting umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells into patients' spines to help regenerate nerves, while lithium is used … Continue reading →

A leading researcher into severe spinal cord injuries on Wednesday said trials for stem-cell therapy showed groundbreaking results in giving immobile patients the ability to walk again. After progress in a second round of tests using stem cells to regrow nerve fibres, the China Spinal Cord Injury Network (ChinaSCINet) has applied for regulatory approval in China for a third and final phase, which it hopes to start in the autumn. "This will convince the doctors of the world that they do not need to tell patients 'you will never walk again'," US-based doctor Wise Young, chief executive officer of ChinaSCINet, told AFP. He said that 15 out of 20 patients in the Chinese city of Kunming, who received umbilical cord blood cell transplants and intensive walking therapy, were on average able to walk with minimal assistance seven years after complete spinal cord injury. "It's the first time in human history that we can see the regeneration of the spinal cord," Young said. The treatment involves injecting umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells into patients' damaged spines to help regenerate nerves, while lithium is used to promote the growth of the nerve fibres. Each component of the combination therapy will be tested … Continue reading →

Cell-based therapies are providing new hope for the treatment of sight-threatening inflammation. A review published in Progress in Retinal and Eye Research provides a comprehensive outline of current and future therapy for uveitis (also called intra-ocular inflammation). Uveitis is a group of conditions that account for a significant proportion of visual disability, characterised by progressive visual loss caused by retinal inflammation and oedema. The disorder is most common in people aged 2060, and the financial burden is as high as that of diabetic eye disease. Current treatment for uveitis includes the use of antibiotics, immunosuppressants, and oral steroids, however, they result in side-effects and none have been specifically approved for the treatment of uveitis (they have all been prescribed off label). Professor John Forrester from the Centre for Experimental Immunology, Lions Eye Institute, Perth says that there is a long list of side-effects caused by current treatment programs including renal failure, anaemia, and high blood pressure. In about 50 per cent of patients with uveitis, no infectious cause can be found and an immune-mediated or autoimmune cause is suspected. In these instances, pioneering cell-based therapies may provide the best hope for long-term treatment. Cell-based therapies can be divided into two … Continue reading →

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Jun 28, 2013) - VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB: VSTA), a biotechnology company applying pluripotent stem cell technology for drug rescue, predictive toxicology and drug metabolism assays, today announced an update on the status of its strategic financing agreement with Autilion AG. Under the terms of the parties' April 2013 agreement, as amended, Autilion AG has committed to invest $36 million in VistaGen in consideration for 72 million shares of restricted VistaGen common stock, at a price of $0.50 per share, in a series of closings ending on or before September 30, 2013. The parties have amended their agreement, completed a first closing and scheduled additional closings to occur in July, August and September 2013. As noted previously, the self-placed strategic financing does not include warrants or investment banking fees. Shawn K. Singh, VistaGen's Chief Executive Officer, stated, "I met with Autilion's team earlier this week, and we have been working closely with them since signing our agreement in April.We are confident and excited about completing this transformative financing.Building on the positive developments in our labs presented during the Annual Meetings of the Society of Toxicology and International Society of Stem Cell Research in March and … Continue reading →

NEW YORK, June 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Americord today applauded a new study being conducted by Mayo Clinic to determine whether children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) can be successfully treated with stem cells from their own umbilical cord blood. HLHS is a congenital heart defect where infants are born with a severely underdeveloped left ventricle essentially half a heart. Mayo Clinic is a non-profit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education that spends over $500 million a year on research and employs nearly 3,800 physicians and scientists. In the United States, about 1,000 babies are born each year with HLHS. Babies with HLHS have heart valves that are either too small to allow sufficient blood flow, or valves that are closed altogether. In the study being done by Mayo Clinic, umbilical cord blood stem cells will be collected from infants born with HLHS, and they will be preserved. Approximately four to six months later, the stem cells will be injected directly into the infant's heart muscle. Since stem cells are able to develop into many different kinds of cell types found in the human body, researchers are hopeful that this treatment will increase the strength and volume of … Continue reading →

PTI Jun 18, 2013, 06.08AM IST LONDON: Scientists have made a stem cell breakthrough that could make it possible to treat diabetics with an annual insulin jab, eliminating the need for painful daily injections. The technique involves engineering blood stem cells into insulin-secreting cells. Experts at London's Imperial College, led by Nagy Habib , and scientists at Hammersmith Hospital are now planning human trials of the new treatment after success in laboratory studies, the 'Daily Express' reported. "This is a fantastic breakthrough that we hope will end the burden of daily jabs for diabetics," said Dr Paul Mintz, a leading stem cell researcher at Imperial College, who is part of the team pioneering the research. "The beauty of this treatment is that we manipulate the patient's own stem cells, avoiding the complication of giving them something foreign which their body will reject ," he said. In diabetes, the pancreas fails to make insulin which crucially controls blood sugar levels or it doesn't make enough. Read more here: Diabetics may soon need just 1 shot a year … Continue reading →

NEW YORK, NY June 17, 2013 / -- IntelliCell BioSciences, Inc. ("Company") (OTC PINK: SVFC) announced today that Dr Zain Khalpey, MD, PhD, MRCS (Eng) Director, Heart Transplant Program & Mechanical Circulatory Support, Division of Cardiothoracic SurgeryAssociate Professor of Surgery, Physiological Sciences & Biomedical Engineering, University of Arizona College of Medicine has joined the Advisory Board. Dr. Steven Victor, CEO of IntelliCell stated, "We are very pleased to have Dr Khalpey join our Advisory Board and help the company advance the use of its patented technology in the area of cardiac diseases. Dr Khalpey has the passion for regenerative medicine that will help propel the use of stem cells in the cardiothoracic world. We are excited to be able to work with such a brilliant cardiac surgeon and researcher. We believe that through our association with Dr. Khalpey and the UA, we will be able to help numerous cardiac and lung patients with unmet clinical needs. Dr Khalpey I would rather not put you on the list for transplant, I would rather take your fat-derived stem cells, inject them into you and try to use the device as a bridge to regenerate your heart, rather than using transplanted tissue, where … Continue reading →

JUPITER, Fla., June 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- BioRestorative Therapies, Inc. ("BRT" or the "Company") (OTC BB: BRTX) Financial personality and Founder of NBT Equities Research, Tobin Smith, recently interviewed BioRestorative Therapies, Inc. (the "Company") CEO, Mark Weinreb, on the firm's hybrid business model and what the firm is currently doing that will help change the biotechnology landscape. BioRestorative is a life sciences company focused on developing stem cell basedcellular therapiesfor various personal medical applications. NBT Equities Research interviews CEOs and industry leaders in the emerging growth sector and emerging growth sector advocacy groups to discuss trends and developments along with company updates. Topics discussed by Mr. Weinreb include an update on the Company's ThermoStem Program designed to develop treatments using brown fat stem cells for metabolic disorders and obesity focused on potentially preventing the onset of Type 2 diabetes. Specifically, Mr. Weinreb shares the encouraging observation that it has made strides in preclinical development based on animal data. In addition, Mr. Weinreb discusses the brtxDISC Program that encompasses a novel way of cell culturing and includes a medical device designed for the re-transplantation of an individual's own stem cells into the disc area for repair. This program is nearing readiness … Continue reading →