Mesoblast Announces New Dental Pulp Stem Cell Treatment Initiatives(PRWEB) June 20, 2012 Mesoblast, one of the leading stem cell therapy development companies in the world today, noted in a presentation at the Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference in New York that the company will open a new treatment front based on the unique properties of dental pulp stem cells [DPSC]. ...
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Mesoblast Announces New Dental Pulp Stem Cell Treatment Initiatives
BYRON, MN--It's a dream for many in the medical field, to use a person's own stem cells to help them heal. And it's a reality already happening in our area.
But it's not humans who are being treated. In this case, dogs are the ones being treated.
Animal Stem Cell Regenerative Therapy has been performed a few thousand times now across the U.S. Doctors harvest stem cells and re-enter them where the animal is having problems.
Both Marley and Vinnie have bad ligaments in their legs, and like many dogs suffering from arthritis, they are subject to monthly doses of expensive drugs.
That is until today.
Dr. Garren Kelly, D.V.M. at Meadow View Veterinary Clinic just outside Rochester says, "If you'd of asked me 5 years ago if I would be doing anything like this, I would have said no. But then as soon as I saw it i'm like 'Yeah that's for me'. I kind of like staying on the cutting edge of technology and surgeries".
The two are undergoing a first of its kind surgery in minnesota, using regenerative stem cells.
Blood is taken from the dogs, as well as fat tissue.
Then stem cells are separated out from the fat, activated with an led light, and injected back into the affected area. All in the same day.
MediVet America trainer Jordan Smith says, "It's a better quality of life, we're not promising to give them 10 years or 5 years but we are promising that the years that they do have remaining are a lot more enjoyable".
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Public release date: 19-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jeremy Moore jeremy.moore@aacr.org 215-446-7109 American Association for Cancer Research
LAKE TAHOE, Nev. Results of some preclinical trials have shown that low doses of the antidiabetic drug metformin may effectively destroy cancer stem cells, a group of cells that are considered to be responsible for tumor initiation and, because they are resistant to standard chemotherapies, tumor relapse.
In addition, when metformin was combined with a standard chemotherapy used for pancreatic cancer, the combination treatment was able to efficiently eradicate both cancer stem cells and more differentiated cancer cells, which form the bulk of the tumor, according to data presented by Christopher Heeschen, M.D., Ph.D., at the American Association for Cancer Research's Pancreatic Cancer: Progress and Challenges conference, held in Lake Tahoe, Nev., from June 18-21, 2012. Heeschen is professor for experimental medicine at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre in Madrid, Spain.
Most clinical trials of pancreatic cancer conducted during the last 15 years have failed to show marked improvement in median survival, suggesting that the selected approaches were not sufficient for several reasons, according to Heeschen. In recent years, researchers have identified cancer stem cells which, as opposed to the cancer cells that make up the bulk of the tumor, are a small subset of cells that are resistant to conventional therapy.
"Therefore, efficiently targeting these cells will be crucial for achieving higher cure rates in patients with pancreatic cancer," he said. "Our newly emerging data now indicate that metformin, a widely used and well-tolerated drug for the treatment of diabetes, is capable of efficiently eliminating these cells."
Specifically, the researchers found that metformin-pretreated cancer stem cells were particularly sensitive to alterations to their metabolism through the activation of AMPK. In fact, metformin treatment resulted in the death of cancer stem cells. In contrast, treatment of more differentiated cancer cells with metformin only arrested the cells' growth.
"As the cancer stem cells represent the root of pancreatic cancer, their extinction by reprogramming their metabolism with metformin in combination with the stalling of the proliferation of more differentiated cells should result in tumor regression and long-term, progression-free survival," Heeschen said.
The researchers generated data to support this idea when they treated immunocompromised mice implanted with a diverse set of patient-derived tumors with a combination of metformin and gemcitabine, the standard chemotherapeutic treatment for pancreatic cancer. They found that the treatment resulted in reduced tumor burden and the prevention of relapse as compared with treatment with either drug alone.
"Intriguingly, in all tumors treated with metformin to date, relapse of disease was efficiently prevented and there were no noticeable adverse effects," Heeschen said.
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Metformin treatment caused cancer stem cell death in pancreatic cancer cell lines
The new technology and innovation centre, a Catapult for cell therapies1, will be established at the Tower wing, Guys Hospital, London.London, UK (PRWEB UK) 19 June 2012 The new technology and innovation centre, a Catapult for cell therapies1, will be established at the Tower wing, Guys Hospital, London.The central London site was chosen for its easily accessible transport links, its credentials ...
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Cell Therapy Catapult centre moves into new home at Guy’s Hospital
Posted: Jun 19, 2012, 9:52 am
The patients are two dogs Vinnie, a 7-year old Bichon Frise with a partial ligament tear in a leg, and Marley, 2, a Rottweiler/lab mix with ruptured knee ligaments.
Dr. Garren Kelly planned to remove fat tissue from the dogs, separate the dogs' own stem cells from the fat, and activate and inject the stem cells into the areas of pain.The dogs are expected to be moving well and with little or no pain within two months.
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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 Lima, Technical Director at Cryopraxis, "extensive training and strict adherence to good laboratory practices are basic principles in Cryopraxis' corporate strategy." Janaina Machado, cell lab director describes the company's primary mission: "maximizing safety and efficiency of collection procedures to make sure our clients get what they look for: the highest quality standards."
Cryopraxis is part of Axis Biotec (www.axisbiotec.com.br) and it has the largest biological cryogenic storage facility in Brazil and one of the largest in the World. It is the largest umbilical cord blood bank in Brazil. The company is involved in several research projects in Brazil and abroad.For more information, visitwww.cryopraxis.com.brand http://www.cellpraxis.com
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Cryopraxis, Sponsor of Stem Cell Research is Represented at Bio2012 in Boston
2011 saw the stem cell market earn revenues of $148.4 million in 2011 and this is forecast to reach $322 million by 2017. The segments covered include: bio-imaging and microscopy, cell biology tools, immunochemical, molecular biology tools, and protein biochemistry tools.
The US is one of the major stem cell markets in the world, and the country has been witnessing a significant level of positive growth over the past few years. The US stem cell market was estimated to reach around $830 Million in 2010, up from $500 Million in 2009.
This market growth can be attributed to a number of supporting factors, such as huge investment, strong demand, and rising disease incidences. Forecasters have predicted that these factors will lead to the US stem cell market generating revenues of $3 billion by 2013.
A key step forward for the market has been the stem cell regulations in a few countries allowing the use of certain cell lines. In some countries such as France, for instance, stem cell regulations are being renewed for the procurement and use of stem cells.
Standardised research guidelines are needed to control and encourage the development of gene therapy and stem cell treatments. Regenerative medicine is seen as an area with high future potential, as countries need ways to cope with the burden of an aging population.
Stem cell research is very dynamic with research trends, focus, and approaches evolving extremely rapidly. The tool market has to quickly adapt to these challenges and develop innovative tools that address and accelerate research accomplishments.
Organisations such as the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) publish recommended guidelines on working with stem cells, but these are not binding. Governments must therefore come together to determine a standardised framework for innovative medical research, in order that positive results and long-term follow-up data can be produced to solidify the reputation and investment potential of the regenerative medicine market.
For more information on the stem cell market, see the latest research: Stem Cell Market Report
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ROCKVILLE, Md., June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Neuralstem, Inc. (NYSE MKT: CUR) announced that the first patient to receive stem cell transplantation in both regions of the spinal cord has been treated in the ongoing Phase I trial of its spinal cord neural stem cells in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease). This is also the 16th patient to be treated in the trial altogether and the first patient returning to the trial for a second treatment. In this treatment, the patient received five injections in the cervical (upper back) region of the spinal cord, in addition to the ten he received previously in the lumbar (lower back) region of the spine, for a total of 15 injections. This is the highest number of injections in the trial so far. Patient 16 is also the first patient in the world to receive stem cell transplants in both the lumbar and cervical regions of the spinal cord in an FDA-approved trial. Two additional previously-treated patients are expected to return to the trial this summer in this cohort, provided they continue to meet the inclusion requirements. The trial is taking place at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20061221/DCTH007LOGO )
"Transplanting the first of the returning patients represents a major milestone in the trial," said Dr. Karl Johe, PhD, Neuralstem's Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer. "The ability to safely administer multiple dosings to these patients is a key enabling step in administering the maximum safe dose. Not only are we dosing patients for a second time in this cohort, we are now dosing in both the lumbar and cervical regions of the spinal cord for the first time, where the stem cell therapy could support both walking and breathing."
About the Trial
The Phase I trial to assess the safety of Neuralstem's spinal cord neural stem cells and intraspinal transplantation method in ALS patients has been underway since January 2010. The trial is designed to enroll up to 18 patients. The first 12 patients were each transplanted in the lumbar (lower back) region of the spine, beginning with non-ambulatory and advancing to ambulatory cohorts.
The trial then advanced to transplantation in the cervical (upper back) region of the spine. The first cohort of three was treated in the cervical region only. The current cohort of three will receive injections in both the cervical and lumbar regions of the spinal cord. In an amendment to the trial design, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the return of previously-treated patients to this cohort. The first of these returning patients was just treated. The entire 18-patient trial concludes six months after the final surgery.
About Neuralstem
Neuralstem's patented technology enables the ability to produce neural stem cells of the human brain and spinal cord in commercial quantities, and the ability to control the differentiation of these cells constitutively into mature, physiologically relevant human neurons and glia. Neuralstem is in an FDA-approved Phase I safety clinical trial for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, and has been awarded orphan status designation by the FDA.
In addition to ALS, the company is also targeting major central nervous system conditions with its cell therapy platform, including spinal cord injury, ischemic spastic paraplegia and chronic stroke. The company has submitted an IND (Investigational New Drug) application to the FDA for a Phase I safety trial in chronic spinal cord injury.
Neuralstem also has the ability to generate stable human neural stem cell lines suitable for the systematic screening of large chemical libraries. Through this proprietary screening technology, Neuralstem has discovered and patented compounds that may stimulate the brain's capacity to generate new neurons, possibly reversing the pathologies of some central nervous system conditions. The company has received approval from the FDA to conduct a Phase Ib safety trial evaluating NSI-189, its first neurogenic small molecule compound, for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). Additional indications could include CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), Alzheimer's disease, anxiety, and memory disorders.
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Referenced Stocks: OSIR, SNY
Just a few weeks after gaining approval in Canada, Osiris Therapeutics, Inc.'s ( OSIR ) stem cell therapy, Prochymal, gained approval in New Zealand. Prochymal gained approval for the treatment of acute graft-vs-host disease (GvHD) in children.
Osiris had submitted its marketing application to Medsafe, the medical regulatory agency in New Zealand, in May 2011. Prochymal was granted priority review status.
Prochymal is the first manufactured stem cell product to gain approval and the first treatment to gain approval for GvHD.
Besides being approved in Canada and New Zealand, we note that Prochymal is available under an Expanded Access Program (EAP) in seven countries including the US.
Our Take
Prochymal's approval in New Zealand is a boost for Osiris. Shares were up 13.75% on the news. Prochymal is the lead candidate at Osiris and represents significant commercial potential. Prochymal is currently being evaluated for other indications as well including refractory Crohn's disease (phase III), type I diabetes, and myocardial infarction (heart attack - phase II).
We currently have low visibility on the status of Osiris' development and commercialization agreement with Genzyme, a Sanofi ( SNY ) company, for Prochymal. Earlier this year, Sanofi, in its fourth quarter press release, had said that it has discontinued the development of Prochymal for GvHD.
Osiris said that the announcement was made without its knowledge or advice and clarified that Prochymal's development has not been discontinued. Although Osiris had not received any communication from Sanofi regarding the termination of their agreement, Osiris notified Sanofi that it is treating Sanofi's statement as an intention to terminate the agreement.
According to Osiris, all rights to Prochymal will return to Osiris without the company being required to compensate Sanofi. Osiris believes it can now pursue commercialization agreements for Prochymal with other parties.
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Another Nod for Osiris' Prochymal - Analyst Blog
Just a few weeks after gaining approval in Canada, Osiris Therapeutics, Inc.s (OSIR) stem cell therapy, Prochymal, gained approval in New Zealand. Prochymal gained approval for the treatment of acute graft-vs-host disease (GvHD) in children.
Osiris had submitted its marketing application to Medsafe, the medical regulatory agency in New Zealand, in May 2011. Prochymal was granted priority review status.
Prochymal is the first manufactured stem cell product to gain approval and the first treatment to gain approval for GvHD.
Besides being approved in Canada and New Zealand, we note that Prochymal is available under an Expanded Access Program (:EAP) in seven countries including the US.
Our Take
Prochymals approval in New Zealand is a boost for Osiris. Shares were up 13.75% on the news. Prochymal is the lead candidate at Osiris and represents significant commercial potential. Prochymal is currently being evaluated for other indications as well including refractory Crohns disease (phase III), type I diabetes, and myocardial infarction (heart attack phase II).
We currently have low visibility on the status of Osiris development and commercialization agreement with Genzyme, a Sanofi (SNY) company, for Prochymal. Earlier this year, Sanofi, in its fourth quarter press release, had said that it has discontinued the development of Prochymal for GvHD.
Osiris said that the announcement was made without its knowledge or advice and clarified that Prochymals development has not been discontinued. Although Osiris had not received any communication from Sanofi regarding the termination of their agreement, Osiris notified Sanofi that it is treating Sanofis statement as an intention to terminate the agreement.
According to Osiris, all rights to Prochymal will return to Osiris without the company being required to compensate Sanofi. Osiris believes it can now pursue commercialization agreements for Prochymal with other parties.
We currently have a Neutral recommendation on Osiris, which carries a Zacks #3 Rank (short-term Hold rating).
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Referenced Stocks: OSIR, SNY
Just a few weeks after gaining approval in Canada, Osiris Therapeutics, Inc.'s ( OSIR ) stem cell therapy, Prochymal, gained approval in New Zealand. Prochymal gained approval for the treatment of acute graft-vs-host disease (GvHD) in children.
Osiris had submitted its marketing application to Medsafe, the medical regulatory agency in New Zealand, in May 2011. Prochymal was granted priority review status.
Prochymal is the first manufactured stem cell product to gain approval and the first treatment to gain approval for GvHD.
Besides being approved in Canada and New Zealand, we note that Prochymal is available under an Expanded Access Program (EAP) in seven countries including the US.
Our Take
Prochymal's approval in New Zealand is a boost for Osiris. Shares were up 13.75% on the news. Prochymal is the lead candidate at Osiris and represents significant commercial potential. Prochymal is currently being evaluated for other indications as well including refractory Crohn's disease (phase III), type I diabetes, and myocardial infarction (heart attack - phase II).
We currently have low visibility on the status of Osiris' development and commercialization agreement with Genzyme, a Sanofi ( SNY ) company, for Prochymal. Earlier this year, Sanofi, in its fourth quarter press release, had said that it has discontinued the development of Prochymal for GvHD.
Osiris said that the announcement was made without its knowledge or advice and clarified that Prochymal's development has not been discontinued. Although Osiris had not received any communication from Sanofi regarding the termination of their agreement, Osiris notified Sanofi that it is treating Sanofi's statement as an intention to terminate the agreement.
According to Osiris, all rights to Prochymal will return to Osiris without the company being required to compensate Sanofi. Osiris believes it can now pursue commercialization agreements for Prochymal with other parties.
Originally posted here:
ROYAL OAK, Mich., June 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Woodside Animal Hospital announced they have added both stem cell therapy and cold laser therapy to their suite of services. These two cutting edge treatments are done entirely in-house, no third-party lab work is required. Royal Oak veterinarian Dr. John Simon is the first Michigan veterinarian to provide pets with in-house adult stem cell therapy. The stem cells are derived from the pet's fat deposits and absolutely no embryonic tissue is used.
"As a holistic veterinarian, I am committed to providing high quality, cutting-edge care that combines traditional veterinary care with advanced holistic treatments," said Dr. Simon. "Our in-house stem cell therapy and cold laser therapy procedures alleviate pain in limping dogs and promote internal healing following an injury. I also recommend these procedures for pets with osteoarthritis."
Cold laser therapy is a non-surgical approach to pain management. Holistic equine veterinarians have used the procedure for over 20 years to treat injuries and joint pain. Today, veterinarians are using cold laser therapy to provide natural pain relief for injured pets.
According to Dr. Simon, cold laser therapy works by using a low-level energy beam to penetrate just below the skin's surface. Injured cells use the laser's energy to repair cellular damage. This provides relief for pain and swelling following a soft tissue injury, such as a ligament, tendon or muscle strain.
"Cold laser therapy is a revolutionary treatment for natural pain management in animals," said the Royal Oak veterinarian. "Laser therapy allows for advanced pain management, especially for pets suffering from chronic conditions or soft tissue injuries."
Woodside Animal Hospital also provides in-house pet stem cell therapy. This treatment uses adult stem cells collected from a dog's fat deposits to promote the growth of new soft tissue and cartilage. By performing the whole procedure in the clinic, the stem cells can be harvested and re-injected on the same day.
"Our in-house pet stem cell therapy is an affordable, same-day treatment that helps dogs suffering from joint pain, osteoarthritis, soft tissue injuries and hip dysplasia," said Dr. Simon. "As pets age, it's natural that their range of movement becomes restricted. While oral joint care supplements and prescription painkillers can help, medication alone cannot restore a full range of movement. Our treatments help restore activity and movement."
In addition to cold laser therapy and stem cell therapy, Dr. Simon also provides holistic treatments for cancer in dogs, cat and dog rashes, and dietary needs. The Royal Oak practice is a full-service animal hospital with wellness care, vaccinations and surgical procedures.
Dr. Simon is active in the greater Detroit veterinary community, serving as the past president of the Oakland County Veterinary Medical Association and as a board member for the Southeastern Michigan Veterinary Medical Association (SEMVMA).
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Royal Oak Veterinarian Dr. Simon First in Michigan to Offer In-House Adult Pet Stem Cell Therapy
wwltv.com
Posted on June 15, 2012 at 5:53 PM
Updated yesterday at 7:35 PM
Meg Farris / Eyewitness News Email: mfarris@wwltv.com | Twitter: @megfarriswwl
NEWORLEANS- She was only in kindergarten when doctors gave her family the bad news.
Now she's one of the first in Louisiana to try a new treatment for people who get gravely ill after a bone marrow transplant.
The last three years of Sami Smith's life have been physically and emotionally painful.
"I literally, they try to scare me and they can't, because I've been through the scariest thing that you can," said Smith, 9, of Ponchatoula.
Her mother noticed she was napping more and bruising. Doctors diagnosed AML, a type of leukemia or blood cancer. Had she not gotten to the doctor then, she would not have made it much longer. A Child's Wish sent her to Disney World. The good news, one of her teen sisters Mary Hannah, 13, was a good bone marrow match. The transplant worked and Sami was cancer free.
Then devastating news. Sami got a condition called GvHD (Graft-versus-host disease) where the new marrow launches a painful attack on the recipient's body. It's the leading cause of transplant-related death.
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Stem cell treatment offers hope to those sickened after getting bone marrow
London, June 15 (ANI): The first set of stroke patients who took part in pioneering stem cell treatment trials have shown signs of improvement, doctors have disclosed.
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Osiris Therapeutics Inc. said Friday that regulators in New Zealand approved its stem cell therapy Prochymal.
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Technology to provide ISCO with future out-licensing opportunities to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industriesScottsdale, Arizona (PRWEB) June 15, 2012 QualityStocks would like to highlight International Stem Cell Corporation, a publicly traded company focused on the therapeutic applications of human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSCs) and the development and commercialization of cell ...
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"So it's interesting to see that in all the patients so far they have improved slightly over the course of their involvement in the study."
The six patients suffered strokes between six months and five years before they were treated, and all had been left with limb weakness.
The patients were assessed using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale which ranked the first five patients with a median score of eight before the treatment and four points three months afterwards.
The sixth patient was treated less than three months ago. Six further patients will be treated as part of this Phase 1 trial.
Professor Muir said he was "intrigued" by the early results.
He added: "We know that if you're involved in a trial you are going to see patients change in behaviour, particularly if you're doing something invasive, so we need to be very cautious indeed in interpreting these results.
"However, that said, it is not something we'd anticipated seeing in this group of patients."
Further trials are needed to establish whether stem cells actually help the brain repair damaged tissue.
Michael Hunt, chief executive officer of the company developing the treatment, ReNeuron, said: "The clinical trial is primarily a safety study and we must therefore treat any of the observed early indications of functional benefit with considerable caution at this stage.
"That said, we remain encouraged by the results seen in the study to date and we look forward to providing further updates."
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The tenth annual meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) is winding down in Yokohama, Japan. But stem cells have been in the news.
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Posted June 14, 2012
COLUMBIA, Md. --Osiris Therapeutics, Inc.(NASDAQ: OSIR) has received consent from New Zealand to market its first-in-class stem cell therapy Prochymal (remestemcel-L), for the treatment of acute graft-vs-host disease (GvHD) in children. New Zealand joins Canada, which last month became the world's first internationally recognized regulatory authority to grant approval to a stem cell drug. Prochymal is also the first therapy approved for GvHD - a devastating complication of bone marrow transplantation that kills up to 80 percent of children affected, many within just 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," saidC. Randal Mills, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Osiris. "I would like to thank the professionals at Medsafe for their thoughtful and expeditious review of this complex application. I would also like to thank the team at Osiris that continues to do an outstanding job of making Prochymal available to children around the world suffering from the devastating effects of GvHD."
Osiris submitted a New Medicine Application to Medsafe (New Zealand's medical regulatory agency) in May of 2011, and was granted Priority Review in June of 2011. Priority review provides expedited review for new drugs which offer a significant clinical advantage over current treatment options. Prochymal was granted provisional consent under Section 23 of the Medicines Act 1981.
"The incidence of GvHD is likely to rise as the demographic profile of our transplant population evolves," saidHans Klingemann,M.D., Ph.D., a Professor of Medicine and the Director of the Bone Marrow & Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Program at Tufts University School of Medicine. "Effective strategies to manage the often lethal consequences of GvHD reduce the overall risk to transplantation and provide the transplant physician with better options when approaching their most difficult cases."
Clinical trials have shown that Prochymal is able to induce an objective, clinically meaningful response in 61-64 percent of children with GvHD that is otherwise refractory to treatment. Furthermore, treatment response with Prochymal resulted in a statistically significant improvement in survival.
"As a mother who watched my son Christian suffer and die from the horrifying effects of GvHD, while waiting for the regulatory approvals necessary to allow him access to Prochymal, words cannot express how happy I am that significant progress is finally being made," saidSandy Barker,President and Co-founder of the Gold Rush Cure Foundation. "We are proud to stand side-by-side with Osiris in this historic battle for our children around the world. Our motto is 'not one more child, not one more family' and when it comes to GvHD mortality, zero is the only acceptable number."
Prochymal is now approved in Canada and New Zealand, and is currently available in seven other countries including the United States under an Expanded Access Program (EAP). It is expected that Prochymal will be commercially available in New Zealand later this year.
Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. is a stem cell company, having developed the world's first approved stem cell drug, Prochymal. The company is focused on developing and marketing products to treat medical conditions in inflammatory, cardiovascular, orthopedic and wound healing markets. Osiris has developed an extensive intellectual property portfolio to protect the company's technology, including 48 U.S. and 144 foreign issued patents.
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Osiris Receives Second Approval for Stem Cell Drug
NEW YORK & PETACH TIKVAH, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (BCLI), a developer of adult stem cell therapeutics targeting Central Nervous System (CNS) neurodegenerative diseases, announced today that Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Ltd. received the first installment of the 2012 grant from Israels Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) in the amount of approximately $350,000. The yearly grant for 2012 is $1,100,000 (~4.2 M NIS). The grant is awarded to BrainStorms Research and Development program towards the development of its leading and innovative NurOwn therapy for ALS using autologous adult stem cells.
We are thankful to the OCS for its continued support of our Research and Development program. The non-dilutive capital that we are receiving from the OCS will help move forward our NurOwn technology as a potential new treatment standard for patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), said Dr. Adrian Harel BrainStorms newly promoted CEO.
BrainStorm is in Phase I/II human clinical trials in Israel with NurOwn, BrainStorms adult stem cell therapy in patients with ALS (often referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease). The study is conducted at the Hadassah Medical Center and is headed by principal investigator Dimitrios Karussis, M.D., Ph.D., of the Hadassah Medical Center, together with a scientific team from BrainStorm headed by Prof. Eldad Melamed. The initial phase of the study is designed to assess the safety of NurOwn. As previously announced by Brainstorm (see our press release of March 29, 2012) the interim results for the first 12 patients are expected by July 2012.
The OCS grant will enable BrainStorm to continue its clinical program and accelerate its development of new CNS indications, said Chaim Lebovits, President of Brainstorm. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Dr. Adrian Harel on the occasion of his promotion by the Board of Directors as CEO of Brainstorm. Dr. Harel is successfully leading the company, together with the entire wonderful team at Brainstorm, to the next exciting phase of developing our NurOwn product to treat ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases," said Lebovits.
The OCS has supported BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Ltd. the Israeli Subsidiary since 2007, providing grants of a total of $1.75 million including this grant. The Company is required to pay royalties to the OCS, amounting to 3% - 5% of revenues derived from sales of the products funded with these grants, but only up to the amount equal to 100% of the grants received.
About the Office of the Chief Scientist
The Office of the Chief Scientist [OCS] in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor is charged with execution of government policy for support of industrial R&D. The goal of the OCS is to assist in the development of technology in Israel as a means of fostering economic growth, encouraging technological innovation and entrepreneurship, leveraging Israel's scientific potential, enhancing the knowledge base of industry in Israel, stimulating high value-added R&D and encouraging R&D collaboration both nationally and internationally.
About BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics, Inc.
BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. is a biotech company developing adult stem cell therapeutic products, derived from autologous (self) bone marrow cells, for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Brainstorm, through its wholly owned subsidiary, holds rights to develop and commercialize the technology through an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement with Ramot at Tel Aviv University Ltd., the technology transfer company of Tel-Aviv University. The technology is currently in a Phase I/II clinical trials for ALS.
Continued here:
BrainStorm Receives 1.3 Million NIS Grant from Israel’s Office of the Chief Scientist