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Research and Markets: Cell Therapy – Technologies, Markets and Companies – Updated 2012 Report

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Fredricko

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/9fkkzb/cell_therapy_tec) has announced the addition of Jain PharmaBiotech's new report "Cell Therapy - Technologies, Markets and Companies" to their offering.

This report describes and evaluates cell therapy technologies and methods, which have already started to play an important role in the practice of medicine. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is replacing the old fashioned bone marrow transplants. Role of cells in drug discovery is also described. Cell therapy is bound to become a part of medical practice.

Stem cells are discussed in detail in one chapter. Some light is thrown on the current controversy of embryonic sources of stem cells and comparison with adult sources. Other sources of stem cells such as the placenta, cord blood and fat removed by liposuction are also discussed. Stem cells can also be genetically modified prior to transplantation.

Cell therapy technologies overlap with those of gene therapy, cancer vaccines, drug delivery, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Pharmaceutical applications of stem cells including those in drug discovery are also described. Various types of cells used, methods of preparation and culture, encapsulation and genetic engineering of cells are discussed. Sources of cells, both human and animal (xenotransplantation) are discussed. Methods of delivery of cell therapy range from injections to surgical implantation using special devices.

Cell therapy has applications in a large number of disorders. The most important are diseases of the nervous system and cancer which are the topics for separate chapters. Other applications include cardiac disorders (myocardial infarction and heart failure), diabetes mellitus, diseases of bones and joints, genetic disorders, and wounds of the skin and soft tissues.

Regulatory and ethical issues involving cell therapy are important and are discussed. Current political debate on the use of stem cells from embryonic sources (hESCs) is also presented. Safety is an essential consideration of any new therapy and regulations for cell therapy are those for biological preparations.

The cell-based markets was analyzed for 2011, and projected to 2021. The markets are analyzed according to therapeutic categories, technologies and geographical areas. The largest expansion will be in diseases of the central nervous system, cancer and cardiovascular disorders. Skin and soft tissue repair as well as diabetes mellitus will be other major markets.

The number of companies involved in cell therapy has increased remarkably during the past few years. More than 500 companies have been identified to be involved in cell therapy and 284 of these are profiled in part II of the report along with tabulation of 274 alliances. Of these companies, 154 are involved in stem cells. Profiles of 70 academic institutions in the US involved in cell therapy are also included in part II along with their commercial collaborations. The text is supplemented with 55 Tables and 11 Figures. The bibliography contains 1,050 selected references, which are cited in the text.

Key Topics Covered:

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Research and Markets: Cell Therapy - Technologies, Markets and Companies - Updated 2012 Report

UCLA Researchers Discover "Missing Link" Between Stem Cells and the Immune System

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Fredricko

Newswise UCLA researchers have discovered a type of cell that is the missing link between bone marrow stem cells and all the cells of the human immune system, a finding that will lead to a greater understanding of how a healthy immune system is produced and how disease can lead to poor immune function.

The studies were done using human bone marrow, which contains all the stem cells that produce blood during postnatal life.

We felt it was especially important to do these studies using human bone marrow as most research into the development of the immune system has used mouse bone marrow, said study senior author Dr. Gay Crooks, co-director of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and a co-director of the Cancer and Stem Cell Biology program at UCLAs Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. The few studies with human tissue have mostly used umbilical cord blood, which does not reflect the immune system of postnatal life.

The research team was intrigued to find this particular bone marrow cell because it opens up a lot of new possibilities in terms of understanding how human immunity is produced from stem cells throughout life, said Crooks, a professor of pathology and pediatrics.

Understanding the process of normal blood formation in human adults is a crucial step in shedding light on what goes wrong during the process that results in leukemias, or cancers of the blood.

The study appears Sept. 2 in the early online edition of Nature Immunology.

Before this study, researchers had a fairly good idea of how to find and study the blood stem cells of the bone marrow. The stem cells live forever, reproduce themselves and give rise to all the cells of the blood. In the process, the stem cells divide and produce intermediate stages of development called progenitors, which make various blood lineages like red blood cells or platelets. Crooks was most interested in the creation of the progenitors that form the entire immune system, which consists of many different cells called lymphocytes, each with a specialized function to fight infection.

Like the stem cells, the progenitor cells are also very rare, so before we can study them we needed to find the needle in the haystack. said Lisa Kohn, a member of the UCLA Medical Scientist Training Program and first author in the paper.

Previous work had found a fairly mature type of lymphocyte progenitor with a limited ability to differentiate, but the new work describes a more primitive type of progenitor primed to produce the entire immune system, Kohn said

Once the lymphoid primed progenitor had been identified, Crooks and her team studied how gene expression changed during the earliest stages of its production from stem cells.

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UCLA Researchers Discover "Missing Link" Between Stem Cells and the Immune System

Stem Cells Bring New Hope for Parry-Romberg Syndrome Patients

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Fredricko

- A study led by Dr. Ko and Dr. Choi of Asan Medical Center and Dr. Ra of RNL Stem Cell Technology Institute posted on the Annals of Plastic Surgery

SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In a landmark clinical study, scientists of the RNL Stem Cell Technology Institute have demonstrated that the transplant of patients own ("autologous") stem cells can dramatically improve the ability of plastic surgeons to repair diseases. In the September 2012 issue of the prestigious international plastic surgery journal Annals of Plastic Surgery (69:3), researchers published their controlled study of the power of stem cells, describing a breakthrough with patients who have Parry-Romberg Syndrome. More than 200,000 have this tragic and debilitating disease in the U.S. alone. Their prognosis without treatment is the slow loss of control, then paralysis of the face and in some cases the mouth and even eyes. Most patients with Parry-Romberg begin to experience these symptoms between the age of five (5) and fifteen (15) years of age. There is, says the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, "no cure." To date, treatments have involved waiting until the disease slows and then transplanting fat into patients faces, strengthening bones in their faces, and using microvascular surgery to "install" a free flap of skin.

However the only solution for patients with this disorder, and those with similar disorders, the grafting of fat, is at best a temporary solution, which alleviates none of the pain felt by these patients, and can in fact result in an increase in pain when fat grafts fail. So, plastic surgeons, engineers and others have searched for years for a solution with longer term effects, or even a way to fight the diseases symptoms in a sustained way.

Dr. Kyeung-Suk Ko and Dr. Jong-Woo Choi led a research team under Dr. Jeong-chan Ra of RNL Stem Cell Technology Institute that may have uncovered, for the first time, just such a tool for plastic surgeons: patients own stem cells. In their controlled study, the team painlessly removed a few ounces of fat from one group Parry-Romberg Syndrome patients, harvesting stem cells from these patients fat, cells that are genetically identical to the patients cells throughout their body and that have well documented abilities to "home in" on inflammation and disease and have dramatic effects on patients symptoms and even disease itself. In this study, those patients in the "treated" group received stem cells magnified into the millions (using the teams patented technology whose safety has been well published). These patients outcomes, adding stem cells to standard-of-care therapies, were measured against traditional microfat grafts in the control group receiving no stem cells.

In what many have described as a revolutionary finding, the team found that those patients who received their own "adult" mesenchymal stem cells saw unprecedented improvement in the effectiveness of therapies. Fat grafts that are often "resorbed" into patients skin shortly after they are placed were 50% less likely to disappear when provided alongside stem cells (20.59% vs 46.81%).

This study was approved by the Korea Food and Drug Administration, the institutional IRB of the Asan Medical Center, and peer-reviewed prior to acceptance in the renowned plastic surgery publication under the title: "Clinical application of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells in progressive hemifacial atrophy (Parry-Romberg Disease) with microfat grafting techniques using three-dimensional computed tomography and three-dimensional camera." Authors and investigators included: Koh KS, Oh TS, Kim H, Chung IW, Lee KW, Lee HB, Park EJ, Chung JS, Shin IS, Ra JC, Choi JW. Media and others may access the article at http://journals.lww.com/annalsplasticsurgery/Abstract/2012/09000/Clinical_Application_of_Human_Adipose.22.aspx [http://journals.lww.com/annalsplasticsurgery/Abstract/2012/09000/Clinical_Application_of_Human_Adipose.22.aspx]. Its National Library of Medicine ID is PMID:22878516.

Dr. Ra, senior author, said, "We believe that this is a big step for Parry-Romberg Syndrome patients and expect to see autologous stem cell transplantation as standard of care for their treatment. The next step is to test the efficacy of the many ways in which stem cells from adults own bodies will expand the quality of life and even identify cures for many rare diseases."

RNL Stem Cell Technology Institute

Originally posted here:
Stem Cells Bring New Hope for Parry-Romberg Syndrome Patients

Moving toward regeneration

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Fredricko

ScienceDaily (Aug. 30, 2012) The skin, the blood, and the lining of the gut -- adult stem cells replenish them daily. But stem cells really show off their healing powers in planarians, humble flatworms fabled for their ability to rebuild any missing body part. Just how adult stem cells build the right tissues at the right times and places has remained largely unanswered.

Now, in a study published in an upcoming issue of Development, researchers at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research describe a novel system that allowed them to track stem cells in the flatworm Schmidtea mediterranea. The team found that the worms' stem cells, known as neoblasts, march out, multiply, and start rebuilding tissues lost to amputation.

"We were able to demonstrate that fully potent stem cells can mobilize when tissues undergo structural damage," says Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Stowers Investigator Alejandro Snchez Alvarado, Ph.D., who led the study. "And these processes are probably happening to both you and me as we speak, but are very difficult to visualize in organisms like us."

Stem cells hold the potential to provide an unlimited source of specialized cells for regenerative therapy of a wide variety of diseases but delivering human stem cell therapies to the right location in the body remains a major challenge. The ability to follow individual neoblasts opens the door to uncovering the molecular cues that help planarian stem cells navigate to the site of injury and ultimately may allow scientists to provide therapeutic stem cells with guideposts to their correct destination.

"Human counterparts exist for most of the genes that we have found to regulate the activities of planarian stem cells," says Snchez Alvarado. "But human beings have these confounding levels of complexity. Planarians are much simpler making them ideal model systems to study regeneration."

Scientists had first hypothesized in the late 1800s that planarian stem cells, which normally gather near the worms' midlines, can travel toward wounds. The past century produced evidence both for and against the idea. Snchez Alvarado, armed with modern tools, decided to revisit the question.

For the new study, first author Otto C. Guedelhoefer, IV, Ph.D., a former graduate student in Snchez Alvarado's lab, exposed S. mediterranea to radiation, which killed the worms' neoblasts while leaving other types of cells unharmed. The irradiated worms would wither and die within weeks unless Guedelhoefer transplanted some stem cells from another worm. The graft's stem cells sensed the presence of a wound -- the transplant site -- migrated out of the graft, reproduced and rescued their host. Unlike adult stem cells in humans and other mammals, planarian stem cells remain pluripotent in fully mature animals and remain so even as they migrate.

But when Guedelhoefer irradiated only a part of the worm's body, the surviving stem cells could not sense the injury and did not mobilize to fix the damage, which showed that the stem cells normally stay in place. Only when a fair amount of irradiated tissue died did the stem cells migrate to the injured site and start to rebuild. Next, Guedelhoefer irradiated a worm's body part and cut it with a blade. The surviving stem cells arrived at the scene within days.

To perform the experiments, Guedelhoefer adapted worm surgery and x-ray methods created sixty to ninety years ago. "Going back to the old literature was essential and saved me tons of time," says Guedelhoefer, currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He was able to reproduce and quantify results obtained in 1949 by F. Dubois, a French scientist, who first developed the techniques for partially irradiating planarians with x-rays.

But Guedelhoefer went further. He pinpointed the locations of stem cells and studied how far they dispersed using RNA whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH), specifically adapted to planarians in Snchez Alvarado's lab. Using WISH, he observed both original stem cells and their progeny by tagging specific pieces of mRNA . The technique allowed him to determine that pluripotent stem cells can travel and produce different types of progeny at the same time.

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Moving toward regeneration

Autism And Cord Blood Stem Cells: FDA Gives Green Light For Groundbreaking Clinical Trial

Posted on August 24, 2012 by Fredricko

Sacramento, CA /PRNewswire/ Sutter Neuroscience Institute, a recognized Center of Excellence, andCBR(Cord Blood Registry), the worlds largest stem cell bank, are launching the firstFDA- approved clinical trial to assess the use of a childs own cord blood stem cells to treat select patients with autism. This first-of-its-kind placebo controlled study will evaluate the ability of an infusion of cord blood stem cells to help improve language and behavior. The study is in conjunction with the Sutter Institute for Medical Research.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism spectrum disorders impact one in 88 children in the U.S., and one in 54 boys.1The condition is thought to have multiple risk factors including genetic, environmental and immunological components.

This is the start of a new age of research in stem cell therapies for chronic diseases such as autism, and a natural step to determine whether patients receive some benefit from an infusion of their own cord blood stem cells, said Michael Chez, M.D., director of Pediatric Neurology with the Sutter Neuroscience and principal study investigator. I will focus on a select portion of children diagnosed with autism who have no obvious cause for the condition, such as known genetic syndromes or brain injury.

The study will enroll 30 children between the ages of two and seven, with a diagnosis of autism who meet theinclusion criteria for the study. Enrolled participants will receive two infusionsone of the childs own cord blood stem cells and one of a placeboover the course of 13 months. Both the participants and the lead investigators will be blinded from knowing the content of each infusion. To ensure the highest quality and consistency in cord blood stem cell processing, storage and release for infusion,CBRis the only family stem cell bank providing units from clients for the study.

For information on study, visithttp://www.cordblood.com/autism.

Study Rationale A newborns umbilical cord blood contains a unique population of stem cells that have been used for more than 20 years in medical practice to treat certain cancers, blood diseases and immune disorders. When patients undergo a stem cell transplant for these conditions, the stem cells effectively rebuild the blood and immune systems.

A focus of my research has been the complex relationship between a childs immune system and central nervous system. We have evidence to suggest that certain children with autism have dysfunctional immune systems that may be damaging or delaying the development of the nervous system, continued Dr. Chez. Cord blood stem cells may offer ways to modulate or repair the immune systems of these patients which would also improve language and some behavior in children who have no obvious reason to have become autistic. The study is similar to otherFDA-approved clinical trials looking at cord blood stem cells as a therapy for cerebral palsy.

Its exciting to partner with thought-leading medical researchers and clinicians, like Dr. Chez, who are pursuing a scientifically-sound approach in evaluating new therapeutic uses for cord blood stem cells for conditions that currently have no cures, said Heather Brown, vice president of scientific & medical affairs atCBR. Families who made the decision to bank their stem cells to cover the unknowns and what ifs in life are gaining access to this and other important clinical trials while playing an important role in the advancement of science.

The co-investigator of the study is Michael Carroll, M.D., medical director of the Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Hematological Malignancies Program at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento.

There is a vast amount of unchartered territory when it comes to how stem cell therapies may help patients living with these conditions, said Dr. Carroll. Ive seen how stem cell therapy has changed my field of medicine and how I care for my blood cancer patients. I am eager to see how our work can open new doors for patients and families dealing with autism.

Excerpt from:
Autism And Cord Blood Stem Cells: FDA Gives Green Light For Groundbreaking Clinical Trial

TiGenix : Business Update & Financial Highlights for the First Half of 2012

Posted on August 24, 2012 by Fredricko

Regulated information August 23, 2012

TiGenix Business Update & Financial Highlights for the First Half of 2012

Leuven (BELGIUM) - August 23, 2012 -TiGenix NV (NYSE Euronext: TIG), the European leader in cell therapy, gives an update of its business activities and provides the financial highlights for the half year ending June 30, 2012.

Business highlights

Financial highlights

"The significant progress in all our clinical programs and the commercial ramp up of ChondroCelect in the first half year of 2012 reinforce our position as the European leader in cell therapy," says Eduardo Bravo, CEO of TiGenix. "We continue to consistently deliver on the objectives we set more than a year ago, keeping all key programs on plan, meeting our aggressive targets, and keeping costs under control. In addition, we are in discussions with a number of companies in connection with the US rights to Cx601."

Business update

Commercial roll-out of ChondroCelect continues to gain momentum

ChondroCelect sales for the first half of 2012 amounted to EUR 2.1 million, comprising EUR 1.5 million from 2012 sales, up 115% compared to the same period of last year, and EUR 0.7 million of deferred sales from 2011 as a result of the retroactive reimbursement in the Netherland per January 1, 2011.

Discussions to obtain full national reimbursement keep advancing in Spain, France, and Germany. In addition to the recent important reimbursement success, the Company has obtained a positive decision in the Netherlands by one of the leading private healthcare insurance companies to make treatment with ChondroCelect compulsory for its insured, no longer reimbursing non-ATMP cartilage products. Similarly, two of the large private insurers in the UK expressed their intention to routinely reimburse ChondroCelect going forward.

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TiGenix : Business Update & Financial Highlights for the First Half of 2012

Repairing cartilage with fat: Problems and potential solutions

Posted on August 24, 2012 by Fredricko

Public release date: 23-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Hilary Glover hilary.glover@biomedcentral.com 44-020-319-22370 BioMed Central

Stem cells isolated from fat are being considered as an option for treating tissue damage and diseases because of their accessibility and lack of rejection. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy shows that this is not as straightforward as previously believed, and that fat-derived stem cells secrete VEGF and other factors, which can inhibit cartilage regeneration. However pre-treating the cells with antibodies against VEGF and growing them in nutrients specifically designed to promote chondrocytes can neutralize these effects.

Chondrocytes make and maintain healthy cartilage but damage and disease including osteoarthritis can destroy cartilage resulting in pain and lack of mobility. Stem cell therapy using cells isolated from adult tissue (such as fat) are being investigated as a way of repairing this damage. Stem cells have the ability to become many different types of tissue so the real trick is persuading them to become cartilage rather than bone, or blood vessels, for example.

Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology found that adipose (fat) stem cells (ASCs) secrete large amounts of factors, especially the growth factor VEGF, which prevent cartilage regeneration and actually causes the death (apoptosis) of chondrocytes along with the formation of blood vessels. Treating ASCs with medium designed to encourage their differentiation into cartilage cells was able to reduce the amount of these secreted factors and also prevented the growth of blood vessels. Specifically, an antibody designed to neutralize VEGF prevented chondrocyte apoptosis.

Prof Barbara Boyan, who led this research, explained, "Non-treated ASCs actually impeded healing of hyaline cartilage defects, and although treating ASCs improved the situation they added no benefit to compared to cartilage allowed to heal on its own. However we only looked at cartilage repair for a week after treatment, and other people have shown that two to six weeks is required before the positive effect of ASCs on influence cartilage regeneration is seen."

So while stem cells from fat may be able to help repair damaged cartilage, careful handling and pre-treatment may be required to ensure a positive result.

###

Media contact

Dr Hilary Glover Scientific Press Officer, BioMed Central Tel: +44 (0) 20 3192 2370 Mob: +44 (0) 778 698 1967 Email: hilary.glover@biomedcentral.com

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Repairing cartilage with fat: Problems and potential solutions

New Partnership to Drive Mass Production of Life-Saving Stem Cells

Posted on August 24, 2012 by Fredricko

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire -08/23/12)- Stem cells hold great promise for treating and curing numerous diseases; however, a major challenge facing scientists is how to produce stem cells in the massive quantities required for clinical use. The McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine (McEwen Centre) and the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) are partnering to establish a fund that will drive research in this area.

The McEwen Centre-CCRM Commercialization Impact Prize launches today, and will solicit innovative ideas from regenerative medicine scientists working in labs throughout the McEwen Centre. The winning team(s) will be awarded up to $600,000 to pursue research that will determine how to manufacture stem cells for clinical use and drug screening.

"This private-public funding partnership is an important step forward to accelerating the advance of a discovery from a lab bench to the patient and onto the global market. Scientists at the McEwen Centre are making significant progress towards finding a cure for diseases such as Type 1 diabetes and heart disease. Collaborative partnerships are the key to discovering the cures sooner!" says Rob McEwen, co-founder of the McEwen Centre, and Chief Owner, McEwen Mining.

Deadline for submissions is October 15, 2012. The Prize will fund up to two, 2-year projects that address the following challenges:

"Overcoming the scale-up and manufacturing challenge of stem cells would be a huge advancement for the regenerative medicine (RM) industry and this initiative fits in perfectly with our mandate to bridge the RM commercialization gap," explains Dr. Michael May, CEO of the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine. "We're very pleased to be working with the McEwen Centre, already a partner of ours, to make this happen."

The Commercialization Impact Prize budget template and application form can be found here: http://ccrm.ca/Commercialization-Impact-Prize or http://mcewencentre.com/ccrm.

About McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine

The McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine was founded by Rob and Cheryl McEwen in 2003 and opened its doors in 2006. The McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine, part of Toronto-based University Health Network, is a world leading centre for stem cell research, facilitating collaboration between renowned scientists from 5 major hospitals in Toronto, the University of Toronto and around the world. Supported by philanthropic contributions and research grants, McEwen Centre scientists strive to introduce novel regenerative therapies for debilitating and life threatening illnesses including heart disease, spinal cord injury, diabetes, diseases of the blood, liver and arthritis.

About 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 institutional 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 translates scientific discoveries into marketable products for patients. CCRM launched in Toronto's Discovery District on June 14, 2011.

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New Partnership to Drive Mass Production of Life-Saving Stem Cells

Rasheda Ali, Daughter of Legendary Muhammad Ali and Advisory Board Member of BrainStorm, Visits Company Laboratories …

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Fredricko

NEW YORK & PETACH TIKVAH, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI), a leading developer of adult stem cell technologies and CNS therapeutics, announced that Rasheda Ali Walsh, daughter of the legendary Muhammad Ali, visited the Companys laboratories as well as its cleanrooms at Hadassah Medical Center, where she received a briefing on the companys clinical trial conducted there. Ms. Ali Walsh, an internationally known advocate for promoting research and awareness of neurodegenerative diseases, is a member of the Advisory Board of BrainStorm.

BrainStorms President, Mr. Chaim Lebovits, and CEO Dr. Adrian Harel accompanied Ms. Ali Walsh for a meeting with Prof. Dimitrios Karussis, Principal Investigator of the Companys ongoing Phase I/II clinical trial at Hadassah, and Prof. Tamir Ben-Hur, Head of the Neurology Department. The group discussed the latest innovative treatments for neurodegenerative diseases and BrainStorms leading role in this area.

Having heard so much about the recent positive interim safety report and the outstanding progress being made by BrainStorm at Hadassah, I felt the need to actually meet the team in person, commented Ms. Ali. The amazing work being done here gives a ray of hope to patients and families worldwide that autologous stem cell transplants may be the answer theyve been waiting for to overcome neurodegenerative diseases.

According to Dr. Adrian Harel, BrainStorms CEO, The support and encouragement by world-renowned individuals like Rasheda Ali is important for increasing awareness of the need for a cure for debilitating neurodegenerative diseases. We are hopeful that this awareness will lead to more widespread efforts by governments and health organizations worldwide to fund research in this area and provide assistance to patients and their families.

About BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics, Inc. BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. is a biotechnology company engaged in the development of adult stem cell therapeutic products derived from autologous bone marrow cells and intended for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The Company holds the rights to develop and commercialize its NurOwn technology through an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement with Ramot, the technology transfer company of Tel-Aviv University. For more information, visit the companys website at http://www.brainstorm-cell.com.

Safe Harbor Statement Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information constitute "forward-looking statements" and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.'s actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. Terms and phrases such as may, should, would, could, will, expect, likely, believe, plan, estimate, predict, potential, and similar terms and phrases are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks associated with BrainStorm's limited operating history, history of losses; minimal working capital, dependence on its license to Ramot's technology; ability to adequately protect the technology; dependence on key executives and on its scientific consultants; ability to obtain required regulatory approvals; and other factors detailed in BrainStorm's annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q available at http://www.sec.gov. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on BrainStorms forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management as of the date of this press release. We do not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or assumptions if circumstances or managements beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, unless otherwise required by law. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.

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Rasheda Ali, Daughter of Legendary Muhammad Ali and Advisory Board Member of BrainStorm, Visits Company Laboratories ...

ReNeuron Group plc – Stroke Trial Update

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Fredricko

ReNeuron Group (Berlin: RQE.BE - news) plc

("ReNeuron" or the "Company")

ReNeuron receives DSMB clearance to progress to higher dose in stem cell clinical trial in stroke patients

First (OTC BB: FSTC.OB - news) patient treated in this higher dose cohort

Guildford, UK, 14 August 2012: ReNeuron Group plc (AIM: RENE) today provides an update on progress with the PISCES clinical trial of its ReN001 stem cell therapy for disabled stroke patients. In this open label, dose-ranging Phase I safety study, taking place in Scotland, ReNeuron's ReN001 stem cell therapy is being administered in ascending doses to a total of 12 stroke patients who have been left disabled by an ischaemic stroke, the most common form of the condition.

The Company is pleased to report that the independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) for the clinical trial has recommended that the trial advances to the evaluation of a higher dose of ReN001 in the third of four dose cohorts to be treated in the study. In arriving at this recommendation, the DSMB reviewed safety data from the first two dose cohorts of six patients treated with ReN001. Of these patients, two are through 18 month follow-up, one is through 12 month follow-up, one is through 9 month follow-up, one is through 6 month follow-up and one is through three month follow-up. No cell-related adverse events or adverse immune-related responses have been reported in any of the patients treated to date.

The Company is also pleased to report that the first patient in this third dose cohort of three patients has now been successfully treated with ReN001 and discharged from hospital with no acute safety issues arising.

The primary aim of the PISCES study is to test the safety and tolerability of the treatment in ascending doses of the ReN001 cells, in patients with moderate to severe functional neurological impairments resulting from their stroke. The secondary aim of the study is to evaluate efficacy measures for the design of future clinical trials with ReN001, including imaging measures as well as a number of tests of sensory, motor and cognitive functions.

In June of this year, interim data from the PISCES study from the first five patients treated was presented by the Glasgow clinical team at Glasgow at the 10th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) in Yokohama, Japan (EUREX: FMJP.EX - news) . Reductions in neurological impairment and spasticity were observed in all five patients compared with their stable pre-treatment baseline performance and these improvements were sustained in longer term follow-up.

The PISCES study is the world's first fully regulated clinical trial of a neural stem cell therapy for disabled stroke patients. Stroke is the third largest cause of death and the single largest cause of adult disability in the developed world. The trial is being conducted in Scotland at the Institute of Neurological Sciences, Southern General Hospital, Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board.

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ReNeuron Group plc - Stroke Trial Update

International Stem Cell Corp Announces Second Quarter 2012 Financial Results

Posted on August 10, 2012 by Fredricko

CARLSBAD, CA--(Marketwire -08/09/12)- International Stem Cell Corporation (ISCO) (www.internationalstemcell.com) ("ISCO" or "the Company"), a California-based biotechnology company focused on therapeutic and research products, today announced financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012.

Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2012

Revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2012 totaled $1.06 million compared to $1.11 million for the three months ended June 30, 2011. The decrease in revenue was due largely to lower sales generated from Lifeline Cell Technology (LCT). LCT and Lifeline Skin Care (LSC) each accounted for approximately 50% total revenue in the three months ended June 30, 2012 compared to 52% and 48%, respectively, in the corresponding periods the prior year. Revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2012 was $2.13 million compared to $2.63 million for the corresponding period in 2011. The decrease in revenue was due principally to fewer sales generated from LSC, partially offset by LCT's higher sales generated from larger distributors. For the six months ended June 30, 2012, LSC generated $1.07 million or 50% of total revenue, compared to $1.66 million or 63% of total revenue for the corresponding period in 2011. For the six months ended June 30, 2012, LCT generated $1.06 million or 50% of total revenue, compared to $0.97 million or 37% of total revenue for same period in 2011.

Research and development expenses (R&D) were $0.87 million for the three months ended June 30, 2012, representing a decrease of approximately 23% compared to the corresponding period in 2011. The decrease was due primarily to lower consulting expenses associated with various research projects, lower stock-based compensation expense, lower laboratory-related expenses, and lower personnel-related spending. The decrease was partially offset by higher stem cell line research and testing expenses. R&D expenses were $1.80 million for the six months ended June 30, 2012, compared to $2.13 million for the same period in 2011. The 15% decrease was due primarily to lower consulting expenses associated with various research projects, lower stock-based compensation expense, lower laboratory-related expenses, and reduced travel expenses, partially offset by higher stem cell line research and testing expenses and higher personnel-related spending associated with higher headcount and increased research activities.

The Company continues to invest in its sales and marketing initiatives. Marketing expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2012 were $0.55 million, an increase of 58% from the same period in 2011. The increase was primarily driven by investments in marketing and promotion, advertising, higher shipping and logistic expenses, additions of sales and customer service staff, higher consulting expense and higher commission paid to various strategic partners. The increase was partially offset by a reduction in commission paid to a consultant who promoted, marketed, and sold skin care products through various proprietary mailings and employee stock-based compensation. For the six months ended June 30, 2012, marketing expenses amounted to $1.04 million, reflecting an increase of $0.38 million or 57%, as compared to $0.66 million for the corresponding period in 2011. The substantial increase was primarily driven by increased investments in marketing support, promotion, and advertising, higher consulting expense, higher shipping and logistic expenses, higher personnel-related expenses resulting from higher headcount in the sales and marketing of the skin care products, and higher commission paid to various strategic partners. The increase was partially offset by a reduction in sales commission paid to a consultant who promoted, marketed, and sold skin care products through various proprietary mailings and lower employee stock-based compensation.

General and administrative expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2012 were $1.76 million, down 18% compared to the same period in 2011, as a result of ongoing operational efficiency initiatives. The decrease resulted largely from lower employee stock-based compensation, reduced employee-related spending resulting from lower headcount, lower professional accounting fees, and lower corporate support expenses. The decrease was partially offset by higher legal fees relating to our corporate activities, and higher consulting expense. General and administrative expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2012 were $3.79 million, reflecting a decrease of $0.58 million or 13%, compared to $4.37 million for the same period in 2011. The decrease was primarily attributable to lower employee stock-based compensation, the absence of stock-based compensation incurred for services provided by a consultant, reduced employee-related spending resulting from lower headcount, and lower corporate support expenses. The decrease was partially offset by an increase in legal fees relating to our corporate expenses, higher consulting expense, and higher professional accounting fees related to Sarbanes-Oxley compliance efforts.

Cash and cash equivalents totaled $4.29 million at June 30, 2012 compared to $1.34 million as of December 31, 2011, due primarily to two financing transactions totaling approximately $6.9 million completed in the first six months of 2012 partially offset by normal business operations.

"We have made solid progress across our entire organization in the first half of this year," stated Dr. Andrey Semechkin, ISCO's CEO and Co-Chairman, "and I'm pleased to see that the operational efficiencies we implemented in the second quarter are resulting in lower administrative expenses. Going forward we will continue to look for further opportunities to improve our organization effectiveness and reduce expenses. As you may have read in my shareholder letter, following a detailed analysis of our research priorities, we concentrated our resources on the most promising therapeutic programs and this has already resulted in exciting achievements and progressed our programs closer to clinical development."

Q2 2012 Highlights:

Conference Call and Webcast Details:

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International Stem Cell Corp Announces Second Quarter 2012 Financial Results

Summer school students help scientists advance stem cell research at USC

Posted on August 10, 2012 by Fredricko

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For many Southern California high school students, summer is synonymous with surf, sand and sun. But, for some of Los Angeles' top math and science students, the lure of the beach and traditional summer fun fizzles fast when compared to microscopes, slide kits and real-life stem cell research.

Armed with little more than protective gear and enthusiasm, 20 overachieving teenagers have been clocking 40-hour weeks in the lab at USC's Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research.

Among them is 17-year-old Brian Tom of Lincoln Heights.

Its fascinating because stem cells have all this potential to heal these degenerative diseases like Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer's," says Tom, a senior at Bravo Medical Magnet in Los Angeles. "It's amazing how you can create multiple tissues from one cell."

Stem cells offer promise as a treatment or cure for many diseases because they can be can induced to morph into other cell types such as brain, muscle or skin cells. Stem cells can also divide without limit, which gives them the potential to repair and replace damaged tissue.

You can just imagine the possibilities," says Sophie McAllister, a 17-year-old senior at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles. McAllister works with a USC mentor on cardiac cell regeneration.

Two programs, one goal

McAllister and nine other students are in a program that's privately funded by two donors with ties to USC. Meanwhile, Tom and his summer school classmates are studying under a statewide program funded by the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), a voter-created agency that funds stem cell research throughout California.

CIRM has invested $1.7 million in nine high school summer programs statewide for three years.

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Summer school students help scientists advance stem cell research at USC

Olympic Horse Used Stem Cell Therapy

Posted on August 10, 2012 by Fredricko

Ravel, a horse competing at the 2012 London Olympics, underwent stem cell therapy treatment that helped heal a possibly career-ending injury to one of his legs, according to the Helen Woodward Animal Center in California.

Ravel, a regular client of Rodrigo Vazquez of Equine Surgical Services at the center, is believed to be the first Olympian to benefit from a stem cell-based treatment. Ravel is now the highest scoring horse on Team USA at the Olympics.

"Ravel is a high-impact athlete," Vazquez said. "He runs the same risks as any other athlete in a high performance sport and he gets hurt like any other athlete too. But he is something special. He works hard and he's focused and he thrives in his sport. He just didn't want to quit."

The 15-year-old equine athlete, owned by Akiko Yamazaki, was united with his rider Steffen Peters in late 2006. Since then, the team has made history, with Ravel excelling in dressage, which is one of three Olympic equestrian disciplines. It involves riding and training a horse in a manner that develops obedience, flexibility and balance.

Ravel and Peters were the highest placing American pair at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and have won numerous competitions over the years, including the prestigious Rolex/FEI World Cup in dressage.

Before these victories, Ravel sustained the leg injury. Jessica Gercke, a spokesperson for the Helen Woodward Animal Center, told Discovery News that staff working with competitive horses like Ravel do not wish to reveal detailed information about medical conditions and treatments, since that might affect the perceptions of judges or others.

Vazquez, however, did share that regular check-ups, vaccinations, dentistry and the "emergency treatment with a new technology based on stem cell therapy" helped to heal Ravel after an eight-month break in training.

Adult stem cells can reproduce and differentiate into different types of cells. They continue to be a focus of study for scientists hoping to treat a number of diseases in humans and non-human animals. In horses, to repair cartilage and tendon tissues, scientists have been looking into stem cells derived from bone.

"Bone derived cells in horses are most often obtained from an aspirate (material drawn by suction) of either the hip or sternum with apparent minimal discomfort" to the horse, according to David Frisbie, an associate professor at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine. "The procedure typically takes less than 15 minutes and can be done standing under light sedation."

Results of clinical studies on horses suggest that stem cell treatment can improve healing rates, overall outcomes, and decrease re-injury rates almost by half. Further studies are needed, however, to better determine dosage and timing specifics.

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Olympic Horse Used Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cell medicine thrown umbilical rope

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Fredricko

Tim and Padma Vellaichamy of Parramatta have had their new born child's umbilical cord stored cryogenically for future treatment. Pictured with their as yet unnamed three week old daughter. Picture: Adam Ward Source: The Daily Telegraph

IT'S current preservation for the future regeneration - and now umbilical cord tissue is going on ice in Australia for the first time.

Usually discarded after birth, umbilical tissue from newborn babies is being collected and cryogenically frozen to be used one day for regenerative and stem cell medicine. And it doesn't just have potential for the babies involved, either. Experts say stem cells could also be used for family members who are genetically compatible.

It is hoped the cells will eventually be able to be used to repair damaged tissues and organs, with researchers investigating its uses for treating diseases like multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and diabetes, as well as for bone and cartilage repair.

Although cord blood storage has been available for many years, Cell Care Australia has added cord tissue storage in anticipation of new discoveries in the regenerative medicine field.

Cell Care Australia medical director associate professor Mark Kirkland said the storage process - already popular in the US, Europe and Southeast Asia - was long overdue for Australian shores.

"The science is developing around the world and we're really behind the rest of the world in providing parents the option to store these cells and we thought it was about time it was brought here," he said.

"It's finding a way to take what would otherwise be waste tissue and turning it into something of potential future value for not only your child but also potentially for other family members.'

Parramatta couple Tim and Padma Vellaichamy are among the first to use the service in Australia.

Mr Vellaichamy, 31, said he heard of the technology while working as a dentist in India and decided to store their daughter's cord cell tissue after birth three weeks ago.

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Stem cell medicine thrown umbilical rope

Sangamo BioSciences And Collaborators Highlight Widening Applications Of ZFP Therapeutics® In Presentations At Major …

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Fredricko

RICHMOND, Calif., May 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. (SGMO) announced today that data from clinical, preclinical and research-stage programs focused on the development of ZFP Therapeutics for HIV/AIDS, monogenic diseases and stem cell applications, were described in twelve presentations given by Sangamo scientists and collaborators at the 15th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT). The meeting was held in Philadelphia from May 15-19, 2012.

"Sangamo's zinc finger DNA-binding protein (ZFP) technology is enabling development of new and improved gene and cell therapy approaches," said Geoff Nichol, M.B., Ch.B., Sangamo's executive vice president, research and development. "Our ZFP Nuclease (ZFN) technology provides an extremely efficient and precise process for editing any DNA sequence. This enables us to disrupt specific genes or to precisely add DNA sequences that allow a patient's own gene to be corrected and its proper function restored while preserving the natural regulation of the gene.

Sangamo has also developed technology that allows a therapeutic gene to be inserted into a specific 'safe harbor' site. Our ability to target changes to precise locations rather than randomly into the genome, avoids the challenges of traditional gene-addition approaches that can result in unintended mutations. The increased number of related presentations at this meeting demonstrates the growing adoption of ZFN-based gene editing by the field."

Presentations from Sangamo included preliminary clinical data from ongoing Phase 1 clinical trials in HIV/AIDS as well as data from preclinical and research-stage human therapeutic programs. Therapeutic areas included ZFP-based approaches for monogenic diseases such as hemophilia, hemoglobinopathies and Huntington's disease as well as adoptive T-cell therapies for oncology.

"Visibility of ZFPs in the scientific agenda at the ASGCT meeting illustrates the broad range of potential applications for ZFP Therapeutics," said Edward Lanphier, Sangamo's president and CEO. "Our technology can be used to modify any gene with singular specificity and high efficiency. As our technology functions at the DNA level, it can potentially be applied to any disease-related gene making it a versatile platform for the generation of novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of unmet medical needs."

ZFP Therapeutics Featured at ASGCT Meeting

All abstracts for the meeting are available online at 2012 ASGCT Meeting Abstracts.

About Sangamo

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. is focused on research and development of novel DNA-binding proteins for therapeutic gene regulation and genome editing. It has ongoing Phase 2 and Phase 1/2 clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel ZFP Therapeutic for the treatment of HIV/AIDS.Sangamo's other therapeutic programs are focused on monogenic diseases, including hemophilia and hemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell anemia and beta-thalassemia, and a program in Parkinson's disease. Sangamo's core competencies enable the engineering of a class of DNA-binding proteins known as zinc finger DNA-binding proteins (ZFPs). Engineering of ZFPs that recognize a specific DNA sequence enables the creation of sequence-specific ZFP Nucleases (ZFNs) for gene modification and ZFP transcription factors (ZFP TFs) that can control gene expression and, consequently, cell function. Sangamo has entered into a strategic collaboration with Shire to develop therapeutics for hemophilia and other monogenic diseases and has established strategic partnerships with companies in non-therapeutic applications of its technology including Dow AgroSciences and Sigma-Aldrich Corporation. For more information about Sangamo, visit the company's website at http://www.sangamo.com.

ZFP Therapeutic is a registered trademark of Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. CompoZr is a registered trademark of Sigma-Aldrich Corporation.

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Sangamo BioSciences And Collaborators Highlight Widening Applications Of ZFP Therapeutics® In Presentations At Major ...

Stem cell therapy shows promise in fight against HIV

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Fredricko

SACRAMENTO UC Davis Health System researchers are a step closer to launching human clinical trials involving the use of an innovative stem cell therapy to fight the virus that causes AIDS.

In a paper published in the May issue of the Journal of Virology, the UC Davis HIV team demonstrated both the safety and efficacy of transplanting anti-HIV stem cells into mice that represent models of infected patients. The technique, which involves replacing the immune system with stem cells engineered with a triple combination of HIV-resistant genes, proved capable of replicating a normally functioning human immune system by protecting and expanding HIV-resistant immune cells. The cells thrived and self-renewed even when challenged with an HIV viral load.

"We envision this as a potential functional cure for patients infected with HIV, giving them the ability to maintain a normal immune system through genetic resistance," said lead author Joseph Anderson, an assistant adjunct professor of internal medicine and a stem cell researcher at the UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures. "Ideally, it would be a one-time treatment through which stem cells express HIV-resistant genes, which in turn generate an entire HIV-resistant immune system."

To establish immunity in mice whose immune systems paralleled those of patients with HIV, Anderson and his team genetically modified human blood stem cells, which are responsible for producing the various types of immune cells in the body.

Building on work that members of the team have pursued over the last decade, they developed several anti-HIV genes that were inserted into blood stem cells using standard gene-therapy techniques and viral vectors (viruses that efficiently insert the genes they carry into host cells). The resulting combination vector contained:

These engineered blood stem cells, which could be differentiated into normal and functional human immune cells, were introduced into the mice. The goal was to validate whether this experimental treatment would result in an immune system that remained functional, even in the face of an HIV infection, and would halt or slow the progression toward AIDS.

The results were successful on all counts.

CD4+ T-cells are a type of specialized immune cell that HIV attacks and uses to make more copies of HIV.

"We actually saw an expansion of resistant cells after the viral challenge, because other cells which were not resistant were being killed off, and only the resistant cells remained, which took over the immune system and maintained normal CD4 levels," added Anderson.

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Stem cell therapy shows promise in fight against HIV

Aged hematopoietic stem cells rejuvenated to be functionally younger

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Fredricko

Public release date: 3-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Nick Miller nicholas.miller@cchmc.org 513-803-6035 Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

CINCINNATI Researchers have rejuvenated aged hematopoietic stem cells to be functionally younger, offering intriguing clues into how medicine might one day fend off some of the ailments of old age.

Scientists at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the Ulm University Medicine in Germany report their findings online May 3 in the journal Cell Stem Cell. The paper brings new perspective to what has been a life science controversy countering what used to be broad consensus that the aging of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) was locked in by nature and not reversible by therapeutic intervention.

HSCs are stem cells that originate in the bone marrow and generate all of the body's red and white blood cells and platelets. They are an essential support mechanism of blood cells and the immune system. As humans and other species age, HSCs become more numerous but less effective at regenerating blood cells and immune cells. This makes older people more susceptible to infections and disease, including leukemia.

Researchers in the current study determined a protein that regulates cell signaling Cdc42 also controls a molecular process that causes HSCs from mice to age. Pharmacologic inhibition of Cdc42 reversed HSC aging and restored function similar to that of younger stem cells, explained Hartmut Geiger, PhD, the study's principal investigator and a researcher in the Division of Experimental Hematology/Cancer Biology at Cincinnati Children's, and the Department of Dermatology and Allergic Diseases, Ulm University Medicine.

"Aging is interesting, in part because we still don't understand how we age," Geiger said. "Our findings suggest a novel and important role for Cdc42 and identify its activity as a target for ameliorating natural HSC aging. We know the aging of HSCs reduces in part the response of the immune system response in older people, which contributes to diseases such as anemia, and may be the cause of tissue attrition in certain systems of the body."

The findings are early and involve laboratory manipulation of mouse cells, so it remains to be seen what direct application they may have for humans. Still, the study expands what is known about the basic molecular and cellular mechanisms of aging a necessary step to one day designing rational approaches to aiding a healthy aging process.

One reason the research team focused on Cdc42 is that previous studies have reported elevated activity of the protein in various tissue types of older mice which have a natural life span of around two years. Also, elevated expression of Cdc42 has been found in immune system white blood cells in older humans.

In the current study, researchers found elevated activity of Cdc42 in the HSCs of older mice. They also were able to induce premature aging of HSCs in mice by genetically increasing Cdc42 activity in the cells. The aged cells lost structural organization and polarity, resulting in improper placement and spacing of components inside the cells. This disorganization contributed to the cells' decreased functional efficiency.

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Aged hematopoietic stem cells rejuvenated to be functionally younger

BioRestorative Therapies Announces Next Generation of Stem Cell Disc Delivery Device

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Fredricko

JUPITER, Fla., May 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --BioRestorative Therapies, Inc. ("BRT" or the "Company") (BRTX.PK), a life sciences company focused on adult stem cell-based therapies, announced today that the latest version of its stem cell disc delivery device, which is to be used in the treatment of bulging and herniated discs, has shown improvements when compared to earlier versions.

The first generation of the device had shown the potential to reduce disc bulges and avoid lower back surgery with a simple injection procedure. The latest generation has shown improvements, and testing of the device will continue to be done to obtain improved disc penetration and steering for optimal cell placement.

The patent-pending delivery device to be used by medical practitioners is a specifically designed needle/catheter delivery system that will inject cells directly into the annular tear that is causing the bulge or herniation.

On April 11, 2012, the Company announced the closing of its licensing agreement with Regenerative Sciences, Inc. pursuant to which BRT was granted, among other things, the exclusive right to license and sell the stem cell delivery device worldwide.

Mark Weinreb, CEO of BRT, commented, "The delivery device's novel design and unique capability of delivering cells, specifically where they are most effective, is a necessary component of the treatment regimen. As our disc restoration program advances and we receive all necessary approvals, we look forward to easing the pain experienced by back and disc pain sufferers."

About BioRestorative Therapies, Inc.

BioRestorative Therapies, Inc.'s goal is to become a leader in developing medical procedures using cell and tissue protocols, primarily involving a patient's own stem cells (non-embryonic), allowing patients to undergo cellular-based treatments. The Company has obtained a license for the adult stem cell treatments of disc and spine conditions, including bulging and herniated discs. The technology is an advanced stem cell injection procedure, using the patient's own cells, that may offer relief from lower back pain, buttock and leg pain, and numbness and tingling in the legs and feet. The Company has also launched a technology that involves the use of a brown fat cell-based therapeutic/aesthetic program, known as the ThermoStem Program. The ThermoStem Program will focus on treatments for obesity, weight loss, diabetes, hypertension, other metabolic disorders and cardiac deficiencies and will involve the study of stem cells, several genes, proteins and/or mechanisms that are related to these diseases and disorders. The Company also offers facial creams and products under the Stem Pearls brand.

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and other risks, including those set forth in the Company's Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

Investor Contacts: KCSA Strategic Communications Philip Carlson / Josh Dver +1 212.896.1233 / +1 212.896.1239 pcarlson@kcsa.com / jdver@kcsa.com

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BioRestorative Therapies Announces Next Generation of Stem Cell Disc Delivery Device

University of Miami’s Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute Awarded $10 Million Grant from Starr Foundation

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Fredricko

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The University of Miami Miller School of Medicines Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute (ISCI) today announced that it received a $10 million grant from The Starr Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the United States. The grant will support ISCI in broadening its preclinical and clinical research on stem cells, and help accelerate its pipeline of translational research and programs for a wide range of debilitating conditions including cardiac disease, cancer, wound healing, stroke, glaucoma and chronic kidney and gastrointestinal diseases.

This is a momentous and transformative gift for the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, said Joshua M. Hare, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.H.A., Louis Lemberg Professor of Medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and director of ISCI. We are so gratified that the level of science being conducted here was recognized by this very generous grant from The Starr Foundation. With this award, we join the ranks of the other major top-tier universities funded by The Starr Foundation. This support, along with our growing NIH funding, technology transfer, and other philanthropic efforts guarantees the stability of ISCI through the end of the decade, and will allow us to continue to push the boundaries of regenerative medicine with the goal of improving human health.

Stem cells and regenerative medicine are poised to transform the way we practice medicine, cure disease and treat injuries. To realize this potential, the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine is performing world-leading research at ISCI, said Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean of the Miller School of Medicine, and Chief Executive Officer of the University of Miami Health System. We are extremely proud of this recognition by The Starr Foundation that ISCI, and the Miller School of Medicine, are leading the way for stem cell and regenerative medicine breakthroughs.

Donna E. Shalala, President of the University of Miami, said the grant from the foundation will have long-reaching implications for future medicine. The team at ISCI is making new discoveries on a number of fronts and this substantial support from The Starr Foundation propels that work forward, both in the laboratory and in clinical trials.

For more on the grant, click here.

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University of Miami’s Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute Awarded $10 Million Grant from Starr Foundation

Study using stem cell therapy shows promise in fight against HIV

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Fredricko

Public release date: 1-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Charles Casey charles.casey@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu 916-734-9048 University of California - Davis Health System

UC Davis Health System researchers are a step closer to launching human clinical trials involving the use of an innovative stem cell therapy to fight the virus that causes AIDS.

a human/rhesus macaque TRIM5 isoform, which disrupts HIV from uncoating in the cytoplasm a CCR5 short hairpin RNA (shRNA), which prevents certain strains of HIV from attaching to target cells a TAR decoy, which stops HIV genes from being expressed inside of the cell by soaking up a critical protein needed for HIV gene expression These engineered blood stem cells, which could be differentiated into normal and functional human immune cells, were introduced into the mice. The goal was to validate whether this experimental treatment would result in an immune system that remained functional, even in the face of an HIV infection, and would halt or slow the progression toward AIDS.

The results were successful on all counts.

"After we challenged transplanted mice with live HIV, we demonstrated that the cells with HIV-resistant genes were protected from infection and survived in the face of a viral challenge, maintaining normal human CD4 levels," said Anderson. CD4+ T-cells are a type of specialized immune cell that HIV attacks and uses to make more copies of HIV.

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Study using stem cell therapy shows promise in fight against HIV

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