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Irving Weissman – Stem Cells and Cancer – Video

DALLAS, May 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ —

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The stem cell research products market (excluding stem cell antibodies) was valued at $1.28 billion for the full year 2011 and is projected to increase to $2.10 billion by 2016. The total market for all types of stem cell products – including stem cell research products, stem cell antibodies, and stem cell therapies – was valued at $5.72 billion for the full year 2011. This report identifies, defines, and quantifies each market segment within the stem cell product industry.

This research helps you with data and analysis on rate of entrants to the cord blood banking industry, revenue distinctions among existing banks, effect of new entrants for existing competitors, leveraging global tactics for growth and more.

As of 2012, 510 cord blood banks are active in 97 countries around the world. This database contains nearly 7000 global cord blood industry contacts from top 15 countries and around 9 categories.

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This study explores the complex IP landscape affecting development of human embryonic stem cell products, providing clear guidance for companies that want to enter the product area.

Explore information on applications, application priorities, patents, projected 5-years market growth, Competitors covering suppliers of neural stem & progenitor cell products and their products offered, Specialty pharmaceutical companies in neural stem & progenitor cell therapies, Breakdown of stem cell research activity by cell type, Potential end-users of neural stem cell products, Product ideas & suggestions and more.

This report uses end-user surveys of expectant parents and technology-derived data to determine the factors involved in parental-decision making. More than 1,200 expectation parents in the U.S., Canada, Europe and other international regions answered a detailed survey between November 2008 and January 2009.

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Stem Cell Market & Cord Blood Banking Industry Research Reports at 10% Discount – Limited Period Offer

What if your very own bone marrow stem cells, upgraded with more immune cells, could be used to increase your chances of survival after a heart attack? Sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but according to a study done by Timothy Henry, MD of the Minneapolis Heart Institute and colleagues, it may in fact be possible. The findings, which were presented at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography, are considered preliminary until they are published in a peer-reviewed journal, but they are definitely promising.

“With stem cells, we’ve been successful with processes that improve blood flow,” Henry told MedPage Today, and added that there is a significant number of class III heart failure patients who don’t do well on medications or with devices.

“A therapy that would delay heart failure progression would be a major step forward,” he said. “This small trial proved the intervention is safe and all the trends were in the right direction.”

The next phase of the trial will begin in the summer. Stay tuned!

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Stem Cells May Help Heart Patients

Published on May 15, 2012 at 5:02 AM

Dr. Darja Marolt, an Investigator at The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Laboratory, is lead author on a study showing that human embryonic stem cells can be used to grow bone tissue grafts for use in research and potential therapeutic application. Dr. Marolt conducted this research as a post-doctoral NYSCF – Druckenmiller Fellow at Columbia University in the laboratory of Dr. Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic.

The study is the first example of using bone cell progenitors derived from human embryonic stem cells to grow compact bone tissue in quantities large enough to repair centimeter-sized defects. When implanted in mice and studied over time, the implanted bone tissue supported blood vessel ingrowth, and continued development of normal bone structure, without demonstrating any incidence of tumor growth.

Dr. Marolt’s work is a significant step forward in using pluripotent stem cells to repair and replace bone tissue in patients. Bone replacement therapies are relevant in treating patients with a variety of conditions, including wounded military personnel, patients with birth defects, or patients who have suffered other traumatic injury.

Since conducting this work as proof of principle at Columbia University, Dr. Marolt has continued to build upon this research as an Investigator in the NYSCF Laboratory, developing bone grafts from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. iPS cells are similar to embryonic stem cells in that they can also give rise to nearly any type of cell in the body, but iPS cells are produced from adult cells and as such are individualized to each patient. By using iPS cells rather than embryonic stem cells to engineer tissue, Dr. Marolt hopes to develop personalized bone grafts that will avoid immune rejection and other implant complications.

The New York Stem Cell Foundation has supported Dr. Marolt’s research throughout her career, first through a NYSCF – Druckenmiller Fellowship to fund her post-doctoral work at Columbia University, and now with a NYSCF – Helmsley Investigator Award at The New York Stem Cell Foundation Laboratory. “The continuity of funding provided by NYSCF has allowed me to continue my research uninterrupted, making progress more quickly than would have otherwise been possible,” Dr. Marolt said.

Source: New York Stem Cell Foundation

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Human embryonic stem cells can be used to grow bone tissue grafts

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Bone grown from human embryonic stem cells

May 15, 2012

A New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) scientist has shown in new research that human embryonic stem cells can be used to grow bone tissue grafts for use in research and potential medical applications.

Dr. Darja Marolt, an investigator at the NYSCF, is the lead author of the study, which was published this week in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

It is the first example of using bone cell progenitors derived from human embryonic stem cells to grow compact bone tissue in quantities large enough to repair centimeter-sized defects. When implanted in mice and studied over time, the implanted bone tissue supported blood vessel in-growth, and continued development of normal bone structure, without demonstrating any incidence of tumor growth.

This is a significant step forward in using pluripotent stem cells to repair and replace bone tissue in patients, noted the researchers. Bone replacement therapies are relevant in treating patients with a variety of conditions, wounds, birth defects, or other traumatic injuries.

Dr. Marolt conducted this research as a post-doctoral NYSCF Druckenmiller Fellow at Columbia University in the laboratory of Dr. Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic. Since conducting this work, Marolt has continued to build upon the research, developing bone grafts from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.

IPS cells are similar to embryonic stem cells in that they can also give rise to nearly any type of cell in the body, but iPS cells are produced from adult cells and as such are individualized to each patient. Marolt hopes that by using iPS cells to engineer tissue, she can develop personalized bone grafts that will avoid immune rejection and other implant complications.

The New York Stem Cell Foundation conducts cutting-edge translational stem cell research in its laboratory in New York City and supports research by stem cell scientists at other leading institutions around the world.

Source: RedOrbit Staff & Wire Reports

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Human Embryonic Stem Cells Used To Grow Bone Tissue

By Chelsea Conaboy, Globe Staff

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Advanced Cell Technology of Marlborough have become the first to publish a study involving the use of embryonic stem cells in humans.

The study, published online in the British medical journal The Lancet and involving just two patients, was designed to test the safety of injecting the cells into patients with degenerative eye conditions. In both patients, the cells behaved as expected after four months, with no safety concerns arising, the researchers reported today, and the patients reported improvement in their vision.

The study provides a boost for the beleaguered field of embryonic stem cell research but must be view cautiously, said Dr. George Q. Daley, director of the Stem Cell Transplantation Program at Childrens Hospital Boston and a faculty member at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.

Were all enthusiastic to see actual trials of cells based on human embryonic stem cells, but it really is far too preliminary to conclude anything other than that more studies are warranted, he said. What we have to do is temper our hope with real skepticism.

The researchers injected one eye of each patient with specialized eye cells derived from embryonic stem cells, which promote the health of photoreceptors in the eye. One, an adult woman, had Stargardt disease, a form of inherited juvenile macular degeneration. The other had age-related macular degeneration.

Dr. Robert Lanza, an author of the study and chief scientific officer at Advanced Cell Technology, a publicly traded company that funded the research, said the fact that the patients both reported improvements in their vision was a bonus, though he acknowledged that some of the change could be attributed to the placebo effect, or the patients own expectation for improvement as a result of the study.

The patient with Stargardt disease could detect hand motion before the injection. Within two weeks afterward, she could count fingers, the study said. She also reported improvements in her ability to detect color with the injected eye. There was no change in her other eye, the study said. The other patient showed improvement in reading a vision chart.

In these advanced patients it would be hard to expect much improvement but were surprised, Lanza said.

The patients were the first two in a set of trials that will study the use of the cells in a total of 24 people. The researchers injected the first patient in a separate trial in Europe on Friday.

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Advanced Cell Technology reports positive early results from embryonic stem cell trial

By Carolyn Y. Johnson, Globe Staff

Two teams of Boston scientists have developed new ways to turn stem cells into different types of lung tissue, surmounting a major hurdle for scientists trying to harness the power of stem cell biology to study and develop treatments for major lung diseases.

One team then used skin cells from cystic fibrosis patients to create embryonic-like stem cells, then working in lab dishes used those cells to grow tissue that lines the airways and contains a defect responsible for the rare, fatal disease. The technique — essentially a recipe for growing such lung tissue — could provide a powerful platform to screen drugs and study the biology of the disease.

Growing lung tissue in the laboratory has long been a goal of stem cell scientists, but has been more technically difficult than growing other types of tissues, such as brain cells or heart cells. Such lung tissue is valuable because it could be used to screen potential drugs and more closely probe the problems that underlie diseases such as asthma, emphysema, and rare genetic diseases. Such techniques may also one day help researchers grow replacement tissues and devise ways to restore or repair injured lung tissue.

A team led by Massachusetts General Hospital researchers created lung tissue from a patient with the genetic mutation that most commonly underlies cystic fibrosis and researchers hope the technique will also be a powerful tool to study other diseases that affect the airway tissue, such as asthma and lung cancer. The other team, led by Boston University School of Medicine scientists, was able to derive cells that form the delicate air sacs of the lung from mouse embryonic stem cells. The team is hoping to refine the recipe for making the cells so that they can be used to derive lung tissue from a bank of 100 stem cell lines of patients with lung disease. Both papers were published Thursday in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals, a Cambridge biotechnology company, earlier this year received approval for Kalydeco — the first drug to directly target the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis. That compound was discovered by screening massive numbers of potential drugs against cells engineered to carry the same defect that underlies cystic fibrosis.

We had to use engineered cells, and certainly using more native human cells … would be potentially beneficial, said Dr. Frederick Van Goor, head of biology for Vertexs cystic fibrosis research program. We had to rely on donor tissue obtained from patients with cystic fibrosis, and its a bit more challenging, because the number of donor lungs you can get and the number of cells you can derive from there are more limited.

Van Goor said it was too soon to say whether the company would use the new technology in screening, but noted that the tests the company had used to determine whether a drug was likely to work against the disease had, in some cases, given scientists false leads. Some molecules that worked on the engineered cells did not work in the complicated biology of the lung.

Its a significant event for the lung field, said Dr. Thiennu Vu, associate professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco, who was not involved in the research. She added that much work remains before such cells could be used to repair or replace damaged tissue, and even before such cells would necessarily be useful for drug screening. It will be important, she said, to refine the recipe to ensure that the technique yields pure populations of the specific types of functional lung cells.

In the competitive world of science, where credit for being the first to do something is crucially important, the two research teams accomplishments are an unusual example of competitors turning into collaborators — forging a relationship that both teams felt helped speed up progress.

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Boston scientists grow lung tissue from cystic fibrosis patients’ skin cells

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QualityStocks News – International Stem Cell Scientists to Present Pre-Clinical Research Results at Gene and Cell …

Kolkata, May 15:

Stem cell banking companies are looking at aggressive marketing initiatives to move into the mass market segment. Direct marketing to customers and reduction in price tag for storing umbilical cord blood are on the cards.

The umbilical cord blood and cord tissue are one of the richest sources of stem cells and have potential to treat over 75 serious ailments.

The average cost for storing these for a period of 21 years ranges between Rs 75,000 and Rs 90,000 in India.

According to Chennai-based Life Cell, high price points and lack of proper marketing have limited the penetration of cord blood banking in India. Affordability is the key factor in India.

Only when the prices come down will we see more customers opting for the service. We are working on it (bringing down prices), Mr Mayur Abhaya Srisrimal, Executive Director Life Cell, told Business Line.

Stem cell bankers have already rolled out easy finance options such as EMIs to make the services attractive. CordLife, for instance, offers EMI facility for 12-24 months.

This has helped boost our sales. We have been acquiring 350-400 clients each month, said Managing Director, Mr Meghnath Roy Chowdhury.

Finance, however, is not the only stumbling block. Cord blood bankers have, so far, been depending largely on hospital network for signing up clients. Bangalore-based Ms Deepa Shankar, who is expecting and is due for delivery in June, recently opted for Life Cell services through the hospital.

It’s not a sustainable approach. We need to get into direct marketing for pushing up volumes growth, Mr Srisrimal points out. To strike a cord with the would-be mothers, the company has roped in Lisa Ray as brand ambassador. Ms Ray was cured of multiple myeloma courtesy stem cell therapy.

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Stem cell banking firms to deploy marketing initiatives to boost sales

Animal stem cell regenerative therapy is the newest service at the Animal Hospital of Tiffin.

“We are the official first site for the therapy in Ohio,” said veterinarian Bob McClung.

The technology uses an adult animal’s stem cells to heal itself.

Veterinarian Mike Brothers performed the surgery Monday on his dog, Tucker, a 2-year-old labrador retriever. It was the second surgery performed at the clinic.

Brothers said his dog’s joint problems are hereditary and he’s had problems since he was a puppy.

“What we’ve been able to do is slow down the arthritis,” Brothers said. The cause of the degeneration will continue, but the fatty tissue removed from the dog can be used for future treatments.

From a piece of fatty tissue of the size removed from Tucker, McClung estimated $3.2 billion stem cells were harvested.

Each injection uses about 90 million cells, so there will be enough of the material for future treatments.

“We have basically 2 billion cells to bank,” he said. “We use cryo-preservation.”

In the freezing process, the cells are gradually cooled to prevent damage and stored in liquid nitrogen at temperatures of minus 80 to minus 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Vet undertakes stem cell surgery

Public release date: 15-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Elisa Williams willieli@ohsu.edu 503-494-4530 Oregon Health & Science University

PORTLAND, Ore. Multiple myeloma patients are better equipped to halt progression of this blood cancer if treated with lenalidomide, or Revlimid, following a stem cell transplant, according to a study co-authored by a physician with the Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found a 63 percent reduction in the risk of progressive myeloma or death for the stem cell transplant patients that were treated with lenalidomide maintenance therapy.

“These results add to the evidence that the combination of standard therapies such as stem cell transplantation with the emerging biologic therapies, like lenalidomide, have extended the lives of multiple myeloma patients,” said Richard Maziarz, M.D., of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute who was one of the study’s co-authors. Maziarz serves as medical director of the Adult Stem Cell Transplantation Program & Center for Hematologic Malignancies at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. “We know that for at least three years following a transplant that maintenance therapy with this drug vastly improves the chances that the cancer won’t come back and worsen.”

These data were supported by similar Phase III studies reported from France and Italy in the same issue of the New England Jounal of Medicine demonstrating that maintenance therapy after stem cell transplantation was associated with improved disease control.

Multiple myeloma is a cancer that affects plasma cells, a type of white blood cell normally responsible for producing antibodies. In patients impacted by multiple myeloma, collections of abnormal plasma cells accumulate in the bone marrow, interfering with the production of normal blood cells. The study focused on patients who received an autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (AHCT). AHCT procedures use patients’ own blood stem cells.

While lenalidomide increased a patient’s ability to stave off progression of the disease, questions remain regarding future approaches recognizing that quality of life measurements were not incorporated within these studies, that long-term safety issues remain unclear as there was a small but discernable risk of second cancers observed in the treated patients. In addition to the need for that cost-benefit analysis, a comparison remains to be performed with other emerging myeloma maintenance therapies.

This Phase III study of lenalidomide was conducted at 47 medical centers and involved 568 patients. It was sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Revlimid’s manufacturer, Celgene Corp., provided the NCI with lenalidomide for this research.

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Lenalidomide prolongs disease control for multiple myeloma patients after stem cell transplant

Veterinarians hope a new medical procedure can treat a 25-year-old chimpanzee with a torn ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, at the “Save the Chimps” in Florida.

The procedure involves injecting the chimp with her own stem cells.

“With chimps we don’t want to do a lot of surgical work, put hardware in their knee, they tend to pull out that sort of thing,” said Veterinarian Linda Gregard, M.D.

Dr. Darrell Nazareth with the Florida Veterinary League has been using stem cells to treat dogs with arthritis for the past two years, but this is his first chimp.

“We’re not using embryonic stem cells, we’re not taking embryos and taking their stem cells from there. We’re just using the patient’s own tissue,” said Dr. Nazareth.

The technology harnesses the bodies own ability to heal itself and doctors hope it could find wider use in humans.

After injecting two billion stem cells into Angie’s knee, doctors will find out in the next two to three weeks if the stem cell therapy treatment was successful.

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Stem cell therapy to treat a chimp's torn ACL may prove beneficial for humans

Cell surface protein blows potent cells cover; targeted drug works in preclinical tests

Newswise HOUSTON Breast cancer stem cells wear a cell surface protein that is part nametag and part bulls eye, identifying them as potent tumor-generating cells and flagging their vulnerability to a drug, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report online in Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Weve discovered a single marker for breast cancer stem cells and also found that its targetable with a small molecule drug that inhibits an enzyme crucial to its synthesis, said co-senior author Michael Andreeff, M.D., Ph.D., professor in MD Andersons Departments of Leukemia and Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy.

Andreeff and colleagues are refining the drug as a potential targeted therapy for breast cancer stem cells, which are thought to be crucial to therapy resistance, disease progression and spread to other organs.

Its been difficult to identify cancer stem cells in solid tumors, Andreeff said. And nobody has managed to target these cells very well.

The marker is the cell surface protein ganglioside GD2. The drug is triptolide, an experimental drug that Andreeff has used in preclinical leukemia research. The team found triptolide blocks expression of GD3 synthase, which is essential to GD2production.

Triptolide stymied cancer growth in cell line experiments and resulted in smaller tumors and prolonged survival in mouse experiments. Drug development for human trials probably will take several years.

Cancer stem cells are similar to normal stem cells

Research in several types of cancer has shown cancer stem cells are a small subpopulation of cancer cells that are capable of long-term self-renewal and generation of new tumors. More recent research shows they resist treatment and promote metastasis.

Cancer stem cells are similar to normal stem cells that renew specialized tissues. The breast cancer findings grew out of Andreeffs long-term research in mesenchymal stem cells, which can divide into one copy of themselves and one differentiated copy of a bone, muscle, fat or cartilage cell.

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Scientists Discover Marker to Identify, Attack Breast Cancer Stem Cells

CARLSBAD, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB: ISCO.OB – News) (www.internationalstemcell.com) today announced that several of its leading scientists will present experimental results from three of ISCOs pre-clinical therapeutic programs.

Firstly, the application of A9 dopaminergic neurons derived from human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSC) for the treatment of Parkinsons disease. Demonstrating functional dopaminergic neurons in vivo represents an important milestone towards the goal of creating well characterized populations of cells that could be used to develop a treatment for Parkinsons.

Secondly, the differentiation of hpSC and embryonic stem cells into cornea-like constructs for use in transplantation therapy and the in vitro study of ocular drug absorption. There are approximately ten million people worldwide who are blind as a result of damage to their cornea. Generating human corneas from a pluripotent stem cell source should increase the likelihood that people will receive treatment in the future even in the absence of suitable tissue from eye banks.

Lastly, the in vivo and in vitro characterization of immature hepatocyte derived from hpSC. Such cells could be used to develop a treatment for individuals with a liver that has been damaged by disease or sufferers of genetic disorders that inhibit normal liver function. In both cases, implanting healthy hepatocyte cells could treat the underlying disease and prolong the life of the individual.

These results not only show the progress we have made in these important programs, but also demonstrate the broad application of human parthenogenetic stem cells in the development of treatments for incurable diseases, says Dr. Ruslan Semechkin, Vice President of Research and Development.

The presentations will take place at the 15th Annual Meeting of American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, in Philadelphia at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 17th.

About International Stem Cell Corporation

International Stem Cell Corporation is focused on the therapeutic applications of human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSCs) and the development and commercialization of cell-based research and cosmetic products. ISCO’s core technology, parthenogenesis, results in the creation of pluripotent human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs). hpSCs avoid ethical issues associated with the use or destruction of viable human embryos. ISCO scientists have created the first parthenogenic, homozygous stem cell line that can be a source of therapeutic cells for hundreds of millions of individuals of differing genders, ages and racial background with minimal immune rejection after transplantation. hpSCs offer the potential to create the first true stem cell bank, UniStemCell. ISCO also produces and markets specialized cells and growth media for therapeutic research worldwide through its subsidiary Lifeline Cell Technology (www.lifelinecelltech.com), and stem cell-based skin care products through its subsidiary Lifeline Skin Care (www.lifelineskincare.com). More information is available at www.internationalstemcell.com or follow us on Twitter @intlstemcell.

To receive ongoing corporate communications, please click on the following link: http://www.b2i.us/irpass.asp?BzID=1468&to=ea&s=0

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International Stem Cell Corporation Scientists to Present Pre-Clinical Research Results at American Society of Gene …

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. & CAMBRIDGE, England–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Avita Medical Ltd. (ASX: AVH), (OTC: AVMXF), (OTCQX: AVMXY),the regenerative medicine company, today announced that it has commenced enrolment in the US FDA-approved feasibility study for the use of ReCell Spray-On-Skin in the treatment of hypertrophic dyspigmented scars (raised and/or discoloured scars).

The initial three patients were treated by Dr Rajiv Sood, at the Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center of Wishard Hospital, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, for scarring resulting from previous grafting due to burn injuries.

The approved FDA protocol permits the Company to treat 20 patients with scars at up to four U.S. study sites; patients will be assessed for healing and pain on a weekly basis during the initial four weeks post-treatment; at weeks 12 and 24 the treatment site will be assessed for healing and aesthetic outcomes by both the patient and an independent observer.

“Commencement of the FDA scar study is an important milestone for Avita,” said Dr William Dolphin, Avita Medicals CEO. “ReCell has shown the potential to provide significant benefits over current options in the treatment of acute and chronic wounds and for a wide range of skin defects. We are confident that this study will demonstrate the effectiveness of ReCell in the corrective treatment of scars, making ReCell directly applicable and immediately relevant to the very large aesthetic markets.

The feasibility study is primarily designed to confirm the effectiveness of ReCell for the treatment of scars in a single session in comparison to the current standard of care involving dermabrasion of the scar and often requiring multiple treatment sessions; study endpoints are time-to-healing and aesthetic outcomes. Following completion of the study, Avita will submit the feasibility data and seek FDA approval for a statistically powered, pivotal clinical trial.

The study is funded by the US Department of Defense in partnership with the OSD Manufacturing Technology Program and Rapid Fielding Directorate for the Limb Salvage and Regenerative Medicine Initiative. The contract is a Technology Investment Agreement that is focused on the transition of the capability to meet DoD needs. ReCell was selected as it has the potential to be a quantum advance over the existing ability to treat and re-grow tissue and to substantially reduce the effects and appearance of scarring and thereby profoundly assist in the treatment and rehabilitation of wounded warriors suffering from disfigurement and impeded function due to combat injuries.

An interview with Dr Sood regarding the use of ReCell in treatment of scars and acute wounds is available at http://soundmedicine.iu.edu/segment/3245/Spray-on-Skin.

ABOUT AVITA MEDICAL LTD.

Avita Medical (www.avitamedical.com) develops and distributes regenerative and tissue-engineered products for the treatment of a broad range of wounds, scars and skin defects. The companys lead product, ReCell Spray-On-SkinTM, is used in a wide variety of burns, plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic procedures. ReCell is patented, CE-marked for Europe, TGA-registered in Australia, and SFDA-cleared in China. ReCell is not available for sale in the United States; in the U.S. ReCell is an investigational device limited to investigational use.

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Avita Medical Initiates US FDA Study of Its ReCell® Spray-On-Skin™ for Reconstructive and Aesthetic Indications

Regenerative medicine startup Juventas Therapeutics has begun enrollment in a phase 2a trial of critical limb ischemia patients.

The Cleveland-based company, which recently secured an important investment from Takeda Pharmaceuticals, is planning to enroll 48 patients and complete enrollment early next year, CEO Rahul Aras said.

Juventas technology, called JVS-100, works by recruiting stem cells from the bone marrow to create new blood vessels. Its based on Stromal Cell-Derived Factor-1 (SDF-1), a naturally produced molecule that attempts to repair the heart immediately following a heart attack.

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) patients are enrolling at several U.S. hospitals, as well as three in India. CLI is a severe obstruction of the arteries that greatly decreases blood flow to the extremities.

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CLI has become a very exciting clinical opportunity, Aras said. Its becoming a growing area of interest for a number of biotech and pharma companies.

Other companies pursuing CLI treatment include Aastrom Biosciences, Arteriocyte and Biomet.

Among the top advantages of Juventas CLI therapy is its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, Aras said. Patients can be injected with the companys therapeutic in an easy procedure at a physician office, and the approach doesnt require bone marrow aspiration to obtain patients own stem cells or complex cell processing as some competing therapeutics do.

Juventas also has a phase 2 trial underway to investigate its therapy with heart failure patients.

The company is expected to shortly announce a series B round of investment, which includes the funding from Takeda, that totals around $20 million or $25 million.

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Regenerative medicine company begins enrollment in critical limb ischemia trial

Scientists are forecasting that by 2030, 42 percent of the U.S. population will be obese.

This would cost an additional $550 billion in healthcare expenditures, according to the study published by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.

Despite reports that obesity levels were tapering off, the scientists found that Americans are gaining weight all the time. There’s also been a surge in severe obesity, or being overweight enough to reduce your life expectancy by at least seven years.

Given the many caveats listed in the preceding paragraph, the current study forecasts a 33% increase in the prevalence of obesity over the next 2 decades based on extrapolating prior available data and assuming these trends continue into the future. If these forecasts prove accurate, this will further hinder efforts for healthcare cost containment.

Here’s a chart showing their projections. The blue line is the previous forecast of 35 percent obesity by 2030. The orange line is what the scientists found by studying trends so far and predictions for the future:

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Terrifying Study Predicts Half Of The US Will Be Obese By 2030

Why silverware? Why didnt people choose to eat and drink from palladium, ivory, or other materials? Of course many people did. Throughout history people have used gold, clay, wood, and a wide range of other items at mealtime. For many of those who chose silver, however, it was more than just a fad or a symbol of financial standing. Ancient civilizations reportedly used silver because they recognized a connection between the metal and their health. Today, people are also finding silver to be increasingly useful in health-related applications. But will these uses have a material effect on the silver market?

For thousands of years, individuals have used silver at the table, on the battlefield, and in healthcare. The metal has been relied upon to prevent and treat infections, to treat wounds, to prevent food spoilage, and to prevent water contamination. Since long ago, the metal has been credited as having antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antiseptic properties.

Medical uses of silver and preventative applications

Many readers have probably received a silver treatment at least once, as silver nitrate is commonly placed in the eyes of newborns to prevent infections that could cause blindness. Silver has also been widely used in dentistry to fabricate fillings.

Today, the uses of silver for its healing and preventative properties are growing.

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For example, it was only in 2007 that the US Food and Drug Administration approved the marketing of silver-coated breathing tubes. Prior to this approval, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year, 15 percent of patients on ventilators contracted ventilator-associated pneumonia. For tens of thousands of people these infections proved fatal. Including silver in the fabrication of these endotracheal breathing tubes reduces this risk and has likely saved many lives.

Silver is also used in much the same way for catheters and other medical implantation devices. The metal is used to coat surgical instruments and emergency ward equipment to prevent and reduce the transmission of infections.

Wound creams, gels, and powders are made with silver, and the metal is fabricated into wound dressings because it is considered toxic to germs and can prevent the invasion and livelihood of bacteria and yeast. Silver has also been found to reduce the adhesion of dressings to wounds and thus improves the comfort of burn victims.

A recent edition of Silver News spotlights the Trinity Bed Protection System. The covering system is supposed to provide an effective and impermeable barrier between patients and the surfaces they lie on, such as mattresses and stretchers. A notable benefit of this bedding is that it is supposed to retain itsantimicrobialproperties even after repeated washings.

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Silver in Medicine: Support for the Market?

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Study Links Antibiotic to Slight Rise in Heart Patients' Death Risk