“Latest Stem Cells News”

Researchers and using stem cells as tools for disease study, drug screening, clinical trial strategy, and personalized medicine. The induced Pluripotent Stem cell (iPS) is giving us a chance to rethink the way we are developing new drugs. These iPS cells are usually created from somatic cells (such as skin), and not embryos or adult stem cells. In creating iPS from patients’ diseased cells, scientists can study the disease in vitro, looking for disease phenotypes, applying microenvironmental stress, and testing new drugs. Compared to animal model testing (e.g. mice), this represents a significant breakthrough, that can be used to validate clinical development strategy and test efficacy in specific groups of patients. iPS is bringing a revolution in drug discovery methodology which is being used to bridge genetics, cell biology, and physiology.

from http://biobusiness.tv/videos/208

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DaVinci Biosciences LLC, of Costa Mesa, CA, announced today the presentation of their safety and feasibility study demonstrating the administration of autologous bone marrow derived stem cells for the treatment of acute and chronic spinal cord injury at Neuroscience 2009, Society for Neuroscience’s 39th Annual Meeting, to be held at McCormick Convention Center in Chicago, IL. Rafael Gonzalez, Ph.D., Director of Research and Development for DaVinci Biosciences LLC will present the work during the conference on October 20, 2009 and be available to answer questions regarding the study, following his presentation.

“We are excited to share the findings of this study in such a public forum. This study successfully demonstrates not only the safety and feasibility of using autologous adult stem cells for treating spinal cord injuries, but also that the clinical procedure for delivering these cells is safe as well,” said Dr. Gonzalez.

The abstract highlights data from 8 patients that underwent the treatment which used stem cells harvested from the patients’ own bone marrow to side step any immune rejection response, and features the documented evaluations from a 2 year post surgical follow up period. Furthermore, it illustrates new data obtained from 46 patients that participated in the study using stem cells harvested from the patients’ own bone marrow. Magnetic resonance imaging data of the spinal cord, obtained from those who were treated, shows morphological changes within the damaged areas. In addition, this study documents the improved function of bladder control, ASIA motor scoring and Barthel scoring.

“Although this study was successful, we will build upon the results that we have achieved and the methods we have developed to progress into a larger clinical program. Responsibly, but timely developing ways to improve the quality of life for those affected with injuries or diseases, such as spinal cord injury, is the core of our mission and we are optimistic about the opportunity of conducting future studies in the US,” said Dr. Gonzalez.

from http://www.dvbiosciences.com/

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What are the differences between embryonic, adult and induced pluripotent stem cells? Where do the experts expect the next medical application will be for stem cells? Do stem cells promote regeneration? How are cell types interacting? How can induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells revolutionize drug discovery? Can cell therapies be made into a viable business? How close are we to finding the right business model? Are investors interested in stem cells today? What is the political and ethical landscape like now that the Obama administration has taken over the White House?

This is the Episode 1 of the Stem Cell Review, aired on October 1st, 2009

from http://www.biobusiness.tv/videos/201

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Scripps Research Institute scientists have offered new hope for parents whose children suffer from the rare genetic disorder ‘cystinosis’ by showing through an experiment on mice that stem cell transplantation can successfully correct the defect (…)

In the study, the researchers used bone marrow stem cell transplantation to address symptoms of cystinosis in a mouse model (…)

In the new study, the researchers found that transplanted bone marrow stem cells carrying the normal lysosomal cystine transporter gene abundantly engrafted into every tissue of the experimental mice (…)

“The results really surprised and encouraged us. Because the defect is present in every cell of the body, we did not expect a bone marrow stem cell transplant to be so widespread and effective,” says Cherqui.
Cherqui said that adult bone marrow stem cell therapy is particularly well suited as a potential treatment for cystinosis because these cells target all types of tissues.

In addition, stem cells reside in the bone marrow for the duration of a patient”s life, becoming active as needed, a particular benefit for a progressive disease like cystinosis. The study has been published in the journal Blood.

from http://www.newkerala.com/nkfullnews-1-114380.html

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What might become the first drug derived from human stem cells failed in two late-stage clinical trials, dealing a setback to the drug’s developer and to the stem cell field (…)

Prochymal is a preparation of mesenchymal stem cells, which are obtained from the bone marrow of healthy young adults.
Because the cells are derived from adults, they sidestep the ethical issues stemming from the destruction of human embryos needed to make embryonic stem cells. Unlike most other types of adult stem cells, mesenchymal cells grow well in culture, so thousands of doses can be produced from a single donation.

Stem cells, particularly in the form of bone marrow transplants, are already used in medicine. Osiris is hoping that Prochymal will become the first stem cell product approved by the Food and Drug Administration and sold as a mass-produced pharmaceutical product (…)

from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/health/research/09drug.html

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SCIENTISTS HAVE taken another important step towards producing replacement tissues for the body using stem cells. A group in Germany has developed a simpler way to produce these cells using just one special factor instead of the usual four.

The work helps build knowledge of how to produce the most powerful or “pluripotent” stem cells but new treatments using them are still some distance into the future, according to stem cell specialist Dr Stephen Sullivan.

Prof Hans Schöler led the work at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine and details are published this morning online by the journal Nature.

Pluripotent stem cells have huge potential to treat diseases because they are a kind of universal starter-cell, capable of becoming any of the 200 or so cells found in the body.

The best pluripotent cells are found in the developing foetus, but there are immediate ethical issues given they can only be recovered by destroying the foetus. Therefore researchers are trying to find ways to change other types of cells including adult cells into pluripotent stem cells.

Prof Schöler converted human fetal brain stem cells into pluripotent cells using just one special factor called OCT4.

Late in 2007, Prof Shinya Yamanaka and colleagues of Kyoto University announced he had used four special factors to turn human adult cells into pluripotent cells, the first to have accomplished this.

The question remains, however, whether these artificially produced stem cells will perform like natural pluripotent cells, stated Dr Sullivan, the chief scientific officer of the Irish Stem Cell Foundation, which will be formally launched towards the end of September.

from Irish Times

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