FDA Accepts NDA for Linzagolix for the Management of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Associated with Uterine Fibroids
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Obseva Announces U.S. FDA Acceptance of New Drug Application for Linzagolix
-Initiation of patient enrollment expected by year-end-
ZUG, Switzerland and CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and SAN DIEGO, Nov. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CRSP), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases, and ViaCyte, Inc., a clinical-stage regenerative medicine company developing novel cell replacement therapies to address diseases with significant unmet needs, today announced that Health Canada has approved the companies Clinical Trial Application (CTA) for VCTX210, an allogeneic, gene-edited, immune-evasive, stem cell-derived therapy for the treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D). Initiation of patient enrollment is expected by year-end.
With the approval of our CTA, we are excited to bring a first-in-class CRISPR-edited cell therapy for the treatment of type 1 diabetes to the clinic, an important milestone in enabling a whole new class of gene-edited stem cell-derived medicines, said Samarth Kulkarni, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of CRISPR Therapeutics. The combination of ViaCytes leading stem cell capabilities and CRISPR Therapeutics pre-eminent gene-editing platform has the potential to meaningfully impact the lives of patients living with type 1 diabetes.
Being first into the clinic with a gene-edited, immune-evasive cell therapy to treat patients with type 1 diabetes is breaking new ground as it sets a path to potentially broadening the treatable population by eliminating the need for immunosuppression with implanted cell therapies, said Michael Yang, President and Chief Executive Officer of ViaCyte. This approach builds on previous accomplishments by both companies and represents a major step forward for the field as we strive to provide a functional cure for this devastating disease.
The Phase 1 clinical trial of VCTX210 is designed to assess its safety, tolerability, and immune evasion in patients with T1D. This program is being advanced by CRISPR Therapeutics and ViaCyte as part of a strategic collaboration for the discovery, development, and commercialization of gene-edited stem cell therapies for the treatment of diabetes. VCTX210 is an allogeneic, gene-edited, stem cell-derived product developed by applying CRISPR Therapeutics gene-editing technology to ViaCytes proprietary stem cell capabilities and has the potential to enable a beta-cell replacement product that may deliver durable benefit to patients without requiring concurrent immune suppression.
About CRISPR Therapeutics CRISPR Therapeutics is a leading gene editing company focused on developing transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases using its proprietary CRISPR/Cas9 platform. CRISPR/Cas9 is a revolutionary gene editing technology that allows for precise, directed changes to genomic DNA. CRISPR Therapeutics has established a portfolio of therapeutic programs across a broad range of disease areas including hemoglobinopathies, oncology, regenerative medicine and rare diseases. To accelerate and expand its efforts, CRISPR Therapeutics has established strategic collaborations with leading companies including Bayer, Vertex Pharmaceuticals and ViaCyte, Inc. CRISPR Therapeutics AG is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, with its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, CRISPR Therapeutics, Inc., and R&D operations based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and business offices in San Francisco, California and London, United Kingdom. For more information, please visit http://www.crisprtx.com.
About ViaCyte ViaCyte is a privately held clinical-stage regenerative medicine company developing novel cell replacement therapies based on two major technological advances: cell replacement therapies derived from pluripotent stem cells and medical device systems for cell encapsulation and implantation. ViaCyte has the opportunity to use these technologies to address critical human diseases and disorders that can potentially be treated by replacing lost or malfunctioning cells or proteins. ViaCytes first product candidates are being developed as potential long-term treatments for patients with type 1 diabetes to achieve glucose control targets and reduce the risk of hypoglycemia and diabetes-related complications. To accelerate and expand ViaCytes efforts, it has established collaborative partnerships with leading companies, including CRISPR Therapeutics and W.L. Gore & Associates. ViaCyte is headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information, please visitwww.viacyte.comand connect with ViaCyte onTwitter,Facebook, andLinkedIn.
CRISPR Therapeutics Forward-Looking Statement This press release may contain a number of forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including statements made by Dr. Kulkarni and Mr. Yang in this press release, as well as regarding CRISPR Therapeutics expectations about any or all of the following: (i) the safety, efficacy and clinical progress of our various clinical programs including our VCTX210 program; (ii) the status of clinical trials (including, without limitation, activities at clinical trial sites) and expectations regarding data from clinical trials; (iii) the data that will be generated by ongoing and planned clinical trials, and the ability to use that data for the design and initiation of further clinical trials; and (iv) the therapeutic value, development, and commercial potential of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technologies and therapies, including as compared to other therapies. Without limiting the foregoing, the words believes, anticipates, plans, expects and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. You are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. Although CRISPR Therapeutics believes that such statements are based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of its knowledge of its business and operations, forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and they are necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk. Actual performance and results may differ materially from those projected or suggested in the forward-looking statements due to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: the potential for initial and preliminary data from any clinical trial and initial data from a limited number of patients not to be indicative of final trial results; the potential that clinical trial results may not be favorable; potential impacts due to the coronavirus pandemic, such as the timing and progress of clinical trials; that future competitive or other market factors may adversely affect the commercial potential for CRISPR Therapeutics product candidates; uncertainties regarding the intellectual property protection for CRISPR Therapeutics technology and intellectual property belonging to third parties, and the outcome of proceedings (such as an interference, an opposition or a similar proceeding) involving all or any portion of such intellectual property; and those risks and uncertainties described under the heading "Risk Factors" in CRISPR Therapeutics most recent annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly report on Form 10-Q and in any other subsequent filings made by CRISPR Therapeutics with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. CRISPR Therapeutics disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, other than to the extent required by law.
CRISPR Therapeutics Investor Contact: Susan Kim +1-617-307-7503 susan.kim@crisprtx.com
CRISPR Therapeutics Media Contact: Rachel Eides +1-617-315-4493 rachel.eides@crisprtx.com
ViaCyte Investor Contact: David Carey, Lazar-FINN Partners +1-212-867-1768 david.carey@finnpartners.com
ViaCyte Media Contact: Glenn Silver, Lazar-FINN Partners +1-973-818-8198 glenn.silver@finnpartners.com
DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPSC) Market Share, Size, Trends, Industry Analysis Report By Application (Manufacturing, Academic Research, Drug Development & Discovery, Toxicity Screening, Regenerative Medicine); By Derived Cell; By Region, Segment & Forecast, 2021 - 2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
The global Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPSC) market size is expected to reach $2,893.3 million by 2028
The ability to model human diseases in vitro as well as high-throughput screening has greatly propelled market growth. Companies have effectively overcome market hurdles faced in the recent past such as proper culturing and differentiation of derived cells at a commercial scale and have developed state-of-the-art manufacturing processes that can achieve scalability and can achieve stringent quality parameters. Such trends are propelling the overall industry growth.
Companies have also developed advanced platforms for Induced pluripotent stem cells that guarantee close connection with a host of in-house technologies that are useful in the proper definition of disease signatures as well as relationships between genetic mutations as well as that properly describe perturbation of specific molecular pathways. This has resulted in the creation of human translational models that are aiding better target identification of diseases that have high unmet medical needs.
Many companies have developed transfection kits, reprogramming vectors, differentiation media, live staining kits, immunocytochemistry, among others to aid the smooth workflow of iPSC production.
However, it has been observed in the recent past that the demand for cells for screening and other purposes is significant and that there are significant challenges that pose a significant hurdle in large-scale iPSC production and differentiation.
Heavy investment in R&D activities pertaining to the development and optimization of iPSC reprogramming process in order to achieve sufficient production is a key industry trend. In the recent past, companies focused more on hepatic, cardiac, pancreatic cells, among others.
However, with the advent of a number of new participants as well as advancements and breakthroughs achieved, it is anticipated that the application portfolio will further increase in the near future.
Industry participants operating in the industry are:
Key Topics Covered:
1. Introduction
2. Executive Summary
3. Research Methodology
4. iPSC Market Insights
4.1. iPSC - Industry Snapshot
4.2. iPSC Market Dynamics
4.2.1. Drivers and Opportunities
4.2.1.1. Increasing demand for body reconstruction procedures and tissue engineering
4.2.1.2. Rising Investments across the globe
4.2.2. Restraints and Challenges
4.2.2.1. Scalability Issues
4.3. Porter's Five Forces Analysis
4.4. PESTLE Analysis
4.5. iPSC Market Industry trends
4.6. COVID-19 Impact Analysis
5. Global iPSC Market, by Derived Cell
5.1. Key Findings
5.2. Introduction
5.3. Hepatocytes
5.4. Fibroblasts
5.5. Amniotic Cells
5.6. Cardiomyocytes
6. Global iPSC Market, by Application
6.1. Key Findings
6.2. Introduction
6.2.1. Global iPSC Market, by Application, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
6.3. Manufacturing
6.4. Academic Research
6.5. Drug Development & Discovery
6.6. Toxicity Screening
6.7. Regenerative Medicine
7. Global iPSC Market, by Geography
7.1. Key findings
7.2. Introduction
7.2.1. iPSC Market Assessment, By Geography, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
8. Competitive Landscape
8.1. Expansion and Acquisition Analysis
8.1.1. Expansion
8.1.2. Acquisitions
8.2. Partnerships/Collaborations/Agreements/Exhibitions
9. Company Profiles
9.1. Company Overview
9.2. Financial Performance
9.3. Product Benchmarking
9.4. Recent Development
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ykewbe
Stem cells help researchers create more complete genomic picture of difficult-to-study part of the brain involved in many key functions
Philadelphia, November 19, 2021 A study led by researchers at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has implicated several genes involved in a variety of bodily functions associated with the hypothalamus, a notoriously difficult-to-study region of the brain. The findings could help clinicians identify potential causes of dysfunction for many important traits regulated by the hypothalamus, such as sleep, stress, and reproduction.
The findings were published today in the journal Nature Communications.
The hypothalamus helps maintain health and stable metabolism by influencing a variety of vital functions, including appetite and thirst, puberty and reproductive timing, sleep cycles, and body temperature. However, the hypothalamus is located in the center of the brain, making it extremely difficult to study the gene regulation associated with these traits.
To overcome that hurdle, the researchers used an embryonic stem cell (ESC) model to study gene expression during development of the hypothalamus. This model allowed them to study the genetic architecture first in hypothalamic progenitor cells cells prior to their full development into a hypothalamus and then in arcuate nucleus-like hypothalamic neurons. The hypothalamus contains several different subtypes of neurons, and the researchers integrated results from various genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to implicate genes driving particular traits regulated by the hypothalamus.
By studying the three-dimensional genomic architecture of these cell models, we can see the dynamic process of how the hypothalamus is formed over different stages of development, said senior study author Struan F.A. Grant, PhD, Director of the Center for Spatial and Functional Genomics and the Daniel B. Burke Endowed Chair for Diabetes Research at CHOP. The information we yielded in this study provides us with more concrete information about diseases that are relevant to hypothalamic function.
Grant and his collaborators assessed variants associated with puberty, body mass index, height, bipolar disorder, sleep, and major depressive disorder, among others. They identified both known and novel genes associated with these traits. For example, their data confirmed the role of the BDNF of gene in influencing body mass index and obesity risk. Another gene of interest identified in the study was PER2, which was implicated in sleep regulation.
All the data ascertained from this study will be made publicly available. Many of the disorders studied can be caused by other factors, so the findings will help researchers distinguish which genes play a more central role in this tissue and in turn inform clinical practice. For example, body mass index can be affected by variants in genes conferring their effects in hypothalamus or fat tissue cells, so being able to distinguish the context in which genes and subsequent tissues or hormones operate can lead to more personalized treatment options.
The data set we derived from this study allows other researchers to determine which diseases or conditions are relevant when doing a genetic workup of the patient, Grant said. As more information about the hypothalamus is known, that information can be queried against this data set and potentially identify therapeutic targets for multiple disorders.
This research was supported by the National Center for Research Resources (UL1RR024134) and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (UL1TR000003). This research was also supported in part by the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (ITMAT) Transdisciplinary Program in Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health (NIH1K99HD099330-01), and National Institutes of Health grants DK52431-23, P30DK026687-41, R01 HD056465, R01 HG010067, R01 HL143790, and the Daniel B. Burke Endowed Chair for Diabetes Research.
Pahl et al, Cis-regulatory architecture of human ESC-derived hypothalamic neuron differentiation aids in variant-to-gene mapping of relevant complex traits. Nat Comm. Online November 19, 2021. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27001-4.
About Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia: Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nations first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, Childrens Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 564-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu
Nature Communications
Experimental study
Lab-produced tissue samples
Cis-regulatory architecture of human ESC-derived hypothalamic neuron differentiation aids in variant-to-gene mapping of relevant complex traits
19-Nov-2021
Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.
The new technique, which was developed at the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, was shown to convert human stem cells into cells producing insulin. The natural hormone is produced in the pancreas and allows the body to use glucose (sugar) from food for energy. People who suffer from diabetes struggle to produce enough insulin, which leads to a build-up of sugar in the bloodstream.
The St Louis researchers, however, believe their new technique can be used to effectively control blood sugar levels using converted stem cells.
The technique has so far been successfully tested on mice injected with the converted cells.
According to a report that is due to be published on February 24 in the online edition of the journal Nature Biotechnology, the mice were "functionally cured" for nine months.
Dr Jeffrey R. Millman, the principal investigator and assistant professor of medicine and of biomedical engineering, said: "These mice had very severe diabetes with blood sugar readings of more than 500 milligrams per deciliter of blood levels that could be fatal for a person and when we gave the mice the insulin-secreting cells, within two weeks their blood glucose levels had returned to normal and stayed that way for many months."
The same team of researchers has previously discovered how to convert human stem cells into so-called pancreatic beta cells to make insulin.
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When these cells are injected into the bloodstream, they secret the much-needed hormone.
However, the technique was found to have its limitations and was not proven to effectively control the disease in mice.
Their new research has now proven to be much more efficient and effective.
Embryonic stem cells are a type of cell that can be instructed to develop into all sorts of specialised cells.
These can range from simple tissue and muscle cells, to even brain cells.
Scientists worldwide believe stem cell research could unlock many new therapies for ailments such as Alzheimer's disease and HIV.
Dr Millman said: "A common problem when youre trying to transform a human stem cell into an insulin-producing beta cell or a neuron or a heart cell is that you also produce other cells that you dont want."
"In the case of beta cells, we might get other types of pancreas cells or liver cells."
Pancreas and liver cells do not cause any harm when injected into mice but they do not fight the disease either.
Dr Millman added: "The more off-target cells you get, the less therapeutically relevant cells you have.
"You need about a billion beta cells to cure a person of diabetes.
"But if a quarter of the cells you make are actually liver cells or other pancreas cells, instead of needing a billion cells, youll need 1.25 billion cells.
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"It makes curing the disease 25 percent more difficult."
With their new technique, the researchers found fewer off-target cells were produced and the beta cells that were created had improved.
The technique specifically targets the cell's so-called internal scaffolding or cytoskeleton.
The cytoskeleton is what gives cells their shape and allows them to interact with their environment.
Dr Millman said: "Its a completely different approach, fundamentally different in the way we go about it.
"Previously, we would identify various proteins and factors and sprinkle them on the cells to see what would happen.
"As we have better understood the signals, weve been able to make that process less random."
Although the study's results are promising, the expert added there is a long way to go before the technique can be developed into a treatment for humans.
The converted cells will need to be tested over longer periods of time and in bigger animals.
According to Diabetes UK, some 5.5 million people are estimated to have diabetes in the UK by 2030.
Right now, more than 4.9 million people are affected by the disease and 13.6 million people are at increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
About 90 percent of people with the disease have type 2 diabetes, and only about eight percent have type 1 diabetes.
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Diabetes breakthrough: Revolutionary stem cell technique treated 'severe' disease in study - Daily Express
The Regenerative therapy procedure is performed in an outpatient setting and only takes up to two hours. No general anaesthesia is required, and most patients dont need post-operative pain medication. After the procedure, patients typically return to work within a week or two and may resume physical activity much faster than after invasive surgery. Many patients report feeling marked improvement in their joint within one to three months.
For the procedure, PRP and cell concentrates are obtained from your body and prepared for injection. Once injected, cells follow inflammatory signals from damaged tissues and travel to the injured areas. These cells have multiple ways of repairing these damaged areas from inducing the production of natural anti-inflammatories which can assist with Osteoarthritis pain and swelling in the joint area to kick-starting the healing in injuries and stimulating regeneration. The anti-inflammatory effect lasts from 2-3 months. From there, you can see continued gradual improvement as the cells help provide healing to the affected area. However, you should not expect to see the full effect of the treatment earlier than six months, especially in the case of joint interventions. Variables like the type of disease or condition, age, lifestyle, comorbidities, general health and other factors also affect the outcome and length of recovery.
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Stem Cell Therapy: Alternative Treatment to Hip & Knee ...
Kids do the darndest things to their parents, and thats apparently true whether you have a chronic illness or not.
Selma Blair just shared a photo on Instagram of herself executing a perfect dive. At first, its like whoa, Selma has amazing form! but then you realize you can totally see her bare butt. Sotheres a backstory to this.
On Wednesday, Selma (who has multiple sclerosis) shared a photo of herself on Instagram preparing to dive into a pool. Given that Selma uses a cane to walk and has mobility issues, this was kind of a BFD. Well, just as Selma prepared to take the plunge, her 8-year-old son Arthur came out of nowhere and pushed her in, leaving Selma flailing as she fell.
Preparing to dive. A very big deal for me, she wrote in the caption. "Instead, I felt a tiny hand on swimsuit and lost any coordination. Her hashtags were hilarious: #terror #punkkid #payback is coming.
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Fast-forward to that gorgeous dive pic Victory. I dont give up. #bottomsup my boy is a #crackup@kidarthursaint, Selma wrote in the caption.
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Selma, who was diagnosed with MS more than a year ago, has been very candid with fans about her mobility issues. She often uses a cane for balance and occasionally uses an Alinker walking bike to help her get around.
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Selma recently revealed that she had been away from home for months to undergo treatment for her MS. One fan asked in the comments what differences she's noticed after having stem cell treatment, and she responded with this: "I can dive!"
Selma, FTW!
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Selma Blair Posts Nude Diving Photo After MS Stem Cell ...
Passage Of California Stem Cell Proposition Boosts Research
For the last decade and more, Stem Cell research and regenerative medicine have been the rave of the healthcare industry, a delicate area that has seen steady advancements over the last few years.
The promise of regenerative medicine is simple but profound that one day medical experts will be able to diagnose a problem, remove some of our body cells called stem cells and use them to grow a cure for our ailment. Using our body cells will create a highly personalized therapy attuned to our genes and systems.
The terminologies often used in this field of medicine can get a bit fuzzy for the uninitiated, so in this article, I have relied heavily on the insights of Christian Drapeau, a neurophysiologist and stem cell expert.
Drapeau was one of the first voices who discovered and began to speak about stem cells being the bodys repair system in the early 2000s. Since then, he has gone on to discover the first stem cell mobilizer, and his studies and research delivered the proof of concept that the AFA (Aphanizomenon flos-aquae) extract was capable of enhancing repair from muscle injury.
Christian Drapeau is also the founder of Kalyagen, astem cell research-based company, and the manufacturers of Stemregen. This stem cell mobilizer combines some of the most effective stem cell mobilizers Drapeau has discovered to create an effective treatment for varying diseases.
How exactly do stem cell-based treatments work? And how is it delivering on its promise of boosting our abilities to regenerate or self-heal?
Drapeau explains the concept for us;
Stem cells are mother cells or blank cells produced by the bone marrow. As they are released from the bone marrow stem cells can travel to any organ and tissue of the body, where they can transform into cells of that tissue.Stem cells constitute the repair system of the body.
The discovery of this function has led scientists on a long journey to discover how to use stem cells to cure diseases, which are essentially caused by cellular loss. Diseases like Diabetes and age-related degenerative diseases are all associated with the loss of a type of cell or cellular function.
However, what Drapeaus research has unearthed over the last few decades is that there are naturally occurring substances that show a demonstrated ability to induce the release of stem cells from the bone marrow. These stem cells then enter the bloodstream, from where they can travel to sites of cell deficiency or injury in the body to aid healing and regeneration. This process is referred to as Endogenous Stem Cell Mobilization (ESCM).
Stemregen is our most potent creation so far, explains Drapeau, and it has shown excellent results with the treatment of problems in the endocrine system, muscles, kidneys, respiratory systems, and even with issues of erectile dysfunction.
Despite the stunning advancements that have been made so far, a concern that both Drapeau and I share is how this innovation can be merged with another exciting innovation; AI.
Is it even a possibility? Drapeau, an AI enthusiast, explains that AI has already been a life-saver in stem cell research and has even more potential.
On closer observation, there are a few areas in which AI has greatly benefited stem cell research and regenerative medicine.
One obstacle that scientists have consistently faced with delivering the full promise of regenerative medicine is the complexity of the available data.Cells are so different from each other that scientists can struggle with predicting what the cells will do in any given therapeutic scenario. Scientists are faced with millions of ways that medical therapy could go wrong.
Most AI experts believe that in almost any field, AI can provide a solution whenever there is a problem with data analysis and predictive analysis.
Carl Simon, a biologist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Nicholas Schaub recentlytested this hypothesiswhen they applied Deep Neural Networks (DNN), an AI program to the data they had collected in their experiments on eye cells. Their research revolved around causes and solutions for age-related eye degeneration. The results were stunning; the AI made only one incorrect prediction about cell changes out of 36 predictions it was asked to make.
Their program learned how to predict cell function in different scenarios and settings from annotated images of cells. It soon could rapidly analyze images of the lab-grown eye tissues to classify the tissues as good or bad. This discovery has raised optimism in the stem cell research space.
Drapeau explains why this is so exciting;
When we talk about stem cells in general, we say stem cells as if they were all one thing, but there are many different types of stem cells.For example, hair follicle and dental pulp stem cells contain neuronal markers and can easily transform into neurons to repair the brain. Furthermore, the tissue undergoing repair must signal to attract stem cells and must secrete compounds to stimulate stem cell function. A complex analysis of the tissue that needs repair and the conditions of that tissue using AI, in any specific individual, will help select the right type of stem cells and the best cells in that stem cell population, along with the accompanying treatment to optimize stem cell-based tissue repair.
Christian Drapeau
Ina study published in Februaryof this year inStem Cells, researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) reported that their AI system, called DeepACT, had successfully identified healthy, productive skin stem cells with the same accuracy that a human could. This discovery further strengthens Drapeaus argument on the potentials of AI in this field.
This experiment owes its success to AIs machine learning capabilities, but it is expected that Deep Learning can be beneficially introduced into regenerative medicine.There are many futuristic projections for these possibilities, but many of them are not as far-fetched as they may first seem.
Researchers believe that AI can help fast-track the translation of regenerative medicine into clinical practice; the technology can be used to predict cell behavior in different environments. Therefore, hypothetically, it can be used to simulate the human environment. This means that researchers can gain in-depth information more rapidly.
Perhaps the most daring expectation is the possibility of using AI to pioneer the 3D printing of organs. In a world where organ shortage is a harsh reality, this would certainly come in handy. AI algorithms can be utilized to identify the best materials for artificial organs, understand the anatomic challenges during treatment, and design the organ.
Can stem cells actually be used along with other biological materials to grow functional 3D-printed organs? If this is possible, then pacemakers will soon give way to 3D-printed hearts. A 3D-printedheart valvehas already become a reality in India, making this even more of an imminent possibility.
While all of these possibilities excite Drapeau, he is confident that AIs capabilities with data analysis and prediction, which is already largely in use, would go down as its most beneficial contribution to stem cell research;
It was already shown that stem cells laid on the connective tissue of the heart, the soft skeleton of the heart, can lead the entire formation of a new heart. Stem cells have this enormous regenerative potential. AI can take this to another level by helping establish the conditions in which this type of regeneration can be orchestrated inside the body.But we have to be grateful for what we already have, over the last 20 years, I have studied endogenous stem cell mobilization and today the fact that we have such amazing results with Stemregen is testament that regenerative medicine is already a success.
As AI continues to scale over industry boundaries, we can only sit back and hope it delivers on its full potential promise. Who knows? Perhaps AI really can change the world.
Excerpt from:
How The Overlap Between Artificial Intelligence And Stem Cell Research Is Producing Exciting Results - Forbes
Stem cell therapy can help heart failure (HF) patients decrease their risk of a non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke, according to new research presented at the American Heart Associations Scientific Sessions 2021.
Researchers tracked data from 537 patients with heart failure withreduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).Eighty percent of the patients were men, and the median age was 63 years old.
Patients were split into two groups: 261 patients were injected with 150 million mesenchymal precursor cells [stem cells] provided by healthy donors directly into the heart using a catheter, and 276 patients underwent a fake procedure.
According to the authors, patients were discharged from the hospital the day after the procedure and were followed for an average of 30 months.
Overall, the team associated stem cell use with a 65% decrease in non-fatal MIs and stroke events. Also,patients with high levels of inflammation (CRP levels of at least 2 mg/L) were 79% less likely to have non-fatal MI or stroke after being given stem cells.
Moreover, stem cell treatment lowered cardiac death by 80% in patients with high levels of inflammation and less severe HF.
However, the team added, there was no reduction in hospitalizations for HF among patients who received stem cells.
Cell therapy has the potential to change how we treat HF, lead author Emerson C. Perin, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Clinical Research and medical director of the Texas Heart Institute in Houston, said in a prepared statement. This study addresses the inflammatory aspects of HF, which go mostly untreated, despite significant pharmaceutical and device therapy development. Our findings indicate stem cell therapy may be considered for use in addition to standard guideline therapies.
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Stem cell therapy for heart failure lowers risk of adverse outcomes - Cardiovascular Business
The patient has received no regular treatment for her infection but is a rare "elite controller" of the virus who, eight years after she was first diagnosed, shows no signs of active infection and shows no signs of intact virus in her body, researchers reported Monday. This has only been reported once before.
The 30-year-old woman in the new study is only the second patient who has been described as achieving this sterilizing cure without help from stem cell transplantation or other treatment. The other patient who has been described as achieving this was a 67-year-old woman named Loreen Willenberg.
"A sterilizing cure for HIV has previously only been observed in two patients who received a highly toxic bone marrow transplant. Our study shows that such a cure can also be reached during natural infection -- in the absence of bone marrow transplants (or any type of treatment at all)," Dr. Xu Yu, of the Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, MIT and Harvard, who was an author of the study, wrote in an email to CNN on Monday.
"Examples of such a cure that develops naturally suggest that current efforts to find a cure for HIV infection are not elusive, and that the prospects of getting to an 'AIDS-free generation' may ultimately be successful," Yu wrote.
Yu, Dr. Natalia Laufer in Argentina, and their colleagues analyzed blood samples collected from the 30-year-old HIV patient between 2017 and 2020. She had a baby in March 2020, allowing scientists to collect placental tissue, as well.
The patient was first diagnosed with HIV in March 2013. She started no antiretroviral treatment until 2019, when she became pregnant and began treatment with the drugs tenofovir, emtricitabine, and raltegravir for six months during her second and third trimesters, the researchers noted. After delivering a healthy HIV-negative baby, she stopped the therapy.
An analysis of billions of cells in her blood and tissue samples showed that she had been infected with HIV before but, during the analysis, the researchers found no intact virus that was capable of replicating. All they could find were seven defective proviruses -- a form of a virus that is integrated into the genetic material of a host cell as part of the replication cycle.
The researchers are not sure how the patient's body was able to apparently rid itself of intact, replication-competent virus but, "we think it's a combination of different immune mechanisms -- cytotoxic T cells are likely involved, innate immune mechanism may also have contributed," Yu wrote in her email.
"Expanding the numbers of individuals with possible sterilizing cure status would facilitate our discovery of the immune factors that lead to this sterilizing cure in broader population of HIV infected individuals."
Continued here:
A second HIV patient may have been 'cured' of infection without stem cell treatment, in extremely rare case - CNN