Study reveals how smoking worsens SARS-CoV-2 infection in the airways – UCLA Newsroom

UCLA researchers using a model of airway tissue created from human stem cells have pinpointed how smoking cigarettes causes more severe infection by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in the airways of the lungs.

The study, led by scientists at theEli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLAand published in Cell Stem Cell, will help researchersbetter understand COVID-19 risks for smokers and could inform the development of new therapeutic strategies to help reduce smokers chances of developing severe disease.

Cigarette smoking is one of the most common causes of lung diseases, including lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and most demographic studies of COVID-19 patients have indicated that current smokers are at increased risk of severe infection and death. But the reasons why have not been entirely clear.

To help understand how smoking affects SARS-CoV-2 infection on a cellular and molecular level, Dr. Brigitte Gomperts partnered with co-senior authors Vaithilingaraja Arumugaswami, an associate professor of molecular and medical pharmacology, and Kathrin Plath, a professor of biological chemistry, to recreate what happens when the airways of a current smoker are infected with SARS-CoV-2.

The team utilized a platform known as an airliquid interface culture, which is grown from human airway stem cells and closely replicates how the airways behave and function in humans. The airways, which carry air breathed in from the nose and mouth to the lungs, are the bodys first line of defense against airborne pathogens like viruses, bacteria and smoke.

Our model replicates the upper part of the airways, which is the first place the virus hits, said Gomperts, a professor pulmonary medicine and member of theUCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. This is the part that produces mucus to trap viruses, bacteria and toxins and contains cells with finger-like projections that beat that mucus up and out of the body.

The airliquid interface cultures used in the study were grown from airway stem cells taken from the lungs of five young, healthy, nonsmoking tissue donors. To replicate the effects of smoking, the researchers exposed these airway cultures to cigarette smoke for three minutes per day over four days.

This type of model has been used to study lung diseases for over a decade and has been shown to mimic the changes in the airway that you would see in a person who currently smokes, said Gomperts, who is also vice chair of research in pediatric hematology-oncology at theUCLA Childrens Discovery and Innovation Institute.

Next, the group infected the cultures exposed to cigarette smoke along with identical cultures that had not been exposed with live SARS-CoV-2 virus, and the two groups were compared. In the models exposed to smoke, the researchers saw between two and three times more infected cells.

Digging further, the researchers determined that smoking resulted in more severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, at least in part, by blocking the activity of immune system messenger proteins called interferons. Interferons play a critical role in the bodys early immune response by triggering infected cells to produce proteins to attack the virus, summoning additional support from the immune system, and alerting uninfected cells to prepare to fight the virus. Cigarette smoke is known to reduce the interferon response in the airways.

If you think of the airways like the high walls that protect a castle, smoking cigarettes is like creating holes in these walls, Gomperts said. Smoking reduces the natural defenses and that allows the virus to set in.

Co-first authors of the study are Arunima Purkayastha, Chandani Sen, Gustavo Garcia Jr. and Justin Langerman, all of UCLA.

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the UCLA Medical Scientist Training Program, aUCLA David Geffen School of MedicineBroad Stem Cell Research Center COVID-19 Research Award, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, theUCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute (supported by National Institutes of Healths National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences), the Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, and the Ablon Scholars Program at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center.

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Study reveals how smoking worsens SARS-CoV-2 infection in the airways - UCLA Newsroom

Cell Expansion Market Analysis, COVID-19 Impact,Outlook, Opportunities, Size, Share Forecast and Supply Demand 2021-2027|Trusted Business Insights -…

Trusted Business Insights answers what are the scenarios for growth and recovery and whether there will be any lasting structural impact from the unfolding crisis for the Cell Expansion market.

Trusted Business Insights presents an updated and Latest Study on Cell Expansion Market 2020-2029. The report contains market predictions related to market size, revenue, production, CAGR, Consumption, gross margin, price, and other substantial factors. While emphasizing the key driving and restraining forces for this market, the report also offers a complete study of the future trends and developments of the market.The report further elaborates on the micro and macroeconomic aspects including the socio-political landscape that is anticipated to shape the demand of the Cell Expansion market during the forecast period (2020-2029). It also examines the role of the leading market players involved in the industry including their corporate overview, financial summary, and SWOT analysis.

Get Sample Copy of this Report @ Cell Expansion Market 2020 and Forecast 2021-2027 Includes Business Impact Analysis of COVID-19

Report Overview: Cell Expansion Market

The global cell expansion market size was estimated at USD 18.1 billion in 2020 is expected to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.3% over the forecast period 2021-2027. Increase in usage of automated solutions in cell expansion applications is one of the market drivers. Automated systems minimize the manpower and cost incurred during the production of Cell Therapy Products (CTP), gene therapies, and other biologics; leading to robust and reliable processes.

Key players engaged in CTP development are expanding their product line to suffice the significant rise in the global demand for these therapy products. For instance, in March 2019, Lonza introduced a comprehensive portfolio of CellBio Services, which includes cell-line expansion and banking services. This solution is designed to fulfill research application requirements, finally accelerating the revenue generation in the market.

The paradigm shift toward Single-Use Systems (SUS) offers substantial production advantages in CTP manufacturing. SUS eliminates concerns of cross-contamination and culture contamination caused due to inappropriate sterilization. SUS also allows the production of CTP with high cell densities as well as offers cost-savings in the long run. Thus, a rise in the adoption of SUS surges the development of CTP, which boosts the market growth.

Cellular therapies are constantly gaining popularity in the life sciences industry. Rise in funding from private & government organizations and initiatives undertaken by them to encourage the development of cellular therapies act as drivers for the market. The International Society for Stem Cell Research is involved in the identification of stem cell-related funding opportunities across biomedical research applications.

Substitution of serum and other incompatible reagents is essential to control the quality of the product in CTP manufacturing. Several research studies have validated that the application of serum-free media controls product quality. Researchers have also developed an optimization platform that integrates high-throughput tools with a differential evolution-based algorithm, which acts as an automated effective optimization strategy for serum-free culture formulations.

Product Insights: Cell Expansion Market

Consumables led the product segment in 2019 and accounted for 46.8% of the overall share. It is estimated to retain its dominant position throughout the forecast years. Availability of a wide range of commercial media and reagent products that are dedicated to specific type of cells contributes to the large revenue share of this segment. In addition, these products are convenient, ready-to-use, and are also available as serum-free formulations.

The instruments segment is expected to register the highest CAGR over the forecast period owing to automation in bioreactors and other expansion platforms to enhance the efficiency of culturing procedures. The advent of automated platforms standardizes the process and facilitates process tracking while reducing the hands-on time; therefore, enables more effective use of the time of skilled personnel.

Continuous commercialization and introduction of automated culturing equipment also drive the revenue generation in the instruments segment. For instance, in March 2019, Hitachi, Ltd. commercialized its automated cell mass culture equipment in Japan. This commercialization allowed manufacture of induced pluripotent stem cells for regenerative medicine applications. Such efforts are expected to accelerate the revenue generation for instruments.

Cell Type Insights: Cell Expansion Market

Mammalian cells segment held the largest revenue share of 58.5% in 2019 and will remain dominant during the forecast period as these culture systems are highly preferred in production of complex protein therapeutics. This is because these systems are pharmacokinetically and functionally relevant to post-translational modifications in humans. Therefore, most of the biopharmaceuticals, including monoclonal antibodies, specific interferons, thrombolytics, and various therapeutic enzymes, are produced using these culture systems.

Differentiated human cells accounted for substantial revenue share as these cells perform a specific function in the body. Differentiated cells, such as fibroblasts, have gained immense importance in the cutaneous wound healing and skin bioengineering, thereby augmenting the segment growth. Moreover, evaluation of 3D Gingival Fibroblast (GF) toroids as a feasible and simple in vitro assay for biomaterial testing has expanded their usage rate.

Human stem cells have gained significant traction and are expected to witness the fastest CAGR from 2020 to 2027. The exponential growth of research in this sector and the huge success of regenerative medicine are among the key factors that can be attributed to the fastest growth rate. Furthermore, implementation of automated, robotic, and closed production systems in the manufacturing of clinical-grade mesenchymal stem cells drives the segment.

Application Insights: Cell Expansion Market

The biopharmaceutical segment captured the largest revenue share of 22.9% in 2019 owing to increase in the approvals of biopharmaceutical products in the past few years. The entry of new biopharmaceutical companies and the proliferation of bioprocessing technologies further drive the development of biopharmaceuticals, which, in turn, boosts the expansion procedures conducted during bio-production.

In addition, single-use technologies are gaining immense traction in manufacturing cellular therapies on a commercial level. The introduction of alternative planar cell expansion technologies, such as compact multi-layer bioreactors, has been witnessed over the years. This sufficed the requirement of closed systems that limits the potential risks associated with contamination and maintains control of a large-scale upstream production and unit production. The vaccine production segment is expected to witness the fastest growth rate during the forecast period due to the expansion of cell-based vaccine production in recent years. The production of these vaccines offers a cost-effective manufacturing solution while accelerating the development process.

End-use Insights: Cell Expansion Market

Biotechnology & biopharmaceutical companies segment held the largest share of 48% in 2019 and will expand further at a significant growth rate. The broadening horizon of cell-based therapeutics in the healthcare industry is one of the major factors contributing to the large share of biopharmaceutical companies. For instance, cellular-based therapies have gained immense popularity in regenerative medicine with constant improvements in injectable cell delivery systems for various clinical applications.

In addition, pharmaceutical & biopharmaceutical companies are also engaged in acquisitions to expand their product portfolio. For instance, in December 2019, Sartorius AG signed an agreement to acquire 50% shares of Biological Industries, an Israeli cell culture media manufacturer. This acquisition expanded the cell culture media portfolio of Sartorius, especially for cellular and gene therapies, regenerative medicine, and other advanced therapies.

Research institutes are anticipated to register the highest CAGR from 2020 to 2027 as researchers are engaged in several studies in the biomedical field. For instance, in April 2019, researchers at the University of Wisconsin, U.S., introduced a new technology for effortless development of the H3N2 vaccine. For this, they developed a new cell line that enhanced the growth of H3N2 for vaccine use. Such research findings are expected to help in introducing new products in this market.

Regional Insights: Cell Expansion Market

North America accounted for the largest share of 43.1% in 2019. The region will retain its leading position over the coming years due to a rise in funding initiatives by the government agencies, which has accelerated the manufacture of stem cells and the development of regenerative medicine and cellular therapy products. This, in turn, drives the demand for cell expansion platforms in this region.

For instance, in October 2019, the FDA and the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC) together provided funding of USD 5.3 million to the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) (U.S.). The SwRI invested these funds to propagate cells for the development of personalized regenerative medicine. Such investments boost the revenue generation in this region.

Asia Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period due to increasing efforts laid down by several local pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to develop and commercialize their cellular therapies. An Indian company, Stempeutics Research Pvt. Ltd., signed an alliance with Kemwell Biopharma in July 2019 for the commercialization of its stem cell-based product, Stempeucel. Such agreements are expected to boost product sales of small- and mid-scale companies.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights: Cell Expansion Market

Key market participants are undertaking several initiatives to expand their market presence and maintain a competitive edge in the space. Moreover, they are involved in collaboration & partnership models, product development, agreements, and business expansion strategies in untapped regions.

For instance, in June 2019, Demcon acquired a share in the Scinus Cell Expansion B.V., a manufacturer of stem cell-based therapy equipment headquartered in the Netherlands. This acquisition helped Scinus to expand its business in the stem cell therapy market. Such growth initiatives are expected to enhance the utilization rate of bioreactors used for culturing stem cells, thereby leading to market growth. Some of the prominent players in the cell expansion market include:

Key companies Profiled: Cell Expansion Market Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2016 to 2027. For the purpose of this study, Trusted Business Insights has segmented the global cell expansion market report on the basis of product, cell type, application, end use, and region:

Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 2027)

Cell Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 2027)

Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 2027)

End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 2027)

Looking for more? Check out our repository for all available reports on Cell Expansion in related sectors.

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University of Alberta research team poised to cure diabetesagain – The Post – Ontario

The team, led by Dr. James Shapiro, has been able to consistently cure diabetes in mice and is now looking to move to human trials

Published on: November 18, 2020 | Last Updated: November 18, 2020 10:56 AM EST

Dr. James Shapiro, a liver transplant surgeon with the University of Alberta and director of the Clinical Islet and Living Donor Liver Transplant programs with Alberta Health Services, inspects the OrganOx Metra portable ex-vitro perfusion device - the first of its kind in North America - at the University of Alberta Hospital on Wednesday, March 18, 2015. PHOTO BY CLAIRE THEOBALD/EDMONTON SUN.

Almost 20 years after a University of Alberta research group made medical history by improving on a treatment for diabetes, the same team is trying to do it again.

Dr. James Shapiro and his research team at the university say theyve been able to cure diabetes in mice, CTV Alberta reports. The team is using a technique that involves stem cells developing into pancreatic cells that can produce insulin. They believe their research can translate into a functional human cure for diabetes.

Weve been working with a company called ViaCyte in San Diego for the last, almost 19 years now, and this company has a cell that is derived from a human embryonic stem cell that makes human insulin in a regulated, perfect way, Dr. Shapiro said in video research update. Weve been able to treat countless thousands of mice with these stem cells and effectively cure mice with diabetes over many years now.

In the late 1990s, Dr. Shapiro and his team in Edmonton improved on the technique of transplanting insulin-producing islet cells from the pancreases of donors into type 1 diabetics. Their technique, which relies on using a large number of the islet cells from as many as three different donors, was published to The New England Journal of Medicinein 2000 and became known as the Edmonton protocol.

Unfortunately, islet cell implantation has major limitations. Transplant recipients are forced to take immunosuppressant anti-rejection drugs that come with a grocery list of side effects, such as high blood pressure and increased risk of infections. Then theres the lack of supply organ donations and the risk that, in most cases, the diabetic patient will slowly have to start reintegrating insulin over the years.

The stem cell therapy that Dr. Shapiro is proposing has none of these drawbacks. The University of Alberta team foresee a one-time injection with possible re-ups later on of insulin-producing cells derived from human stem cells. No need for immunosuppressants or organ donations.

Now, the team is ready to move on to human trials. The only obstacle: money. A small volunteer group, Heading to 2022, wants to raise $22 million by 2022 to help bring Dr. Shapiros new treatment to the next phase of trials.

2022 will be the 100th anniversary of the first successful insulin injection. In 1922, Dr. Frederick Banting and his small team, working out of the University of Toronto, saved the life of a 14-year-old-boy named Leonard Thompson, who was dying from diabetes.

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University of Alberta research team poised to cure diabetesagain - The Post - Ontario

Comprehensive Report on Stem Cell Assay Market 2020 | Size, Growth, Demand, Opportunities & Forecast To 2026 | Bio-Techne Corporation, Promega…

Stem Cell Assay Market research report is the new statistical data source added by A2Z Market Research.

Stem Cell Assay Market is growing at a High CAGR during the forecast period 2020-2026. The increasing interest of the individuals in this industry is that the major reason for the expansion of this market.

Stem Cell Assay Market research is an intelligence report with meticulous efforts undertaken to study the right and valuable information. The data which has been looked upon is done considering both, the existing top players and the upcoming competitors. Business strategies of the key players and the new entering market industries are studied in detail. Well explained SWOT analysis, revenue share and contact information are shared in this report analysis.

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Note In order to provide more accurate market forecast, all our reports will be updated before delivery by considering the impact of COVID-19.

Top Key Players Profiled in this report are:

Bio-Techne Corporation, Promega Corporation, Merck KGaA, STEMCELL Technologies, GE Healthcare, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Cellular Dynamics International, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Hemogenix, Cell Biolabs

The key questions answered in this report:

Various factors are responsible for the markets growth trajectory, which are studied at length in the report. In addition, the report lists down the restraints that are posing threat to the global Stem Cell Assay market. It also gauges the bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, threat from new entrants and product substitute, and the degree of competition prevailing in the market. The influence of the latest government guidelines is also analyzed in detail in the report. It studies the Stem Cell Assay markets trajectory between forecast periods.

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Global Stem Cell Assay Market Segmentation:

Market Segmentation by Type:

Viability/Cytotoxicity Isolation & Purification Cell Identification Proliferation Differentiation Function Apoptosis

Market Segmentation by Application:

Regenerative Medicine & Therapy Development Drug Discovery and Development Clinical Research

Regions Covered in the Global Stem Cell Assay Market Report 2020: The Middle East and Africa(GCC Countries and Egypt) North America(the United States, Mexico, and Canada) South America(Brazil etc.) Europe(Turkey, Germany, Russia UK, Italy, France, etc.) Asia-Pacific(Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Australia)

The report provides insights on the following pointers:

Table of Contents

Global Stem Cell Assay Market Research Report 2020 2026

Chapter 1 Stem Cell Assay Market Overview

Chapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Industry

Chapter 3 Global Market Competition by Manufacturers

Chapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by Region

Chapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions

Chapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type

Chapter 7 Global Market Analysis by Application

Chapter 8 Manufacturing Cost Analysis

Chapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers

Chapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders

Chapter 11 Market Effect Factors Analysis

Chapter 12 Global Stem Cell Assay Market Forecast

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Asia Pacific ultra-low temperature freezer market is anticipated to reach US$ 159.04 million by 2027 from US$ 109.02 million in 2019 – GlobeNewswire

November 18, 2020 10:51 ET | Source: ReportLinker

New York, Nov. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Asia Pacific Ultra-Low Temperature Freezer Market to 2027 Regional Analysis and Forecasts by Type ; End User ; and, Country" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05953753/?utm_source=GNW Growing R&D activities to introduce new drug compounds, is likely to damage the growth of the market in the coming years.

On the other hand, development in the healthcare market is expected to have a positive impact on the growth of the Asia Pacific ultra-low temperature freezer market in the coming years. Ultra-low temperature freezers are designed for storage of biological materials such as virus, bacteria, eukaryotic cells, blood, and semen. These freezers are used in blood banks, hospitals, epidemic prevention services, research institutes, and biomedical engineering facilities, among others. Pharmaceutical companies focus on R&D to introduce new molecules for various therapeutic applications with enhanced medical and commercial potential. The companies invest majorly on R&D activities with an aim to delivering high quality and innovative products in the market. R&D spending by biopharmaceutical companies has been increasing over the years. According to the report of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the R&D expenditure of the biopharmaceutical companies has increased from US$ 49.6 billion in 2012 to US$ 58.8 billion in 2015. Among the worlds top 50 companies by total R&D investment in the fiscal year 2014/2015 were 16 pharmaceutical companies. Novartis, Roche, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer are among the top 10 leading R&D investing companies worldwide. Temperature accuracy and monitoring are the major aspects in medical science to preserve and store temperature-sensitive biomedical components that are frequently used for new drug development. Thus, the growing R&D expenditure to introduce new drug compounds will require reliable storage; this, in turn, is expected to drive the growth of the ultra-low temperature freezers market during the forecast period. As per the S&P Global ratings, the COVID-19 outbreak is expected to wipe approximately US$ 200 billion of Asia Pacific economies this year, sending growth rate to its lowest level.The outbreak has spread to at least 85 countries in the region and is expected to hamper the market growth as investors fret over its economic impact.

The total reported COVID-19 cases in the major countries of APAC are: china (82,295), Japan (8,100), and India (11,555).The pharmaceutical companies in the region are working on drug discovery and clinical testing processes on a large scale.

However, China and Japan have been frontiers in the research activities including the development of stem cell therapies, cell therapies, and regenerative medicine. Therefore, the ultra-low temperature freezer market in APAC is anticipated to be less affected by the pandemic situation. In terms of type, the upright ULT freezers segment accounted for the largest share of the Asia Pacific ultra-low temperature freezer market in 2019 and is estimated to mark the highest CAGR in the market during the forecast period, owing to the factors such as easier to organize because of having shelves. Also, the convenience of use of upright freezers has led to its dominance during 2019 and is expected to witness similar trend over the coming years. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Biomedical Research Centers (BRCs), Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (SIMIT), and International Society for Stem Cell Application (ISSCA) are among the significant primary and secondary sources for ultra-low temperature freezer included in the report. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05953753/?utm_source=GNW

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Asia Pacific ultra-low temperature freezer market is anticipated to reach US$ 159.04 million by 2027 from US$ 109.02 million in 2019 - GlobeNewswire

California’s Stem Cell Agency Will Get A Funding Boost From Prop 14. Here’s A Look At Its History. – Capital Public Radio News

After a week of being too close to call, Californias Proposition 14 has passed, allowing the state to issue $5.5 billion in bonds for stem cell research.

The measure flew under the radar early in the election season, with almost no opposition and $15 million spent by proponents. But Californians were split on the measure, with just 51% of residents voting yes as of Nov. 12 when the race was called.

Proposition 14 was brought forward by real estate developer Robert Klein, who formerly served as board chairman of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). The agency was created by another ballot proposition in 2004, and remains one of the only state-funded stem cell research agencies in the United States.

John Matsusaka, a University of Southern California economist with a focus on the ballot process, says this measure put a tough decision on voters.

Theres many useful things you might want to do research on, is this the one you want to put so much money into, he asked. This was an interest group who said they wanted to carve out one thing for themselves which raises some questions.

CIRM was envisioned as a mecca of biological discovery that would make California a leader in curing diseases such as Alzheimers, cancer and diabetes. Proponents say a new injection of state funding will help them continue this important work.

But the agency has faced criticism over the years from those who feel the promised research hasnt materialized, and that conflicts of interest have compromised the institutes integrity.

David Jensen, author of a book about the Institute called Californias Great Stem Cell Experiment, says even with the passage of Proposition 14, doubts about the agencys future remain.

[In 2004], people were led to believe that stem cell therapies and cures were right around the corner. That did not turn out to be the case, he said. It's very important to finance stem cell research. The question is, should the state do that?

Controversial Beginnings

California voters were first asked to weigh in on stem cell funding in 2004. At the time, George W. Bush was in the White House and had banned federally funded embryonic stem cell research.

That meant California scientists investigating HIV/AIDS treatments, Parkinson's cures and more were fighting over a trickling well of funding. So they took to the ballot with Proposition 71, which passed with 59% of the votes. That allowed the state to issue $3 billion in bonds for the creation of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

Because of the timing, it was a shot in the arm to the field, said Zach Hall, who served as the first president of CIRM.

Proposition 14 opponents argue that because former President Barack Obama lifted restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, California scientists can now lean on federal grants and private industry funding to carry their work through.

The NIH could support most of the work that CIRM has funded in the past 10 years, and so the rationale for having a new proposition and increasing the amount of money is unclear, Hall said. You could say just as well why dont we have a state agency to fund CRISPR research?

But supporters argue that federal grants are competitive, and there isnt enough money in the national cache or in private industry to backfill what CIRM provides for researchers across the state.

Robert Klein, former chairman of the Institutes board and leader of the campaign supporting Proposition 14, said that without new bond funding, the Institutes existing research projects would be out of money once they reach the ends of their current grant cycles.

Those trials will not have any funding available to take them forward, he said. And we have a pent-up demand waiting for these new funds from Prop 14 for dozens of new trials for new therapies.

Last summer CIRM told researchers it would stop accepting new grant applications, with the exception of $5 million in emergency funding it set aside for COVID-19 research.

Where Did The First $3 Billion Go?

Supporters of Proposition 14 say the work that CIRM has done over the years has brought California to the forefront in stem cell research, and laid the groundwork for cures to hundreds of diseases.

The agency has distributed hundreds of research grants to public and private universities, medical research institutions and for-profit companies.

Nearly 40%of that money has gone into basic research that helps scientists understand stem cells and how they might be used in medicine, according to a San Francisco Chronicle analysis of CIRM spending. The list of conditions researchers have focused on is long, and includes heart disease, Huntingtons, leukemia, Alzheimers and glioblastoma, to name just a few.

CIRM put 16% of the money into building infrastructure, including about a dozen stem cell research centers, according to the analysis. Another $388 million went toward taking research out of the lab and applying it to humans.

Of the 90 clinical trials the Institute has funded, two drugs have earned FDA approval for fatal forms of blood cancer, according to the campaign supporting the proposition.

The campaign reports CIRM-funded researchers have published 2,900 medical discoveries.

From Sacramento to San Francisco to LA to San Diego, these world eminent scientist leaders in this field came together and said we have to have this funding to go forward, Klein said. We cant attract and hold the best scientists in the world unless we can show them that the therapies they work on are going to actually be able to get to patients.

Supporters also argue that Proposition 71 was an economic boon for the Golden State. A 2019 study from the University of Southern California (commissioned by CIRM) estimates that the Institutes impact on Californias economy is $10.7 billion in gross output, $641.3 million in tax revenue and nearly 56,000 jobs created.

But Matsusaka, a USC economics professor who was not affiliated with that study, says hes doubtful that the $5.5 billion that Proposition 14 will inject into stem cell research will be the job-generator California needs now.

This is money thats channeling into research, into scientists, into highly skilled white collar workers who are very fully employed already, he said. If you were pouring money into restaurant workers or something like that I think there could be a stimulating effect because thats where theres a big pool of people who are unemployed right now. Its hard for me to see how pouring money into this could have a stimulating effect.

And he says pulling money out of other sectors to support this work could do harm to the states economy more broadly.

Conflicts of Interest

At several points during its 16-year history, CIRM has been criticized for conflicts of interest between its board and the researchers it supports.

An analysis from the California Stem Cell Report, which has been tracking the agency since its inception, found that Stanford University, UCLA and UC San Diego are the top recipients of CIRM funding, and they all have representatives on the CIRM board.

Far too many board members represent organizations that receive CIRM funding or benefit from that funding, wrote the National Academy of Medicine in a 2012 study of the agency. These competing personal and professional interests compromise the perceived independence of the ICOC (the CIRM governing board), introduce potential bias into the boards decision making, and threaten to undermine confidence in the board.

In 2014, a former CIRM president left his job and almost immediately took a high-paying position at an agency that receives research funding from the Institute. David Jensen with California Stem Cell Report has tracked several other conflict of interest issues within the organization.

He says Proposition 14 changes some legal definitions and increases the number of people on the board from 29 to 35, but does not do anything to ameliorate those problems.

If youve got the dean of the medical school at UC Davis sitting on that board, voting on programs that might benefit his or her institution, legally or not thats still a conflict of interest, he said.

The agency has historically argued that the relationships between its board members and the scientists it supports are in line with its established conflict of interest policies.

After Proposition 14 was declared successful, the campaign supporting it called the measure one of the most important investments our state can make.

Over the past decade, California has made incredibly thoughtful and impactful investments in developing stem cell therapies and cures for diseases and conditions like diabetes, cancer, blindness, Parkinsons, paralysis and many more, wrote Robert and Danielle Klein, with the Californians for Stem Cell Research, Treatments and Cures campaign, in a statement. Now we know this progress and work to mitigate human suffering, restore health and improve the human condition will continue.

The measure will ultimately result in California taking on $7.8 billion dollars in debt, including interest.

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California's Stem Cell Agency Will Get A Funding Boost From Prop 14. Here's A Look At Its History. - Capital Public Radio News

Gene-edited monkey embryos give researchers new way to study HIV cure – University of Wisconsin-Madison

A gene that cured a man of HIV a decade ago has been successfully added to developing monkey embryos in an effort to study more potential treatments for the disease.

Timothy Brown, known for years as the Berlin Patient, received a transplant of bone marrow stem cells in 2007 to treat leukemia. The cells came from a donor with a rare genetic mutation that left the surfaces of their white blood cells without a protein called CCR5. When Browns immune system was wiped out and replaced by the donated cells, his new immune systems cells carried the altered gene.

This mutation cuts a chunk out of the genome so that it loses a functional gene, CCR5, that is a co-receptor for HIV, says Ted Golos, a University of WisconsinMadison reproductive scientist and professor of comparative biosciences and obstetrics and gynecology. Without CCR5, the virus cant attach to and enter cells to make more HIV. So, in Timothy Browns case, his infection was eliminated.

In 2019, a second cancer patient Adam Castillejo, initially identified as the London patient was cleared of his HIV by a stem cell transplant conferring the same mutation.

Thats very exciting, and there have been some follow up studies. But its been complicated, to say the least, Golos says.

Between the two transplants came a more infamous application of the mutation, when in 2018 Chinese biophysicist He Jiankui announced he had used the DNA-editing tool CRISPR to write the mutation into the DNA of a pair of human embryos. His work drew criticism from scientists concerned with the ethics of altering genes that can be passed down to human offspring, and he was jailed by the Chinese government for fraud.

The promise of the CCR5 mutation remains, but not without further study. The mutation occurs naturally in fewer than 1 percent of people, suggesting that it may not be associated only with positive health outcomes. An animal model for research can help answer open questions.

Given interest in moving forward gene-editing technologies for correcting genetic diseases, preclinical studies of embryo editing in nonhuman primates are very critical, says stem cell researcher Igor Slukvin, a UWMadison professor of pathology and laboratory medicine.

Golos, Slukvin and colleagues at UWMadisons Wisconsin National Primate Research Center and schools of Veterinary Medicine and Medicine and Public Health employed CRISPR to edit the DNA in newly fertilized embryos of cynomolgus macaque monkeys. They published their work recently in the journal Scientific Reports.

Slukvins lab had already established a method for slicing the CCR5-producing gene out of the DNA in human pluripotent stem cells, which can be used to generate immune cells resistant to HIV.

We used that same targeting construct that we already knew worked in cells, and delivered it to one-cell fertilized embryos, says Jenna Kropp Schmidt, a Wisconsin National Primate Research Center scientist. The thought is that if you make the genetic edit in the early embryo that it should propagate through all the cells as the embryo grows.

Primate Center scientist Nick Strelchenko found that as much as one-third of the time the gene edits successfully deleted the sections of DNA in CRISPRs crosshairs base pairs in both of the two copies of the CCR5 gene on a chromosome and were carried on into new cells as the embryos grew.

The goal now is to transfer these embryos into surrogates to produce live offspring who carry the mutation, Schmidt says.

Cynomolgus macaques are native to Southeast Asia, but a group of the monkeys has lived in isolation on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius for about 500 years. Because the entire Mauritian monkey line descends from a small handful of founders, they have just seven variations of the major histocompatibility complex, the group of genes that must be matched between donor and recipient for a successful bone marrow transplant. There are hundreds of MHC variations in humans.

With MHC-matched monkeys carrying the CCR5 mutation, the researchers would have a reliable way to study how successful the transplants are against the simian immunodeficiency virus, which works in monkeys just like HIV does in humans.

Anti-retroviral drugs have really positively changed the expectation for HIV infection, but in some patients, they may not be as effective. And theyre certainly not without long-term consequences, says Golos, whose work is funded by the National Institutes of Health. So, this is potentially an alternative approach, which also allows us to expand our understanding of the immune system and how it might protect people from HIV infection.

The animal model could lead to the development of gene-edited human hematopoietic stem cells the type that work in bone marrow to produce many kinds of blood cells that Slukvin and Golos say could be used as an off-the-shelf treatment for HIV infection.

This research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (R24OD021322, P51OD011106, K99 HD099154-01, RR15459-01 and RR020141-01).

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Gene-edited monkey embryos give researchers new way to study HIV cure - University of Wisconsin-Madison

Lineage Cell Therapeutics Proudly Supports Patients’ Access to Innovative Cell Therapy Treatments and Research Through Passage of Proposition 14 -…

CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American and TASE: LCTX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel cell therapies for unmet medical needs, strongly endorses the recent passing of Proposition 14 in California. This bill will enhance patients access to groundbreaking stem cell therapy treatments by authorizing the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) the ability to fund up to $5.5 billion in grants to support therapeutic development, medical research, and facilities based on stem cell technologies. This initiative builds upon the success of Proposition 71, which issued approximately $3 billion for the funding of stem cell research and led to important medical advances, including functional cures in some patients receiving cell therapy treatments. The development of Lineages OPC1 oligodendrocyte progenitor cell therapy for the treatment of acute spinal cord injury (SCI), was one of the first clinical trials supported by CIRM and has showed durable and encouraging results in some patients.

At Lineage, the patients and their families inspire us to advance cell therapy products and this recent approval of Proposition 14 ensures that access to cutting edge cell-based therapies can continue from companies like ours, stated Brian M. Culley, Lineage CEO. Cell therapy has the ability to make a profound impact on millions of lives and the passage of Proposition 14 reflects Californias serious commitment to supporting innovative local companies through the expensive and time-consuming process required to discover and test new cell-based therapies and will drive further innovation in stem cell development and research. Of note, our clinical study of OPC1 for the treatment of acute spinal cord injury was one of the first cell therapy clinical trials supported by CIRM under Prop 71. It was tremendously meaningful for some of our patients success stories to be featured in the Prop 14 campaign this year, along with others who have experienced life-changing benefits from stem cell therapy innovation in California. We are extremely thankful to CIRM for their partnership and valuable contributions, not only to Lineage, but also for other companies working in this exciting and rapidly growing field. We believe that all three of our clinical-stage programs could be considered for future grant funding under this new initiative.

About OPC1

OPC1 is an oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) transplant therapy designed to provide clinically meaningful improvements to motor recovery in individuals with acute spinal cord injuries (SCI). OPCs are naturally occurring precursors to the cells which provide electrical insulation for nerve axons in the form of a myelin sheath. SCI occurs when the spinal cord is subjected to a severe crush or contusion injury and typically results in severe functional impairment, including limb paralysis, aberrant pain signaling, and loss of bladder control and other body functions. There are approximately 18,000 new spinal cord injuries annually in the U.S. and there currently are no FDA-approved drugs specifically for the treatment of SCI. The OPC1 program has been partially funded by a $14.3 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. OPC1 has received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation and Orphan Drug designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

About the OPC1 Clinical Study

The SCiStar Study of OPC1 is an open-label, 25-patient, single-arm trial testing three sequential escalating doses of OPC1 which was administered 21 to 42 days post-injury, at up to 20 million OPC1 cells in patients with subacute motor complete (AIS-A or AIS-B) cervical (C-4 to C-7) acute spinal cord injuries (SCI). These individuals had experienced severe paralysis of the upper and lower limbs. The primary endpoint in the SCiStar study was safety as assessed by the frequency and severity of adverse events related to OPC1, the injection procedure, and immunosuppression with short-term, low-dose tacrolimus. Secondary outcome measures included neurological functions measured by upper extremity motor scores (UEMS) and motor level on International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) examinations through 365 days post-treatment. Enrollment is complete in this study; patients will continue to be evaluated on a long-term basis.

About Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Inc.

Lineage Cell Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel cell therapies for unmet medical needs. Lineages programs are based on its robust proprietary cell-based therapy platform and associated in-house development and manufacturing capabilities. With this platform Lineage develops and manufactures specialized, terminally differentiated human cells from its pluripotent and progenitor cell starting materials. These differentiated cells are developed to either replace or support cells that are dysfunctional or absent due to degenerative disease or traumatic injury or administered as a means of helping the body mount an effective immune response to cancer. Lineages clinical programs are in markets with billion dollar opportunities and include three allogeneic (off-the-shelf) product candidates: (i) OpRegen, a retinal pigment epithelium transplant therapy in Phase 1/2a development for the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in the developed world; (ii) OPC1, an oligodendrocyte progenitor cell therapy in Phase 1/2a development for the treatment of acute spinal cord injuries; and (iii) VAC, an allogeneic dendritic cell therapy platform for immuno-oncology and infectious disease, currently in clinical development for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. For more information, please visit http://www.lineagecell.com or follow the Company on Twitter @LineageCell.

Forward-Looking Statements

Lineage cautions you that all statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in this press release, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements, in some cases, can be identified by terms such as believe, may, will, estimate, continue, anticipate, design, intend, expect, could, plan, potential, predict, seek, should, would, contemplate, project, target, tend to, or the negative version of these words and similar expressions. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to Lineages expected eligibility for grants. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Lineages actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release, including risks and uncertainties inherent in Lineages business and other risks in Lineages filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). Lineages forward-looking statements are based upon its current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. Further information regarding these and other risks is included under the heading Risk Factors in Lineages periodic reports with the SEC, including Lineages Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 12, 2020 and its other reports, which are available from the SECs website. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they were made. Lineage undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by law.

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Lineage Cell Therapeutics Proudly Supports Patients' Access to Innovative Cell Therapy Treatments and Research Through Passage of Proposition 14 -...

ExCellThera to establish stem cell bioproduction facility creating up to 150 jobs thanks to Government of Canada support – Canada NewsWire

MONTRAL, Nov. 13, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)

ExCellThera Inc., a company focusing on cellular and molecular medicine at the advanced clinical stage, will receive a repayable contribution of up to $4million from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) as part of its launch of commercial production activities. This funding was announced today by the Honourable Mlanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, accompanied by Rachel Bendayan, Member of Parliament for Outremont and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade.

To realize its ambitions, ExCellThera will acquire state-of-the-art lab and production equipment (cytometer, orbital shaker, centrifuge system, CO2 incubator and automated cell processing equipment) with the aim of establishing commercial stem-cell bioproduction facilities. This project, which also includes the fitting-out of clean rooms, as well as related engineering and architectural services, could lead in time to the creation of 150 jobs and strengthen Montral's position as a nexus for cellular therapy and immunotherapy development.

The Government of Canada is committed to assisting Canadian businesses leveraging innovation. A veritable economic engine, innovation is the key to success as it generates growth in favour of businesses and communities. By supporting the launch of ExCellThera's commercial activities, the government is enabling the business to acquire the equipment it needs to develop novel technologies and processes, for the benefit of the life sciences sector and the health of all Canadians.

Quotes

"The COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated how crucial investments are in innovation in the life sciences sector. Thanks to Government of Canada financial support, ExCellThera will be able to acquire state-of-the-art equipment to pursue its high-potential scientific research activities. This investment will also ensure the business can expand its team. Canadians need good jobs they can count on, and the Government of Canada will always be here to support Canadian businesses with a promising future and that contribute to job creation. This is how we will ensure a strong economic recovery across the country."

The Honourable Mlanie Joly, Member of Parliament for Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for CED

"The Government of Canada is committed to stimulating innovation to enhance businesses' productivity and competitiveness over the long term. We are therefore proud to be able to offer this support to ExCellThera, whose project will help strengthen Montral's position as a nexus to develop life sciences, a forward-looking sector. In addition to enabling the creation of many quality jobs, it will help the business maintain its enviable position in research markets, including internationally."

RachelBendayan, Member of Parliament for Outremont and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade

"We are pleased to see the Government of Canada contribute to the development of a homegrown business working at the cutting edge of medical technology and with an international profile. This contribution will enable us to acquire specialized equipment to offer safe treatment to patients suffering from advanced cancers of the blood and other blood disorders, and to do so on a commercial scale."

GuySauvageau, Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Head, ExCellThera

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SOURCE Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

For further information: Media Relations, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, [emailprotected]; Catherine Mounier-Desrochers, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, [emailprotected]

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ExCellThera to establish stem cell bioproduction facility creating up to 150 jobs thanks to Government of Canada support - Canada NewsWire

Stanford coach’s quest to save his brother: ‘God, I hope this works’ – Scope

ESPN told the story of Stanford football coach David Shaw donating stem cells to save his brother, who had a rare form of lymphoma.

During a 2018 home game against Washington State University, David Shaw, Stanford's football coach, ambled slowly along the sideline, his joints aching.

Wanting to focus on the players and the game, he kept the reason for his lethargy to himself. But two years later, this past Saturday, the sports world learned the full story.

A College GameDay feature on ESPN revealed that the morning before the game, Shaw had been given stem-cell-inducing medication at Stanford Hospital. It was a first step in donating the cells to his brother, Eric Shaw, who was fighting a rare form of lymphoma.

In the opening of the six-minute video, Shaw says he thought, "'God, I hope this works, 'cause if it doesn't, I'm going to lose my brother.'"

Eric Shaw began noticing strange dark patches on his skin in 2011, the year his older brother became Stanford's head football coach. They were everywhere, from head to foot. Later, small tumors popped up all over his body.

"I would have itching attacks where I would end up actually tearing my skin," he says in the video. "I would still scratch at night and end up with bloody arms and legs."

Eric Shaw transferred his medical care to the Stanford Cancer Center in 2013. There, physicians told the financial services marketing professional that he needed to start radiation treatment immediately. It worked, but only briefly: Six months later, the cancer returned.

He was diagnosed with mycosis fungoides, a T cell lymphoma that affects fewer than four in a million people in the United States.

Shaw's physicians began discussing bone marrow transplant. David Shaw was tested as a donor, but he scored only 5 on a 10-point match scale. A worldwide search found closer matches, and Eric Shaw underwent radiation and chemotherapy to prepare for the transplant.

One attempt failed, then another.

"You think you've kind of pulled at the last thread, and there are no more threads, and all I could tell him was that I loved him and that I was there for him," David Shaw says in the video.

But the Stanford physicians had one last weapon: a haploidentical transplant. The recently developed technique uses stem cells, typically from a family member, that are less than a perfect match.

David Shaw underwent a five-day-long process at Stanford Hospital to donate the cells. He received medication that caused him to produce an abundance of stem cells, then gave blood from which the cells were extracted. Those cells were then transplanted into his brother.

This time, it worked.

After 52 days at Stanford Hospital, Eric Shaw finally went home on Nov. 25, 2018. The video shows him being wheeled out as medical staff members cheer him on.

Youn Kim, MD, who treated Eric and heads Stanford's multidisciplinary Cutaneous Lymphoma Clinic/Program, told ESPN: "If he didn't go for this risk, he wouldn't be here...He wouldn't be living."

As the article notes, Stanford physicians Wen-Kai Weng, MD, PhD, and Michael Khodadoust, MD, PhD, also were on the team treating Eric Shaw.

Today, nearly two years later, he remains cancer-free.

"Seven years of battling this disease, and it was over," he says in the video, tears running down his face. "A miracle."

David Shaw shares his brother's joy. As he told ESPN: "Every time I see him, I just smile, you know? Because he gets to be here."

Images of Eric Shaw, left, taken earlier this month, and his brother David Shaw, courtesy of the Shaw family, and Stanford Athletics

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Stanford coach's quest to save his brother: 'God, I hope this works' - Scope