Genuine MS clinical trial approved for Manitobans

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

By: Mary Agnes Welch

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Dr. Mark Freedman of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. Two Canadian research centres are gearing up for a clinical trial to determine whether a type of stem cell can help alleviate the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

In the aftermath of controversy over a costly overseas stem-cell treatment touted by a Winnipeg businessman, 20 Manitobans with multiple sclerosis can now take part in a genuine clinical trial, launched Thursday.

The $4.2-million study, the first of its kind in Canada, is being funded by the MS Society at Winnipeg's Health Sciences Centre.

It comes after revelations about a local medical researcher, Doug Broeska, whose company Regenetek charged about 70 MS and ALS patients as much as $45,000 for stem-cell treatment at a hospital in India. Earlier this month, controversy erupted over Broeska's credentials, the ethics approvals his research received, promises he made about the treatment's effects and the lack of followup care provided to patients. Broeska, who has been successfully sued several times in relation to past business ventures, claimed to have a PhD from the University of Manitoba, which is untrue. He later claimed to have a PhD from Brightland University, which has been linked to a degree-mill operator and charges $3,600 for a PhD certificate available in three to five weeks.

-- Yves Savoie, president and CEO of the MS Society

Though reluctant to comment directly on the Regenetek controversy, MS Society president and CEO Yves Savoie noted the new clinical trial does not ask patients to pay for treatment. He said the trial was chosen following an open competition and vetting by a rigorous ethical approval process.

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Genuine MS clinical trial approved for Manitobans

Stem Cell Therapy + PRP Helps Shoulder Injury and Whiplash Patient – Denise Lawson – Video

Stem Cell Therapy + PRP Helps Shoulder Injury and Whiplash Patient - Denise Lawson
Denise Lawson experienced two motor vehicle accidents in 2001 that left her with neck pain, headaches, and sporadic episodes of weakness on the left side of her body. Over time, Denise developed...

By: StemCell ARTS

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Stem Cell Therapy + PRP Helps Shoulder Injury and Whiplash Patient - Denise Lawson - Video

Howe's stem cell treatment raises concerns

By Sheryl Ubelacker, The Canadian Press

TORONTO - Gordie Howe's son says the hockey legend's stroke symptoms have improved since his treatment with stem cells at a Mexican clinic in early December and he wants him to repeat the procedure.

But regenerative medicine experts say there's no scientific evidence such therapies work, and in some cases they can be seriously harmful or even deadly.

The 86-year-old Howe suffered two disabling strokes late last year. In December, the family took him to a Tijuana clinic where he received stem cell injections as part of a clinical trial being run under a licensing agreement with Stemedica Cell Technologies of San Diego, Calif.

The experimental treatment involved injecting neural stem cells into Howe's spinal canal, along with intravenous infusions of mesenchymal stem cells, which are found in bone marrow, fat and umbilical cord blood.

Marty Howe said his father can walk again, his speech is improving and he is regaining some of the weight he lost following the strokes.

"After his stem cell treatment, the doctor told us it was kind of an awakening of the body, and it was all that," he told The Canadian Press while in Calgary for a hockey promotion event Tuesday. "They call it the miracle of stem cells and it was nothing less than a miracle."

However, experts in the field question whether stem cells are responsible for Howe's improvement and caution that most so-called stem cell therapies have not gone through rigorous scientific trials, nor have they been approved as treatments by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Mick Bhatia, director of McMaster University's Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, said there are many unknowns in Howe's case, such as how many stem cells were administered, were tests done to see whether they migrated to the targeted area of the body, and did they take up residence where they might have some effect or simply disappear?

"Is this a transient effect, or is it really a perceived or somewhat of a placebo effect and is there something really happening? Scientifically and biologically that is important," Bhatia said Wednesday from Hamilton.

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Howe's stem cell treatment raises concerns

Gordie Howe's stem cell therapy raises concerns among experts

TORONTO - Gordie Howe's son says the hockey legend's stroke symptoms have improved since his treatment with stem cells at a Mexican clinic in early December and he wants him to repeat the procedure.

But regenerative medicine experts say there's no scientific evidence such therapies work, and in some cases they can be seriously harmful or even deadly.

The 86-year-old Howe suffered two disabling strokes late last year. In December, the family took him to a Tijuana clinic where he received stem cell injections as part of a clinical trial being run under a licensing agreement with Stemedica Cell Technologies of San Diego, Calif.

The experimental treatment involved injecting neural stem cells into Howe's spinal canal, along with intravenous infusions of mesenchymal stem cells, which are found in bone marrow, fat and umbilical cord blood.

Marty Howe said his father can walk again, his speech is improving and he is regaining some of the weight he lost following the strokes.

"After his stem cell treatment, the doctor told us it was kind of an awakening of the body, and it was all that," he told The Canadian Press while in Calgary for a hockey promotion event Tuesday. "They call it the miracle of stem cells and it was nothing less than a miracle."

However, experts in the field question whether stem cells are responsible for Howe's improvement and caution that most so-called stem cell therapies have not gone through rigorous scientific trials, nor have they been approved as treatments by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Mick Bhatia, director of McMaster University's Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, said there are many unknowns in Howe's case, such as how many stem cells were administered, were tests done to see whether they migrated to the targeted area of the body, and did they take up residence where they might have some effect or simply disappear?

"Is this a transient effect, or is it really a perceived or somewhat of a placebo effect and is there something really happening? Scientifically and biologically that is important," Bhatia said Wednesday from Hamilton.

And because Howe received adult stem cells produced from donor cells, he may have needed to take drugs to prevent an immune reaction as well as anti-inflammatory medications, he said.

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Gordie Howe's stem cell therapy raises concerns among experts

Gordie Howe's stem cell therapy raises concerns among medical experts

Sheryl Ubelacker, The Canadian Press Published Thursday, January 29, 2015 6:49AM EST

TORONTO -- Gordie Howe's son says the hockey legend's stroke symptoms have improved since his treatment with stem cells at a Mexican clinic in early December and he wants him to repeat the procedure.

But regenerative medicine experts say there's no scientific evidence such therapies work, and in some cases they can be seriously harmful or even deadly.

The 86-year-old Howe suffered two disabling strokes late last year. In December, the family took him to a Tijuana clinic where he received stem cell injections as part of a clinical trial being run under a licensing agreement with Stemedica Cell Technologies of San Diego, Calif.

The experimental treatment involved injecting neural stem cells into Howe's spinal canal, along with intravenous infusions of mesenchymal stem cells, which are found in bone marrow, fat and umbilical cord blood.

Marty Howe said his father can walk again, his speech is improving and he is regaining some of the weight he lost following the strokes.

"After his stem cell treatment, the doctor told us it was kind of an awakening of the body, and it was all that," he told The Canadian Press while in Calgary for a hockey promotion event Tuesday. "They call it the miracle of stem cells and it was nothing less than a miracle."

However, experts in the field question whether stem cells are responsible for Howe's improvement and caution that most so-called stem cell therapies have not gone through rigorous scientific trials, nor have they been approved as treatments by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Mick Bhatia, director of McMaster University's Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, said there are many unknowns in Howe's case, such as how many stem cells were administered, were tests done to see whether they migrated to the targeted area of the body, and did they take up residence where they might have some effect or simply disappear?

"Is this a transient effect, or is it really a perceived or somewhat of a placebo effect and is there something really happening? Scientifically and biologically that is important," Bhatia said Wednesday from Hamilton.

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Gordie Howe's stem cell therapy raises concerns among medical experts

Global Stem Cells Group and Regenestem Network Announce Launch of New Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Clinic in …

MIAMI (PRWEB) January 29, 2015

Regenestem Network, the worlds largest membership network of regenerative medicine practitioners, has announced the launch of a new stem cell clinic in Oaxaca, Mexico. The new facility, offering the most advanced cellular medicine protocols and techniques available is in partnership with Ulises Cervera, M.D. a neurologist coming from the Children's Hospital of Morelia, Mexico.

The new Oaxaca facility will offer the most advanced protocols and techniques available in stem cell medicine to patients from across Mexico and around the world.

Global Stem Cells Group and Regenestem Network are expanding the companys clinical presence worldwide by partnering with experienced and qualified regenerative medicine physicians to open new clinics licensed and developed under the Regenestem banner.

In 2014, Global Stem Cells Group expanded the Regenestem Networks global presence to 20 countries.

Regenestem offers stem cell treatments to help treat a variety of diseases and conditions including arthritis, autism, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, and pain due to injuries at various facilities worldwide. Regenestem Oaxaca will have an international staff experienced in administering the latest in cellular therapies.

Regenestem is certified for the medical tourism market, and staff physicians are board-certified or board-eligible. Regenestem clinics provide services in more than 10 specialties, attracting patients from the United States and around the world.

The Global Stem Cells Group and Regenestem are committed to the highest of standards in service and technology, expert and compassionate care, and a philosophy of exceeding the expectations of their international patients.

For more information, visit the Regenestem Network website, email info(at)regenstem(dot)com, or call 305-224-1858.

About Regenestem: Regenestem Network, a division of the Global Stem Cells Group, Inc., is an international medical practice association committed to researching and producing comprehensive stem cell treatments for patients worldwide. Having assembled a highly qualified staff of medical specialistsprofessionals trained in the latest cutting-edge techniques in cellular medicineRegenestem continues to be a leader in delivering the latest protocols in the adult stem cell arena.

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Global Stem Cells Group and Regenestem Network Announce Launch of New Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Clinic in ...

Experimental stem cell treatment key in Gordie Howes dramatic improvement

Gordie Howe has responded so well to stem cell treatment that his son Marty wants the Hockey Hall of Famer to undergo the procedure again.

Gordie suffered two strokes late last year and had maybe a month to live, Marty said, when his family took the 86-year-old to Mexico in December for the treatment.

Gordie Howe can walk again, his speech is improving and hes gained weight that he lost, according to his son.

He is doing so much better, Marty said Tuesday in Calgary. Its a joy to have him with us still.

Hopefully, in my mind, were going to have another treatment of this probably within two months.

Im actually hoping if he keeps doing what hes doing hell be able to travel again and maybe get to five or six events a year so people can see him another time.

Gordie Howe, known as Mr. Hockey, holds NHL records for most games played (1,767) and seasons played (26). He won the Stanley Cup four times as a Detroit Red Wing and also played for the Hartford Whalers.

His 801 career goals rank second only to Wayne Gretzkys 894.

Gordie Howe and Gretzky are scheduled to appear Feb. 6 in Saskatoon at a dinner, which Marty said will be a trial run on how his father responds to travel.

Marty Howe was in Calgary alongside NHL alumni Darryl Sittler, Marty McSorley and Lanny McDonald to promote a pro-am hockey tournament in Gordies name that raises money for Alzheimers and dementia research.

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Experimental stem cell treatment key in Gordie Howes dramatic improvement

Stem Cells Could Treat Hair Loss

Got too much scalp? A new way to treat hair loss that doesnt involve solutions, creams or hocus-pocus could be on the way.

Scientists at the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute have developed a stem cell method that initiates human hair growth.

Stem Cell Treatment Cures Blindness

Stem cells are the baseline, progenitor cells of all cells in our body. Using a genetic technique, Alexey Terskikh, an associate professor at the institute, and his colleagues coaxed stem cells to become dermal papilla cells.

These cells regulate the formation and growth cycle of hair follicles.

When transplanted into lab mice, the dermal papilla cells promoted the growth of hair.

Stem Cells Grow Beating Heart

Our next step is to transplant human dermal papilla cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells back into human subjects, said Terskikh. We are currently seeking partnerships to implement this final step.

Snake-oil salesmen need not apply.

via Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute

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Stem Cells Could Treat Hair Loss

Gordie Howes health improved dramatically after stem cell treatment

CALGARY They call it the miracle of stem cells and it was nothing less than a miracle says Marty Howe about his dad Gordies recovery.

Ata press conference Tuesday in Calgary for the Gordie Howe C.A.R.E.S annual hockey Pro-AM, Marty Howe talked about how the stem cell treatment saved Gordie Howes life after suffering two strokes.

He probably had a month to live the way he was going, he was deteriorating pretty fast. To have him now back and be able to relate to everybody really helps, Marty Howe said.

The Howe family remains positive and believes Gordie might be able to travel again and attend events soon. Marty Howe said his dad is already planning to attend an event in Saskatoon next month.

He can walk, hes got a sense of freedom now. He can play with the grand kids. He still needs to work with his speech, he cant sign yet but hopefully in the future he will be able to, Howe said.

Its a joy to have him with us still. Its nothing more of a gift. Hes down in Texas with my sister and we have caregivers that have been coming in for the past two and a half years too.

Gordie Howe has aform of dementia and the 86-year-old suffered hismost recent stroke just before Christmas last year due to dehydration.

A group of doctors, who happened to be named Howe, contacted the family and told them about a stem cell treatment they could offer for Gordie Howe. So the family went down to Mexico to give it a try.

Gordies health improved dramatically. Soon after, hewas able to walk and speak again. The family says Gordie plans to do asecond treatment in two months.

Known as Mr. Hockey, Howe was the NHLs Most Valuable Player six times. He played on four Stanley Cup championship teams in Detroit during a 25-year stint that began in 1946. The league scoring records he set stood until Wayne Gretzky broke them.

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Gordie Howes health improved dramatically after stem cell treatment

Keeping the Kraken asleep

IMAGE:CDK6 is needed for leukemic stem cell activation (left). When CDK6 is absent, the LSC remains in a quiescent state and leukemia formation is prohibited (right). view more

Credit: Angelika Berger / Vetmeduni Vienna

Despite enormous progress in cancer therapy, many patients still relapse because their treatment addresses the symptoms of the disease rather than the cause, the so-called stem cells. Work in the group of Veronika Sexl at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna has given a tantalizing clue to a solution. In the current issue of Blood, the scientists report that the cell-cycle kinase CDK6 is required for activation of the stem cells responsible for causing leukemia.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are normally inactive, i.e. quiescent. When new blood cells are needed, for example to replace blood that has been lost, HSCs start to multiply and develop into mature blood cells. If the process is initiated at an inappropriate time, hematopoietic diseases such as leukemia may result and leukemic stem cells may develop. These represent a major challenge to leukemia therapy: they are quiescent and thus protected from elimination by the immune system and from treatment such as chemotherapy. Leukemic stem cells frequently cause relapse in cancer patients, often years or even decades after an apparently successful treatment.

Working with stem cells isolated from mice, Ruth Scheicher and colleagues at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna have investigated possible differences between leukemic stem cells and the healthy stem cells in the body. They looked in particular at the function of the CDK6 protein, which is known to be involved in controlling the cell cycle. Surprisingly, CDK6 was also found to regulate the activation of hematopoietic and leukemic stem cells, which it does by inhibiting the transcription factor Egr1. Upon loss of CDK6, Egr1 becomes active and prevents stem cells from dividing. In a further twist to the tale, the mechanism operates only when hematopoietic stem cells are stressed, e.g. in leukemia, and not in the normal physiological situation.

Scheicher is quick to note the significance of her finding. "CDK6 is absolutely necessary for leukemic stem cells to induce disease but plays no part in normal hematopoiesis. We thus have a novel opportunity to target leukemia at its origin. Inhibiting CDK6 should attack leukemic stem cells while leaving healthy HSCs unaffected".

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Service: The article 'CDK6 as a key regulator of hematopoietic and leukemic stem cell activation' by Scheicher R, Hoelbl-Kovacic A, Bellutti F, Tigan AS, Prchal-Murphy M, Heller G, Schneckenleithner C, Salazar-Roa M, Zchbauer-Mller S, Zuber J, Malumbres M, Kollmann K and Sexl V. was published in the journal Blood. http://www.bloodjournal.org/content/125/1/90.long?sso-checked=true

About the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna

The University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna in Austria is one of the leading academic and research institutions in the field of Veterinary Sciences in Europe. About 1,300 employees and 2,300 students work on the campus in the north of Vienna which also houses five university clinics and various research sites. Outside of Vienna the university operates Teaching and Research Farms. http://www.vetmeduni.ac.at

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Keeping the Kraken asleep