Stem cell therapy breakthrough

Human embryonic stem cells have the capacity to differentiate into a variety of cell types, making them a valuable source of transplantable tissue for the treatment of numerous diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and diabetes.

But theres one major issue: Embryonic stem cells are often rejected by the human immune system.

Now, researchers from the University of California San Diego may have found an effective way to prevent this rejection in humans. Utilizing a novel humanized mouse model, the scientists have revealed a unique combination of immune suppressing molecules that stop the immune system from attacking the injected stem cells without shutting the system down completely.

This discovery could ultimately help resolve some of the major problems currently limiting the use of embryonic stem cells for certain conditions, paving the way for the development of more effective human stem cell therapies.

This is a generic way of immune suppression, so it could potentially be applied not just for stem cells therapies, but for organ transplants as well, Yang Xu, a professor of biology at UC San Diego and lead author of the study, told FoxNews.com. It can be very broad.

Embryonic stem cells are different from the other cells in a patients body, making them allogenic. This means the immune system will recognize them as foreign agents and attack them.

One way of overcoming this rejection problem is to give patients immunosuppressant drugs, which suppress the entire immune system. While short term use of immunosuppressants has been successful for many organ transplants, embryonic stem cell therapies for chronic diseases require long term use of these drugs which can often be very toxic and increase the risk of cancer.

In order for the patient to really use this therapy, they have to decide: Do they want a lifelong use of immunosuppressant drugs, or are they willing to live with the symptoms of their disease, Xu said.

To figure out a way of bypassing this issue, researchers needed a relevant model that could closely mimic the human immune systems response to embryonic stem cell transplantation. To do this, they took immune deficient lab mice and grafted them with human fetal thymus tissues and hematopoietic stem cells derived from the fetal liver.

Essentially, this created a highly specialized mouse model with very robust T cells capable of effectively rejecting foreign embryonic stem cells just like human T cells.

Read the original post:
Stem cell therapy breakthrough

Study finds patients give ‘broad endorsement’ to stem cell research

11 hours ago

In an early indication of lay opinions on research with induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which are stem cells made from skin or other tissues, a new study by bioethicists at Johns Hopkins University indicates that despite some ethical concerns, patients give the research "broad endorsement".

During focus group discussions patients were largely in favor of participating in iPSC research even if personal benefit was unlikely, though they raised concerns about consent, privacy and transparency when considering donating tissue for this research. The bioethicists report their findings in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

"Bioethicists, as well as stem cell researchers and policy-makers, have discussed the ethical issues of induced pluripotent stem cells at length, but we didn't have any systematic information about what patients think about these issues, and that is a huge part of the equation if the potential of this research is to be fully realized," says Jeremy Sugarman, the senior author of the report and the Harvey M. Meyerhoff Professor of Bioethics and Medicine at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics.

Unlike human embryonic stem cells, iPSCs are derived without destroying a human embryo. Research with human iPSCs is valuable for developing new drugs, studying disease, and perhaps developing medical treatments. Sugarman explains that, while far off, scientists are hopeful that iPSCs could someday be used to develop organs for transplantation that the body's immune system will not attack, because they can be created from the person's own cells.

The study reveals the importance of prior informed consent for those asked to participate in it. According to the report, consent was highly important for patients in all five of the focus groups that were convened. Some patients even suggested that proper informed consent could compensate for other concerns they had about privacy, the "immortalization" of cells, and the commercialization of stem cells.

There was a "strong desire among participants to have full disclosure of the anticipated uses," the report notes, with some participants wanting to be able to veto certain uses of their cells. The authors acknowledge the "practical difficulties" of this request but hope that their findings will "prompt investigation into creative approaches to meeting these desires."

The study also revealed another side to some patients' selfless motivations to participate in research as they might relate to eventual commercialization. The report quotes one participant as saying, "It won't be just taken to become a money maker and the very people who need it the most will no longer be able to benefit from it" and another, "it was a donation. It's a humanitarian effort."

The authors also note that the unique characteristics of their small study could have influenced the results; for instance, the fact that it was conducted in Baltimore, Maryland, among patients who have received care at Johns Hopkins, where the first immortal cell line was created from tumor cells taken from Henrietta Lacks, put related issues at the forefront of many focus groups. "The idea that donated cells would potentially live forever was unnerving to some participants. In particular, the story about the creation of the HeLa cell line from Henrietta Lacks' cervical cancer tissue, taken without consent, was raised in four out of the five focus groups," the report states.

Additionally, the report indicates that the opinions that were expressed by patients may be influenced by their health, and whether or not they have personal experience with a debilitating illness, as some of the participants did.

Follow this link:
Study finds patients give 'broad endorsement' to stem cell research

Kanta Ben Shah, Stem Cell Treatment India – Video

Kanta Ben Shah, Stem Cell Treatment India
Kanta ben shah , 60 year old resident of Malaysia was suffering from uncontrolled diabetes, she improved drastically after only few sessions of stem cell the...

By: Stem Cell India

See original here:
Kanta Ben Shah, Stem Cell Treatment India - Video

Stem cell treatment hope for York Parkinson’s Disease sufferer

James DeLittle, 49, of Broadway West in Fulford, to travel to Kiev for stem cell treatment

11:27am Wednesday 1st January 2014 in News By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter

James DeLittle

A PARKINSONS Disease sufferer from York is to travel to Kiev for pioneering stem cell treatment, in a last-ditch bid to tackle his worsening condition.

James DeLittle, 49, hopes the two-day treatment in the Ukrainian capital will lessen his symptoms, which include poor balance, tremor, difficulties controlling his limbs and slurred speech.

Jamess mother, relatives and customers at three pubs in the York and Selby area have scraped together about 7,000 to pay for foetal stem cells to be injected into his stomach and arms.

His condition has worsened significantly in recent months, causing him to fall several times, suffering injuries including a broken nose, ribs and thumb joint.

James, of Broadway West in Fulford, said: As far as I know, Im the first person from the UK to go to the clinic and I would love to come back with an improvement in my condition to show all the other people with Parkinsons how they might benefit too.

The NHS doesnt support the treatment at this stage so weve had to raise the money.

More than 700 has been raised by bottles on the bars at the Huntsman at Drax, and the Plough Inn and the Bay Horse at Fulford.

See more here:
Stem cell treatment hope for York Parkinson's Disease sufferer

Stem Cell Research – Stem Cell Treatments – Treatments Using …

COMPARE CORD BLOOD BANKS

Choosing the right stem cell bank for your family is rarely a quick decision. But when you review the facts, you may find it much easier than you expected. Keep Reading >

1. The collection of cord blood can only take place at the time of delivery, and advanced arrangements must be made.

Cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord immediately after a babys birth, but generally before the placenta has been delivered. The moment of delivery is the only opportunity to harvest a newborns stem cells.

2. There is no risk and no pain for the mother or the baby.

The cord blood is taken from the cord once it has been clamped and cut. Collection is safe for both vaginal and cesarean deliveries. 3. The body often accepts cord blood stem cells better than those from bone marrow.

Cord blood stem cells have a high rate of engraftment, are more tolerant of HLA mismatches, result in a reduced rate of graft-versus-host disease, and are rarely contaminated with latent viruses.

4. Banked cord blood is readily accessible, and there when you need it.

Matched stem cells, which are necessary for transplant, are difficult to obtain due to strict matching requirements. If your childs cord blood is banked, no time is wasted in the search and matching process required when a transplant is needed. 5. Cells taken from your newborn are collected just once, and last for his or her lifetime.

For example, in the event your child contracts a disease, which must be treated with chemotherapy or radiation, there is a probability of a negative impact on the immune system. While an autologous (self) transplant may not be appropriate for every disease, there could be a benefit in using the preserved stem cells to bolster and repopulate your childs blood and immune system as a result of complications from other treatments.

Originally posted here:
Stem Cell Research - Stem Cell Treatments - Treatments Using ...

Stem cell treatment set for Japan

A treatment owned by Mesoblast Pharmaceutical is set to become the first stem cell treatment to be available in Japan, following an application by its local partner, JCR Pharmaceutical, to launch the product in that market.

According to Japanese reports, JCR Pharmaceutical will lodge its application to market a treatment for so-called graft versus host disease (GVHD), which is a side effect of bone marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant surgery, by the end of December.

Recently, the Japanese government changed the law to fast-track approvals for stem cell treatments, an area where some other countries in the region, such as South Korea, have made similar changes, spawning a great deal of end-market activity.

Earlier this year, Mesoblast agreed to pay up to $US100 million to buy a suite of stem cell patents and products from US drug company Osiris Therapeutic, which brought with it entry into the Japanese drugs market.

Advertisement

According to the reports, the Japan Society of Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation estimates about 1200 people annually develop acute GVHD in that country.

In recent research, broker Bell Potter estimated this could be a $US59 million-a-year market and, with the number of transplants growing, this should see a rise in demand for the treatment. If approved, this would be the first allogeneic stem cell product to be launched in Japan, according to the broker.

JCR could obtain approval within a year from filing to launch the treatment, which would rank it as one of the first of Mesoblast's products to be launched.

Instead of phased clinical trials, the law changes enable regenerative medicines to demonstrate efficacy in pilot studies of as few as 10 patients if the change is dramatic enough, or a few hundred with more marginal treatments.

More:
Stem cell treatment set for Japan

Stem cell treatment set for launch in Japan

A treatment owned by Mesoblast Pharmaceutical is set to become the first stem cell treatment to be available in Japan, following an application by its local partner, JCR Pharmaceutical, to launch the product in that market.

According to Japanese reports, JCR Pharmaceutical will lodge its application to market a treatment for so-called graft versus host disease (GVHD), which is a side effect of bone marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant surgery, by the end of December.

Recently, the Japanese government changed the law to fast-track approvals for stem cell treatments, an area where some other countries in the region, such as South Korea, have made similar changes, spawning a great deal of end-market activity.

Earlier this year, Mesoblast agreed to pay up to $US100 million to buy a suite of stem cell patents and products from US drug company Osiris Therapeutic, which brought with it entry into the Japanese drugs market.

Advertisement

According to the reports, the Japan Society of Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation estimates about 1200 people annually develop acute GVHD in that country.

In recent research, broker Bell Potter estimated this could be a $US59 million-a-year market and, with the number of transplants growing, this should see a rise in demand for the treatment. If approved, this would be the first allogeneic stem cell product to be launched in Japan, according to the broker.

JCR could obtain approval within a year from filing to launch the treatment, which would rank it as one of the first of Mesoblast's products to be launched.

Instead of phased clinical trials, the law changes enable regenerative medicines to demonstrate efficacy in pilot studies of as few as 10 patients if the change is dramatic enough, or a few hundred with more marginal treatments.

Link:
Stem cell treatment set for launch in Japan

Plantar Fasciitis Now Being Treated With Stem Cells

Plantar fasciitis, a chronic pain condition involving the sole of the foot, is now being treated using regenerative medicine like stem cell therapy, and offering the first form of real relief for many sufferers.

Plantar fasciitis affects millions of Americans, and is a condition in which the plantar fascia the thick tissue covering the sole of the foot is inflamed, causing severe pain on the bottom of the foot, and impeding activities such as running and walking.

The plantar fascia tissue is what connects the heel bone to the toes, thus creating the arch of the foot.

Traditional treatments for the debilitating injury have offered some relief in recent years through the use of physical therapy, NSAIDS, and steroid injections. However, these types of pain relief develop slowly over time, and are not an effective way to truly treat the problem. Stem cell therapy is going beyond these typical treatments, treating the root cause of the issue, and are often able to alleviate pain more quickly and with longer-lasting results.

Clinics in Arizona and California are just two examples of offices now offering stem cell injections of adult bone marrow and both fat- and amniotic-derived materials. Board certified pain management doctors at the Arizona Pain Stem Cell Institute, in Phoenix, and TeleHealth, in southern California, are giving patients suffering from the condition a low risk, outpatient alternative to corrective surgery.

Many other U.S. states now have pain treatment centers offering the plantar fasciitis stem cell therapy, as well.

Main image courtesy Nevit Dilmen via Wikimedia Commons.

Read more from the original source:
Plantar Fasciitis Now Being Treated With Stem Cells

Stem cells tested to repair hearts

Dr. Aidan R. Raney performs a checkup on heart attack patient Mark Athens, 52, on Tuesday, Dec. 17, at Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla. Athens received a stem cell treatment to help his heart recover as part of a clinical trial to determine the treatments safety and effectiveness.

A new stem cell treatment may help heart attack patients do something once thought medically impossible regenerate dead heart muscle.

Scripps Health in La Jolla is one of three centers testing the therapy from Capricor, a Los Angeles biotech company. The cardiac stem cells are meant to boost the hearts natural ability to perform minor repairs. If it works, scars should shrink and functional heart muscle should grow.

Capricor gets the cells from donor hearts, grows them into the amount needed for treatment, then sends them to doctors taking part in what is called the Allstar trial. Doctors inject the cells into the coronary artery, where they are expected to migrate to the heart and encourage muscle regrowth.

The trial has successfully completed Phase 1, which mainly evaluates safety. On Dec. 17, Capricor said it had received permission to begin Phase 2, which will examine efficacy in about 300 patients who will get the treatment or a placebo. More information can be found at clinicaltrials.gov under the identifier NCT01458405.

The Allstar trial is funded with a $19.7 million disease team grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, or CIRM, the states stem cell agency.

This is a highly significant announcement for us at CIRM as its the first time weve funded a therapy into a Phase 2 clinical trial, Chairman Jonathan Thomas said in a Dec. 23 statement.

About 600,000 Americans die of heart disease annually, making it the leading cause of death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Even those surviving may be left permanently impaired, if the heart is severely damaged. These are the patients Capricor seeks to help.

Mark Athens received Capricors treatment on Sept. 25, about a month after having a moderate heart attack. The Encinitas resident was the last treated under Phase 1, said Scripps cardiologist Richard Schatz, who performed the procedure. It will take about six months to know whether the treatment worked, Schatz said.

Unlike many trials, Phase 1 was not placebo-controlled, so Athens knows he got the therapy. He appeared cheerful, smiling and bantering with his examining doctor during a Dec. 17 checkup at Scripps Green Hospital.

See the article here:
Stem cells tested to repair hearts

Stem cells tested to repair damaged hearts

Dr. Aidan R. Raney performs a checkup on heart attack patient Mark Athens, 52, on Tuesday, Dec. 17, at Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla. Athens received a stem cell treatment to help his heart recover as part of a clinical trial to determine the treatments safety and effectiveness.

A new stem cell treatment may help heart attack patients do something once thought medically impossible regenerate dead heart muscle.

Scripps Health in La Jolla is one of three centers testing the therapy from Capricor, a Los Angeles biotech company. The cardiac stem cells are meant to boost the hearts natural ability to perform minor repairs. If it works, scars should shrink and functional heart muscle should grow.

Capricor gets the cells from donor hearts, grows them into the amount needed for treatment, then sends them to doctors taking part in what is called the Allstar trial. Doctors inject the cells into the coronary artery, where they are expected to migrate to the heart and encourage muscle regrowth.

The trial has successfully completed Phase 1, which mainly evaluates safety. On Dec. 17, Capricor said it had received permission to begin Phase 2, which will examine efficacy in about 300 patients who will get the treatment or a placebo. More information can be found at clinicaltrials.gov under the identifier NCT01458405.

The Allstar trial is funded with a $19.7 million disease team grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, or CIRM, the states stem cell agency.

This is a highly significant announcement for us at CIRM as its the first time weve funded a therapy into a Phase 2 clinical trial, Chairman Jonathan Thomas said in a Dec. 23 statement.

About 600,000 Americans die of heart disease annually, making it the leading cause of death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Even those surviving may be left permanently impaired, if the heart is severely damaged. These are the patients Capricor seeks to help.

Mark Athens received Capricors treatment on Sept. 25, about a month after having a moderate heart attack. The Encinitas resident was the last treated under Phase 1, said Scripps cardiologist Richard Schatz, who performed the procedure. It will take about six months to know whether the treatment worked, Schatz said.

Unlike many trials, Phase 1 was not placebo-controlled, so Athens knows he got the therapy. He appeared cheerful, smiling and bantering with his examining doctor during a Dec. 17 checkup at Scripps Green Hospital.

See the article here:
Stem cells tested to repair damaged hearts