Stem cell gene therapy shows promise for treating ‘devastating’ skin diseases

Washington, Dec 27 : Researchers evaluated a patient with a genetic skin disorder known as epidermolysis bullosa (EB) nearly seven years after he had undergone a gene therapy procedure as part of a clinical trial.

They found that a small number of skin stem cells transplanted into the patient's legs were sufficient to restore normal skin function, without causing any adverse side effects.

To evaluate stem cell-based gene therapy as a potential treatment, Senior study author Michele De Luca of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, and his colleagues previously launched a phase I/II clinical trial at the University of Modena and recruited an EB patient named Claudio.

The researchers took skin stem cells from Claudio's palm, corrected the genetic defect in these cells, and then transplanted them into Claudio's upper legs.

In the new study, De Luca and his team found that this treatment resulted in long-term restoration of normal skin function. Nearly seven years later, Claudio's upper legs looked normal and did not show signs of blisters, and there was no evidence of tumour development. Remarkably, a small number of transplanted stem cells was sufficient for long-lasting skin regeneration. Even though Claudio's skin had undergone about 80 cycles of renewal during this time period, the transplanted stem cells still retained molecular features of palm skin cells and did not adopt features of leg skin cells.

The study is published in journal Stem Cell Reports.

--ANI (Posted on 27-12-2013)

<< Previous News

Next News >>

View post:
Stem cell gene therapy shows promise for treating 'devastating' skin diseases

Gene therapy for human skin disease produces long-term benefits

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

26-Dec-2013

Contact: Mary Beth O'Leary moleary@cell.com 617-397-2802 Cell Press

Stem cell-based gene therapy holds promise for the treatment of devastating genetic skin diseases, but the long-term clinical outcomes of this approach have been unclear. In a study online December 26th in the ISSCR's journal Stem Cell Reports, published by Cell Press, researchers evaluated a patient with a genetic skin disorder known as epidermolysis bullosa (EB) nearly seven years after he had undergone a gene therapy procedure as part of a clinical trial. The study revealed that a small number of skin stem cells transplanted into the patient's legs were sufficient to restore normal skin function, without causing any adverse side effects.

"These findings pave the way for the future safe use of epidermal stem cells for combined cell and gene therapy of epidermolysis bullosa and other genetic skin diseases," says senior study author Michele De Luca of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.

EB is a painful condition that causes the skin to be very fragile and to blister easily, and it can also cause life-threatening infections. Because there is no cure for the disease, current treatment strategies focus on relieving symptoms. To evaluate stem cell-based gene therapy as a potential treatment, De Luca and his colleagues previously launched a phase I/II clinical trial at the University of Modena and recruited an EB patient named Claudio. The researchers took skin stem cells from Claudio's palm, corrected the genetic defect in these cells, and then transplanted them into Claudio's upper legs.

In the new study, De Luca and his team found that this treatment resulted in long-term restoration of normal skin function. Nearly seven years later, Claudio's upper legs looked normal and did not show signs of blisters, and there was no evidence of tumor development. Remarkably, a small number of transplanted stem cells was sufficient for long-lasting skin regeneration.

Even though Claudio's skin had undergone about 80 cycles of renewal during this time period, the transplanted stem cells still retained molecular features of palm skin cells and did not adopt features of leg skin cells. "This finding suggests that adult stem cells primarily regenerate the tissue in which they normally reside, with little plasticity to regenerate other tissues," De Luca says. "This calls into question the supposed plasticity of adult stem cells and highlights the need to carefully chose the right type of stem cell for therapeutic tissue regeneration."

###

Stem Cell Reports, De Rosa et al.: "LONG-TERM STABILITY AND SAFETY OF TRANSGENIC CULTURED EPIDERMAL STEM CELLS IN GENE THERAPY OF JUNCTIONAL EPIDERMOLYSIS BULLOSA."

Excerpt from:
Gene therapy for human skin disease produces long-term benefits

Day 2 Doing exercise Katrina has to keep healthy to do stem cell treatment that will save her life. – Video

Day 2 Doing exercise Katrina has to keep healthy to do stem cell treatment that will save her life.
Katrina Brown was a British army nurse who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Whilst in Iraq she was exposed to Depleted Uranium and this has caused her to ...

By: Katrinas Future

Go here to see the original:
Day 2 Doing exercise Katrina has to keep healthy to do stem cell treatment that will save her life. - Video

BCRO (Stem) Cell Transplants as Treatment For Incurable and …

What To Do To Get BCRO Fetal Precursor (Stem) Cell Transplantation Treatment

A/ You Cannot Get BCRO Fetal Precursor (Stem) Cell Transplantation Without a Physician Trained In This Therapeutic Method...

...and unless you have, or know of, a hospital, a clinic, or a physician, performing BCRO fetal precursor (stem) cell transplantation already, you will have to find one.

We can help you in that. Click here for the list of clinics that use BCRO's fetal precursor (stem) cell transplants and wished to be listed..

If you decide to get your fetal precursor (stem) cell transplantation at one of the above clinics , then you can skip reading the rest of this homepage.

If your physician is familiar with BCRO fetal precursor (stem) cell transplantation, and willing to study pertinent data on this web site and on Internet by opening PUBMED, the computerized medical data base of MEDLINE, U.S. National Library of Medicine, by clicking on one of ten KEYWORDS (if you click on the "KEYWORDS" link, you will get to all ten keywords on our Homepage),

then your physician should write a prescription for preparation of your fetal precursor (stem) cell transplants by our company, and handle the implantation for you.

("Stem Cell Transplantation, a Textbook of Stem Cell Xeno-transplantation" by E. Michael Molnar, M.D., was published by a Medical and Engineering Publishers, Inc., Washington, D.C., in February 2006, the first textbook of this subject in the world for medical professionals and students. Click on http://www.mepublishers.com On the same web site you can can find the latest book by the same author: 'Treatment of Incurable and Untreatable Diseases', published for general readership by the same publisher in November 2012.")

If your physician would not write such a prescription for you, and you made a decision that BCRO (stem) cell transplantation is necessary for treatment of whatever medical condition(s) you suffer from, then it is better to consult one of the clinics or one of our medical experts instead.

Follow this link:
BCRO (Stem) Cell Transplants as Treatment For Incurable and ...

MEDISTEM PURCHASED BY INTREXON

By Bradley J. Fikes U-T 12:01 a.m.Dec. 24, 2013

Medistem, a San Diego-based developer of stem cell treatments, has been purchased for about $26 million by biotech Intrexon Corp. of Germantown, Md.

Intrexon will use its genetic engineering technology to increase the potency of Medistems stem cells, said Alan Lewis, Medistems chief executive. The sale, announced Friday, is expected to be completed by the first quarter.

Medistem says its stem cells can form new blood vessels, reduce inflammation and could treat diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

These adult stem cells are unusually versatile and can be used in unrelated patients, making them a universal donor kind of stem cell, Lewis said. Derived from the uterine lining, they are called endometrial regenerative cells.

Medistem is a small company, with just a handful of employees. Lewis said he and some others from the company will be taken on by Intrexon, although exact details have yet to be specified.

In January 2012, Medistem began a clinical trial of its cells in Russia in patients with congestive heart failure. The company has done preclinical studies in the United States for a diabetes treatment. Intrexon is developing synthetic biology technology for use in health, food and environmental applications, similar to the goals of genomics pioneer Craig Venter, Lewis said.

Medistems cells will extend Intrexons reach in health care, giving Intrexon the ability to make clinical-grade stem cells, said Samuel Broder, senior vice president of Intrexons health division, in a statement. The division is located in San Diego.

Medistem developed its stem cells as a source of transplantable tissues. Broder said Intrexons technology could also be used to engineer the stem cells to produce protein and RNA-based drugs.

In another announcement last week, Intrexon said it had hired Gregory Frost, CEO of San Diego-based Halozyme, to head its health sector.

See the original post here:
MEDISTEM PURCHASED BY INTREXON

‘I will walk.’ Kim Dennie’s journey of hope brings her closer to goal

Niagara This Week - St. Catharines

THOROLD -- Following a month-long stay in China, Kim Dennie has more faith now than she ever did that her wheelchair will be a part of her past.

On Jan. 13, Dennie left her home in Allanburg on a journey to China for stem cell therapy treatments not available in Canada. After an assessment, Dennie was told the words she has so longed to hear since her life was changed nearly four years ago.

"They told me that my condition is not that bad and I should be able to walk again," Dennie told This Week. "With the right mindset and persistence and continued therapy, I will walk."

In July 2003 Dennie, and her two children, 13-year-old Brittany and 12-year-old Jamie, were returning from a trip to Sudbury. The car she was riding in was broadsided by an oncoming vehicle. The car slammed into the passenger side door where she was sitting. Dennie broke her back, neck, shoulder and pelvis and hasn't been able to walk since.

The initial diagnosis was complete spinal chord injury, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down.

Three months later she was wiggling the toes on her left foot and the diagnosis was changed from complete to an incomplete spinal cord injury. Since that day, Dennie has vowed to herself that she will walk away from the wheelchair she has come to rely on.

She heard about the treatment from a friend she met in therapy and immediately knew it was something worth trying.

Dennie had four rounds of stem cell injection into her spinal chord and another which ran through an IV in her hand. Following the first treatment she saw no changes, but after the second her spasms decreased, her neurological burning pain decreased and she started to regain movement in her right leg.

"I've regained quite a bit of mobility," a beaming Dennie said. "I can sit on the edge of my bed with my leg hanging over it and can lift it back up. I couldn't do any of that before I left."

Read the original:
'I will walk.' Kim Dennie's journey of hope brings her closer to goal

Terry discusses his bone marrow stem cell treatment from Dr Harry Adelson for spine pain – Video

Terry discusses his bone marrow stem cell treatment from Dr Harry Adelson for spine pain
Terry discusses his bone marrow stem cell treatment from Dr Harry Adelson for spine pain. After 30 years of low back pain, one treatment from Dr Adelson with...

By: Harry Adelson

Read more here:
Terry discusses his bone marrow stem cell treatment from Dr Harry Adelson for spine pain - Video

West Coast Stem Cell Clinic, TeleHealth, Now Offering PRP Therapy for Hip Arthritis Treatment

Orange County, California (PRWEB) December 23, 2013

The top stem cell therapy clinic in California, TeleHealth, is now offering PRP therapy for hip arthritis. The treatments are often able to delay or avoid the need for joint replacement, and are administered by Board Certified doctors at two clinic locations. Call (888) 828-4575 for more information and scheduling.

Tens of millions of Americans suffer from hip arthritis, and hundreds of thousands of hip replacements are performed every year. Nonoperative treatments prior to joint replacement often consist of steroid injections for pain relief. While the joint replacement typically has excellent pain relief outcomes, there are risks involved and sometimes the eventual need for a revision procedure.

Therefore, a procedure that offers pain relief while offering the potential for joint repair is a welcome option in hip arthritis management. TeleHealth is now offering platelet rich plasma therapy, known as PRP therapy for short, to provide pain relief and potential joint regeneration. The procedure involves a simple blood draw at the office, with the blood then being spun down in a centrifuge to obtain a solution of concentrated platelets and growth factors.

The PRP is then injected into the symptomatic hip, providing an immense amount of regenerative medicine to the arthritic joint. The material then calls in the body's stem cells as well. Published studies on PRP for joint arthritis have so far shown excellent results for pain relief.

Often times, PRP therapy at TeleHealth is covered by insurance. Verification by the clinic is able to check prior to the procedure. Patients are seen from all over Southern California for treatment of hip, knee and shoulder arthritis along with tendonitis and ligament injury. This often includes athletes, weekend warriors, executives, senior citizens and more.

To receive further information on stem cell and PRP therapy for joint arthritis or soft tissue injury, call (888) 828-4575.

Read more:
West Coast Stem Cell Clinic, TeleHealth, Now Offering PRP Therapy for Hip Arthritis Treatment

Adult Stem Cell Therapy – Regenocyte

Adult stem cells circulate throughout our bodies and act as natural healers. These cells have vast potential and limitless capabilities. For more than 40 years, adult stem cells have been used to treat cancer patients. Recent advancements in stem cell therapy have been astounding. Cells from an ill patient are being used as part of the treatment. There is no possibility of the body rejecting the new tissue formed, making stem cell treatment safe and effective in achieving positive medical outcomes. It is important to note that adult stem cell therapy is not controversial because it involves the use of a patients owntissues and NOT derived from embryos. Clinical results from cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and vascular procedures have shown that the adult stem cell procedures are as safe as traditional procedures and are complimentary to current medical practice.

Adult stem cells are extracted from the patientsbone marrow and fat(adipose). At Intercellular Sciences, the naturally occurring stem cells in the blood are cultivated into millions of RegenocyteAdult Stem Cells. The Regenocyte Stem Cells areproduced inour international treatment center and are administered into the area of need for the patient. Once injected, they stimulate tissue re-growth and greater blood flow to the affected areas. The goal of the treatment is to replace damaged cells and to promote the growth of new blood vessels and tissues in order to help the target organ function at a greater capacity. There is no risk of rejection since the Adult Stem Cells received are directly from the patient.

Regenocyte Adult Stem Cell Therapy is safe, highly effective and presents minimal risk.

To find out more today, click here or call us at (866) 216-5710

Excerpt from:
Adult Stem Cell Therapy - Regenocyte

Groundbreaking Stem Cell Clinical Trial

Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute is First in West & Central Florida to Perform a Groundbreaking Stem Cell Clinical Trial for Heart Failure Patients

The first patient has been treated as part of The ATHENA Trial, which derives stem cells from the patientsown adipose (fat) tissue and injects extracted cells into damaged parts of the heart.

TAMPA, Florida (December 20, 2013) Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute and Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute announced the first patient, a 59 year old Clearwater man, has been treated as part of the ATHENA clinical trial. The trial, sponsored by San Diego-based Cytori Therapeutics, derives stem cells from the patients own fat tissue and injects extracted cells into damaged parts of the heart. The ATHENA trial is a treatment for chronic heart failure due to coronary heart disease. Dr. Charles Lambert, Medical Director of Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute, is leading the way for the first U.S. FDA approved clinical trial using adipose-derived regenerative cells, known as ADRCs, in chronic heart failure patients. I am pleased to report that all procedures went well. The patient is doing well, he was released and is recovering at home. We look forward to following his progress over the coming months, said Dr. Charles Lambert. Heart failure (HF) can occur when the muscles of the heart become weakened and cannot pump blood sufficiently throughout the body. The injury is most often caused by inadequate blood flow to the heart resulting from chronic or acute cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks. The ATHENA clinical trial procedure is a three step process. First, the trial involves the collection of fat from the patients body by liposuction. Then the fat sample is filtered through a machine that extracts out the stem cells. Finally, the stem cells are injected into the damaged part of the patients heart. During this first case at Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute, Dr. Paul Smith performed the liposuction to obtain the fat sample, a team at the Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute isolated stem cells from the fat sample and then Dr. Charles Lambert performed the cell therapy by direct injection into the patients heart. Pepin Heart and Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute is exploring and conducting leading-edge research to develop break-through treatments long before they are even available in other facilities. Stem cells have the unique ability to develop into many different cell types, and in many tissues serve as an internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish other cells, said Dr. Lambert.

The Pepin Heart Institute has a history of cardiovascular stem cell research as part of the NIH sponsored Cardiac Cell Therapy Research Network (CCTRN) as well as other active cell therapy trials. The trial is a double blind, randomized, placebo controlled study designed to study the use of a patients own Adipose-Derived Regenerative Cells (ADRCs) to treat chronic heart failure from coronary heart disease in patients who are on maximal therapy and still have heart failure symptoms. All trial participants undergo a minor liposuction procedure to remove fat (adipose) tissue. Following the liposuction, trial participants may have their tissue processed with Cytoris proprietary Celution System to separate and concentrate cells, and prepare them for therapeutic use. Trial participants will then have either their own cells or a placebo injected back into their damaged heart tissue. To test whether ADRCs will improve heart function, several measurements will be made, including peak oxygen consumption (VO2max), which measures how much physical exercise (gentle walking on a treadmill) a patient can perform, blood flow to the heart (perfusion), the amount of blood in the left ventricle at the end of contraction and relaxation (end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes), and the fraction of blood that is pumped during each contraction (ejection fraction). After the injection procedure, patients are seen in the clinic for follow-up visits over the first 12 months; they are then contacted by phone once a year for up to five years after the procedure.

There are approximately 5.1 million Americans currently living with heart failure, according to the American Heart Association. Chronic heart failure due to coronary heart disease is a severe, debilitating condition caused by restriction of blood flow to the heart muscle, reducing the hearts oxygen supply and limiting its pumping function. Individuals interested in participating in the ATHENA clinical research trial or learning more can visit http://www.theathenatrial.com or call Brian Nordgren, Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute Physician Assistant & Stem Cell Program Lead at (813) 615-7527.

About Florida Hospital Tampa Florida Hospital Tampa is a not-for-profit 475-bed tertiary hospital specializing in cardiovascular medicine, neuroscience, orthopaedics, womens services, pediatrics, oncology, endocrinology, bariatrics, wound healing, sleep medicine and general surgery including minimally invasive and robotic-assisted procedures. Also located at Florida Hospital Tampa is the renowned Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute, a recognized leader in cardiovascular disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and leading-edge research. Part of the Adventist Health System, Florida Hospital is a leading health network comprised of 22 hospitals throughout the state. For more information, visit http://www.FHTampa.org.

About Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute and Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute is a free-standing cardiovascular institute providing comprehensive cardiovascular care with over 76,000 angioplasty procedures and 11,000 open-heart surgeries in the Tampa Bay region. Leading the way with the first accredited chest pain emergency room in Tampa Bay, the institute is among an elite few in the state of Florida chosen to perform the ground breaking Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure. It is also a HeartCaring designated provider and a Larry King Cardiac Foundation Hospital. Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute and the Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute, affiliated with the University of South Florida (USF), are exploring and conducting leading-edge research to develop break-through treatments long before they are available in most other hospitals. To learn more, visit http://www.FHPepin.org.

ends

Scoop Media

Read the original here:
Groundbreaking Stem Cell Clinical Trial