Do Stem Cell Claims in Aesthetic Surgery Hold Up?

Experts to shed light on promising, but not quite proven, stem cell treatments as ASAPS Annual Meeting

New York, NY (PRWEB) April 15, 2013

There is a lot of marketing hype about the role of stem cells in aesthetic procedures, said Dr. Singer of La Jolla, CA. We are hopeful that this is the next frontier, but, unfortunately, there is no current scientific evidence that stem cells improve aesthetic outcomes.

This panel is critical because stem cells is such a hot term, used to market everything from surgical procedures to over-the-counter facial creams, added Dr. Hijjawi of Milwaukee, WI. As ASAPS members, we are concerned about all of the amazing claims being made about stem cells, and about finding out what the truth behind the claims really is.

Research is currently ongoing to define the potential role of stem cells in aesthetic surgery, particularly for stem cells derived from the fat tissue. Each of the presenters on the panel is actively engaged in clinical or basic science research looking at stem cell therapy, including its impact on fat grafting outcomes in aesthetic surgery. Fat grafting has been used for many years to enhance contour and shape in the face, breasts, and hands, and research continues to uncover therapeutic possibilities. However, it is unclear if methods to add additional stem cells to the transplanted fat tissue produce better results than fat grafting alone.

Although stem cells have great promise in tissue generation as seen in animal studies, plastic surgeons continue to struggle with demonstrating their role in aesthetic medicine, added Dr. Del Vecchio of Boston, MA.

In the decade since the discovery of abundant stem cells in the fat tissue, many physicians have begun to rebrand their procedures using the words stem cell for marketing purposes. Unfortunately, there are no published studies showing that stem cell-enriched fat has any effect on fat transplantation outcomes.

In our previously unwanted fat lies a vast store of our own bodys stem cells, which we may be able to use to treat many conditions in the near future, said Dr. Coleman of New York, NY. However, the amazing potential of stem cells must be measured through honest scientific studies, rather than through less-than-honest marketing ploys.

"As the field evolves, we need to take a thoughtful approach to collecting data that justifies stem cell treatments in each specific application, and a realistic and rational approach to how these treatments are presented to patients," added Dr. Rubin of Pittsburgh, PA.

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Journalists Optimistic About Adult Stem Cell Research

Peggy Noonan and Bill Hemmer Share Thoughts on Vatican-Hosted Conference Rome, April 15, 2013 (Zenit.org) Ann Schneible | 346 hits

Adult stem cell research has advanced further than many people realize, according to journalists Peggy Noonan and Bill Hemmer, both panelists at the Second International Vatican Stem Cell Conference.

The three-day conference, which concluded Saturday, explored advancements made in the field of adult stem cell research and therapies, and included interventions from experts in the fields of science, medicine, bioethics, politics and journalism.

From the beginning, the Catholic Church has condemned the destruction of embryos for the purpose of research, but has been a supporter of research using adult stem cells.

Peggy Noonan, columnist for the Wall Street Journal, moderated a panel that focused on the political landscape of stem cell research and funding.

It was noted during the panel discussion how the stem cell debate was much more heated in the United States. Explaining the reason for this difference, Noonan told ZENIT, "We are still used to grappling with great political issues from a moral standpoint. It is almost our habit as a nation, for 250 years now. In Europe, this has grown less of a habit. Europe has grown more pragmatic, perhaps."

She noted how the extent to which adult stem cell research and treatment have advanced, moreover, "takes the pressure at least in the States, perhaps off this grinding argument over embryonic stem cells."

"I am impressed to find out so much is going on in the adult stem cell area," Noonan continued, saying she had not been "so aware of the scientific progress being made in the area of adult stem cell research."

"More is happening in the field of medicine than you know," she said.

Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer, who was also one of the moderators during Friday's session of the conference, expressed his enthusiasm for what stem cell research could mean for the future of medicine.

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Journalists Optimistic About Adult Stem Cell Research

STEM CELL RESEARCH: Riverside girl honored at Vatican – Video

STEM CELL RESEARCH: Riverside girl honored at Vatican
The Vatican this week is honoring a Riverside girl whose life has been transformed by an infusion of adult stem cells that strengthen her severely fragile bo...

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Stem-cell tourists living in hope: study

With what appears to be thousands of Australians heading overseas for expensive treatments that don't reverse their illnesses, university researchers are trying to understand the ''stem-cell tourism'' phenomenon.

The patients report spending tens of thousands of dollars on airfares and accommodation and up to $40,000 on treatments for conditions such as motor neurone disease, blindness, cerebral palsy, paraplegia and multiple sclerosis.

Despite the limited successes, few report feeling duped by the experience. In fact, counter to a prevalence of negative media reporting on stem-cell tourism - that it is essentially one step up from back-room faith healing - stem-cell tourists overwhelmingly report positive outcomes and an improvement in their wellbeing, be it a lift in energy or mood, and in some cases improved mobility.

Despite the negative reporting, it is thought that the number of people with serious degenerative and crippling conditions heading overseas - mainly to China and India - to undergo unproven stem-cell treatments, is increasing.

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These are the preliminary findings by a joint Australian-British study that is now in its second phase of understanding why people are willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars on treatments that don't deliver a life-changing miracle.

The first phase of the research involved hour-long interviews with 16 Australian patients or carers who had travelled overseas for treatment. Some of them reported paying up to $40,000 for a series of injections, and tens of thousands of dollars more for flights, accommodation and living costs.

The next phase involves interviews with 50 more people who have travelled overseas, and 20 others who considered stem-cell tourism but decided against it.

Next year, Melbourne researchers will also travel to India and China to investigate the disconnection between official restrictions and regulations on treatment, and the reality on the ground.

Lead investigator Alan Petersen, a professor of sociology at Monash University, said stem-cell tourism was an emotionally complex and little-understood phenomenon - and seems to be ''more tied to the politics of hope'' than unrealistic expectations.

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Simple stem cell jab helps boost fitness in heart disease patients

Home News Health Simple stem cell jab helps boost fitness in heart disease patients A STEM cell injection could soon be available to cure heart disease after scientists tested the revolutionary new treatment in patients for the first time. Published: Fri, April 12, 2013

A stem cell injection to cure heart disease could soon be available

The heart failure breakthrough involves injecting patients with their own stem cells.

The quick and easy procedure saw doctors take bone marrow from the patients hips before injecting them directly into the heart to strengthen the muscle.

Heart pumping function improved within six months for every patient given the ground-breaking treatment. They also enjoyed improved fitness and could walk longer distances.

The trial offers new hope to the tens of thousands of people struck down by heart failure each year in the UK and could transform the lives of millions suffering the after-effects of a heart attack.

The research, published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, took place at the Mayo Clinics Centre for Regenerative Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota.

I think its an exciting time where regenerative medicine is no longer science fiction

Dr Andre Terzic

Lead researcher Dr Andre Terzic said: I think its an exciting time where regenerative medicine is no longer science fiction. This study is providing clinical evidence for a new approach in cardiovascular regenerative medicine.

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Stem cell proliferation and differentiation observed within hydrogel

Apr. 11, 2013 Stem cells can be coaxed to grow into new bone or new cartilage better and faster when given the right molecular cues and room inside a water-loving gel, researchers at Case Western Reserve University show.

By creating a three-dimensional checkerboard -- one with alternating highly connected and less connected spaces within the hydrogel -- the team found adjusting the size of the micropattern could affect stem cell behaviors, such as proliferation and differentiation.

Inducing how and where stem cells grow -- and into the right kind of cell in three dimensions -- has proven a challenge to creating useful stem cell therapies. This technique holds promise for studying how physical, chemical and other influences affect cell behavior in three-dimensions, and, ultimately, as a method to grow tissues for regenerative medicine applications.

"We think that control over local biomaterial properties may allow us to guide the formation of complex tissues," said Eben Alsberg, an associate professor of Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve. "With this system, we can regulate cell proliferation and cell-specific differentiation into, for example, bone-like or cartilage-like cells."

Oju Jeon, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in Biomedical Engineering, pursued this work with Alsberg. Their work is described April 11, 2013 in the online edition of Advanced Functional Materials.

Hydrogels are hydrophilic three-dimensional networks of water-soluble polymers bonded, or crosslinked, to one another. Crosslinks increase rigidity and alter the porous structure inside the gel.

Alsberg and Jeon used a hydrogel of oxidized methacrylated alginate and an 8-arm poly(ethylene glycol) amine. A chemical reaction between the alginate and the poly(ethylene glycol) creates crosslinks that provide structure within the gel.

They tweaked the mix so that a second set of crosslinks forms when exposed to light. They used checkerboard masks to create patterns of alternating singly and doubly crosslinked spaces.

The spaces, which varied in size at 25, 50, 100 and 200 micrometers across, were evenly singly and doubly crosslinked.

Human stem cells isolated from fat tissue were encapsulated in the singly and doubly crosslinked regions. The doubly-crosslinked spaces are comparatively cluttered with structures. The cells grew into clusters in the singly-crosslinked regions, but remained mostly isolated in the doubly crosslinked regions.

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Vatican Conference Hopes to Promote Truth on Adult Stem Cell Therapy

Doctors, Patients Speak on Personal Experiences Vatican City, April 11, 2013 (Zenit.org) Junno Arocho Esteves | 654 hits

During todays first session of the Second International Vatican Adult Stem Cell Conference, scientists, doctors and patients had an opportunity to share not only the advances in adult stem cell research, but also the potential it has to transform modern day health care.

The ethical debate on the use of embryonic stem cells has, according to Dr. Robin Smith, stifled the advances made in adult stem cells, which are derived from adult tissue samples. Dr. Smith serves as president of the Stem for Life Foundation as well as CEO of NeoStem, a leading developer in cellular therapy.

Stem Cell Therapy, especially using cultivated adult stem cells , can be used to regenerate dying tissue in the body of a person suffering debilitating diseases, such as Alzheimers, Parkinsons, or Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

In November 2001, we kicked of the first Stem Cell Conference. Since then, the entire world has awakened.

By improving the clinical outcomes, we can save hundreds of millions of lives, she said. We're not talking about medications, she continued. Were talking about repairing the heart with adult stem cells. Re-inserting these cells into a damaged organ is turning back the clock. In just 17 months, we have seen stunning advancements in leukemia treatments.

The work in stem cell research has only begun to be understood. The last conference did not have panels that discussed the benefits of cellular therapy on MS and diabetes. Dr. Smith stated that in the United States, $245 billion is spent on managing diabetes, which can cause blindness, stroke and amputations which is only getting worse.

Cellular therapy has the potential to rewrite the history of this disease, she said. Adult stem cells is something we can all agree upon; they are ethically pure. We can grasp whats inside of us and introduce them into the body.

The purpose of the conference, she concluded, was meant to inspire change and to promote the truth and promise behind stem cell science. We hope to show that you no longer have to choose between science and faith.

In Search of Hope

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Dr. Vincent Giampapa to Present at The Vatican Adult Stem Cell Conference on Adult Stem Cell Solutions to the Global …

CellHealth Institute founder to discuss new frontiers of cellular research.

Montclair, NJ (PRWEB) April 10, 2013

The invitation came directly from the Vaticans Pontifical Council for Culture, NeoStem, The Stem for Life Foundation and STOQ International as these organizations continue to promote their charter of raising global awareness on adult stem cell usage.

Dr. Vincent Giampapa will present during the third day, moderated by Dr. Max Gomez from WCBS-TV. Dr. Giampapa is a board-certified anti-aging physician and author of the first and only medical textbook on anti-aging medicine for medical doctors. He will present his research on reprogramming the function of older human stem cells at the University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey (UMDNJ).

The advancements being made in regenerative medicine and adult stem cell research are a reason for the global health care community to be extremely excited, said Dr. Vincent Giampapa, chief medical officer of CellHealth Institute. New ideas on how we age at the cellular level, particularly stem cells, are changing our approach to the aging process in general. The opportunity provided by The Vaticans Pontifical Council for Culture, NeoStem, The Stem for Life Foundation and STOQ International is a wonderful global platform for this discussion, and I am personally honored to play a part.

For more information, visit CellHealth.net.

About CellHealth Institute

CellHealth Institute (CHI) is a biotechnology company focused on cellular health that integrates breakthrough products and services with holistic lifestyle education. CHI collaborates with top-tier research universities and publicly traded biotech companies to offer fully integrated personalized health programs paired with scientific biomarker evaluations, as well as medical-grade supplements, including everycell, and advanced treatment through stem cell therapies. The organization is headquartered in New Jersey with an international regenerative medicine destination in Costa Rica set to open in 2014. CHI services and products allow people to take control of their own health at the most basic level their cells.

Jamie Vodden CellHealth Institute (480) 275-1203 Email Information

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Mayo Clinic: Cardiopoietic 'smart' stem cells show promise in heart failure patients

Public release date: 10-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Traci Klein newsbureau@mayo.edu 507-284-5005 Mayo Clinic

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Translating a Mayo Clinic stem-cell discovery, an international team has demonstrated that therapy with cardiopoietic (cardiogenically-instructed) or "smart" stem cells can improve heart health for people suffering from heart failure. This is the first application in patients of lineage-guided stem cells for targeted regeneration of a failing organ, paving the way to development of next generation regenerative medicine solutions. Results of the clinical trial appear online of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The multi-center, randomized Cardiopoietic stem cell therapy in heart failure (C-CURE) trial involved heart failure patients from Belgium, Switzerland and Serbia. Patients in the control group received standard care for heart failure in accordance with established guidelines. Patients in the cell therapy arm received, in addition to standard care, cardiopoietic stem cells -- a first-in-class biotherapeutic. In this process, bone marrow was harvested from the top of the patient's hip, and isolated stem cells were treated with a protein cocktail to replicate natural cues of heart development. Derived cardiopoietic stem cells were then injected into the patient's heart.

"The cells underwent an innovative treatment to optimize their repair capacity," says Andre Terzic, M.D., Ph.D., study senior author and director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine. "This study helps us move beyond the science fiction notion of stem cell research, providing clinical evidence for a new approach in cardiovascular regenerative medicine."

Every patient in the stem cell treatment group improved. Heart pumping function improved in each patient within six months following cardiopoietic stem cell treatment. In addition, patients experienced improved fitness and were able to walk longer distances than before stem cell therapy. "The benefit to patients who received cardiopoietic stem cell therapy was significant," Dr. Terzic says.

In an accompanying editorial, Charles Murry, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of Washington, Seattle, say, "Six months after treatment, the cell therapy group had a 7 percent absolute improvement in EF (ejection fraction) over baseline, versus a non-significant change in the control group. This improvement in EF is dramatic, particularly given the duration between the ischemic injury and cell therapy. It compares favorably with our most potent therapies in heart failure."

The science supporting this trial is a product of a decade-long journey in decoding principles of stem cell-based heart repair. "Discovery of rare stem cells that could inherently promote heart regeneration provided a critical clue. In following this natural blueprint, we further developed the know-how needed to convert patient-derived stem cells into cells that can reliably repair a failing heart," says Dr. Terzic, underscoring the team effort in this endeavor.

Initial discovery led to the identification of hundreds of proteins involved in cardiogenesis, or the heart development process. The research team then identified which proteins are necessary in helping a stem cell become a reparative cell type, leading to development of a protein cocktail-based procedure that orients stem cells for heart repair. Such upgraded stem cells are called cardiopoietic or heart creative.

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Results from Cardio3BioSciences C-CURE® Trial Published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology

MONT-SAINT-GUIBERT, Belgium, April 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Trial Demonstrates Statistically Significant Improvements in Heart Function and Exercise Tolerance with Cardiopoietic Stem Cell Therapy

Cardio3 BioSciences (C3BS) announces today the advanced publication of C-CURE (Phase II) trial results in the on-line edition of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC).1

The publication reported:

The publication concluded that the therapy with C3BS-CQR-1 (previously C-Cure) was feasible and safe with signals of benefit in chronic heart failure, meriting further definitive clinical evaluation.

The C-Cure trial was a prospective, multicenter, randomized study to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of CQR-1 in the treatment of patients with chronic heart failure secondary to ischemic cardiomyopathy. CQR-1 consists of the patient's own stem cells harvested from the bone marrow and engineered to become progenitors of new functional cardiac cells. Those cells behave identically to the cells lost to heart disease. In the C-Cure trial, all patients received optimal standard-of-care for heart failure, while treated group also received an intra-myocardial injection of CQR-1.

On the basis of these outcomes, C3BS has initiated a Phase III trial for CQR-1, called CHART-1 for Congestive Heart failure Cardiopoietic Regenerative Therapy. This is the first Phase III trial using organ specified cells for the treatment of ischemic heart failure and will recruit approximately 240 patients, with chronic advanced symptomatic heart failure underlining Cardio3 BioSciences' dedication and leadership in bringing regenerative therapies to patients. The primary endpoint of the trial integrates cardiac and clinical endpoints as recommended by the European Medicines Agency.

Dr Jozef Bartunek, Principal Investigator, said: "The Phase II trial demonstrates that cardiopoietic stem cell therapy is feasible, safe and with strong signals of efficacy. These results highlight the promise of such novel technology for optimized regenerative intervention in heart failure, bringing next generation therapies to patients. With Cardio3 BioSciences having started the follow-up Phase III trial, the cardiopoietic approach is at the forefront of this exciting field."

Dr Christian Homsy, CEO of Cardio3 BioSciences, added: "Publication of the C-Cure trial results in a journal as prestigious as JACC highlights the quality of the science underlying our lead product, CQR-1. We look forward to confirming the promising Phase II results, in our Phase III trial. Worldwide, this is the first pivotal Phase III study assessing such advanced regenerative product for the treatment of heart failure. We believe that the innovative science behind our product has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of this debilitating disease."

Prof. Dr. Andr Terzic, lead regenerative medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester (MN), USA and Co-Principal Investigator of the C-Cure Clinical Trial, commented: "Heart failure is a major global challenge with the aging of the population and the shortage of donor organs. By introducing lineage guidance into the cell therapy protocol, the C-CURE trial provides initial clinical evidence for a new approach in cardiovascular regenerative medicine. Clinical translation of cardiopoietic stem cell therapy indicates favorable impact on myocardial remodeling, left ventricular ejection fraction, and global wellness. The C-CURE trial thus advances the paradigm of stem cell therapy, providing a rationale for further clinical validation."

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