World Stem Cells Clinic announces newly constructed state-of-the art laboratory in Cancun

World Stem Cells Clinic's newly constructed state-of-the art laboratory at the Tulum Trade Center in Cancun. World Stem Cells Clinic's research, protocols and team approach, maximizes patient's benefits from stem cell treatments.

(PRWEB) December 27, 2012

World Stem Cells Clinic's research has developed the best protocols to maximize patients benefit from stem cell treatments, operating under the stringent guidelines as established by The International Cellular Medical Society (ICMS) and the US Federal Drug Administrations Good Tissue Practice (cGTP) regulations for pharmaceutical, biologics and clinical laboratories. World Stem Cells Clinic's strict adherence to these established guidelines and policies guarantees the highest quality of clinical care and stem cell treatment safety for you. The patients are enrolled in a United States open registry to track their changes independently, for up to 20 years.

The staff physicians at World Stem Cells Clinic are all board certified, in their field with years of experience. Dr. Sylvia Abblitt is a Board Certified Hematologist & Oncologist, her practice began in 1984 and is a member of the ICMS ( International Cellular Medical Society), with 20+ years in treating multiple types of diseases with stem cells. Dr. Alan Kadish both Allopathic and Naturopathic with 26 years as a primary care provider and has been an active participant in the Defeat Autism Now movement since the 1990's. Dr. Alan Kadish Continues yearly education, far exceeding the licensure requirements. Dr. Ceballos with 17+ years and receiving the Robins award in 1996 during his residency, then doing his internship, in pediatrics, at the General Hospital in Chetumal. Dr. Ceballos is looking forward to the potentials of the disease modification available through the use of stem cell therapy and participating in our research with his firm background in mathematics and statistics bringing a well rounded approach to disease evaluation to World Stem Cells Clinic's team. Established and knowledgeable the combined expertise of World Stem Cells Clinic's multiple specialists, allows for unique insights and protocol designs.

World Stem Cells Clinic treatment approach includes stimulation, prior to collection, processing and expansion of the cell along with the use of growth factors, together with an integrated medical approach. This maximizes the growth and implantation potentials yielding optimized potentials of making changes in your disease.

World Stem Cells Clinic does not perform one or two day treatments as it would not be medically sound and could not provide the benefits or safety that World Stem Cells Clinic treatment schedule gives (please do not be fooled). The patient's stem cell treatment at World Stem Cells Clinic takes 5 days to complete as their treatments are comprehensive and designed to maximize the benefits and safety derived from the process.

World Stem Cells, LLC efforts is making positive changes in their patients and family's lives and it is hoped that their research, team approach and the individual designed treatment protocols will continue to make a difference in the lives of their patients and their families.

Colleen Powers World Stem Cells, LLC (800)234-1693 Email Information

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World Stem Cells Clinic announces newly constructed state-of-the art laboratory in Cancun

Frank Farmer named to the Board Of Directors of World Stem Cell Institute, Inc. a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation …

Frank Farmer has come on board with World Stem Cell Institute, Inc. after his son Kell's stem cell treatment and was amazed at his son's progress. Frank has become an advocate for the use of Stem Cell Treatment(SCT) for other qualified children with ASD along with promoting and aiding World Stem Cell Institute, Inc. to complete clinical trials for preemie babies and other diseases.

Tampa, FL (PRWEB) December 27, 2012

Kell's video: http://www.youtube.com/embed/O7PSi7Qt5h8

Kell's story:http://worldstemcells.com/kell-stem-cell-treatment-for-autism.html

World Stem Cell Institute, Inc will educate the general public about stem cell and ethical use in general, diseases and potential benefit of a stem cell treatment through publishing an on-going research on stem cells clinical trials.

Frank Farmer said he is dedicated to promoting and aiding World Stem Cell Institute, Inc. to achieve its goals for 2013 to provide financial assistance to a minimum of 20 patients who would benefit from a stem cell treatment but do not have the funds required while undergoing a stem cell treatment, to complete clinical trials such as the Preemie clinical trial that would help prevent blindness and other disease in premature babies with the use of stem cells from the lab of World Stem Cells Clinic or other approved lab, ASD study and macular degeneration, fuch's disease, diabetic neuropathy and other eye related diseases clinical trials. The company will then publish the findings of the research in monthly new releases that will be made available to the general public, medical organizations and scientist all at the same time. For More--http://www.worldstemcellinstitute.com

Colleen Powers World Stem Cells, LLC (800)234-1693 Email Information

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Frank Farmer named to the Board Of Directors of World Stem Cell Institute, Inc. a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation ...

The Lives of Kell and Other Children with ASD are Changing Due to The Stem Cell Treatment They Received at the World …

The number of children diagnosed with ASD/Autism is on the rise. The good news is that thanks to the option of Autism treatment with stem cell therapy at World Stem Cells Clinic, parents are enjoying the substantial improvements they are seeing in their children with ASD/Autism.

Cancun, Mexico (PRWEB) December 24, 2012

Autism is a serious developmental problem appearing in early childhood. Before a child turns three-years-old, ASD/Autism can usually be detected. Symptoms seen and the severity of a childs Autism will vary. Autism affects the ability of a child to interact and communicate with others.

Sadly, there is not a cure for Autism, but intensive Autism treatment early on can make an enormous difference in the lives of children who have this disorder.

Children who have ASD/Autism have difficulty meeting some of the typical developmental milestones. These milestones include learning to use the washroom, as well as talking and interacting with others. Children with ASD also tend to perform repetitive body movements (stimming), which can make family outings a challenge.

Kell

The mother of a patient who received Stem Cells Treatment for Autism at the World Stem Cells Clinic details the numerous accomplishments that her son Kell continues to make following stem cell therapy.

Kells mother states that due to the stem cell therapy he received, a completely new environment exists inside Kells body. Kell is now focusing on objects and doing things that he has never done before.

Kell mastered drinking from a straw in just two days and then began drinking from a typical cup of his own accord. Kells mother states that she previously attempted to teach him this skill to no avail. She is ecstatic that he decided to complete this task on his own.

Before his stem cell therapy treatments, Kell would choose something in the store to stim with. Another common occurrence was Kell jumping around in a whirlwind of chaos. However, the most recent trip was different from those before it. Kell actually moved alongside the family while they shopped. Before his stem cell treatment, the family would drag him along and keep him from finding objects to stim with.

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The Lives of Kell and Other Children with ASD are Changing Due to The Stem Cell Treatment They Received at the World ...

OncoMed Pharmaceuticals Initiates Phase 1 Clinical Trial of Anti-Cancer Stem Cell Therapeutic OMP-52M51 (Anti-Notch1)

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage company developing novel therapeutics that target cancer stem cells (CSCs), or tumor-initiating cells, today announced that patient dosing has begun in a Phase 1 clinical trial of OMP-52M51 in patients with hematologic cancers. OMP-52M51 is OncoMeds fifth product candidate to enter clinical development. OMP-52M51 is a proprietary monoclonal antibody that targets the Notch1 receptor. Enrollment of the first patient in the Anti-Notch1 Phase 1 trial has triggered a $4 million milestone payment from the companys strategic collaborator GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

The first Phase 1 clinical trial of OMP-52M51 is an open-label dose escalation and expansion study in patients with hematologic cancers. These patients are assessed for safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and initial evidence of efficacy, and the clinical trial will also assess a predictive biomarker-based patient selection approach. OncoMed also has filed an additional IND application with the FDA to evaluate this monoclonal antibody in patients with solid tumors.

The trial is being conducted at several sites in the United States including Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI) in Nashville, Tennessee. According to Dr. Ian Flinn of SCRI, who treated the first patient with OMP-52M51, It is exciting to bring a novel antibody such as OMP-52M51 that targets the Notch pathway, a key cancer stem cell pathway, into the clinic. There is significant scientific evidence to suggest that Notch1 could be an important therapeutic target in hematological malignancies, and we look forward to generating clinical data that might help patients with these cancers. The biomarker strategy employed in this study is also quite innovative.

We continue to execute on our core strategy of discovering and advancing novel product candidates that target cancer stem cells, said Paul Hastings, President and Chief Executive Officer of OncoMed Pharmaceuticals. OncoMeds clinical pipeline is broad, and with the addition of this novel Anti-Notch1 antibody, we now have 5 product candidates in the clinic, several which are advancing towards Phase 2 testing. We have made significant progress in building and developing our pipeline, and we look forward to generating important clinical data across each of our product candidates now being tested in humans.

About OMP-52M51

OMP-52M51 is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeted to the Notch1 receptor that has shown substantial anti-tumor and anti-CSC activity in Notch-dependent hematologic malignancies and solid tumors in preclinical studies. Certain hematologic malignancies have mutations that increase Notch1 signaling activity and may be a primary driver of tumor growth, as well as resistance to chemotherapy. Predictive biomarker tests have been identified that enable analyses of potential predictive biomarkers in clinical trials for OMP-52M51 to identify those subsets of patients with certain hematologic malignancies or certain solid tumors that may benefit most from the product candidate. OMP-52M51 is part of OncoMeds strategic collaboration with GSK. In December 2007, OncoMed and GSK entered into a broad strategic alliance to discover and develop novel product candidates targeting CSCs via Notch pathway signaling modulation. GSK retains an option through the end of certain Phase 1 or certain Phase 2 clinical trials to obtain an exclusive license to OMP-52M51.

About Cancer Stem Cells

Cancer stem cells, or CSCs, are the subpopulation of cells in a tumor responsible for driving growth and metastasis of the tumor. CSCs, also known as tumor-initiating cells, exhibit certain properties which include the capacity to divide and give rise to new CSCs via a process called self-renewal and the capacity to differentiate or change into the other cells that form the bulk of the tumor. Common cancer drugs target bulk tumor cells but have limited impact on CSCs, thereby providing a path for recurrence of the tumor. OncoMeds product candidates target CSCs by blocking self-renewal and driving differentiation of CSCs toward a non-tumorigenic state, and also impact bulk tumor cells. OncoMed believes its product candidates are distinct from the current generations of chemotherapies and targeted therapies, and have the potential to significantly impact cancer treatment and the clinical outcome of patients with cancer.

About OncoMed Pharmaceuticals

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OncoMed Pharmaceuticals Initiates Phase 1 Clinical Trial of Anti-Cancer Stem Cell Therapeutic OMP-52M51 (Anti-Notch1)

Stemedica and Scripps to Jointly Investigate Therapeutic Effect of Ischemia Tolerant Mesenchymal Stem Cells (itMSC …

Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc., a leading manufacturer of adult ischemia tolerant allogeneic stem cells and stem cell factors announced that the Company has signed an agreement with The Scripps Research Institute to investigate the role of Stemedicas ischemia tolerant human mesenchymal stem cells and stem cell factors as a therapy for severe lung injury and sepsis.

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) December 21, 2012

Acute Lung Injury (ALI) and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) are the most common causes of respiratory failure among critically ill patients. The mortality for this syndrome remains high at 30-40% and accounts for approximately 75,000 deaths per year. Severe bacterial pneumonia is the most common cause of ALI/ARDS and is frequently associated with septic shock. The only intervention for ALI/ARDS that has resulted in a mortality benefit is low tidal volume ventilation. Despite several attempts, there have been no pharmacological agents that have reduced the morbidity or mortality from ALI/ARDS. Furthermore, treatment of bacterial pneumonia is increasingly hampered by the rapid spread of multi-drug resistant bacteria and the lack of new antimicrobial agents to treat them. Therefore, given the large public health impact of severe bacterial pneumonia and ALI/ARDS, novel therapies are needed to address this common and growing clinical problem.

Bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are an emerging form of cell-based therapy that have been increasingly studied in experimental models of lung injury and sepsis. Experimental studies have shown that murine MSCs can improve survival, reduce lung injury, and enhance bacterial clearance in clinically relevant models of bacterial pneumonia in mice. These beneficial effects have also been achieved using human MSCs in an ex-vivo human lung model of ALI.

Naveen Gupta, MD, Assistant Professor of Molecular and Experimental Medicine and Principal Investigator at The Scripps Research Institute, has authored and co-authored a number of publications in peer-reviewed journals in this field. He commented that, This project will investigate the therapeutic effects of Stemedicas ischemia tolerant MSCs in experimental lung injury and sepsis. Specifically, it will determine the optimal route, dose and timing of cell delivery in an E. coli pneumonia model. In addition, studies will be done using purified soluble factors secreted by the stem cells to determine whether a therapeutic effect comparable to using live MSCs can be achieved. Dr. Gupta continued: Given Stemedica's expertise in the field of developing MSC-based clinical therapies and the scientific and clinical expertise in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine present at Scripps, I believe that this will be a mutually beneficial and productive collaboration that may have important implications in how cell based therapy is applied to critically ill patients.

Nikolai Tankovich, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Medical Officer of Stemedica noted, One of the great advantages of using Stemedicas cGMP produced, FDB licensed (Food & Drug Branch of the California Department of Public Health) stem cells is that they have already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in a variety of clinical trials. The same cGMP manufactured cell can be used in all phases of the approval process from preclinical through clinical trials and ultimately to commercialization. This will contribute significantly to accelerating the process from benchtop to bedside.

Maynard Howe, Ph.D., Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Stemedica commented, We are pleased to be working with a renowned organization like Scripps to advance treatment for this critical condition. The goals of our organizations are aligned--we strive to save lives--and one of the most meaningful ways we can do this is to stem mortality from ARDS.

About The Scripps Research Institute

The Scripps Research Institute is one of the world's largest independent, not-for-profit organizations focusing on research in the biomedical sciences. Over the past decades, TSRI has developed a lengthy track record of major contributions to science and health, including laying the foundation for new treatments for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, hemophilia, and other diseases. The institute employs about 3,000 people on its campuses in La Jolla, CA, and Jupiter, FL, where its renowned scientists (including three Nobel laureates) work toward their next discoveries. The institute's graduate program, which awards Ph.D. degrees in biology and chemistry, ranks among the top ten of its kind in the nation. For more information, see http://www.scripps.edu.

About Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc.

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Stemedica and Scripps to Jointly Investigate Therapeutic Effect of Ischemia Tolerant Mesenchymal Stem Cells (itMSC ...

Stemedica Issued U.S. Patent For Stem Cell Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy and Diabetic Optic Neuropathy

Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc., a leading manufacturer of adult allogeneic stem cells and stem cell factors announced that the Company has been issued U.S. Patent #8,318,485 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. This broad-based patent covers the treatment of diabetic retinopathy and other degenerative diseases of the eye with the Companys ischemic tolerant neural (itNSC) and mesenchymal (itMSC) stem cells.

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) December 20, 2012

In the United States, diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of new blindness in people 25-74 years of age. Approximately 700,000 persons in the United States have proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Each year another 65,000 are diagnosed with the condition. A recent study has estimated that, among people with diabetes aged 40 or older, 28.5% will develop diabetic retinopathy. Worldwide, it is estimated that 20 million people have proliferative diabetic retinopathy, with this number projected to increase to over 30 million by 2030.

Diabetic retinopathy begins as a vascular condition with microaneurysms in the vessels of the retina. These blood vessels become blocked, thereby depriving portions of the retina from blood supply. This trauma causes the retina to secrete vascularization signals that result in new, fragile, abnormal blood vessels being formed. The thin fragile walls of the new vessels leak fluid into the surrounding tissue, placing pressure on the nerves that become damaged in the process.

Nikolai Tankovich, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Medical Officer of Stemedica noted, The treatment covered by this patent addresses the unique pathophysiology of diabetic retinopathy. Our ischemic tolerant mesenchymal stem cells are able to help restore the damaged endothelial lining and prevent the leakage of the microvasculature. The ischemic tolerant neural stem cells, injected directly behind the eye, address the nerve damage that has occurred with this condition.

The patent was enabled by the results of a six patient clinical study conducted by Natalia Gavrilova, M.D., Ph.D., Head of Vascular & Eye Neurology at the Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Center of Russia, and Professor and Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology of Moscow Medical University. Fyodorov is one of the leading ophthalmologic centers in the world performing over 300,000 procedures a year.

The study, presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology meeting in Florida in the spring of 2011, was conducted without adverse events. Patients experienced improvements in the function of the optic nerve, blood flow to the eye, and reduction of inflammation in the six-month period following injection and became stable for the entire follow up period.

Paul Tornambe, M.D., of Retinal Consultants Inc., in San Diego, California, and former President of the American Society of Retina Specialists, reviewed the data. According to Dr. Tornambe, These preliminary data are encouraging. As we seek to find the best treatments for diabetic retinopathy, it is important to explore many different approaches including combined stem cell treatment.

Maynard Howe, Ph.D., Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Stemedica commented, One of the strategic advantages of Stemedica is our ability to manufacture, under cGMP conditions and with the appropriate licensure, multiple types of stem cells and to do so with proven safety, purity and potency. We look forward to utilizing our ischemic tolerant products in addressing eye-related disease.

About Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc.

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Stemedica Issued U.S. Patent For Stem Cell Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy and Diabetic Optic Neuropathy

APAC Stem Cell Research & Therapy Market a “Growth Engine” for Region’s Scientific Ambitions Says A New Market …

ReportsnReports.com adds Stem Cell Therapy Market in Asia-Pacific to 2018 - Commercialization Supported by Favorable Government Policies, Strong Pipeline and Increased Licensing Activity to its online market intelligence reports library.

Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) December 21, 2012

The growth in the APAC stem cell therapy market will not only provide treatment options but will also contribute significantly to the countries Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with the President of South Korea only last year referring to stem cell research as a new growth engine for the nations economy. In order to support the stem cell industry, regulatory guidelines in Asia-Pacific countries allow stem cell research, and this has led to its commercialization. India and South Korea are the leaders in the commercialization of stem cell therapy, with approved products for Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), osteoarthritis and anal fistula in Crohns disease, amongst others. The countries allow the use of human embryonic stem cells and provide adequate funding support for the research.

Stem cell therapy is an emerging field, and a large amount of research is currently being carried out by institutions such as hospitals, universities and medical colleges. According to this research and analysis of the stem cell therapy research in Asia-Pacific, 63% of pipeline molecules were being researched by academia. The emergence of institutional research has boosted stem cell discoveries, as companies can be put off conducting research due to uncertain therapeutic outcomes. China and Japan witness only a negligible industry presence in stem cell research, as academic institutions dominate however in contrast, India has the presence of both industry and academia. The major institutions engaged in stem cell research in India are LV Prasad Eye Institute (LYPEI) for Limbal Stem Cell Technology (LSCT), and the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) for stem cell therapy for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The market is poised for significant growth in the future, due to the anticipated launch of JCR Pharmaceuticals JR-031 in Japan in 2014, and FCB Pharmicells Cerecellgram (CCG) in South Korea in 2015. This research report (http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/210795-stem-cell-therapy-market-in-asia-pacific-to-2018-commercialization-supported-by-favorable-government-policies-strong-pipeline-and-increased-licensing-activity.html) predicts that the stem cell therapy market will grow in value from $545m in 2012 to $972m in 2018, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10%.

Buy your copy of this report @ http://www.reportsnreports.com/Purchase.aspx?name=210795. Alternatively, Request A Sample @ http://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/RequestSample.aspx?name=210795 to help make your purchase decision.

Companies covered in this report include: Stempeutics Research, Reliance Life Sciences, International Stem Cell Services, Shenzhen Beike Biotechnology, JCR Pharmaceuticals, ES Cells International (Subsidiary of BioTime, Inc), Stem Cell Technologies I, Pharmicell and Medipost. Equipped with 70 Tables and 60+ Figures, the report Stem Cell Therapy Market in Asia-Pacific to 2018 - Commercialization Supported by Favorable Government Policies, Strong Pipeline and Increased Licensing Activity provides an in-depth analysis on stem cell research and development in India, China, Japan, South-Korea and Singapore. The research offers market analysis and forecasts for CABG, LSCT, Type 1 DM, Type 2 DM, Hearticellgram, Cerecellgram, Cartistem and Cupistem. The report also provides information on trends and pipelines. In addition to this, the report covers market drivers and challenges for stem cell research market.

Explore more reports on the Stem Cell Market @ http://www.reportsnreports.com/tags/stem-cell-market-research.html.

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APAC Stem Cell Research & Therapy Market a “Growth Engine” for Region’s Scientific Ambitions Says A New Market ...

Scientists at The New York Stem Cell Foundation and Columbia University Medical Center Develop Scientific Technique To …

A new study published in Nature shows how mitochondrial disease may be prevented

NEW YORK, Dec. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A joint team of scientists from The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Laboratory and Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) has developed a technique that may prevent the inheritance of mitochondrial diseases in children. The study is published online today in Nature.

Dieter Egli, PhD, and Daniel Paull, PhD, of the NYSCF Laboratory with Mark Sauer, MD, and Michio Hirano, MD, of CUMC demonstrated how the nucleus of a cell can be successfully transferred between human egg cells. This landmark achievement carries significant implications for those children who have the potential to inherit mitochondrial diseases.

Mitochondria are cellular organelles responsible for the maintenance and growth of a cell. They contain their own set of genes, passed from mother to child, and are inherited independently from the cell's nucleus. Although mitochondrial DNA accounts for only 37 out of more than 20,000 genes in an individual, mutations to mitochondrial genes carry harmful effects.

Mitochondrial disorders, due to mutations in mitochondrial DNA, affect approximately 1 in 10,000 people, while nearly 1 in 200 individuals carries mutant mitochondrial DNA. Symptoms, manifesting most often in childhood, may lead to stunted growth, kidney disease, muscle weakness, neurological disorders, loss of vision and hearing, and respiratory problems, among others. Worldwide, a child is born with a mitochondrial disease approximately every 30 minutes, and there are currently no cures for these devastating diseases.

"Through this study, we have shown that it should be possible to prevent the inheritance of mitochondrial disorders," said Egli, PhD, co-author of the study and a Senior Researcher in the NYSCF Laboratory. "We hope that this technique can be advanced quickly toward the clinic where studies in humans can show how the use of this process could help to prevent mitochondrial disease."

In this study, the researchers removed the nucleus of an unfertilized egg cell and replaced it with the nucleus of another donor's egg cell. The resultant egg cell contained the genome of the donor but not her mitochondrial DNA. The researchers demonstrated that the transfer did not have detectable adverse effects on the egg cell, a prerequisite for clinical translation. They achieved this by lowering the temperature of the egg before nuclear transfer, a novel technique. Previous studies report adverse consequences in approximately 50% of the egg cells.

The researchers then artificially activated the egg cell through a technique called parthenogenesis and derived stem cell lines from the blastocyst that developed. These cell lines were grown for more than a year and generated adult cell types such as neurons, heart cells and pancreatic beta cells that are affected by mutant mitochondrial DNA. They found the levels of the donated genome's original mitochondria to be undetectable, demonstrating that this would permanently eliminate the mitochondrial DNA and prevent a family's future generations from developing these diseases.

Current treatment options to prevent mitochondrial disease are limited. A woman with a family history of mitochondrial disease may abstain from having children. She may alternatively elect to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) with donor eggs; however, this means the child will be genetically unrelated to her. As another option, patients can undergo IVF treatment and, through prenatal screening, to allow clinicians to select from a mother's eggs those that have the least likelihood of carrying mitochondrial DNA defects. This is not, however, a fully effective screening process, and her children may still be affected by mitochondrial disorders.

"Women who carry mutant mitochondrial DNA may no longer have to worry that their children will become sick. This technique may allow us to provide women with a therapeutic option that will prevent these disorders," said Sauer, MD, a co-author on the paper and Vice Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Chief of Reproductive Endocrinology at Columbia University Medical Center. Sauer is also Program Director of Assisted Reproduction at the Center for Women's Reproductive Care.

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Scientists at The New York Stem Cell Foundation and Columbia University Medical Center Develop Scientific Technique To ...

BrainStorm and Octane to Develop Revolutionary Bioreactor-Based NurOwn Stem Cells Production Process

NEW YORK & PETACH TIKVAH, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI), a leading developer of adult stem cell technologies for neurodegenerative diseases, announced today that it has signed an agreement with Octane Biotech of Kingston, Ontario, to jointly develop a proprietary bioreactor for production of its NurOwn stem cell therapy candidate. The customized bioreactor will enable BrainStorm to optimize its NurOwn production process, significantly increasing its production capabilities by using a single clean room for multiple patients, reducing costs and time. The project is supported by a grant awarded by the Canada-Israel Industrial Research and Development Foundation (CIIRDF).

Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will develop a commercially viable, safe, reliable, and cost-effective bioreactor for scale-up of BrainStorms NurOwn stem cell therapy, using Octanes Automated Cell & Tissue Engineering System (ACTES) technology. The CIIRDF funding award was approved for a period of three years.

Octane is the ideal partner for us, since they have a particular expertise in developing automated production processes for mesenchymal cell therapy technologies, commented Dr. Adrian Harel, BrainStorms CEO. We are anxious to move ahead with this project, in order to be in a position to provide NurOwn as quickly as possible, and to as many patients as possible, in the near future.

The opportunity to work with BrainStorm on scaling-up the NurOwn production process is a particularly meaningful one, given the urgency of its target population, said Dr. Tim Smith, Octanes CEO. We are confident that our combined knowledge base and commitment to the project will help advance their product significantly closer to clinical use.

BrainStorm is currently conducting a Phase I/II clinical trial in ALS patients at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem and is planning to expand its clinical development in the USA, pending FDA approval. Towards that goal, the Company has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Massachusetts Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital to begin ALS human clinical trials at these institutions.

About BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. is a biotechnology company engaged in the development of first-of-its-kind adult stem cell therapies derived from autologous bone marrow cells for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The Company holds the rights to develop and commercialize its NurOwn technology through an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement with Ramot, the technology transfer company of Tel Aviv University. For more information, visit the companys website at http://www.brainstorm-cell.com.

About Octane Biotech

Octane develops innovative bioreactor-based systems to meet the production challenges inherent in the progressive scale-up of manual cell culture protocols. The companys unique Automated Cell & Tissue Engineering System (ACTES) solution integrates state-of-the-art bioreactors, biosensors and bioprocessing to enable routine GMP production of cell-based products for clinical therapeutics. Octane Biotech Inc. is one of three affiliated companies within the Octane Medical Group. For more information, visit the companys website at http://www.octaneco.com.

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BrainStorm and Octane to Develop Revolutionary Bioreactor-Based NurOwn Stem Cells Production Process

BioTime Reports Isolation of Seven Diverse Cartilage and Bone Cell Types From Human Embryonic Stem Cells

ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

BioTime, Inc. (NYSE MKT: BTX), a biotechnology company that develops and markets products in the field of regenerative medicine, and its subsidiaries OrthoCyte Corporation and LifeMap Sciences reported today a means of manufacturing seven distinct types of cartilage, bone, and tendon cells from human embryonic stem cells. The paper, scheduled to be published online (ahead of print) at 1600 GMT today in the peer-reviewed journal Regenerative Medicine, characterizes the seven cell types generated using BioTimes proprietary PureStemTM technology. The study compared the novel cells with adult stem cells, known as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and revealed properties of the new cell lines that are suggestive of a wide array of future applications in the practice of orthopedic medicine.

In the study published today, it was demonstrated that BioTimes cells, which can be manufactured on an industrial scale, are progenitors to diverse skeletal tissues of the human body. These cell lines bear diverse molecular markers that distinguish them from each other and from MSCs. The molecular markers of BioTimes cell lines suggest the lines may therefore be applicable to the repair of different types of bone, cartilage, and tendon for the treatment of degenerative diseases afflicting these tissue types such as non-healing bone fractures, osteoarthritis and degeneration of intervertebral discs, and tendon tears (tendinosis).

Chronic orthopedic disorders such as osteoarthritis, degeneration of the discs in the spine, osteoporosis, and tendon tears are among the leading complaints and causes of disability in an aging society. The recent isolation of new pluripotent stem cells such as human embryonic stem (hES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells opens the door to the manufacture of all of the cell types in the human body on an industrial scale. These achievements in the emerging field of regenerative medicine have made it feasible to introduce new modalities of repairing these and other tissues in the body.

As promising as these new stem cells may be for eventual human tissue repair, there has been little progress to date in identifying new ways to generate pure populations of the diverse cellular components of the human body using methods that are also compatible with industrial-scale manufacture. To address this need, BioTime scientists developed a novel and proprietary manufacturing process. These isolated PureStemTM(previously ACTCellerateTM) cell lines allow for the scale-up of more than 200 highly purified and identified cell types.

In today's publication, BioTime scientists reported on seven PureStemTM cell lines representing diverse cells of the developing human skeleton. One of these cell lines, 4D20.8, was previously shown by BioTime scientists to exhibit site-specific markers of craniofacial mesenchyme, and in particular, markers of proximal mandibular mesenchyme. This tissue type is of significance in that it naturally produces one of the strongest joint cartilages of the body. In todays report, this line was compared to the BioTimes lines 7PEND24, 7SMOO32, E15, MEL2, SK11, SM30, and to other commonly studied MSCs. BioTimes cell lines displayed markers that indicated the cells were progenitors of diverse cartilage, bone, and tendon cell types in the body.

There remains the need for safe methods of manufacturing cells at a high degree of purity and site-specific identity, in addition to an FDA-approvable combination with a matrix to facilitate the stable transplantation of those cells into the body. BioTimes HyStem technology is designed to be an effective means of transplanting cells in an injectable liquid that can polymerize safely in the body into a tissue construct. BioTime anticipates that during the first quarter of 2013, a submission of a Phase I safety trial in humans will be made to the appropriate European Committee for review and approval of HyStem formulated for the delivery of autologous fat-derived cells for skin applications, a product called Renevia. In todays publication, the seven novel osteochondral cell lines were demonstrated to be successfully differentiated in HyStem in laboratory experiments, supporting the potential use of the product together with these and other PureStemTM cell lines in combination products.

The studys demonstration of the manufacture of diverse site-specific tissue progenitors from pluripotent stem cells serves to highlight the utility of LifeMap Discovery, a powerful new database that provides a roadmap to the complex fabric of cells constituting the human body. In todays publication, BioTime and LifeMap scientists collaborated to map the molecular markers of the published PureStemTM cell lines within the database, thus making the lines available for the research community in the context of the human developmental tree.

We are gratified to finally report in a scientific publication the power of monoclonal human embryonic progenitor cell lines to scale diverse cell types of the human body, said Michael D. West, Ph.D., BioTime's Chief Executive Officer. Our confidence that many other cell types of the human body can be manufactured in this manner is the reason for our focus on this platform and for participating in building LifeMap DiscoveryTM to help the medical research community navigate this fascinating yet complex network of product development.

Arnold Caplan, Ph.D., OrthoCyte's Chief Scientific Officer and Director of the Skeletal Research Center at Case Western Reserve University, commented that the paper by Sternberg and colleagues emphasizes the scalability of clonal human embryonic stem cell-derived cell lines for musculoskeletal tissue engineering.The analysis at the molecular level of the biological markers gives us confidence that these groups of cells can be used for cartilage repair and regeneration. The amount of cells that can be generated is really practical for human musculoskeletaltissue regeneration.

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BioTime Reports Isolation of Seven Diverse Cartilage and Bone Cell Types From Human Embryonic Stem Cells