Baxter Initiates Phase III Adult Stem Cell Clinical Trial for Chronic Cardiac Condition

DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX - News) announced today that it has initiated a phase III pivotal clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adult autologous (an individual’s own) CD34+ stem cells to increase exercise capacity in patients with chronic myocardial ischemia (CMI).

Chronic myocardial ischemia (CMI) is one of the most severe forms of coronary artery disease, causing significant long-term damage to the heart muscle and disability to the patient. It is often diagnosed based on symptoms of severe, refractory angina, which is severe chest discomfort that does not respond to conventional medical management or surgical interventions.

“The prospect of using a person’s own adult stem cells to restore and repair blood flow in CMI is a very exciting concept based on a biological regenerative approach,” said Norbert Riedel, Ph.D., Baxter’s chief science and innovation officer. “The goals of this phase III trial are aligned with Baxter’s overall mission to develop life-saving and life-sustaining therapies and it will help us determine if the therapy can make a meaningful difference for CMI patients.”

The trial will enroll approximately 450 patients across 50 clinical sites in the United States, who will be randomized to one of three arms: treatment with their own autologous CD34+ stem cells, treatment with placebo (control), or unblinded standard of care. The primary objective is to evaluate the efficacy of treatment with CD34+ stem cells to improve the functional capacity of patients with CMI, as measured by a change in total exercise capacity at 12 months following treatment. Secondary objectives include reduced frequency of angina episodes at 12 months after treatment and the safety of targeted delivery of the cells.

After stem cell mobilization, apheresis (collecting the cells from the body) and cell processing, participants will receive CD34+ stem cells or placebo in a single treatment via 10 intramyocardial injections into targeted areas of the heart tissue. Efficacy will be measured by a change in total exercise capacity during the first year following treatment and safety data will be collected for two years. Stem cell processing will be conducted in GMP facilities in the United States by Progenitor Cell Therapy (PCT), a subsidiary of NeoStem, Inc. To learn more or enroll, visit http://www.renewstudy.com or http://www.clinicaltrials.gov.

This trial is being initiated based on the phase II data, which indicated that injections of patients’ own CD34+ stem cells may improve exercise capacity and reduce reports of angina episodes in patients with chronic, severe refractory angina.

“The phase II trial provided evidence that this strategy, leveraging the body’s own natural repair mechanisms, can improve exercise capacity and reduce chest pain, the first time these endpoints have been achieved in a population of patients who have exhausted conventional treatment options,” said Douglas Losordo, MD, vice president of new therapeutic development at Baxter.

CD34+ cells, which are blood-forming stem cells derived from bone marrow, are comprised of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which develop into new blood vessels. Previous preclinical studies investigating these cells have shown an increase in capillary density and improved cardiac function in models of myocardial ischemia.

About Baxter

Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures and markets products that save and sustain the lives of people with hemophilia, immune disorders, infectious diseases, kidney disease, trauma, and other chronic and acute medical conditions. As a global, diversified healthcare company, Baxter applies a unique combination of expertise in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology to create products that advance patient care worldwide.

This release includes forward-looking statements concerning the use of adult autologous stem cells to treat CMI, including expectations with respect to the related phase III clinical trial. These statements are based on assumptions about many important factors, including the following, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements: clinical results demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of the use of autologous stem cells to treat CMI; timely submission of regulatory filings; satisfaction of regulatory and other requirements; actions of regulatory bodies and other governmental authorities; the enrollment of a sufficient number of qualified participants in the phase III clinical trial; the successful provision of stem cell processing by PCT, a third party; and other risks identified in Baxter’s most recent filing on Form 10-K and other SEC filings, all of which are available on Baxter’s website. Baxter does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements.

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Baxter Initiates Phase III Adult Stem Cell Clinical Trial for Chronic Cardiac Condition

Stem Cell Pioneers Converge in Portland to Discuss and Celebrate a Revolutionary New Stem Cell Entering Human Clinical …

SAN DIEGO, CA and PORTLAND, OR--(Marketwire -02/28/12)- Medistem Inc. (Pinksheets: MEDS.PK - News) announced today its Annual "Evening with Medistem" Event will take place in Portland, Oregon on March 7th, 2012. The event is being hosted by Vladimir Zaharchook, Vice Chairman at Medistem, Inc., and will feature stem cell luminaries and pioneers working with Medistem including Dr. Amit Patel, Director of Regenerative Medicine at University of Utah and the first person to administer stem cells into patients with heart failure, Dr. Michael Murphy, Vascular Surgeon at Indiana University and Principal Investigator for Medistem's FDA clinical trial in patients with risk of amputation, and Dr. Alan Lewis, former CEO of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, advisory board member of Medistem.

In 2007 Medistem discovered an entirely new type of stem cell, the Endometrial Regenerative Cell (ERC). This cell has proven it is a "universal donor" and can be used to treat many more conditions compared to other types of stem cells. The company received FDA clearance to begin clinical trials in September of 2011 for critical limb ischemia, a condition that is associated with amputation. Medistem is also running a Phase II clinical trial for heart failure using the new stem cell. The ERC stem cell does not involve the highly controversial use of fetal tissue, can be produced very economically and administered to the patient in a very simple manner. Medistem is exploring ways to expand clinical trials of its stem cell into other diseases.

"Stem cells and regenerative medicine offer hope in clinical conditions in which hope previously did not exist," said Dr. Stanley Cohan, Head of Neurology at the St Vincent's Hospital, the largest center for treatment of multiple sclerosis in the Pacific Northwest, who will be attending the event. "We are honored in the Portland community to have this distinguished team of accomplished researchers and medical doctors convene here and discuss with us possible collaborations."

"As a long-time member of the Portland academic community, it is exciting to have companies such as Medistem to visit us and share their experiences 'from the trenches' of what it takes to push a cellular drug through the FDA," said Dr. Shoukrat Milipotiv, Associate Scientist in the Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences of ONPRC, Oregon Stem Cell Center and Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Molecular & Medical Genetics, and co-director of the ART/ESC core at the Center. He is an internationally recognized researcher in the area of stem cells.

"The Event is an annual celebration to honor our team and collaborators for the successes of the previous year, while at the same time educate the local business and medical community on the latest research on stem cells not just at Medistem but internationally," said Thomas Ichim, Ph.D Chief Executive Officer of Medistem Inc. "2012 is particularly exciting for us due to approvals for two clinical trials, and the initiation of patient treatments within this context."

About Medistem Inc.

Medistem Inc. is a biotechnology company developing technologies related to adult stem cell extraction, manipulation, and use for treating inflammatory and degenerative diseases. The company's lead product, the endometrial regenerative cell (ERC), is a "universal donor" stem cell being developed for critical limb ischemia and heart failure.

Cautionary Statement

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of our securities. This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Future events and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking information. Factors which may cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements are discussed in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Stem Cell Pioneers Converge in Portland to Discuss and Celebrate a Revolutionary New Stem Cell Entering Human Clinical ...

Stem cells give Barbaro's half-brother a chance to run again

by WHAS editors

WHAS11.com

Posted on February 27, 2012 at 1:22 PM

TUSCON, Ariz. (WHAS11) -- A famous horse has a new lease on life thanks to a cutting-edge stem cell treatment.

He's the half-brother to Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro and he’s known around the world as Dynaking, but the people who rescued him in Tucson, Ariz. call him "Gifted."

He was born to run, but now he can barely walk. "Gifted" suffers from a condition that affects horses feet, an inflammation of the hoof that kills if left untreated.

Veterinarian Dr. Vernon Dryden flew to Arizona from Kentucky to help.

“What he has is a very difficult thing to overcome and really truly we're not going to cure him but we're going to try to prolong his life,” Dryden said.

Now the recovery is up to "Gifted."

“He's got the will to live like no horse I’ve ever seen before. He is a fighter,” Judy Glore, Heart of Tucson president, said.  
 

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Stem cells give Barbaro's half-brother a chance to run again

StemCells, Inc. to Participate in Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy 2012

NEWARK, Calif., Feb. 27, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StemCells, Inc. (Nasdaq:STEM - News) today announced that it will participate in the Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy, which is being held in Qatar from February 27 to March 1, 2012. The Company, which is the leader in development of cell-based therapeutics for central nervous system disorders, was specifically invited by the conference's sponsors, the State of Qatar and Amir of Qatar His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, as well as the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy of Rice University, and is the only company to be invited.

Ann Tsukamoto, Ph.D., StemCells' Executive Vice President, Research and Development, will make a presentation on the clinical translation of human neural stem cells. StemCells was the first company to receive authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration to conduct a clinical trial of purified human neural stem cells, and the Company is currently conducting two clinical trials with a third anticipated to start later this year. Dr. Tsukamoto will also be the moderator of the panel session on neurological disorders, which is scheduled to be held on March 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Arabian Standard Time (AST).

In addition, Irving Weissman, M.D., Chairman of StemCells' Scientific Advisory Board, will make a keynote presentation to the conference on Tuesday, February 28 at 9:00 a.m. AST. Dr. Weissman, who is Virginia and Daniel K. Ludwig Professor of Cancer Research, Professor of Pathology and Professor of Developmental Biology at the Stanford School of Medicine, and Director of the Stanford Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, will speak on normal and neoplastic stem cells. Dr. Weissman will also participate in a panel discussion on the opportunities and challenges for stem cell research, and will moderate a panel discussion on pluripotent stem cells.

The Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy will bring together more than 400 international participants from industry, academia and public policy, including leading experts from each of these sectors. The conference's objectives are to showcase the latest stem cell research from around the world, while promoting discussion and awareness of scientific, ethical and regulatory issues related to this innovative and dynamic field.

About StemCells, Inc.

StemCells, Inc. is engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of cell-based therapeutics and tools for use in stem cell-based research and drug discovery. The Company's lead therapeutic product candidate, HuCNS-SC(R) cells (purified human neural stem cells), is currently in development as a potential treatment for a broad range of central nervous system disorders. The Company recently completed a clinical trial in Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD), a fatal myelination disorder in children, and expects to report the trial results soon. The Company is also conducting a Phase I/II clinical trial in chronic spinal cord injury, and expects to initiate a Phase I/II clinical trial in dry age- related macular degeneration in the near future. In addition, the Company is pursuing preclinical studies of its HuCNS-SC cells in Alzheimer's disease. StemCells also markets stem cell research products, including media and reagents, under the SC Proven(R) brand, and is developing stem cell-based assay platforms for use in pharmaceutical research, drug discovery and drug development. Further information about StemCells is available at http://www.stemcellsinc.com.

The StemCells, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=7014

Apart from statements of historical fact, the text of this press release constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. securities laws, and is subject to the safe harbors created therein. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the clinical development of its HuCNS-SC cells; the Company's ability to commercialize drug discovery and drug development tools; and the future business operations of the Company. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof. Such statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain assumptions that may or may not ultimately prove valid. The Company's actual results may vary materially from those contemplated in such forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties to which the Company is subject, including those described under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 and in its subsequent reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K.

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StemCells, Inc. to Participate in Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy 2012

Nature: BrainStorm's NurOwn™ Stem Cell Technology Offers Hope for Treating Huntington Disease

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

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (OTCBB: BCLI.OB - News), a leading developer of adult stem cell technologies and therapeutics, announced today that the prestigious Nature Reviews Neurology, a Nature Publishing Group Journal, highlighted recently published preclinical research results indicating that stem cells, generated with Brainstorm’s NurOwn™ technology, provide hope for Huntington disease's patients.

In the preclinical studies conducted by leading scientists including Professors Melamed and Offen of Tel Aviv University and originally reported in Experimental Neurology, patients' bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells secreting neurotrophic factors (MSC-NTF) that were transplanted into an animal model of Huntington disease showed therapeutic benefits.

Addressing the role of these MSC-NTF cells in Huntington disease, Professor Daniel Offen explains, "the premise is that such cells can be transplanted safely into affected areas of the brain, and thereby serve as vehicles for delivering neurotrophic factors." Offen expressed his hope that this cell-based therapy may eventually progress to the clinic.

BrainStorm is currently conducting a Phase I/II Human Clinical Trial for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease at the Hadassah Medical center. Initial results have shown that Brainstorm’s NurOwn™ therapy is safe, does not show any significant treatment-related adverse events, and have also shown certain signs of beneficial clinical effects.

Follow this link for the Research Highlights page in Nature Reviews Neurology (starts Feb. 28th ): http://www.nature.com/nrneurol/journal/vaop/ncurrent/index.html

To read the Original Article entitled ‘Mesenchymal stem cells induced to secrete neurotrophic factors attenuate quinolinic acid toxicity: A potential therapy for Huntington's disease’ by Sadan et al. follow this link: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014488612000295

About BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics, Inc.

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. is a biotech company developing adult stem cell therapeutic products, derived from autologous (self) bone marrow cells, for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The company, through its wholly owned subsidiary Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Ltd., holds rights to develop and commercialize the technology through an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement with Ramot (www.ramot.org) at Tel Aviv University Ltd., the technology transfer company of Tel-Aviv University. The technology is currently in a Phase I/II clinical trials for ALS in Israel.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information constitute "forward-looking statements" and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.'s actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, inter alia, regarding safety and efficacy in its human clinical trials and thereafter; the Company's ability to progress any product candidates in pre-clinical or clinical trials; the scope, rate and progress of its pre-clinical trials and other research and development activities; the scope, rate and progress of clinical trials we commence; clinical trial results; safety and efficacy of the product even if the data from pre-clinical or clinical trials is positive; uncertainties relating to clinical trials; risks relating to the commercialization, if any, of our proposed product candidates; dependence on the efforts of third parties; failure by us to secure and maintain relationships with collaborators; dependence on intellectual property; competition for clinical resources and patient enrollment from drug candidates in development by other companies with greater resources and visibility, and risks that we may lack the financial resources and access to capital to fund our operations. The potential risks and uncertainties include risks associated with BrainStorm's limited operating history, history of losses; minimal working capital, dependence on its license to Ramot's technology; ability to adequately protect its technology; dependence on key executives and on its scientific consultants; ability to obtain required regulatory approvals; and other factors detailed in BrainStorm's annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q available at http://www.sec.gov. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements made by us.

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Nature: BrainStorm's NurOwn™ Stem Cell Technology Offers Hope for Treating Huntington Disease

Stem cell boost in fertility study

Researchers have isolated egg-producing stem cells from the ovaries of reproductive age women and shown these can produce what appear to be normal egg cells or oocytes, according to a new study.

The discovery "opens the door for development of unprecedented technologies to overcome infertility in women" according to the scientist who led the study.

Jonathan Tilly, of Massachusetts General Hospital in the United States, said: "The primary objective of the current study was to prove that oocyte-producing stem cells do in fact exist in the ovaries of women during reproductive life, which we feel this study demonstrates very clearly."

The researchers developed a precise cell-sorting technique to isolate oocyte producing stem cells (OSCs) without contamination from other cells, according to an article in the March issue of Nature Medicine.

The cells were able, in the laboratory, to form cells spontaneously with characteristic features of oocytes. Further experiments on mice showed such eggs could be fertilised.

Dr Tilly's team is exploring potential clinical applications from its findings which include the establishment of human OSC banks - since these cells, unlike human oocytes, can be frozen and thawed without damage - and the development of mature human oocytes from OSCs for in vitro fertilisation, plus other approaches to improve the outcomes of IVF and other infertility treatments.

In 2004 a report from Dr Tilly's team challenged the fundamental belief, held since the 1950s, that female mammals are born with a finite supply of eggs that is depleted throughout life and exhausted at menopause.

Dr Tilly said: "The discovery of oocyte precursor cells in adult human ovaries, coupled with the fact that these cells share the same characteristic features of their mouse counterparts that produce fully functional eggs, opens the door for development of unprecedented technologies to overcome infertility in women and perhaps even delay the timing of ovarian failure."

Dr Allan Pacey, a fertility expert at the University of Sheffield, told the BBC: "This is a nice study which shows quite convincingly that women's ovaries contain stem cells that can divide and make eggs.

"Not only does this re-write the rule book, it opens up a number of exciting possibilities for preserving the fertility of women undergoing treatment for cancer, or just maybe for women who are suffering infertility by extracting these cells and making her new eggs in the lab."

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Stem cell boost in fertility study

Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Opens Cancer Transplant Institute

To: HEALTH, MEDICAL AND STATE EDITORS

New hematopoietic stem cell transplant program in Scottsdale, Ariz. offers treatment for blood cancers

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare announced today it has added a hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplant cancer treatment program (a/k/a bone marrow transplant) through its new Cancer Transplant Institute.

Leaders of the new cancer treatment program expect it to attract transplant patients from greater Phoenix, across Arizona and the southwestern United States. HSC transplants are primarily used to treat patients with aggressive cancers such as myelomas, leukemias and lymphomas.

The Cancer Transplant Institute at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center is located on the campus of Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center, and includes an outpatient treatment unit and a 13-bed inpatient unit.

Cancer patients needing HSC transplants receive very high doses of chemotherapy designed to kill aggressive tumors. In the process their own bone marrow is damaged, resulting in low blood counts and weakened immune systems. Stem cells that are collected prior to therapy are then given to "rescue" the patient from the effects of the high dose therapy. Stem cells can be collected from the patients themselves (autologous) or a donor (allogeneic). Although often referred to as a bone marrow transplant, more commonly the stem cells are now collected from the blood stream.

"In these aggressive disorders regular chemotherapy isn't enough to kill the tumor cells," explains bone marrow transplant specialist Jeffrey Schriber, MD, medical director of the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Cancer Transplant Institute. "Unfortunately, the high dose therapy is so intense that without the stem cell rescue, patients would not survive due to the lack of white cells which prevent infection and platelets that prevent bleeding. This therapy allows us to safely give the chemotherapy necessary to cure these aggressive cancers."

A critical component to success is working closely with the patient's primary oncologist to develop an appropriate plan for them, said Schriber. "We are thrilled that despite just opening our doors we have already seen over 50 patients and performed our first transplant," he noted.

The Cancer Transplant Institute at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center is accredited by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) for autologous and allogeneic adult transplants. The Institute also is a member of the National Marrow Transplant Program (NMDP), which enables it to perform unrelated donor transplants.

"The Cancer Transplant Institute brings an invaluable service to the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center and the community, and we are honored to have this program here at Scottsdale Healthcare," said Lindsay Thomas, RN, MSN, OCN, CNAA, director of oncology services.

The Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare is located 10460 N. 92nd St., Scottsdale, Ariz. 85260 on the campus of Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center. For more information, contact the Cancer Care Coordinator at 480-323-1255 (toll free: 1-877-273-3639) or email ccc@shc.org.

SOURCE Scottsdale Healthcare

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Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Opens Cancer Transplant Institute

ISSCR Honors Stem Cell Research Pioneer with Prestigious McEwen Award for Innovation

Newswise — The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) is pleased to announce the winner of the 2012 McEwen Award for Innovation, a coveted prize in the field of stem cell research and regenerative medicine. The 2012 recipient is Rudolf Jaenisch, MD, Founding Member of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and Professor of Biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in recognition of his pioneering discoveries in the areas of genetic and epigenetic control of development in mice that directly impact the future potential of embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells for therapeutic utility.

The McEwen Award for Innovation is supported by the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The $100,000 award honors original thinking and groundbreaking research pertaining to stem cells or regenerative medicine that opens new avenues of exploration towards the understanding or treatment of human disease or affliction.

“Rudolf Jaenisch has consistently contributed new and groundbreaking discoveries to stem cell biology and regenerative medicines that have changed the way stem cell research is conducted, said Fred H. Gage, PhD, ISSCR President. “Importantly, Rudolf not only has an uncanny sense of the next big question, but also conducts his experiments with such thoughtful and critical experimental design that his results have an immediate impact. This critical attention to detail and experimental design has greatly benefited the many gifted students that have passed through his lab and now populate many of the major stem cell centers throughout the world. Rudolf is very deserving of this award.”

Winner of the inaugural McEwen Award for Innovation in 2011, Shinya Yamanaka, MD, PhD, ISSCR President-Elect agrees. “Dr. Rudolf Jaenisch has always been on the cutting-edge of our field and his research has been a source of inspiration not only for myself, but has influenced the careers of some of our most esteemed colleagues.”

Dr. Jaenisch will be presented with the award at the ISSCR 10th Annual Meeting, in Yokohama, Japan, on Wednesday, June 13, 2012.
***
The International Society for Stem Cell Research is an independent, nonprofit membership organization established to promote and foster the exchange and dissemination of information and ideas relating to stem cells, to encourage the general field of research involving stem cells and to promote professional and public education in all areas of stem cell research and application.

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ISSCR Honors Stem Cell Research Pioneer with Prestigious McEwen Award for Innovation

Surgeons Urge Caution: Stem Cell Treatments Untested in Aesthetic Surgery

Doctors Haeck, Eaves, and Rohrich write joint ASAPS/ASPS statement calling for more research into stem cell facelift and stem cell breast augmentation.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) February 22, 2012

There is little evidence to support the safety and effectiveness of procedures, equipment and treatments that have been advertised using adult stem cells for aesthetic reconstruction, including plastic surgery and facial rejuvenation, according to physicians writing in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Dr. Rod J. Rohrich, chairman of the Department of Plastic Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center and editor-in-chief of the journal, published a position statement on “stem cell facelifts” and “stem cell breast augmentation,” also known as “natural breast augmentation.” Dr. Felmont F. Eaves III of Chapel Hill, N.C., and Dr. Phillip C. Haeck of Seattle, Wash.,collaborated on the statement on behalf of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

“There are encouraging data from studies in laboratories to suggest that the use of adult stem cells is a very promising field and may produce beneficial medical therapies to treat a variety of diseases,” the doctors said in the statement. They emphasized that there is a lack of consistency in the way stem cell facelift procedures are performed, and pointed out that many procedures are being advertised by physicians who are not board-certified for this type of treatment, and devices being sold for aesthetic stem cell treatments have not been approved for human use in the U.S.

In the report, the doctors encourage their peers to continue reporting clinic results and experimental research to peer-reviewed plastic surgery journals to both promote good science and to foster safety and best practices for stem cell use in aesthetic procedures. “Much more research needs to be conducted before any definitive statements can be made,” the report said. “[Until then,] stem cell based procedures should be performed in compliance with FDA regulatory guidelines.”

Dr. Rohrich said many of the advertisements claiming stem cells can aid in restoring facial and body youthfulness come from outside the U.S. “Further direct, approved clinical research is needed to validate those claims,” he said, “but the future is potentially bright for the use of adult stem cells in both plastic surgery and facial rejuvenation, as well as in medical procedures, such as restoring nerve and brain damage resulting from trauma or cancer, as well as reversing the severe effects of auto immune disease.”

To read the complete joint ASAPS/ASPS position statement on stem cell use in aesthetic surgery, including stem cell facelifts and natural breast augmentation, visit the ASPS, at their website.

About Rod J. Rohrich, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Dr. Rod J. Rohrich holds the Betty and Warren Woodward Chair in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He also holds the UT Southwestern Medical Center Crystal Charity Ball Distinguished Chair in Plastic Surgery. He is a graduate of the Baylor College of Medicine with high honors, with residencies at the University of Michigan Medical Center and fellowships at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard (hand/microsurgery) and Oxford University (pediatric plastic surgery). He has served as president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. He repeatedly has been selected by his peers as one of America's best doctors, and twice has received one of his profession's highest honors, the Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes his contributions to education in his field. Dr. Rohrich participates in and has led numerous associations and councils for the advancement of plastic and reconstructive surgery. He is a native of North Dakota. He is married to Dr. Diane Gibby, also a plastic surgeon. They live in Texas with their two children.

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Rod J. Rohrich, M.D.
Rod J. Rohrich M.D.
(214) 821-9114
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Surgeons Urge Caution: Stem Cell Treatments Untested in Aesthetic Surgery

MediVet-America Partners With Butler Schein Animal Health to Distribute World's Leading Animal Stem Cell Technology to …

Global leader in animal stem cell technology is poised for significant expansion through new partnership with top U.S. companion animal health distribution company.

Las Vegas, Nevada (PRWEB) February 22, 2012

MediVet-America, the global leader in veterinary stem cell technology and regenerative medicine, has entered into a distribution partnership with Butler Schein Animal Health, a division of Henry Schein, the leading companion animal health distribution company in the U.S., to sell and distribute stem cell kits and equipment to veterinarians serving the nation’s fast-growing $50 billion pet industry.

The announcement was made today at the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas by Jeremy Delk, CEO of MediVet-America.

The two companies will partner to sell and distribute MediVet-America’s advanced stem cell technology to more than 26,000 veterinary clinics nationwide. Adult animal stem cell technology uses the body’s own regenerative healing power to help treat dogs, cats, horses and other animals suffering from painful arthritis, hip dysplasia and tendon, ligament and cartilage injuries and other ailments.

The Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Procedure Kit and state of the art equipment, co-developed with Medical Australia, enable veterinarians to remove a small sample of fat, separate the stem cells, then activate and inject them into affected areas.

“We are pleased to be teaming up with Butler Schein, the largest companion animal health distribution company in the nation,” said Delk. “Their strong track record in sales and distribution will further fuel our rapid growth and bring this breakthrough technology to more leading veterinary practices across the country.”

To introduce the distribution partnership, Delk said MediVet-America has developed an exclusive program of product and service offers that will be made available only to Butler Schein customers.

Veterinary practitioners in more than 200 markets throughout 42 states now perform the drug-free procedure entirely in their own clinics more quickly, effectively and economically than earlier generation animal stem cell therapy. MediVet-America’s new treatment, developed in Australia, is available in 26 countries worldwide.

“This exciting partnership will allow even more of our colleagues unparalleled access to MediVet-America’s superior technology, providing the most affordable and efficacious stem cell therapy in the industry,” said Mike Hutchinson, D.V.M., the world’s leading animal stem cell practitioner. Dr. Hutchinson, who has spoken around the world about stem cell therapy, most recently in Tokyo, has performed more than 300 procedures over the last 18 months in his practice near Pittsburgh, PA.

Partnering with the leading animal health manufacturers in the world, Butler Schein maintains an order-fill ratio greater than 98 percent, and is positioned to bring the broadest selection of veterinary products and strategic business solutions to veterinarians, including:

    A comprehensive product offering for companion animal, equine and large animal practices including biologicals, diagnostics, nutritionals, parasiticides and pharmaceuticals

    Technology hardware and software solutions     Capital equipment, supply products and repair services     Practice design and remodeling, client marketing and financial solutions

Stem cells are basic biological cells with the ability to differentiate into specialized tissue cells and regenerate new cells to replace or repair damaged tissue. The stem cells used in veterinary medicine are not embryonic, which have attracted controversy over the years, but are taken from adipose (fat) tissue of the adult animal.

Americans spent an estimated $50.8 billion in 2011 on their companion animals, according to the American Pet Products Association, up from $28.5 billion in 2001. MediVet-America’s stem cell treatment costs about $1,800 for small animals, $2,400 for horses. Stem cells also can be frozen and banked for future use through MediVet Lab Services.

MEDIVET-AMERICA

A research and development company and global leader in veterinary stem cell technology, MediVet-America provides innovative cell applications for the therapeutic care of animals. Headquartered in Nicholasville, Kentucky, MediVet-America develops advanced cellular designed kits and services for the treatment of arthritis and degenerative joint disease. The company also offers MediVet Lab Services in multiple locations around the world that provides technical support for in-house stem cell vets, as well as regional and national Adipose stem cell processing and cryo banking services for pets at a young age or for a maintenance program, autologous conditioned serum processing, and cell counting for in-house stem cell procedures. http://www.MediVet-America.com

BUTLER SCHEIN ANIMAL HEALTH

Butler Schein Animal Health is the leading U.S. companion animal health distribution company. Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, the company operates through 18 distribution centers and 12 telecenters. Approximately 900 Butler Schein Animal Health team members, including 300 field sales representatives and 200 telesales and customer support representatives, serve animal health customers in all 50 states. http://www.ButlerShein.com

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Dick Roberts
Roberts Communications
(412) 535-5000
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MediVet-America Partners With Butler Schein Animal Health to Distribute World's Leading Animal Stem Cell Technology to ...