Stem Cell Clinic

Alopecia: What causes the hair loss condition? – Home – WSFX

Everyone sheds about 100 hairs each day as part of the normal hair growth cycle, but excess loss is usually a distressing development.(iStock)

Hair loss is typically considered the domain of aging men, but this equal-opportunity condition which has many causes can affect virtually anyone.

Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss, and it doesnt only happen on the scalp. Some illnesses and medications can trigger balding over the entire body, though genetics account for most cases on the head, according to theCleveland Clinic.

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Everyone sheds about 100 hairs each day as part of the normal hair growth cycle, but excess loss is usually a distressing development. Americans spend more than $3.5 billion each year trying to treat it, according to theAmerican Hair Loss Association.

Most peoples hair grows about a half-inch per month, and about 90 percentof your hair is actively growing at any given time, with the other 10 percentin dormant phase. After two or three months, this dormant hair falls out and its follicles begin growing new hair as other follicles begin a dormant phase.

Shedding hair is different from hair loss, when a hair falls out and doesnt grow back. People often shed hair during stressful events, such aschildbirth, a breakup or divorce or during times of grief.

It still doesnt feel good, and it takes the hair [awhile] to reach a certain length where you perceive its presence, said Doris Day, a board-certified dermatologist New York City and an attending physician at Lenox Hill Hospital, also in New York. So it feels like a hair loss, but its not a hair loss.

Aside from heredity, noticeable hair loss can be caused by wide variety of factors, including:

Harsh hairstyles or treatments: Hairstyles that consistently use rubber bands, rollers or barrettes, or pull hair into tight styles such as cornrows, can inflame and scar hair follicles. So can incorrectly used chemical products such as dyes, bleaches, straighteners or permanent wave solutions. Depending on the degree of damage, resulting hair loss can be permanent.

Hormone imbalances: In women, hormonal shifts from birth control pills,pregnancy, childbirth, menopause or hysterectomy can induce more hair follicles than normal to enter the dormant phase.

Illness or surgery: The stress from sickness or surgery may prompt the body to temporarily cease nonessential tasks such as hair production. Specific conditions can also trigger it, including thyroid disorders,syphilis, iron deficiency,lupusor severe infection. An autoimmune condition called alopecia areata, which has no cure, causes rapid body-wide hair loss.

Medications and vitamins: Cancer chemotherapy, which attacks hair follicles in its attempt to kill all fast-growing cells around the body, is a well-known reason for hair loss. Other medications side effects include hair shedding as well, such as some that treat high blood pressure andgout(a painful joint condition caused by a buildup of uric acid). Excessive levels of vitamin A also contribute.

Nutritional deficits: Heavy dieting or eating disorders such asbulimiaandanorexiacan temporarily stun hair follicles to cease growth. This can also occur from insufficient protein, vitamin or mineral intake.

Aging: A natural effect of growing older is slowed hair growth.

Women usually dont go completely bald, but lose hair on the top of the head or the temples. Men tend to lose hair on their temples, and are more likely than women to go completely bald, Day said.

Dermatologists will examine the persons scalp and take a history of medical or stressful events to see whats been going on in their life and their world, Day said.

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The dermatologist may take a biopsy a small patch of skin that includes the hair follicle and send it to a pathologist to determine if an autoimmune disease, such as lupus, is the cause of the hair loss.

Examining the hair and follicle can also determine whether someone has a bacterial or fungal infection, Day said.

Hair loss remedies range from the mild to the extreme and the inexpensive to the costly. Much depends on how much hair is gone and how high a priority it is to mask its absence or replace it.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, treatments include:

Hair weaves or wigs: Typically expensive, wigs and hair weaves either completely cover the head or add to existing hair, restoring the appearance of a full head of hair. They are especially practical for cancer patients and those whose hair loss is temporary.

Topical creams and lotions: Over-the-counter minoxidil (also known as the brand name Rogaine) can restore some hair growth, especially in those with hereditary hair loss. It is applied directly to the scalp. Prescription-strength finasteride (Propecia) comes in pill form and is only for men. According to theAmerican Academy of Family Physicians(AFP), it may take up to six months to tell if these medications are working.

Anti-inflammatory medications: Prescription steroid-based creams or injections can calm follicles damaged or inflamed by harsh chemicals or excessive pulling.

Surgery: Men tend to be better candidates for surgical hair-replacement techniques because their hair loss is often limited to one or two areas of the scalp. Procedures include grafting, which transplants from one to 15 hairs per disc-shaped graft to other locations. Scalp reduction removes bald skin from the scalp so hair-covered scalp can be stretched to fill in the bald areas. Side effects include swelling, bruising and headaches.

Hair-growth laser treatment can also help stimulate hair follicles and improve growth, Day said. People often see results when they combine laser treatment with another intervention, she said. Treatments range in price from $30 and up for Rogaine to about $3,000 for laser treatment, she added.

According to theNational Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases(NIAMSD), alternative therapies may not help hair regrow and many are not supported by medical research. However, other treatments that reportedly improve alopecia areata include Chinese herbs, acupuncture, zinc and vitamin supplements, evening primrose oil and aroma therapy.

Viviscal, a natural supplement, has also shownmore hair growthin men compared to those who took fish extract in clinical trials, Day said.

The NIAMSD recommends discussing any alternative treatments with physicians before use.

The drug Tofacitinib is approved to treat adults witharthritis, but a growing number of cases suggest that it can also treat alopecia universalis, a condition in which people lose all of the hair on their body because theirimmune systemattacks hair follicles,Live Science previously reported.

The finding occurred after doctors prescribed a 25-year-old man with alopecia universalis the drug because they had heard it had treated a similar condition in mice,according to a statement from Yale University. After three months of treatment, the man had completely regrown the hair on his scalp, and he had visible eyebrows, eyelashes, facial hair, as well as hair elsewhere on his body.

Its exciting, said Day, who did not treat this particular patient. There seems to be a real effect here.

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Its unclear how Tofacitinib (brand name Xeljanz) works, but researchers hope to determine its mechanism soon. This data may help them learn which biological pathways lead to hair loss.

There are now clinical trials taking place around the country to test the safety and efficacy of the drug for hair loss conditions. One such study lasting 3 months gave Tofacitinib to 66 people with alopecia areata (an immune system condition that causes hair to fall out in patches). Half of the people regrew some hair, and one-third had more than 50 percentof the hair on their scalp grow back, according to the 2016 study, published in the journalJCI Insight.

However, researchers are still working to determine the best dose needed, whether the results are lasting, and whether they can develop a topical form of the drug, Day said. She added that patients should be aware that Tofacitinib has side effects. Its already associated with an increased risk of serious infections, as well as stomach and intestinal tears, according to Pfizer, the manufacturer.

Besides investigating Tofacitinib, researchers are also looking at ways to clone hair or use stem cell therapy to treat alopecia, Day said.

This article first appeared on LiveScience.

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Alopecia: What causes the hair loss condition? - Home - WSFX

2-year-old battles aggressive cancer – Pekin Daily Times

PEORIA For years, the Landwehrs had supported St. Jude through donations and participating in the annual runs.

But it wasn't until their 2-year-old son was a patient at the Midwest Affiliate at OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois here in Peoria that it really sunk in how much it means to give to the health network.

"It is a story that you never think is going to be about you," said Seth Landwehr, a detective with the Peoria Police Department and a former member of the Illinois Air National Guard's 182nd Airlift Wing. "You think you can take care of your kids. You think they are healthy. You give them things. We inspect our kids all the time with my wife being a nurse.

"This happened so quickly and it's so aggressive. If it wasn't for St. Jude and everyone down there working so fast ..." he said.

The "this" Landwehr was talking about was the recent discovery that his son, Brigham, has stage 4 neuroblastoma, an aggressive form of cancer. Diagnosed less than a month ago, the little boy is finishing up his first round of chemo, and has already had an operation to remove a softball-sized tumor from his torso, just above one of his kidneys.

"It is really hard to be on this side of the care," said Stacey Landwehr, who used to work as a pediatric intensive care nurse. "You commonly hear that doctors and nurses make the worst patients as they have been on the other side. There's the heartache, the stress and the fact that you can't clock out at the end of the day and leave it.

It's my life now," she said. "But it gives you such a deeper appreciation for everything that (St. Jude) does. I have done the St. Jude runs in the past and donate every year but it now takes on a whole new meaning. It's overwhelming. Everyone's generosity has been so overwhelming."

'Darkest days of my life'

Brigham's parents noticed a dime-sized mark below his ear a few days after Christmas. Dad, who is an optimist, said it'll be fine. Mom, the nurse, worried. They thought it could be a swollen lymph node. They kept an eye on it, and then it kept growing. A sonogram was scheduled for Jan. 9. The results caused their doctor not to like what he saw. They were walked down the hall at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center to the St. Jude area at Children's Hospital. Still, Seth was hopeful.

"I was telling my wife that everything is fine. My wife was a peds ICU nurse. She has seen the worst of the worst of the sick babies, and she goes straight to doom and gloom," he said.

The doctors at St. Jude knew right away it was neuroblastoma, which starts in the adrenal glands. An MRI was ordered to check his face, head and neck.

They got the results on a Saturday. They had taken the kids to the car show. It was a way to keep things normal. That was, until Seth saw his son's doctor, who is also a friend, parked in his driveway.

"I knew then it wasn't good," he said.

They told the couple their son had cancer. It was stage 4, and was it was moving through their son's endocrine system. Neuroblastoma is aggressive, and given that Brigham has his blood tested every few months for congenial hyperthyroidism, they figured the cancer was only a few months old.

But in that time, it had spread to his jaw, his ribs, head, spine and lungs.

"I got the news Saturday and for the next four days, I will tell you were the darkest, deepest days of my life. I didn't have a plan, I didn't know what to do," Seth said.

Pay it back

Brigham turned 2 on Jan. 18. That same day, doctors removed the softball sized tumor from his body. And he began his first round of chemotherapy. With their ties to the military Stacey remains in the Illinois Air National Guard and Seth's position as a detective, help was quick in coming. Friends and family donated toys, time, money and many shoulders to lean on.

And St. Jude was right there, the couple says. The Midwest Affiliate Clinic's location at Children's Hospital of Central Illinois has given them cause for hope and joy.

"We have been blessed with amazing surgeons and doctors," he said. "My son turned 2 on Jan. 18, and St. Jude sent up a personalized Paw Patrol cake. It's amazing the amount of love and attention they give to these kids."

And for that, they want people to help St. Jude help others. Ten years ago, Stacey noted, the prognosis for such a diagnosis was grim. Now their son has a 70% to 80% chance of beating it. And that's due to research and care which are funded by donations and events like the St. Jude runs runs, among other things.

They want to pay it back, and one way to is urge people to support St. Jude. But there are other ways.

"Donate blood or platelets when you can. This is all very new for us, and he's (Brigham) has already received a unit of blood. There is never a shortage of need when it comes to blood," Stacey said. Another way is to reduce the risk of infections for people who have their immune systems compromised. Wash your hands. If your child is sick, keep them home so they can't get others sick.

"We have good insurance, so we'll be okay, but there are a lot of people who wouldn't be in this situation," Seth said. "You now see how important the donations are.

"I'm an ambassador for St. Jude forever now."

'Caught it quick'

Brigham has a long road in front of him. There's still plenty of cancer left in his body. He still has several rounds of chemo to undergo here and then a three-month trip up to Chicago for stem cell harvesting and more treatment there. In all, his parents believe it will take a year to finish all the treatments.

But they have hope, as it appears Brigham's cancer was caught early.

"They (the doctors) ask all these questions. 'Have you noticed anything, like verbal activity impairment, balance issues?' And we were like, 'No.' In the last two to three weeks, his vocab has exploded. His imagination is off the charts. He always wants to wrestle with dad, play Star Wars or jump off the bed and into your arms," Seth said.

Normally, kids show up with a light paralysis, can't walk or their motor functions have diminished. And, he said, it's rare to have such a large tumor removed in one fell swoop without any treatment or chemo.

"We caught it quick even though it's stage 4 and it's all over his body, he has his strength and power to fight the chemo," he said.

But boys are boys. A few days after his birthday last week, Brigham got up out of bed and grabbed one of the many toys that people had brought. He fixated on a fire truck. Seth joked it settled the age-old question of what young boys want to be when they grow up. The gift came from Peoria Police Chief Loren Marion.

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2-year-old battles aggressive cancer - Pekin Daily Times

Darzalex EU nod marks first newly diagnosed MM treatment in six years – PharmaTimes

Janssen has announced that the European Commission (EC) has grantedmarketing authorisationfora new Darzalex (daratumumab) combo, for newly diagnosed, transplant eligible patients with multiple myeloma (MM).

On the news, the combination, which consists of the biologic combined with bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone(VTd) is now the first regimen approved in over six years for newly diagnosed patients who are eligible for a stem cell transplant. It also means that the patient population now has their first opportunity to be treated with a monoclonal antibody.

The company says that the approval was based on results from part one of the Phase III CASSIOPEIA (MMY3006) study, which showed that after consolidation, the stringent complete response (sCR) rate was 9% higher in the Darzalex-VTd arm than the VTd alone arm.

Further, at a median follow-up of 18.8 months, PFS was significantly improved in the Darzalex-VTd group, with the addition of the drug resulting in an 18-month PFS rate of 93%, compared to 85% for VTd alone.

The effectiveness of first line treatment is critical to maximise time until relapse, explained Philippe Moreau, principal investigator and Head of the Haematology Department at the University Hospital of Nantes.

He continued, The CASSIOPEIA study answered that question definitively, demonstrating that the addition of Darzalex in combination with VTd can lead to very deep remissions and also prolong PFS. Im pleased to see the European Commission have recognised this as well.

MM is an incurable blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow and is characterised by an excessive proliferation of plasma cells. In Europe, more than 48,200 people were diagnosed with MM in 2018, with more than 30,800 deaths related to the disease.

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Celavie Biosciences Presented Five-Year Follow-Up Data in Parkinsonian Patients at the World Stem Cell Summit – Financialbuzz.com

Celavie Biosciences, LLC, a company working to improve lives and restore hope by advancing innovations in CNS diseases with regenerative stem cell-based therapies, today announced their presentation of a poster, titled Five year follow-up on the first-in-human transplantation of undifferentiated stem cells into Parkinsonian patients reveals no adverse effects with improvement in motor function or arrest of the disease progression in five out of seven patients, at the Phacilitate Leaders World and World Stem Cell Summit, held January 21-24 in Miami, Florida.

The poster shows five-year follow-up data that expands on the exploratory clinical data in 7 PD patients with four-year follow-up published in Cell Transplantation in 2018. Oleg Kopyov, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at Celavie, presented the poster on-site at the Miami Hyatt Regency.

In the results at one year after cell grafting, all but two of the seven patients completing the study showed various degrees of motor improvement, and five of them showed better response to medication. At five-year evaluation, Unified Parkinsons Disease Rating Scale III (UPDRS III) scores remained better than at baseline in 4/7 patients in the OFF condition and in 5/7 patients in the ON condition. None of the patients showed unwanted motor disturbances (dyskinesias), tumor formation, or any detectable immune responses to the grafted cells.

We are excited that the five-year data for our exploratory clinical trial suggest that the neural progenitor cells are able to stop or slow down the motor deterioration in Parkinsons patients that one would expect to see in this timespan, showing continued improvement even compared to the fourth year, said Oleg Kopyov. We anticipate filing an IND with the FDA for a Phase I U.S. trial in patients with moderate to advanced Parkinsons disease this year.

In addition, Sandy Solmon, Celavies CEO, will deliver presentations at two upcoming international industry conferences:

Ms. Solmon will discuss Celavies application of the companys human undifferentiated allogeneic pluripotent stem cells in Parkinsons disease, as well as pre-clinical data in cerebellar ataxia and upcoming milestones. To schedule a meeting with Celavie Biosciences at these conferences, please contact: Mary Beth Cicero at mbcicero@lavoiehealthscience.com.

About the World Stem Cell Summit

Produced by the non-profit Regenerative Medicine Foundation (RMF), and in its 15th year, the World Stem Cell Summit will take place January 21-24, 2020, in Miami, Florida in partnership with Phacilitate Leaders World, as part of Advanced Therapies Week. The Summit is the most inclusive and expansive interdisciplinary, networking, and partnering meeting in the stem cell science and regenerative medicine field. With the overarching purpose of fostering translation of biomedical research, funding, and investments targeting cures, the Summit and co-located conferences serve a diverse ecosystem of stakeholders. For more information about the upcoming World Stem Cell Summit in Miami, please visit: http://www.worldstemcellsummit.com.

About Celavie Biosciences

Celavie Biosciences is a privately-held company whose mission is to improve lives and restore hope by advancing regenerative stem cell therapies for the treatment of Parkinsons disease and other disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). The company develops undifferentiated, unmodified allogeneic pluripotent stem cell-based therapies, holds a strong IP portfolio, including 18 issued patents, and has an experienced management team blending expertise in concept and cell technology, product scalability and entrepreneurship. Celavet, a subsidiary, applies the same proprietary technologies for the treatment and prevention of serious veterinary diseases. More information is available at https://www.celavie.com/.

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Celavie Biosciences Presented Five-Year Follow-Up Data in Parkinsonian Patients at the World Stem Cell Summit - Financialbuzz.com

European Commission approves Roche’s Polivy for people with previously treated aggressive lymphoma – GlobeNewswire

Polivy approval is based on a phase Ib/II study, the first and only study showing improved response rates and overall survival in patients with this aggressive lymphoma who are not candidates for a haematopoietic stem cell transplant, compared to a commonly used regimen

Basel, 21 January 2020 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) today announced that the European Commission has granted conditional marketing authorisation for Polivy (polatuzumab vedotin), in combination with bendamustine plus MabThera (rituximab) (BR), for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who are not candidates for a haematopoietic stem cell transplant.

With this approval, people in the EU with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma will have the opportunity to benefit from this new Polivy combination, said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., Roches Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development. For patients battling this aggressive disease, the prognosis is poor and few treatments are available. We are proud to bring this first-in-class treatment option to those who need it most.

The conditional approval is based on the results from the phase Ib/II GO29365 study, the first and only clinical trial to show higher response rates and improved overall survival (OS) compared to BR, a commonly used regimen, in people with R/R DLBCL who are not candidates for a haematopoietic stem cell transplant. Results of the study showed that 40% of people treated with Polivy plus BR achieved a complete response (n=16/40), meaning no cancer could be detected at the time of assessment, compared to 17.5% (n=7/40) with BR alone. Complete response rates were assessed by an independent review committee. The study also showed that OS more than doubled, with a median of 12.4 months in the Polivy arm vs. 4.7 months in the BR alone arm (HR=0.42). Furthermore, patients treated with Polivy plus BR showed a longer time between first response to treatment and disease worsening than those receiving BR alone (investigator assessed median duration of response: 10.3 months vs. 4.1 months; HR=0.44). The most commonly reported adverse events in people treated with Polivy in combination with BR included anaemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, fatigue, diarrhoea, nausea, and pyrexia.

Conditional approval is granted to a medicinal product that fulfils an unmet medical need where the benefit of immediate availability outweighs the risk of less comprehensive data than normally required.

Todays conditional EU approval follows the US Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) accelerated approval of Polivy in combination with BR for the treatment of people with R/R DLBCL who have received at least two prior therapies, in June 2019. Polivy was granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the FDA and PRIME (PRIority MEdicines) designation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of people with R/R DLBCL in 2017, the first PRIME designation for a Roche medicine. Additional submissions of the GO29365 data to health authorities around the world are ongoing with the goal of bringing this new treatment option to more patients as soon as possible.

About the GO29365 studyGO29365 is a global, phase Ib/II study evaluating the safety, tolerability and activity of Polivy (polatuzumab vedotin) in combination with bendamustine and MabThera (rituximab) (BR) or Gazyvaro (obinutuzumab) in relapsed or refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma or diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Eligible patients were not candidates for a haematopoietic stem cell transplant at study entry. The phase II part of the study randomised 80 patients with heavily pre-treated R/R DLBCL to receive either BR, or BR in combination with Polivy for a fixed duration of six 21-day cycles. Of the patients enrolled, 80% had refractory disease. The primary endpoint was complete response (CR) at the end of treatment, as measured by positron emission tomography and assessed by an independent review committee (IRC). Secondary endpoints included overall response rate (ORR; CR and partial response) by investigator assessment and best ORR at the end of treatment by investigator and IRC assessment. Exploratory endpoints included duration of response, progression-free survival, event-free survival and overall survival.

About Polivy (polatuzumab vedotin)Polivy is a first-in-class anti-CD79b antibody-drug conjugate (ADC). The CD79b protein is expressed specifically in the majority of B-cells (an immune cell impacted in some types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)), making it a promising target for the development of new therapies.1,2 Polivy binds to CD79b and destroys these B-cells through the delivery of an anti-cancer agent, which is thought to minimise the effects on normal cells.3,4 Polivy is being developed by Roche using Seattle Genetics ADC technology and is currently being investigated for the treatment of NHL. Polivy is marketed in the US by Genentech as Polivy (polatuzumab vedotin-piiq), with piiq as the suffix designated in accordance with Nonproprietary Naming of Biological Products Guidance for Industry issued by the US Food and Drug Administration.

About diffuse large B-cell lymphomaDiffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), accounting for about one in three cases of NHL.5 DLBCL is an aggressive (fast-growing) type of NHL, which is generally responsive to treatment in the frontline.6 However, as many as 40% of patients will relapse, at which time salvage therapy options are limited and survival is short.6 Approximately 150,000 people worldwide are estimated to be diagnosed with DLBCL each year.7

About Roche in haematologyRoche has been developing medicines for people with malignant and non-malignant blood diseases for over 20 years; our experience and knowledge in this therapeutic area runs deep. Today, we are investing more than ever in our effort to bring innovative treatment options to patients across a wide range of haematologic diseases. Our approved medicines include MabThera/Rituxan (rituximab), Gazyva/Gazyvaro (obinutuzumab), Polivy (polatuzumab vedotin), Venclexta/Venclyxto (venetoclax) in collaboration with AbbVie, and Hemlibra (emicizumab). Our pipeline of investigational haematology medicines includes idasanutlin, a small molecule which inhibits the interaction of MDM2 with p53; T-cell engaging bispecific antibodies targeting both CD20 and CD3, Tecentriq (atezolizumab), a monoclonal antibody designed to bind with PD-L1; and crovalimab, an anti-C5 antibody engineered to optimise complement inhibition. Our scientific expertise, combined with the breadth of our portfolio and pipeline, also provides a unique opportunity to develop combination regimens that aim to improve the lives of patients even further.ounced that

About RocheRoche is a global pioneer in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics focused on advancing science to improve peoples lives. The combined strengths of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics under one roof have made Roche the leader in personalised healthcare a strategy that aims to fit the right treatment to each patient in the best way possible.

Roche is the worlds largest biotech company, with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and diseases of the central nervous system. Roche is also the world leader in in vitro diagnostics and tissue-based cancer diagnostics, and a frontrunner in diabetes management.

Founded in 1896, Roche continues to search for better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and make a sustainable contribution to society. The company also aims to improve patient access to medical innovations by working with all relevant stakeholders. More than thirty medicines developed by Roche are included in the World Health Organization Model Lists of Essential Medicines, among them life-saving antibiotics, antimalarials and cancer medicines. Moreover, for the eleventh consecutive year, Roche has been recognised as one of the most sustainable companies in the Pharmaceuticals Industry by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI).

The Roche Group, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is active in over 100 countries and in 2018 employed about 94,000 people worldwide. In 2018, Roche invested CHF 11 billion in R&D and posted sales of CHF 56.8 billion. Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information, please visit http://www.roche.com.

All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law.

References[1] Dornan D, et al. Therapeutic potential of an anti-CD79b antibody-drug conjugate, anti-CD79b-vc-MMAE, for the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Blood 2009; 114:2721-2729.[2] Pfeifer M, et al. Anti-CD22 and anti-CD79B antibody drug conjugates are active in different molecular diffuse large B-cell lymphoma subtypes. Leukemia 2015; 29:1578-1586.[3] Ducry L, Stump B. Antibody-drug conjugates: linking cytotoxic payloads to monoclonal antibodies. Bioconjug Chem. 2010; 21:5-13.[4] ADC Review. What are antibody-drug conjugates? [Internet; cited December 2019]. Available from: https://adcreview.com/adc-university/adcs-101/antibody-drug-conjugates-adcs/.%5B5%5D Lyon, France. World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues. IARC Press; 2008.[6] Maurer, JM et al. Event-free survival at 24 months is a robust end point for disease-related outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with immunochemotherapy. J Clin Oncol 2014; 32:1066-73.[7] Numbers derived from GLOBOCAN 2018: Estimated cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence worldwide in 2018. [Internet; cited December 2019]. Available from: http://globocan.iarc.fr.

Roche Group Media RelationsPhone: +41 61 688 8888 / e-mail: media.relations@roche.com- Nicolas Dunant (Head)- Patrick Barth- Daniel Grotzky- Karsten Kleine- Nathalie Meetz- Barbara von Schnurbein

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European Commission approves Roche's Polivy for people with previously treated aggressive lymphoma - GlobeNewswire

Europe’s guardian of stem cells and hopes, real and unrealistic – Yahoo Singapore News

Poland has emerged as Europe's leader in stem cell storage, a billion-dollar global industry that is a key part of a therapy that can treat leukaemias but raises excessive hopes.

Submerged in liquid nitrogen vapour at a temperature of minus 175 degrees Celsius, hundreds of thousands of stem cells from all over Europe bide their time in large steel barrels on the outskirts of Warsaw.

Present in blood drawn from the umbilical cord of a newborn baby, stem cells can help cure serious blood-related illnesses like leukaemias and lymphomas, as well as genetic conditions and immune system deficits.

Polish umbilical cord blood bank PBKM/FamiCord became the industry's leader in Europe after Swiss firm Cryo-Save went bankrupt early last year.

It is also the fifth largest in the world, according to its management, after two companies in the United States, a Chinese firm and one based in Singapore.

Since the first cord blood transplant was performed in France in 1988, the sector has significantly progressed, fuelling hopes.

- Health insurance -

Mum-of-two Teresa Przeborowska has firsthand experience.

At five years old, her son Michal was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukaemia and needed a bone marrow transplant, the entrepreneur from northern Poland said.

The most compatible donor was his younger sister, Magdalena.

When she was born, her parents had a bag of her cord blood stored at PBKM.

More than three years later, doctors injected his sister's stem cells into Michal's bloodstream.

It was not quite enough for Michal's needs but nicely supplemented harvested bone marrow.

As a result, Michal, who is nine, "is now flourishing, both intellectually and physically," his mum told AFP.

A cord blood transplant has become an alternative to a bone marrow transplant when there is no donor available, with a lower risk of complications.

Stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood are like those taken from bone marrow, capable of producing all blood cells: red cells, platelets and immune system cells.

When used, stem cells are first concentrated, then injected into the patient. Once transfused, they produce new cells of every kind.

At the PBKM laboratory, "each container holds up to 10,000 blood bags... Safe and secure, they wait to be used in the future," its head, Krzysztof Machaj, said.

The bank holds around 440,000 samples, not including those from Cryo-Save, he said.

If the need arises, the "blood will be ready to use without the whole process of looking for a compatible donor and running blood tests," the biologist told AFP.

For families who have paid an initial nearly 600 euros ($675) and then an annual 120 euros to have the blood taken from their newborns' umbilical cords preserved for around 20 years, it is a kind of health insurance promising faster and more effective treatment if illness strikes.

But researchers also warn against unrealistic expectations.

- Beauty products -

Haematologist Wieslaw Jedrzejczak, a bone marrow pioneer in Poland, describes promoters of the treatment as "sellers of hope", who "make promises that are either impossible to realise in the near future or downright impossible to realise at all for biological reasons."

He compares them to makers of beauty products who "swear their cream will rejuvenate the client by 20 years."

Various research is being done on the possibility of using the stem cells to treat other diseases, notably nervous disorders. But the EuroStemCell scientist network warns that the research is not yet conclusive.

"There is a list of almost 80 diseases for which stem cells could prove beneficial," US haematologist Roger Mrowiec, who heads the clinical laboratory of the cord blood programme Vitalant in New Jersey, told AFP.

"But given the present state of medicine, they are effective only for around a dozen of them, like leukaemia or cerebral palsy," he said.

"It's not true, as it's written sometimes, that we can already use them to fight Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease or diabetes."

EuroStemCell also cautions against private blood banks that "advertise services to parents suggesting they should pay to freeze their child's cord blood... in case it's needed later in life."

"Studies show it is highly unlikely that the cord blood will ever be used for their child," the network said.

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It also pointed out that there could be a risk of the child's cells not being useable anyway without reintroducing the same illness.

Some countries, such as Belgium and France, are cautious and ban the storage of cord blood for private purposes. Most EU countries however permit it while imposing strict controls.

- Rapid growth -

In the early 2000s, Swiss company Cryo-Save enjoyed rapid growth.

Greeks, Hungarians, Italians, Spaniards and Swiss stored blood from their newborns with the company for 20 years on payment of 2,500 euros upfront.

When the firm was forced to close in early 2019, clients were left wondering where their stem cells would end up.

Under a kind of back-up agreement, the samples of some 250,000 European families were transferred for storage at PBKM.

The Polish firm, founded in 2002 with two million zlotys (around 450,000 euros, $525,000), has also grown quickly.

Present under the FamiCord brand in several countries, PBKM has some 35 percent of the European market, excluding Cryo-Save assets.

Over the last 15 months, outside investors have contributed 63 million euros to the firm, PBKM's chief executive Jakub Baran told AFP.

But the company has not escaped controversy: the Polityka weekly recently published a critical investigative report on several private clinics that offer what was described as expensive treatment involving stem cells held by PBKM.

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Europe's guardian of stem cells and hopes, real and unrealistic - Yahoo Singapore News