Stem Cell Clinic

PolarityTE(TM), Inc. Enters Formal Agreement with Cell Therapy and … – Yahoo Finance

SALT LAKE CITY, UT--(Marketwired - Apr 20, 2017) - PolarityTE, Inc. ("Polarity") ( NASDAQ : COOL ) announces the signing of a manufacturing agreement with Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine ("CTRM") at the University of Utah School of Medicine. CTRM is the established manufacturer of hematopoietic stem cell transplants for renowned institutions of the Salt Lake region such as the Huntsman Cancer Institute and Primary Children's Hospital. In addition, CTRM manufactures a variety of regenerative medicine products, is FACT accredited, and has technical expertise in current Good Tissue Practice (cGTP) and current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP).

Denver Lough, MD, PhD, Chairman and CEO, stated, "This agreement with CTRM should provide PolarityTE with rapid clinical translation of the promising products we are developing, and takes us one step closer to achieving our goal of clinical application of our launch product, SkinTE. As we prepare for market entry in 2018, our established relationship with CTRM creates a springboard for the anticipated scale-up to address the large burn and chronic wound markets, with the pursuit of our own independent manufacturing facility. Plans are solidifying for a unique solution to both commercial and emergent relief manufacturing of SkinTE and future Polarity products. Our goal is not only to meet demand, but also to be able to deliver promptly around the globe when urgent response is needed."

About Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine (CTRM) CTRM at the University of Utah is engaged in delivering some of the world's most advanced cellular therapies to patients.CTRM provides unique resources and expertise that feworganizations can internally create to achieve large scale manufacturing of cell- and tissue-based products for clinical trials.Highly experienced CTRM staff support the Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Programs at Huntsman Cancer Institute and Primary Children's Hospital to deliver high quality stem cell products for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, aplastic anemia and other types of blood diseases and disorders.CTRM is also developing and providing novel clinical grade cellular and tissue engineered products via comprehensive "bench" to "bedside" services that coordinate efforts of clinicians, entrepreneurs, researchers and bioengineers. CTRM with its industry partners is translating some of the newest cellular and tissue based discoveries into clinical applications to extend and improve the quality of life for individuals suffering from debilitating diseases and injuries.For more information go to http://www.medicine.utah.edu/cell.

About PolarityTE, Inc. PolarityTE, Inc. is the owner of a novel regenerative medicine and tissue engineering platform developed and patented by Denver Lough, MD, PhD. This radical and proprietary technology employs a patient's own cells for the healing of full-thickness functionally-polarized tissues. If clinically successful, the PolarityTE platform will be able to provide medical professionals with a truly new paradigm in wound healing and reconstructive surgery by utilizing a patient's own tissue substrates for the regeneration of skin, bone, muscle, cartilage, fat, blood vessels and nerves. It is because PolarityTE uses a natural and biologically sound platform technology, which is readily adaptable to a wide spectrum of organ and tissue systems, that the company and its world-renowned clinical advisory board, are poised to drastically change the field and future of translational regenerative medicine. More information can be found online at http://www.polarityte.com.

Forward Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward looking statements contained in this release relate to, among other things, the Company's ongoing compliance with the requirements of The NASDAQ Stock Market and the Company's ability to maintain the closing bid price requirements of The NASDAQ Stock Market on a post reverse split basis. They are generally identified by words such as "believes," "may," "expects," "anticipates," "should'" and similar expressions. Readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are based upon the Company's beliefs and assumptions as of the date of this release. The Company's actual results could differ materially due to risk factors and other items described in more detail in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Reports and other filings with the SEC (copies of which may be obtained at http://www.sec.gov). Subsequent events and developments may cause these forward-looking statements to change. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation or intention to update or revise these forward-looking statements as a result of changed events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release, except as required by applicable law.

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PolarityTE(TM), Inc. Enters Formal Agreement with Cell Therapy and ... - Yahoo Finance

For stem cell treatments, patients, doctors, scientists must collaborate – The San Diego Union-Tribune

Stem cell research begins with scientists, passes on to physicians and ends up with patients.

But those roles arent as separate as they seem, said speakers Thursday at a special meeting held by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the states stem cell agency, and UC San Diego.

The agency is beginning a statewide tour to discuss the progress of its treatments through the lengthy research and clinical trial process. One priority is to make sure all those involved understand each others needs, and how they can help.

Speaker David Higgins has multiple roles built into his life. A San Diegan with Parkinsons disease, Higgins sits on CIRMs governing board.

Patient input is heard throughout CIRM, Higgins said, addressing the audience of more than 100 at the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine on Torrey Pines Mesa.

Patient advocates sit on reviews for grant funding, Higgins said. Nothing ever goes out the door without it being screened through the eyes of a patient advocate.

Patients can now take a much more active role in managing their illness and advocate for others, Higgins said, because doctors now recognize that treating disease is a partnership.

Now were looking at a two-way relationship, Higgins said. I dont know a single physician that Ive ever talked to who doesnt welcome this, Higgins said.

And in the long run, nobody can escape patienthood, said Dr. Catriona Jamieson, an oncologist-researcher at UCSD Moores Cancer Center.

Were all going to be patients, were all going to be health care users, Jamieson said. I dont see the patient term as in any way stigmatizing, because its part of using our health care system.

Making sure these roles are harmonized is important to CIRM, which has about $800 million left of the $3 billion given by California voters in 2004 in Proposition 71.

And while CIRM cant formally lobby on the issue, those who support the agency recognize they need public support if they want more money from taxpayers.

Jamieson said CIRM has helped her research, her UCSD colleagues and patients by grants and funding alpha stem cell clinics, including one at UCSD. These clinics help translate science into patient care, and help scientists and doctors share ideas and resources.

What we know so far is that great medicine requires great science, said Jamieson, who specializes in blood cancers.

Audience member Adrienne Shapiro was there as a patient advocate for sickle cell disease. Shes a carrier of the trait, and her daughter, Marissa Cors, has the disease. CIRM has funded a program to develop a better bone marrow transplant to treat the disease.

Cors said one of her main issues is dealing with the pain sickle cell disease causes her.

The pain medications are really the key at this particular point in the journey, Cors said, hesitating slightly in discussing the course of her disease.

Cors said shes hopeful that the CIRM program helps others.

Im looking for something effective for the community, Cors said.

bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1020

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For stem cell treatments, patients, doctors, scientists must collaborate - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Immune cells play surprising role in steady heartbeat – Science News

Immune system cells may help your heart keep the beat. These cells, called macrophages, usually protect the body from invading pathogens. But a new study published April 20 in Cell shows that in mice, the immune cells help electricity flow between muscle cells to keep the organ pumping.

Macrophages squeeze in between heart muscle cells, called cardiomyocytes. These muscle cells rhythmically contract in response to electrical signals, pumping blood through the heart. By plugging in to the cardiomyocytes, macrophages help the heart cells receive the signals and stay on beat.

Researchers have known for a couple of years that macrophages live in healthy heart tissue. But their specific functions were still very much a mystery, says Edward Thorp, an immunologist at Northwestern Universitys Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. He calls the studys conclusion that macrophages electrically couple with cardiomyocytes paradigm shifting. It highlights the functional diversity and physiologic importance of macrophages, beyond their role in host defense, Thorp says.

Matthias Nahrendorf, a cell biologist at Harvard Medical School, stumbled onto this electrifying find by accident.

Curious about how macrophages impact the heart, he tried to perform a cardiac MRI on a mouse genetically engineered to not have the immune cells. But the rodents heartbeat was too slow and irregular to perform the scan.

Immune cells called macrophages (green) squeeze in between heart cells (red) in an area of the heart called the atrioventricular node, as seen in this reconstruction of a human AV node. This node is a cluster of muscle fibers that electrically connects the upper and lower chambers of the heart.

These symptoms pointed to a problem in the mouses atrioventricular node, a bundle of muscle fibers that electrically connects the upper and lower chambers of the heart. Humans with AV node irregularities may need a pacemaker to keep their heart beating in time. In healthy mice, researchers discovered macrophages concentrated in the AV node, but what the cells were doing there was unknown.

Isolating a heart macrophage and testing it for electrical activity didnt solve the mystery. But when the researchers coupled a macrophage with a cardiomyocyte, the two cells began communicating electrically. Thats important, because the heart muscle cells contract thanks to electrical signals.

Cardiomyocytes have an imbalance of ions. While in the resting state, there are more positive ions outside the cell than inside, but when a cardiomyocyte receives an electrical signal from a neighboring heart cell, that distribution switches. This momentary change causes the cell to contract and send the signal on to the next cardiomyocyte.

Scientists previously thought that cardiomyocytes were capable of this electrical shift, called depolarization, on their own. But Nahrendorf and his team found that macrophages aid in the process. Using a protein, a macrophage hooks up to a cardiomyocyte. This protein directly connects the inside of these cells to each other, allowing macrophages to transfer positive charges, giving cardiomyocytes a boost kind of like with a jumper cable. This makes it easier for the heart cells to depolarize and trigger the heart contraction, Nahrendorf says.

With the help of the macrophages, the conduction system becomes more reliable, and it is able to conduct faster, he says.

Nahrendorf and colleagues found macrophages within the AV node in human hearts as well but dont know if the cells play the same role in people. The next step is to confirm that role and explore whether or not the immune cells could be behind heart problems like arrhythmia, says Nahrendorf.

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Immune cells play surprising role in steady heartbeat - Science News

UNC researchers ID cell where HIV persists despite treatment, new target for cure research – News & Observer

UNC researchers ID cell where HIV persists despite treatment, new target for cure research News & Observer But researchers in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UNC School of Medicine have found that the virus still persists in HIV-infested macrophages large white blood cells found in tissues throughout the body, including the liver, lungs, bone ... and more »

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UNC researchers ID cell where HIV persists despite treatment, new target for cure research - News & Observer