Stem Cell Clinic

Going viral: chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for …

By Uncategorized

On July 1, 2014, the United States Food and Drug Administration granted 'breakthrough therapy' designation to CTL019, the anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy developed at the University of Pennsylvania. This is the first personalized cellular therapy for cancer to be so designated and occurred 25 years after the first publication describing genetic redirection of T cells to a surface antigen of choice. The peer-reviewed literature currently contains the outcomes of more than 100 patients treated on clinical trials of anti-CD19 redirected T cells, and preliminary results on many more patients have been presented. At last count almost 30 clinical trials targeting CD19 were actively recruiting patients in North America, Europe, and Asia. Patients with high-risk B-cell malignancies therefore represent the first beneficiaries of an exciting and potent new treatment modality that harnesses the power of the immune system as never before. A handful of trials are targeting non-CD19 hematological and solid malignancies and represent the vanguard of enormous preclinical efforts to develop CAR T-cell therapy beyond B-cell malignancies. In this review, we explain the concept of chimeric antigen receptor gene-modified T cells, describe the extant results in hematologic malignancies, and share our outlook on where this modality is likely to head in the near future.

2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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Stem Cell Therapy – Premier Stem Cell Institute

By Uncategorized

Formerly Orthopedic Stem Cell Institute We put the power of your own body to work for you.

Our team of board certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic and spine surgeons work with patients from around the world using the newest and most advanced technology to treat orthopedic injuries and bone and joint pain, as well as relieving symptoms and improving the lives of patients with a multitude of illnesses.

The Premier Stem Cell Institute is a leading research and treatment facility in Colorado providing the most innovative and proven techniques and therapies using the bodys natural healing power of stem cells.

A stem cell is a basic cell constantly produced by your body to heal injuries, build new skin, even grow your hair. However, your body wont refix a chronic injury or illness by continuing to attack it with new stem cells unless those cells are extracted and reintroduced into your body via stem cell therapies.

We are a leading research and treatment facility providing the most innovative and proven techniques and therapies using the bodys natural healing power of stem cells. Our services are performed by fellowship-trained surgeons using the most state-of-the-art equipment and technology in the field.All stem cell treatments are not alike. AtPremier Stem Cell Institute, we extract your stem cells from your bone marrow because they are higher quality and result in better outcomes than stem cells from fat (adipose). We treat each patient with the utmost respect and our concierge service makes you feel incredibly well cared for from the first phone call to follow up visits.

They're very personable, they're very helpful..nice people. Bottom line is there's no pain where there was a lot of pain before.

Jon Hoffman, Former NFL Player

I used to dread doing simple things like putting on a coat, a seat belt or reaching for things. I can now do those things without nearly as much difficulty. I want to thank everyone at the clinic for performing the procedure on me. They are making peoples' lives much more enjoyable.

Bob Hyland, Former NFL Player

It's amazing! You're awake the whole time, it's virtually painless, and within an hour you're walking out.

Don Horn, Former NFL Player

of Patients are 70% Better Within 1 Year!

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Stem Cell Therapy - Premier Stem Cell Institute

An Overview of Stem Cell Research | The Center for …

By Embryonic Stem Cells

In November of 1998, scientists reported that they had successfully isolated and cultured human embryonic stem cellsa feat which had eluded researchers for almost two decades. This announcement kicked off an intense and unrelenting debate between those who approve of embryonic stem cell research and those who are opposed to it. Some of the most prominent advocates of the research are scientists and patients who believe that embryonic stem cell research will lead to the development of treatments and cures for some of humanitys most pernicious afflictions (such as Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease, heart disease, and diabetes). Among the most vocal opponents of the research are those who share the desire to heal, but who object to the pursuit of healing via unethical means. CBHDs view is that because human embryonic stem cell research necessitates the destruction of human embryos, such research is unethicalregardless of its alleged benefits. Ethical alternatives for achieving those benefits should be actively pursued, and have demonstrated a number of promising preclinical and clincial results without the ethical concers present with embryonic stem cells.

Human embryonic stem cells are the cells from which all 200+ kinds of tissue in the human body originate. Typically, they are derived from human embryosoften those from fertility clinics who are left over from assisted reproduction attempts (e.g., in vitro fertilization). When stem cells are obtained from living human embryos, the harvesting of such cells necessitates destruction of the embryos.

Adult stem cells (also referred to as non-embryonic stem cells) are present in adults, children, infants, placentas, umbilical cords, and cadavers. Obtaining stem cells from these sources does not result in certain harm to a human being.

Fetal stem cell research may ethically resemble either adult or embryonic stem cell research and must be evaluated accordingly. If fetal stem cells are obtained from miscarried or stillborn fetuses, or if it is possible to remove them from fetuses still alive in the womb without harming the fetuses, then no harm is done to the donor and such fetal stem cell research is ethical. However, if the abortion of fetuses is the means by which fetal stem cells are obtained, then an unethical means (the killing of human beings) is involved. Since umbilical cords are detached from infants at birth, umbilical cord blood is an ethical source of stem cells.

Yes. In contrast to research on embryonic stem cells, non-embryonic stem cell research has already resulted in numerous instances of actual clinical benefit to patients. For example, patients suffering from a whole host of afflictionsincluding (but not limited to) Parkinsons disease, autoimmune diseases, stroke, anemia, cancer, immunodeficiency, corneal damage, blood and liver diseases, heart attack, and diabeteshave experienced improved function following administration of therapies derived from adult or umbilical cord blood stem cells. The long-held belief that non-embryonic stem cells are less able to differentiate into multiple cell types or be sustained in the laboratory over an extended period of timerendering them less medically-promising than embryonic stem cellshas been repeatedly challenged by experimental results that have suggested otherwise. (For updates on experimental results, access http://www.stemcellresearch.org.)

Though embryonic stem cells have been purported as holding great medical promise, reports of actual clinical success have been few. Instead, scientists conducting research on embryonic stem cells have encountered significant obstaclesincluding tumor formation, unstable gene expression, and an inability to stimulate the cells to form the desired type of tissue. It may indeed be telling that some biotechnology companies have chosen not to invest financially in embryonic stem cell research and some scientists have elected to focus their research exclusively on non-embryonic stem cell research.

Another potential obstacle encountered by researchers engaging in embryonic stem cell research is the possibility that embryonic stem cells would not be immunologically compatible with patients and would therefore be rejected, much like a non-compatible kidney would be rejected. A proposed solution to this problem is to create an embryonic clone of a patient and subsequently destroy the clone in order to harvest his or her stem cells. Cloning for this purpose has been termed therapeutic cloningdespite the fact that the subject of the researchthe cloneis not healed but killed.

Underlying the passages of Scripture that refer to the unborn (Job 31:15; Ps. 139:13-16; Lk. 1:35-45) is the assumption that they are human beings who are created, known, and uniquely valued by God. Genesis 9:6 warns us against killing our fellow human beings, who are created in the very image of God (Gen. 1:26-27). Furthermore, human embryonic lifeas well as all of creationexists primarily for Gods own pleasure and purpose, not ours (Col. 1:16).

Many proponents of human embryonic stem cell research argue that it is actually wrong to protect the lives of a few unborn human beings if doing so will delay treatment for a much larger number of people who suffer from fatal or debilitating diseases. However, we are not free to pursue gain (financial, health-related, or otherwise) through immoral or unethical means such as the taking of innocent life (Deut. 27:25). The history of medical experimentation is filled with horrific examples of evil done in the name of science. We must not sacrifice one class of human beings (the embryonic) to benefit another (those suffering from serious illness). Scripture resoundingly rejects the temptation to do evil that good may result (Rom. 3:8).

No forms of stem cell research or cloning are prohibited by federal law, though some states have passed partial bans. Private funds can support any practice that is legal, whereas federal funds cannot be used for research on embryonic stem cell lines unless they meet the guidelines set forth by the National Institutes of Health in July 2009. For the latest developments you can stay informed via CBHD's newsblogwww.bioethics.com and thecoalition site http://www.stemcellresearch.org.

Editor's Note: This piece was originally published by Linda K. Bevington, MA, by CBHD in April 2005 under the title "Stem Cell Research and 'Therapeutic' Cloning: A Christian Analysis." The piece was subsequently revised and updated by CBHD research staff in August 2009.

Posted 4/2005, Updated 8/2009

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Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRF), molluscan …

By Stell Cell Research

Recently gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRF)-like and molluscan cardioexcitatory peptide (FMRFamide)-like compounds have been colocalized immunocytochemically to the terminal nerve, a presumed olfactoretinal efferent system in goldfish. In the present study these and related neuropeptides were shown to affect ganglion cell activity, recorded extracellularly, when applied to the isolated superfused goldfish retina. GnRF was usually excitatory. Salmon GnRF (sGnRF) was 10-30x more potent than chicken or mammalian GnRF. FMRFamide and enkephalin also were often excitatory but caused more varied responses than sGnRF. Met5-enkephalin-Arg6-Phe7-NH2 (YGGFMRFamide), which contains both enkephalin and FMRFamide sequences, tended to act like both of these peptides but with mainly enkephalin-like properties. Neuropeptide Y and the C-terminal hexapeptide of pancreatic polypeptides, whose C-terminus (-Arg-Tyr-NH2) is closely related to that of FMRFamide (-Arg-Phe-NH2), gave no consistent responses. Threshold doses were equivalent to: 0.1 microM for sGnRF; 0.5 microM for YGGFMRFamide; 1.5 microM for FMRFamide and enkephalin. Rapid, complete and irreversible desensitization was induced by single, 10-20x threshold doses of sGnRF; but desensitization was infrequent and limited with the other peptides. In general, all peptides tested affected the spatially and chromatically antagonistic receptive field components similarly, but selective actions were seen in a few cases with FMRFamide and with the opioid antagonist, naloxone. Responses, especially to sGnRF and FMRFamide, tended to be most frequently obtained and pronounced in winter and spring, suggesting a correlation with seasonally regulated sexual and reproductive activity. Our observations provide further evidence for transmitter-like roles of neuropeptides related to sGnRF and FMRFamide in the teleostean terminal nerve. The actions of agonists and antagonists, singly and in combination, imply strongly that there are distinctive postsynaptic receptors and/or neural pathways for GnRF-, FMRFamide- and enkephalin-like peptides in the goldfish retina.

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Stem cell transplant Risks – Mayo Clinic

By Stem Cell Clinic

A stem cell transplant poses many risks of complications, some potentially fatal. The risk can depend on many factors, including the type of disease or condition, the type of transplant, and the age and health of the person. Although some people experience few problems with a transplant, others may develop complications that may require treatment or hospitalization. Some complications could even be life-threatening.

Complications that can arise with a stem cell transplant include:

Your doctor can explain your risk of complications from a stem cell transplant. Together you can weigh the risks and benefits to decide whether a stem cell transplant is right for you.

If you receive a transplant that uses stem cells from a donor (allogeneic stem cell transplant), you may be at risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). This disease happens when the donor stem cells that make up your new immune system see your body's tissues and organs as something foreign and attack them.

GVHD may happen at any time after your transplant. However, it's more common after your marrow has started to make healthy cells. Many people who have an allogeneic stem cell transplant get GVHD at some point. The risk of GVHD is a bit greater with unrelated donors, but it can happen to anyone who gets a stem cell transplant from a donor.

There are two kinds of GVHD: acute and chronic. Acute GVHD usually happens earlier, during the first months after your transplant. It typically affects your skin, digestive tract or liver. Chronic GVHD typically develops later and can affect many organs.

GVHD signs and symptoms include:

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Stem cell transplant Risks - Mayo Clinic

Stem Cell Clinics : National Multiple Sclerosis Society

By Stem Cell Clinics

There is exciting progress being made through innovative research related to the potential of many types of stem cells for slowing MS disease activity and for repairing damage to the nervous system. At present, there are no approved stem cell therapies for MS. Stem cell therapy is in the experimental stage, and its important for people to have the best available information to understand this exciting area of research and make decisions related to this complex issue.

Larger, longer-term, controlled studies are needed to determine the safety and effectiveness of using stem cells to treat MS. When the results of these and subsequent clinical trials are available, it should be possible to determine what the optimal cells, delivery methods, safety and actual effectiveness of these current experimental therapies might be for different people with MS.

Outside of clinical trials, there are stem cell therapy clinics in the U.S. and around the world that claim to have treated people with MS and people with many other disorders with stem cells. However, none have provided medical evidence that their treatments work or are safe.

Many experts in the MS community have expressed concern that: In many countries these stem cell clinics are not held to strict sanitary guidelines and are allowed to operate without oversight over the safety of their procedures.

The sources of the stem cells they use are not always made clear, or the procedures they use to derive them or ensure they are free from infectious agents.

Safety of the procedure itself, and its long-term consequences, is a major issue. Areas of concern include the question of whether the cells could cause the severe immune attack known as graft-versus-host disease, or grow uncontrollably once inside the body and cause tumors or other serious problems. Another concern relates to whether follow-up care would be available if complications or other issues arise after a person gets home.

There is often no plan for how the safety, side effects and effectiveness of this experimental procedure will be measured and monitored over time.

Anyone who is considering stem cell therapy should evaluate carefully the potential adverse events that will be outlined in the consent form usually provided before medical procedures are performed.

Read more about Stem Cell Therapy and MS

Readblogsabout stem cells and MS

Read more aboutstem cellsfrom the International Society for Stem Cell Research

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Stem Cell Clinics : National Multiple Sclerosis Society

Stem cell surgery raises hope of cure for age-related …

By Stem Cell Doctors

Published September 29, 2015

A British medical team has developed an operation that some say may be a cure for age-related blindness, it was revealed Tuesday.

Sky News reported that a team of doctors at London's Moorfields Hospital transplanted embryonic stem cells that had been developed into retinal pigment epithelium cells into the eye of a 60-year-old woman suffering from so-called "wet" age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

AMD occurs when the retinal pigment epithelium cells, which are located at the back of the eye, suffer damage. The procedure allows the newly created cells to replace the diseased area.

Sky reported that the surgery took place last month and no complications have been reported, though it will still take several months before doctors can establish how well the woman can see.

However, experts say that if the surgery proves a success, it creates the possibility that wet AMD can be treated with surgery similar to that performed to remove cataracts. There is no treatment for the so-called "dry" form of AMD, which is the more common type of the disease.AMD is the leading cause of blindness in people over 50.

"The reason we are very excited is that we have been able to create these very specific cells and we have been able to transfer them to the patient," Professor Lyndon da Cruz of Moorfields told Sky. "This has the potential to be a treatment rather than being theoretical proof."

The woman is one of ten patients with macular degeneration that are being treated with the surgery as part of a trial. Experts told the Daily Telegraph that larger trials would be needed before the surgery can become a mainstream treatment.

The Telegraph reported that the cells used in the procedure were taken from donated embryos that were created during IVF treatment, but never used.

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Click for more from The Daily Telegraph.

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Stem cell surgery raises hope of cure for age-related ...

First UK patient receives stem cell treatment to cure …

By Stem Cell Treatment

Vision loss is as common a problem as dementia among older people. Photograph: John Stillwell/PA

A patient has become the first in the UK to receive an experimental stem cell treatment that has the potential to save the sight of hundreds of thousands of Britons.

By December, doctors will know whether the woman, who has age-related macular degeneration, has regained her sight after a successful operation at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London last month. Over 18 months, 10 patients will undergo the treatment.

The transplant involves eye cells, called retinal pigment epithelium, derived from stem cells and grown in the lab to form a patch that can be placed behind the retina during surgery.

Related: Stem cell therapy success in treatment of sight loss from macular degeneration

The potential is huge. Although the first patients have the wet form of macular degeneration, the doctors believe it might also eventually work for those who have the dry form, who are the vast majority of the UKs 700,000 sufferers.

The surgery is an exciting moment for the 10-year-old London Project to Cure Blindness, a collaboration between the hospital, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and the National Institute for Health Research, which was formed to find a cure for wet age-related macular degeneration, the more serious but less common form of the disease.

Prof Pete Coffey of UCL, one of the founders of the London Project, said he would not be working on the new treatment if he did not believe it would work. He hopes it could become a routine procedure for people afflicted by vision loss, which is as common a problem among older people as dementia.

It does involve an operation, but were trying to make it as straightforward as a cataract operation, he said. It will probably take 45 minutes to an hour. We could treat a substantial number of those patients.

First they have to get approval. The trial is not just about safety, but also efficacy. There will be a regulatory review after the first few transplants to ensure all is going well.

The group of patients chosen have the wet form of the disease and experienced sudden loss of vision within about six weeks. The support cells in the eye, which get rid of daily debris and allow the seeing part to function have died.

There is a possibility of restoring their vision, said Coffey. The aim of the transplant is to restore the support cells so the seeing part of the eye is not affected by what would become an increasingly toxic environment, causing deterioration and serious vision loss. The surgery is being performed by retinal surgeon Prof Lyndon Da Cruz from Moorfields, who is also a co-founder of the London Project.

The team chose people with this dramatic vision loss to see whether the experimental stem cell therapy would reverse the loss of vision. But in those with dry macular degeneration, said Coffey, the process is far slower, which would mean doctors could choose the time to intervene if the treatment works.

Helping people to regain their sight has long been one of the most hopeful prospects for stem cell transplantation. Other research groups have been trialling the use of stem cells in people with Stargardts disease, which destroys the vision at a much earlier age.

Stem cells have moved from the drawing board into human trials with incredible speed, scientists say. The first embryonic stem cell was derived in 1989. Using them in eyes was always going to have a big advantage over other prospects, because it is possible to transplant them without an all-out attack by the immune system, as would happen in other parts of the body. Most people who have any sort of transplant have to take drugs that suppress the immune system for the rest of their lives.

Just like conventional medicines, stem cell therapies will very likely have to be developed and marketed by large commercial concerns. The London Project has the US drug company Pfizer on board.

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Platelet Rich Plasma – PRP – New Jersey – Dr E Magaziner

By Platelet Rich Plasma Injections

Dr. E. Magaziner is a New Jersey pioneer in Platelet Rich Plasma PRP therapy and injections. From his North Brunswick, NJ center he and his staff have provided cutting-edge PRP treatments and therapy to hundreds of New Jersey patients.

In the 20th century the only treatments we had for pain problems was to give cortisone and anti-inflammatories such as Advil. In the 21st century its adll about growth factors, stem cells, and methods to repair and regenerate injured body parts. With these biologic therapies we use Platelet Rich Plasma PRP also known as Autologous Platelet Concentrate (APC) or Autologous Bone Marrow Aspirate (ABM) which contain the bodys growth factors and stem cells. We then transplant theses cells in a tissue matrix using ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance to the site of tissue or cartilage injury.

These cells literally go to work to force that inured site to go thru a repair process. It usually it takes 5-7 monthly sessions for the tendon injury or arthritis pain to go away. It works reliably over 90% of the time. Dr. Magaziner has had patients with years of pain treated by other methods that were ineffective, get there problem cured. Patients who have been told they need a knee, hip or shoulder replacement are back to normal activity and practically pain free in a matter of months. Dr. Magaziner has treated patients locally throughout the New Jersey area and across the United states. Most are extremely satisfied with the results and have told him it was like a miracle.

Dr. Magaziner frequently uploads case studies he feels would help provide more detailed information on platelet rich plasma and PRP.

Because PRP carries the signaling proteins for healing just about anything in the body, it can treat a wide range of conditions such as:

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Platelet Rich Plasma - PRP - New Jersey - Dr E Magaziner

Knee Arthritis and Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections

By Platelet Rich Plasma Injections

If you dread walking across a parking lot or climbing stairs because of the pain youll suffer in your knees, then you are probably an arthritis sufferer.

And you want relief. Maybe youre at the end of your rope or just now starting to learn more about your condition and how to repair it.

Arthritis in the knee is usually a result of high-impact sports and repetitive actions like gymnastics or running. Up until now the way to treat arthritis in the knee involved nonsurgical therapies, drugs and surgery.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections where a patientsbloodisspun into a concentrated plasma are proving to be effective treatments (after all other methods have been tried in some circumstances), which doesnt involve surgery and a protracted recovery time.

Lets review these options before we talk about PRP therapy.

Nonsurgical Treatment

If you have osteoarthritis of the knee, you can take advantage of a wide range of treatment nonsurgical options.

Lifestyle modification like losing weight and minimizing the high-impact activities that cause you pain in your knees.

Exercise improves your strength, flexibility and range of motion.

Supportive devices like knee braces, canes and cushioned shoes.

Different people respond to different modifications so experiment until you find one that works for you.

Drug Treatments

Several types of drugs can be used in treating arthritis of the knee.

Corticosteroids are powerful anti-inflammatory agents that can be injected into the joint.

Viscosupplementation is where the quality of the joint is improved by injecting it with substances.

Gold salt injection can sometimes be use to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

Again, not every patient will respond the same to these treatments. Not all people to medications in the same way. Your orthopaedic surgeon can provide a specific regiment of drug treatments.

Surgical Options

Surgery on your arthritic knee should be a last-resort optionafter youve exhausted all other options. Here are a few surgical treatments:

Arthroscopic surgery uses fiber optics so the surgeon can see inside the joint and clean any debris or restore damage cartilage.

An osteotomy cuts the thigh or shin bone to improve the alignment of the knee joint.

Knee arthroplastywhether total or partialreplaces the knee joint cartilage with metal and plastic.

Cartilage grafting is possible for knees where limited cartilage loss from trauma or arthritis.

Platelet-Rich Plasma Option

A PRP study published in late 2009 from the Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute in Bologna, Italy, found platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injected in knees with degenerative arthritis can improve knee function.

The results showed consistent improvement up to 6 months after PRP therapy, which makes it a promising, nonsurgical treatment. But PRP therapy is not a sportsmedicine silver bullet. There can be side effects, and some significant side effects. Herearethemostcommon.

To learn more about PRP treatments for your arthritic knee giveusacall or visit our office in St. Louis. We look forward to hearing from you.

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Knee Arthritis and Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections

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