Stem Cell Clinic

Cipla bets big on cell therapy

In India, stem cell biz may touch $8 b by 2015

Mumbai, March 21:

Stem cells are set to be a major branch of medical treatment, says Cipla Chairman YK Hamied. Regenerative medicine, or cell therapy, is a rapidly emerging area of biomedical research and would be an ideal supplement for existing medical treatments, he added.

Cell therapy refers to treatments that are founded on the concept of producing new cells to replace malfunctioning or damaged cells as a vehicle to treat disease and injury.

We have a research unit in Malaysia that is conducting research on stem cells, Hamied said while speaking about Stempeutics Research with which it has an alliance. The Manipal Group-promoted Stempeutics is developing stem cell-based medicinal products with facilities in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Bangalore.

We are partners in the Bangalore company, he said. The enormous potential of stem cells in the treatment of chronic and several incurable diseases is boosting the overall stem cells therapy market, he added.

Poised to reach an estimated $88.3 billion by 2015, the global stem cells market has been growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 14.8 per cent, driven by the increasing demand of stem cell therapy.

In India, the stem cell business is expected to touch $8 billion (48,880 crore today) by 2015. With three phase II clinical trials in progress in India for critical limb Ischemia (meaning restriction in blood supply to tissues), osteoarthritis and liver cirrhosis Stempeutics aims to bring the first product into the Indian and Malaysian markets by 2015.

Under the alliance, Cipla has invested over 50 crore in Stempeutics, with a focus on research of stem cell-based products, and has done something similar in China, where it has streamlined its investments towards its core business. The drug-maker recently exited a significant part of its investment in its Chinese partner Desano Holdings.

Despite the lack of legislation and awareness, besides quality and ethical issues that have deterred growth of the stem cell therapy business in India, the country remains the top priority for the Mumbai-based drug-maker, the Cipla Chairman told Business Line.

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Cipla bets big on cell therapy

Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center: Public Seminar

Irvine, CA (PRWEB) March 21, 2014

The Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center, PC, located in Irvine, CA, announces a free public seminar on the use of stem cells for various degenerative and inflammatory conditions. They will be provided by Dr. Thomas A. Gionis, Surgeon-in-Chief.

The seminar will be held on March 23, 2014 at 2:00pm PSTat 3500 Barranca Parkway, Suite 315, Irvine, CA 92606.

At the Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center, utilizing investigational protocols, adult adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) can be deployed to improve patients quality of life with a number of degenerative conditions and diseases. ADSCs are taken from the patients own adipose (fat) tissue (also called stromal vascular fraction (SVF)). Adipose tissue is exceptionally abundant in ADSCs. The adipose tissue is obtained from the patient during a 15 minute mini-liposuction performed under local anesthesia in the doctors office. SVF is a protein-rich solution containing mononuclear cell lines (predominantly autologous mesenchymal stem cells), macrophage cells, endothelial cells, red blood cells, and important Growth Factors that facilitate the stem cell process and promote their activity.

ADSCs are the body's natural healing cells - they are recruited by chemical signals emitted by damaged tissues to repair and regenerate the bodys damaged cells. The Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center only uses autologous stem cells from a person's own fat no embryonic stem cells are used. Our current areas of study include: Heart Failure, Emphysema, COPD, Asthma, Parkinsons Disease, Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, and orthopedic joint injections. For more information, or if someone thinks they may be a candidate for one of the stem cell protocols offered by Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center, they may contact Dr. Gionis directly at (949) 679-3889, or see a complete list of the Centers study areas at: http://www.StemCellsUSA.net.

About Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center: The Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center is an affiliate of the Cell Surgical Network (CSN). We provide care for people suffering from diseases that may be alleviated by access to adult stem cell based regenerative treatment. We utilize a fat transfer surgical technology to isolate and implant the patients own stem cells from a small quantity of fat harvested by a mini-liposuction on the same day. The investigational protocols utilized by the Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center have been reviewed and approved by an IRB (Institutional Review Board) which is registered with the U.S. Department of Research Protections; and the study is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). For more information contact: Info(at)StemCellsUSA(dot)net or visit our website: http://www.StemCellsUSA.net.

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Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center: Public Seminar

Stem cell combination therapy improves traumatic brain injury outcomes

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI), sustained by close to 2 million Americans annually, including military personnel, are debilitating and devastating for patients and their families. Regardless of severity, those with TBI can suffer a range of motor, behavioral, intellectual and cognitive disabilities over the short or long term. Sadly, clinical treatments for TBI are few and largely ineffective.

In an effort to find an effective therapy, neuroscientists at the Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, have conducted several preclinical studies aimed at finding combination therapies to improve TBI outcomes.

In their study of several different therapies -- alone and in combination -- applied to laboratory rats modeled with TBI, USF researchers found that a combination of human umbilical cord blood cells (hUBCs) and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), a growth factor, was more therapeutic than either administered alone, or each with saline, or saline alone.

The study appeared in a recent issue of PLoS ONE.

"Chronic TBI is typically associated with major secondary molecular injuries, including chronic neuroinflammation, which not only contribute to the death of neuronal cells in the central nervous system, but also impede any natural repair mechanism," said study lead author Cesar V. Borlongan, PhD, professor of neurosurgery and director of USF's Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair. "In our study, we used hUBCs and G-CSF alone and in combination. In previous studies, hUBCs have been shown to suppress inflammation, and G-CSF is currently being investigated as a potential therapeutic agent for patients with stroke or Alzheimer's disease."

Their stand-alone effects have a therapeutic potential for TBI, based on results from previous studies. For example, G-CSF has shown an ability to mobilize stem cells from bone marrow and then infiltrate injured tissues, promoting self-repair of neural cells, while hUBCs have been shown to suppress inflammation and promote cell growth.

The involvement of the immune system in the central nervous system to either stimulate repair or enhance molecular damage has been recognized as key to the progression of many neurological disorders, including TBI, as well as in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and some autoimmune diseases, the researchers report. Increased expression of MHCII positive cells -- cell members that secrete a family of molecules mediating interactions between the immune system's white blood cells -- has been directly linked to neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in TBI.

"Our results showed that the combined therapy of hUBCs and G-CSF significantly reduced the TBI-induced loss of neuronal cells in the hippocampus," said Borlongan. "Therapy with hUBCs and G-CSF alone or in combination produced beneficial results in animals with experimental TBI. G-CSF alone produced only short-lived benefits, while hUBCs alone afforded more robust and stable improvements. However, their combination offered the best motor improvement in the laboratory animals."

"This outcome may indicate that the stem cells had more widespread biological action than the drug therapy," said Paul R. Sanberg, distinguished professor at USF and principal investigator of the Department of Defense funded project. "Regardless, their combination had an apparent synergistic effect and resulted in the most effective amelioration of TBI-induced behavioral deficits."

The researchers concluded that additional studies of this combination therapy are warranted in order to better understand their modes of action. While this research focused on motor improvements, they suggested that future combination therapy research should also include analysis of cognitive improvement in the laboratory animals modeled with TBI.

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Stem cell combination therapy improves traumatic brain injury outcomes

The Repair Stem Cells Institute Invites Participation in a Unique Study of a Stem Cell Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) March 20, 2014

The Repair Stem Cells Institute (RSCI) -- http://www.repairstemcells.org -- is pleased to announce that it will assist interested patients to take part in a patient-sponsored research study based in the United States for the treatment of Type2 Diabetes with adult stem cells. The study, which meets current FDA guidelines, will be conducted during April 2014.

The study is being conducted by the U.S. based company Bioheart which has assembled teams of doctors and specialists specially trained in stem cell treatments. Based on previous treatment of Type 2 diabetes with autologous (the patients own) stem cells, it is estimated that two-thirds of participants will experience a significant quality of life improvement and symptoms reduction.

Type 2 diabetes makes up about 90% of cases of diabetes. Rates of type 2 diabetes have increased markedly since 1960. Today there are approximately 50 million people suffering from the disease compared to 15 million in 1985.

In a recent interview, RSCI founder and Chairman Don Margolis stated, With stem cell treatment rapidly coming to the forefront of 21st Century medicine, we are pleased that Type 2 Diabetes is among the many chronic conditions that are treatable with adult stem cells rather than potentially risky surgery, dangerous transplants, and toxic drugs.

Eligibility

Patients suffering from Type 2 diabetes who are cancer-free can apply to participate.

What will happen?

The 4-part procedure will be done in a participating doctors office as a point-of-care out-patient.

1.Adipose Harvest: During a 3 to 5 hour visit to the doctors office, a mini-liposuction on your stomach will extract a small amount of tummy fat containing tens of millions of adipose stem cells. 2.Laboratory Processing: The extracted stem cells will be isolated, analyzed, cleaned and concentrated. 3.Stem Cell Implantation: Up to 60 million stem cells will be transplanted intravenously, usually into your arm. Because these are the patients own cells, the risk of rejection is non-existent. 4.Postoperative Care: Normally, patients can leave shortly after implantation. RSCI will check on your progress monthly by telephone for the first year after stem cells.

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The Repair Stem Cells Institute Invites Participation in a Unique Study of a Stem Cell Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes

Fundraiser Saturday for Billerica preschool director

BILLERICA -- The community is again stepping up to the plate for a Billerica preschool director undergoing stem-cell treatment.

The Learning Experience, an early-learning academy, is hosting "Melodies for Melody," a fundraiser from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday in Concord. The fundraiser for Melody Lee will feature live entertainment and games for children.

The event is free and open to the community.

" 'Melodies for Melody' means a great deal to the TLE family," said David Hawthorne, TLE Concord's Center Operating Partner. "Beyond the importance of raising funds for Melody, this event also serves as an opportunity to show the children at TLE a real-life example of the importance of philanthropy and the impact that it can have in the lives of others."

The fundraiser will bring together neighboring communities to raise awareness and donations for Lee, who is undergoing a full stem-cell replacement as part of treatment for Systemic Scleroderma, a debilitating, painful autoimmune disease that has become life-threatening. The disease leads to thickening of the skin caused by collagen accumulation, creating an excess buildup of scar tissue that affects the skin and internal organs.

The Concord center and TLE centers nationwide will be raising money throughout March in an effort to raise the $150,000 needed for Lee's stem-cell replacement.

At the "Melodies for Melody" event Saturday, at 130A Baker Ave. Extension in Concord, there will be various entertainers, including Delaney Carlson: Bagpiper March with Bubbles the Elephant; and Ed Morgan, Music Man Toddler Show. There will also be crafts, an auction and raffle with Bubbles the Elephant, and a singalong to end the day.

In addition, throughout March, Concord TLE will raise money by singing "Melodies for Melody." Anyone who wishes to donate at least $1 to Lee's cause can have a TLE staff member sing a melody of the donator's choosing.

To make a donation online for Lee, visit http://www.helphopelive.org and search for "Melody Lee."

Along with engaging in philanthropic activities, TLE prepares children academically and socially through innovative scholastic and enrichment programs such as L.E.A.P. curriculum, a proprietary approach to learning which has 90 percent of TLE children graduating preschool reading at a kindergarten or greater level.

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Fundraiser Saturday for Billerica preschool director