Stem Cell Headlines: Monday, 11/23

StemCells, Inc. CEO Martin McGlynn Featured On BioBusiness.TV's "Stem Cell Review" Series - 11.23.09

• StemCells, Inc. (NASDAQ: STEM) announced today that its president and CEO, Martin McGlynn, was recently featured on BioBusiness.TV’s “Stem Cell Review” discussing the Company’s therapeutic product development programs, including the promise of human neural stem cells and the broad potential application of the Company’s lead product candidate, HuCNS-SC® cells, in a variety of central nervous system (CNS) disorders.

 

Controversial stem cell therapy not approved by FDA - 11.23.09

• It's been called the next big frontier in medicine, but stem cell treatment is still in its infancy. Some patients say they don't have time to wait for the studies, so they're ready to risk it all on a controversial transplant. They see it as a second chance, but are they putting their health, hopes and bank accounts in danger?

 

Pfizer acquires stem cell therapies assets of Axordia - 11.23.09

• Pfizer, Ltd., a pharmaceutical company, has acquired certain assets related to stem cell therapies from Axordia Limited, a developer of stem cell therapies for human diseases, for a cash consideration of $0.75 million. Both the companies are based in the UK.

 

Baxter (BAX): Bank On Blood Products - 11.23.09

• "In the past two years, Baxter has spent 7% of sales on research and development. The company is pursuing therapeutic uses for stem cells, influenza vaccines, and intravenous treatments for Alzheimer's disease.

 

Researchers at Manhattan Beach Project Longevity Summit See An End to Aging - 11.23.09

• Biologist Michael West discussed the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (IPS cells). IPS cells can be transformed into other types of cells, which can be used to repair damage or rejuvenate tissues and organs.

 

NIH Awards $20.4 Million for Biomedical Research in Rhode Island and South Carolina - 11.23.09

• Providing adequate research infrastructure, mentoring and training opportunities for biomedical researchers in the fields of regenerative medicine and stem cell biology are the goals of two new Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) awards announced today by the National Institutes of Health. Administered by the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), the five-year grants totaling $20.4 million have been awarded to Rhode Island Hospital and Clemson University.

 

Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplant May Help Lung, Heart Disorders - 11.23.09

• Two separate studies published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation -- have shown that transplanted human-derived umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cells transplanted in an animal model had positive therapeutic effects on specific lung and heart disorders the animal models.

 

Intercytex closes Cambridge operation as assets sold off - 11.23.09

• Stem cell company, Intercytex has closed down its Cambridge base as it hives off its assets ahead of a winding up of the business.

 

Illegal fat in your anti-wrinkle cream? - 11.23.09

• For years, biotech and cosmetics companies have been researching the effects of stem cells (extracted from human fat) when applied on skin. However, stem cell products now on the market (i.e. Neocutis, ReLuma) purportedly use fat tissues sourced from hospitals. After harvesting stem cells from the tissues in a culture dish, cosmetics companies incorporate the fluids containing the cell-growth chemicals into anti-aging products. These types of products have come under fire for being contaminated with infectious viruses, bacteria, HIV, fetal bovine serum (FBS), and various enzymes, which can cause allergic reactions. But assuming that people were killed in Peru for cosmetic stem cells is plain (far-fetched) speculation.

 

StemCells, Inc. Initiates Landmark Trial Targeting "Communication Highway" of the Brain - 11.23.09

• StemCells, Inc. (NASDAQ: STEM) announced today that it has commenced patient recruitment for a Phase I clinical trial designed to test the safety and preliminary efficacy of its HuCNS-SC® purified human neural stem cells in Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease (PMD), a neurological disorder that primarily afflicts children.

 

ReNeuron Press Release: Notification of Interim Results - 11.23.09

• ReNeuron Group plc (LSE: RENE.L) today announces that it will report its interim results for the six months ending 30 September 2009 on Thursday 26 November 2009. A conference call for analysts will be held at 9.30 GMT on that day.

 

Hard To Treat Diseases (HTDS) Appoints Fred Carlini as Strategic Advisor - 11.23.09

• Hard to Treat Diseases, Inc. (HTDS.PK) announced appointment of Fred Carlini, former Head of Worldwide Development for Roche Labs division of Hoffman LaRoche as a strategic advisor to HTDS.

 

OncoVista (OVIT.PK) Reports on Gene Expression Profiling Study in Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) - 11.23.09

• OncoVista Innovative Therapies, Inc. (OVIT.PK), reported that the AdnaTest BreastCancer Select & Detect kit, manufactured by AdnaGen AG (Langenhagen, Germany), is now available for research as well as for pay-out-of-pocket patients in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

 

Cord Blood America CEO Matthew Schissler Interviewed on Company's Progress - 11.23.09

• Cord Blood America, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CBAI) announced today that an updated progress interview with CEO and co-founder Matthew Schissler is now available.

 

Experts warn against stem cell tourism - 11.23.09

• Stem cell specialists are warning of the dangers of medical tourism, saying unproven stem cell therapy overseas could leave patients worse off.

 

Narrow Win for Stem Cell Research - 11.23.09

• A tie vote of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents Friday defeated -- for now -- a campaign to impose new limits on stem cell research at the system.

 

Letters: Use adult stem cells - 11.23.09

• In the legislative session in South Dakota this year, there was an unsuccessful effort to repeal the state's ban on embryonic stem cell research. So now it has been reported that there is a group that plans to circulate petitions for a 2010 ballot initiative that would repeal the ban, which could open up the state to cloning, too.

 

Science proves adult stem cells more promising than embryonic, says Vatican official - 11.23.09

• The president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, said this week that the work by two scientists has shown adult stem cells to be much more promising for medical treatment than embryonic stem cells.

 

French Researchers Successful in Creating Human Skin from Stem Cells - 11.23.09

• Giving new hope to patients who have been marred by burns, researchers in France have been able to create new human skin from human embryonic stem cells, and the move is being seen as a boon for burn victims in particular.

 

Man's cancer may be linked to stem cell therapy trip - 11.23.09

• EXPERTS fear a man with leukaemia may be the first Australian ''infected'' with cancer from medical tourism, after treatment at a private overseas stem cell therapy centre.

 

China Cord Blood Completes Secondary Offering on NYSE - 11.22.09

• China Cord Blood Corporation (NYSE: CO) listed its ordinary shares on the New York Stock Exchange and, at the same time, completed a secondary offering.

 

Stem cells in breast milk could fulfil baby’s ‘genetic destiny’ - 11.22.09

• New research has found three different types of stem cells in breast milk which may be the reason why mother’s milk is deemed best for babies.