Category Archives: Arizona Stem Cells

Despite our best efforts, the quest for immortality has been fruitless and the fountain of youth remains undiscovered. Instead, science has focused on slowing the clock. Now, researchers at Arizona State University have discovered a new method that promises to delay the rate of aging with a greater understanding of the mechanics behind DNA. Its a discovery that represents a step forward in living longer, healthier lives.

To understand aging, its important to understand a little about DNA. The body needs cells to divide and they do so by following instructions contained in chromosomes, which are X-shaped threads of DNA. The bad news is that with each division a little bit of genetic information is lost. This results in decreased performance and an eventual gumming up of the works. This degradation cause the signs commonly associated with aging.

Our lives would be short indeed if no defence mechanism existed to protect chromosomes during division. Fortunately, each arm of a chromosome is capped with telomeres repeating sequences of DNA that take the hit during division and protect the rest of the chromosome. However, with time, telomeres also degrade and can no longer contain the damage.

Scientists have found direct correlation between telomere length and longevity, which is why research has focused on slowing down their deterioration, repairing damage and bolstering their strength. Of particular interest is an enzyme called telomerase that replenishes telomeres and could further improve their longevity if it could be modified.

Arizona State researchers took a close look at telomerase and discovered that it acted like a car driving with the handbrake on. Their discovery was an extension on the common knowledge that each enzyme encodes a repeating sequence of six nucleotides on to the tip of chromosomes. The scientists found a pause signal that operates after each sequence to ensure that cell division occurs correctly. However, once the division occurs, the pause continues to have a residual effect, reducing the efficiency of the enzyme.

Telomerase has a built-in braking system to ensure precise synthesis of correct telomeric DNA repeats, says Julian Chen, the lead researcher for the study. This safe-guarding brake, however, also limits the overall activity of the telomerase enzyme. Finding a way to properly release the brakes on the telomerase enzyme has the potential to restore the lost telomere length of adult stem cells and to even reverse cellular aging itself.

The hope is that by targeting this signal they can improve the function of telomerase and improve the lifespan of adult stem cells. The researchers do sound a note of caution since the pause signal plays a critical role in ensuring cells stay healthy. Removing it altogether could have disastrous consequences, including cancer, which has been known to co-opt telomerase to maintain its growth.

Clearly, more research needs to be done, as the team at Arizona State works on recommendations on how to avoid potential pitfalls. Though we may not be able to stop the clock, the future of successful aging is a bit brighter as new developments to slow its ticking continue to discovered.

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Unlocking The Secrets Of DNA Help Researchers Understand How to Slow Aging - YouAreUNLTD

When ESPN reporter Edward Aschoff died, he had been diagnosed with multifocal pneumonia and a rare disease known as HLH, his fianc tweeted.

Aschoff was first admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with pneumonia in many parts of his lungs but was brought back to the emergency room when antibiotic treatment failed and he got worse, Katy Berteau said.

"After many tests - bone marrow and lung biopsies - treatment was started for a presumed diagnosis of HLH," she tweeted. "Within 3 days of being moved into the ICU, he passed."

HLH, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, is a rare disease that affects the immune system.

She did not provide any further details about the manner of Aschoff's death, which occurred on his 34th birthday.

Other people, including Aschoff himself, expressed surprise about the seriousness of the illness in a young man in apparently good health.

"Anyone ever had multifocal (bilateral) pneumonia in their early 30s as some who never gets sick and has a very good immune system? Asking for two friends ... my lungs," he tweeted on December 5.

More questions have come up about his second diagnosis, HLH. It is unclear if Aschoff had HLH or pneumonia first, if one came from the other, and exactly how he died so quickly.

Here is what we know about the diseases Aschoff's had:

Is pneumonia dangerous?

Pneumonia is when air sacs in the lungs fill with fluid or pus. It can be caused by a virus, bacteria or a fungus, causing a fever and respiratory problems.

It can occur in one or both lungs, and multifocal means the pneumonia occurs in multiple places.

Thousands of people die around the world each year of pneumonia, but most healthy people can fight it off, especially with antibiotics and antiviral medications. The people most at risk are the young, elderly, frail or immune-compromised.

What is HLH?

HLH is a rare disease that affects the immune system, making certain white blood cells attack other blood cells and enlarging the spleen and liver, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

It can be inherited or acquired, Johns Hopkins said. About a quarter of cases are passed down through families, and the rest come from infections, a weakened immune system and cancer.

Symptoms can include coughing, difficulty breathing, fever, headaches, rashes, swollen lymph nodes, jaundice and digestive problems, according to Johns Hopkins.

Is it dangerous?

There is treatment for HLH, and acquired forms may clear when properly treated, Johns Hopkins said. If familial HLH goes untreated, it is usually fatal.

Treatments include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, steroids, antibiotic drugs and antiviral drugs. Stem cell transplants can cure HLH in most cases if drug treatments don't work, Johns Hopkins said.

There is no way to prevent HLH, the medical center said.

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An ESPN reporter was diagnosed with HLH just before he died at age 34. What is it? - ABC15 Arizona

UberAir is planning on taking to the skies over Melbourne by 2020, even if that seems highly ambitious.

In some ways, the future that so much science fiction promised us is already here. We have genetically altered humans, conversations with computers and robots that run around the woods and do backflips.

But the decade beginning in 2020 will take us even further toward a world where far-out ideas like hooking brains up to computers -- and even immortality -- become topics of serious conversation.

Vivek Wadhwa, author of the 2017 book The Driver in the Driverless Car, expects that along the way, several other major advances will be in common use by 2030, including the ever-delayed flying car, medical tricorders, bionic exoskeletons and unlimited clean energy.

"Some technologies will take longer to reach the masses than others, but they will be at hand," he tells me. "The 2020s will be when the incredible promises of technology finally happen."

As 2019, the year in which Blade Runner was set, draws to a close, here's a deeper look at what the next 10 years will bring.

Predicting that George Jetson's or Rick Deckard's favored method of commuting is just around the corner has become the ultimate futurist's faux pas, but here we are again. The barrier to flying around town isn't technology at this point; it's laws and logistics. A number of small companies make flying cars right now, but most require a pilot's license and might cost as much as a helicopter, preventing airborne autos from becoming a replacement for the average driver's Prius anytime soon.

What could happen for the rest of us is a system of flying taxis. Uber hopes to beta-test limited flight-sharing in select cities using small, electric VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) vehicles as soon as 2023.

Now playing: Watch this: Bell Nexus flying taxi could hit the skies next year

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The driverless future will arrive much sooner. A Tesla can already valet-park itself and take the wheel on the highway -- not completely self-driving, but a start. Several other automakers aim to catch up in the next few years, moving toward fully autonomous driving by the mid-2020s. There's even been a rumor that Apple could create a driverless electric car that adds augmented reality or some sort of smart displays to the concept by 2025.

But engineer, inventor and former BT "futurologist" Ian Pearson sees our self-driving destiny playing out differently.

"I think there's going to be a shock in the 2020s on that one," he says.

Pearson envisions bans on personal cars in city centers in favor of electric "pods" (sometimes called personal rapid transit) that would be inexpensive and basic -- perhaps akin to big, covered golf carts -- running on designated roadways and controlled from riders' phones.

The future of moving around cities could be pods like these in use at London's Heathrow Airport.

If you're looking to go farther than just across town, Elon Musk has promised he'll be ready to ferry us around the globe on super-fast flights via space using the same rockets he hopes will begin carrying humans to the moon and Mars in the 2020s.

Musk has always been a little loose with meeting self-imposed timelines -- SpaceX took several years longer to get its commercial space business off the ground than the founder initially promised -- so it's tough to say how soon regular folks might be catching a ride on his Starship. Other space companies like Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin are closer to ferrying space tourists in the next few years, at least for a quick joyride in the skies.

Now playing: Watch this: First look inside Virgin Galactic's space passenger terminal

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The 2020s are opening with millions speaking to digital assistants, and the decade will see the ways we interact with computers evolve and even surpass how we communicate with other humans.

Bill Gates said earlier this year that natural language inputs and AI voice assistants will improve to the point they might be able to fill the role of a human secretary.

"I do think that we'll have executive assistant-type capability in a five- to 10-year period," Gates told MIT Technology Review in the above video.

Pearson thinks that instead of talking to smart speakers or phones, we could soon be conversing with our own eyeballs. He says he first thought up the idea for an "active contact lens" back in 1991. The notion of an augmented reality display floating on your cornea would have been perfect cyborg sci-fi movie fodder back then, but now at least one startup seems to have it just about worked out, with a tiny display that seems just right for embedding in contacts.

We'll soon see if hiding your screen on your eyeball is appealing, but Elon Musk is already thinking one step ahead. His startup Neuralink is just one outfit working on brain-computer interfaces that use our thoughts as input mechanisms rather than taking the time to type, speak or gesture our commands.

Musk hopes to demonstrate the technology with paralyzed patients in 2020, and by 2030 it may become significantly easier to communicate with the digital world than the human sitting next to you.

In 2030, artificial intelligence may be as smart as your biological friends.

"I think that in three to five years you will see a computer system that will be able to autonomously learn how to understand," IBM Watson lead developer David Ferrucci says in 2018's Do You Trust This Computer. "Not unlike the way the human mind works."

Famed futurist Ray Kurzweil has been claiming for years we'll have humanlike AI by 2029. He doesn't see it, though, as the start of the robot apocalypse (as some, including the late Stephen Hawking, have predicted), but rather as a new era of liberation from the limitations of human biology.

Now playing: Watch this: Ray Kurzweil at SXSW

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Kurzweil laid out his vision in his 2005 book The Singularity is Near, and he's doubled down on it over the years. His basic idea is that advanced AI and nanotechnology will perfect our bodies and enhance our brains in such a way that we're not cyborgs, but our best selves: funnier, smarter, sexier and resistant to disease. But that's just the beginning.

All this comes, according to Kurzweil, by 2029, just in time for a new era when we can upload our minds to become fully software-based people, leaving our bodies behind to live forever in the cloud.

But that's predicted for the 2030s. You'll have to check back in a decade for how that pans out.

The genetic engineering genie has been let out of its bottle, with the first children allegedly born from engineered embryos living anonymously somewhere in China today.

Less illicit uses of gene-editing technologies like CRISPR/Cas9 (which acts like a pair of molecular scissors for DNA) will continue to move forward to help tackle disease and force us to wrestle with the ethical questions involved in the inevitable era of "designer babies" who have their genes altered to match the whims and desires of their parents.

Now playing: Watch this: CRISPR explained with crisps (and assorted snacks)

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Zoltan Istvan, author and Republican candidate challenging President Trump for the 2020 GOP nomination, says an emerging related technology called in vitro gametogenesis could soon shift how we approach infertility and having children. The process basically allows for sperm or eggs to be created from an individual's stem cells.

"It could change how women approach their lives, since they will no longer be on a timetable. ... They'll be able to have children at any age," he tells me. "This tech can also be used for men, and individuals may not even need partners anymore to have children."

Istvan expects the approach could be tested on humans within two to four years and commercially available by 2027.

In the meantime, look for more medical innovations, like a male birth control pill, chips implanted in the brain to give memory a boost and 3D-printed organs.

It's easy to go down the rabbit hole of optimistic outcomes, but there's also a darker timeline to consider. We may already be witnessing the opening scenes of multiple tragedies that could play out over the next decade. Here are just a few:

SpaceX alone hopes to nearly quintuple the 8,000 satellites launched since the dawn of the space age by middecade. Its competitors aim to launch their own mega-constellations of hundreds or thousands more satellites. Collisions in a congested orbital space over Earth could lead to a worst-case scenario called "Kessler syndrome," in which orbit becomes so full of debris it's no longer safe for astronauts or satellites. We would say goodbye to GPS, satellite communications and space exploration for some time.

This image of a distant galaxy group from Arizona's Lowell Observatory is marred by diagonal lines from the trails of Starlink satellites shortly after their launch in May.

At this point, most experts agree that better robots, artificial intelligence and automation will displace millions of workers in the 2020s. The impact on society and what we do about it may shape the coming years.

Istvan and Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang are among the politicians already campaigning on the issue of implementing a universal basic income as a safety net for those who inevitably lose their jobs to tech.

And what about all the potential nightmares we're already navigating online, from deepfakes to concerns over privacy?

"Advances in artificial intelligence will open up new opportunities for mass surveillance and mass-manufactured emotional manipulation," Interchain Foundation President and Tendermint CEO Jae Kwon says. "It will get worse before it gets better."

I've ignored the elephant on the barstool in the corner: a climate and environmental crisis that's already in motion and stirring up deadly extreme weather events with increasing frequency and leaving plastic waste in nearly every nook and cranny of the planet.

To echo Kwon, this also will get worse before it gets better.

Now playing: Watch this: The world's most dangerous lake is finally getting a...

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But technology loves nothing more than a big problem to solve, and plenty of possible solutions could take off in the next decade. It may be the long-promised holy grail of clean fusion power, or the notion of replacing all those planet-warming fossil fuels with the very carbon dioxide that they produce (technologies already exist to capture CO2 and convert it into raw materials).

"I also think we'll see some quite advanced materials arriving, like spray-on solar [photovoltaic power] films," Pearson says. "We'll also see water supply being solved in the developing world with desalination and water collection tech."

Author and MIT scientist Andrew McAfee is so confident technology will help us turn around the mass consumption streak weighing so heavily on the environment that he's inviting people to take him up on a bet the US will consume less energy in 2029 than it does in 2019.

So far, no one has taken that bet. Interestingly, Kurzweil has put down money on his own bet that a machine will pass a test of "human-level intelligence" by 2029.

Let's plan to meet back here in a decade to see who's right. Or just look me up in the cloud.

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2020s visions: We'll get flying cars just before becoming software-based people - CNET

It's not the time of year you want to be stuck with a big surprise medical bill, but Brent Cooke and his wife say it happened to them despite their planning ahead.

Brent had shoulder surgery.

He says they paid some in advance and were told their insurance would pay the rest.

After surgery, Brent says his doctor told him that stem cells were used but not to worry about the cost. They would be included and covered by insurance.

Instead, Brent says he was stuck with a $4,600 bill.

He says he spent six months working with Banner Health, this doctor and insurer, yet no one wants to take responsibility.

So he let me know.

The Let Joe Know/Better Business Bureau team took over.

Volunteer Ethel worked with the people at Banner and the others involved.

She says at first, no one thought they should have to pay the bill.

But, less than three weeks after Brent contacted us, Ethel's persistence got results.

Brent says it was the stem cell company that dropped off a check for more than $4,600.

He says he doesn't know why it came from them, and not Banner or his insurer.

But the Cookes then used that money to pay the outstanding bill.

Banner tells us "we're pleased that Mr. Cooke's procedure and treatment were successful, and that his billing matter was resolved."

Arizona law does protect consumers against some surprise medical bills.

Click here for more information on that.

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Man fights $4,600 surgery bill he was told insurance would cover - KGUN

Glenn Gaudette, William Smith Deans Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), has been named a fellow of theNational Academy of Inventors(NAI), the organization announced today. Gaudette is the founding director of the WPI Myocardial Regeneration Lab, where he has pioneered the use of plants as scaffoldingfor heart regeneration.

The NAI Fellows Program highlights academic inventors who have demonstrated a spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society. Election to NAI Fellow is the highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors.

I am honored and humbled to be selected as a Fellow of the NAI. This prestigious recognition is a reflection of amazing collaborators, fantastic students, risk-taking funding organizations and a supportive family that I have been fortunate to benefit from, said Gaudette. Today, significant engineering and science advancements require a focus on creating value for society, work that flourishes in an open and collaborative environment like the one I enjoy at WPI.

As director of the Myocardial Regeneration Lab, Gaudette focuses broadly on cardiovascular regeneration techniques, but more specifically on developing better ways to deliver cells to damaged myocardium as well as better techniques to analyze cardiac mechanics. He has authored over 75 publications, including a co-edited book on cardiovascular regeneration, has four issued patents, and founded a company based on the technology developed in his laboratory. His research, which is supported by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, aims to develop a treatment for the millions of Americans suffering from myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular diseases.

As a member of the NAI 2019 Fellows, Gaudette joins 168 educators and researchers representing 136 universities and governmental and nonprofit research institutes worldwide. Collectively, they hold over 3,500 issued U.S. patents. Among the 2019 Fellows are six recipients of the U.S. National Medal of Technology & Innovation or U.S. National Medal of Science and four Nobel Laureates, as well as recipients of other honors and distinctions. Their collective body of research covers a range of scientific disciplines including neurobehavioral sciences, horticulture, photonics and nanomedicine.

To date, NAI Fellows hold more than 41,500 issued U.S. patents, which have generated over 11,000 licensed technologies and companies, and created more than 36 million jobs. In addition, over $1.6 trillion in revenue has been generated based on NAI Fellow discoveries.

On April 10, 2020, the 2019 NAI Fellows will be inducted at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona as part of the Ninth Annual NAI Meeting. Laura A. Peter, Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO),will provide the keynote address for the induction ceremony. At the ceremony, Fellows will be formally inducted by Peter and NAI President Paul R. Sanberg in recognition of their outstanding achievements.

In addition to being named an NAI Fellow, Gaudette is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. His teams research usingspinach leavesas scaffolds for growing human heart cells has been featured by media outlets throughout the world, including the BBC, theWashington Post,and Time.com. The work was named one of the top medical breakthroughs of the year byBoston Magazineand was the seventh most popular story of 2017 inNational Geographic. He has also worked on a novel technology using fibrin sutures to deliver stem cells to targeted areas of the body to repair diseased or damaged tissue, including cardiac muscle damaged by a heart attack.Outside the lab, Gaudette teaches biomedical engineering design and innovation, biomechanics and physiology. He promotes the development of the entrepreneurial mindset in his students through support provided by the Kern Family Foundationand serves as the director of the Value Creation Initiative at WPI.In 2015, he was named Faculty Member of the Year by the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN).

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Professor Recognized For Cardiac Regeneration Research - WPI News

Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2019) - The Stock Day Podcast welcomed Creative Medical Technology Holdings, Inc. (CELZ) ("the Company"), a commercial stage biotechnology company currently trading on the OTC. CEO of the Company, Timothy Warbington, joined Stock Day host Everett Jolly.

Jolly began the interview by asking about the Company's origins. Warbington shared that the founders came together in 2011 with the acquisition of intellectual property from another biotechnology company of which they were all involved. In 2016 the CaverStem technology was spun out and Creative Medical Technology Holdings, Inc. was formed and taken public as a fully reporting company via a reverse merger.

Jolly then asked about the Company's flagship technology, CaverStem, which is an erectile dysfunction treatment that uses the patient's own stem cells to heal the body. Warbington explained that CaverStem is a unique product from a business perspective as it allows the Company to operate with a steady cash flow. Meanwhile, the technology also offers significant merit in the medical and science communities as a safe and effective alternative to commercial erectile dysfunction medications.

Jolly then asked about the treatment process of the CaverStem technology. Warbington shared that the treatment is a simple out-patient procedure that takes about thirty minutes to complete. Warbington also shared the simple monetization strategy that the Company follows for the CaverStem technology. "The revenue that is generated by our company is from the sale of medical equipment. There is a device that is required for each patient treated," said Warbington.

"The kit is patented," shared Warbington, adding that the Company also has worldwide exclusive distribution rights for the urology space and has an excellent relationship with their supplier, as well as IT protection.

Jolly then asked about the Company's partnership with Edge Media Network. Warbington explained that the Company is preparing for a variety of marketing campaigns in the near future, and Edge Media Network represents a beneficial partnership for this task.

Jolly then asked about the Company's long-term visions and potential. Warbington shared that the Company is optimistic for the future and will focus on continuing to train physicians and treats patients. "We have a number of different patents within our portfolio that are continuing to be prosecuted and pushed along to maturity," said Warbington, adding that the Company also offers an additional product called FemCelz, which treats sexual dysfunction in females with the use of the patient's stem cells. "We're optimistic about FemCelz because it's the counterpart to CaverStem for men."

Warbington also expanded on the Company's StemSpine product, which is another patented technology in their portfolio and will be available on the market in the near future.

To close the interview, Warbington encouraged listeners to consider the value of the Company's medical technology and patents. "This is serious medicine regarding sexual dysfunction. We're trying to increase shareholder value," said Warbington. He also shared that the Company is looking forward to the exciting news that will be coming out regarding their other products in the near future. "We're very optimistic and we think we have a very bright future," closed Warbington.

To hear Timothy Warbington's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here:

Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/

About Creative Medical Technology Holdings, Inc.

Creative Medical Technology Holdings, Inc. is a commercial stage biotechnology company currently trading on the OTC under the ticker symbol CELZ. For further information about the company go to http://www.creativemedicaltechnology.com. For more information on our Caverstem procedure please go to http://www.caverstem.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

OTC Markets has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming clinical trials and laboratory results, marketing efforts, funding, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and, therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. See the periodic and other reports filed by Creative Medical Technology Holdings, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on the Commission's website at http://www.sec.gov.

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Contact Information:

Email: CEO@CreativeMedicalHealth.com

About The "Stock Day" Podcast

Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America. Stock Day recently launched its Video Interview Studio located in Phoenix, Arizona.

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Creative Medical Technology Holdings, Inc. Discusses CaverStem and Other Patented Technology with The Stock Day Podcast - Yahoo Finance

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) The Gift of Life Marrow Registry organized the meeting Thursday between a bone marrow donor from Connecticut and the recipient whose life was saved by the donation.

Jennie Bunce, 25, of Redding donated her marrow. According to a representative for Gift of Life, Bunce was studying physical therapy and joined Gift of Life through a sorority event at North Carolinas High Point University in 2016.

I never win or get picked for anything, but it just felt like the right thing to do, Bunce told Gift of Life. Im just incredibly happy and grateful to be part of something so special. Its similar to holding the door open for someone or helping a friend in a time of need.

Across the country in Mesa, Arizona, father-of-6, Mark Roser, 33, was battling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. He found out about the diagnosis after he broke a hip in 2018 and had continued weakness. Roser was told he needed a bone marrow transplant to survive.

The hardest part was knowing, no matter how hard I worked, that what I did would not be a deciding factor in my ability to receive this gift, said Roser.

The match was made by Gift of Life in about six months, and the transplant took place in Phoenix.

She is a hero to all the people in my life, said Roser.

She gave me life, she gave my children a future with their dad, she gave my wife a chance to hold her husband, to have someone hold her back. She allowed me to go to work, to play, to see things from a different perspective. I am grateful for every moment I have, and its because of her.

According to Gift a Life, medical privacy laws dictate that recipients and donors must remain anonymous and wait at least a year before meeting.

The two came face-to-face for the first time Thursday in Bridgeport at the Boca Oyster Bar.

Since its start in 1991, the Gift of Life Registry 349,000 individuals who have donated blood stem cells or bone marrow to save a life. The program has facilitated 16,800 matches and over 3,500 transplants.

To learn more about the organization and/or how to donate: https://www.giftoflife.org/.

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Bone marrow recipient comes face-to-face with CT donor for the first time - WTNH.com

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Results from a study sponsored by Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc., a global biotechnology company that uses allogeneic stem cells for ischemic conditions, form the basis for a peer-reviewed paper published inStrokeentitled "Phase I/II Study of Safety and Preliminary Efficacy of Intravenous Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Chronic Stroke." Co-authors include Michael L. Levy, MD, PhD, John R. Crawford, MD, Nabil Dib, MD, Lev Verkh, PhD, Nikolai Tankovich, MD, PhD and Steven C. Cramer, MD.

As indicated in theStrokepublication, "Stroke is perennially among the leading causes of human disability and the leading neurological cause of lost disability-adjusted life years. The mean survival after stroke is 6-7 years, with more than 85% of patients living past the first-year post-stroke, many with years of enduring disability. Many restorative therapies are under study to improve outcomes after stroke." However, restorative therapies often have a short time window for improvement usually measured in days-months.

"Based on Stemedica's preclinical data that supported the safety and efficacy of its MSCs as a restorative therapy to improve outcomes after stroke, the company was granted approval by the FDA to conduct a Phase I/IIa dose escalation trial that examined the effects of a single IV infusion of Stemedica's cGMP manufactured allogeneic ischemia-tolerant MSCs," said Dr. Lev Verkh, Chief Regulatory and Clinical Development Officer of Stemedica.

Study:The target population included patients with chronic ischemic stroke and substantial functional deficits; a group for whom treatment options remained limited. The primary outcome of the study was safety, based on serial measures of behavior, CT scans, and laboratory testing. Four secondary endpoints were scored serially to derive estimates of behavioral changes relatively to the baseline over a period of 12 months: NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) for neurological assessment, Barthel Index (BI) for ability to perform daily tasks, Mini-Mental Status Exam (MMSE) for mental status, and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) for degree of depression. The study was conducted at three centers: University of California, San Diego (UCSD); Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, Gilbert, Arizona; and University of California, Irvine (UCI).

Entry criteria included ischemic stroke >6 months prior to administration, substantial functional deficits (subject confined to a wheelchair, had home-nursingcare, orneeded assistance withactivities ofdailyliving), no substantial improvement in neurologic orfunctional deficits for the2 months prior to enrollment in thestudypermedical history, and NIHSS score=6-20.

Enrollees received a single intravenous dose of allogeneic mesenchymal bone marrow cells. Phase I used a dose escalation design (3 tiers, n=5 each). Phase IIa (n=21) was an expanded safety cohort. The primary endpoint was safety over 1-year. Secondary endpoints examined behavior, with a pre-specified focus at 6-months.

Subject status at enrollment prior to treatment:At baseline, subjects (n=36) averaged 4.24.6 years post-stroke, age 61.110.8 years, NIHSS score 8 [6.5-10], and Barthel Index 6529.

Safety:Study testing disclosed no safety concerns. No subject showed a positive reaction to intradermal testing. In Phase I, each dose (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 million cells/kg body weight) was found safe, as a result Phase IIa subjects received 1.5 million cells/kg. Two subjects were lost to follow-up, one was withdrawn, and two died (unrelated to study treatment). There were 15 serious adverse events, none possibly or probably related to study treatment. Two mild adverse events were possibly related to study treatment, a urinary tract infection and IV site irritation. Treatment was determined to be safe based on serial exams, EKGs, laboratory tests, and pan-CT scans.

Behavioral Effects:Improvements across all subjects post-transfusion and for all four secondary endpoints were achieved. Improvements in each index were: Barthel Index (6.811.4 points, p=0.002); in NIHSS (-1.251.7 points, p<0.001); Mini Mental Status Exam (1.82.8 points, p<0.001); and Geriatric Depression Scale (-1.63.8 points, p=0.015). At baseline 11.4% (4/35 subjects) had Barthel Index=95-100 (favorable outcome); at 6-months, 27.3% (9/33); by 12-months, 35.5% (11/31).

Conclusions:The current study is the largest trial of intravenous MSCs in patients with chronic stroke and the first to evaluate allogeneic MSC therapy in this population. It is also the first study to evaluate MSCs grown under hypoxic conditions favorable to cell proliferation, gene expression, cytokine production and migration. While patients with stroke in the chronic stage generally show significant functional decline, enrollees in the current study showed 12 months of continued functional improvements across all secondary endpoints.

Intravenous transfusion of allogeneic ischemia tolerant MSCs in patients with chronic stroke and substantial functional deficits was safe and suggested behavioral gains. These data support proceeding to a randomized, placebo-controlled study of this therapy in this population.

Dr. Nikolai Tankovich, President and Chief Medical Officer added, "Stemedica is encouraged by the results of the study which demonstrated safety and preliminary efficacy of its cell therapy product for the treatment of chronic ischemic stroke patients. It is a significant milestone for Stemedica to bring this new cellular medication to patients with debilitating conditions caused by a stroke. Stemedica plans to move forward to a Phase-IIb discussion with the FDA."

Michael Levy, MD, PhD, FACS, FAANS, Professor of Neurosurgery at UCSD and the Principal Investigator of this study commented: "Based on my clinical trial work in Stemedica's Ischemic Stroke trial, my experience to date with Stemedica's allogeneic ischemic tolerant mesenchymal stem cell product suggests that the product is first and foremost safe and secondarilyhas the potential to produce unparalleled medical benefits."

About Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc.Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc. is a global biopharmaceutical company that manufactures best-in-class allogeneic adult stem cells. The company is a government licensed manufacturer of cGMP, clinical-grade stem cells currently used in US-based clinical trials for ischemic stroke, and Alzheimer's Disease. Stemedica's cell are also used on a worldwide basis by research institutions and hospitals for pre-clinical and clinical (human) trials. Stemedica is currently developing additional clinical trials for other medical indications using adult, allogeneic stems cell under the auspices of the FDA and other international regulatory institutions. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California and can be found online atwww.stemedica.com.

Forward Looking StatementsThis press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, these forward-looking statements do not constitute guarantees of future performance and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect the views of Stemedica as of the date of this press release with respect to future events and, except as required by law, it undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise after the date of this press release.

Media ContactStemedica Cell Technologies, Inc.Dave McGuiganEVP, Marketing & Business Developmentdmcguigan@stemedica.com+1 858-658-0910 x7203

SOURCE Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc.

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Positive Study Results of Phase IIa Clinical Trial Using Intravenous Administration of Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Ischemic Stroke Published in...

There are many different sources of stem cells and many different types of stem cells. Stem cell can be derived from umbilical cord tissue, placental tissue, amniotic fluid, peripheral blood, adipose tissue (fat), bone marrow, and embryonic/fetal tissue. Each of these sources has advantages and disadvantages based on several factors.

Umbilical CordThese stem cells come from from healthy, live births delivered by cesarean section and donated by the mothers of these children. Umbilical cord derived-stem cells are by far the most effective type of stem cells that are obtained by ethical means and available today. Their young age makes them far more biologically active and gives them a greater ability to divide and grow tissue than older stem cells (about 10 times as potent). There are also several different types of stem cells (mainly mesenchymal stem cells and hematopoietic stem cells) that can be derived from umbilical cords which allow for treatment of many different diseases and conditions.

Placental TissueThese stem cells are similar to umbilical cord derived stem cells and are obtained in the same manner. A lot of research is looking at these stem cells to aid in burns, abrasions, and non-healing wounds.

Amniotic FluidAmniotic fluid is the fluid in which a newborn baby lives during a womans pregnancy. There are some stem cells floating within the fluid which allow for proper development of a growing fetus, but they are very few in number. There are also many different types of bioactive molecules which aid in tissue growth. This is the least expensive type of stem cell treatment available because it contains the least amount of stem cells, but it is also the least effective. Amniotic fluid stem cell treatment is best used in patients with very mild degenerative conditions or as a supplemental treatment to an umbilical cord derived stem cell treatment to help accelerate tissue regeneration.

Peripheral BloodStem cells derived from peripheral blood are also very few in number. Most clinics use peripheral blood to isolate something called PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma). PRP contains many bioactive molecules such as growth factors, cytokines, proteins, antioxidants, and amino acids. These can aid in tissue repair and have been proven to increase patient results when used in conjunction with stem cell treatment. We always use PRP with all of our stem cell treatments to give our patients the best chance at improvement.

Adipose Tissue (fat)These stem cells are obtained by performing a liposuction on a patient and then separating out the stem cells from the fat that is obtained. This can be a painful and invasive procedure, but it does yield a high amount of stem cells. Unfortunately, these stem cells come from an older source and are much less potent than those obtained from a younger source (such as umbilical cord tissue). Recent research suggests that adipose derived stem cells are much less effective than we once thought and the majority of the scientific community has moved on to other sources which are yielding much better results for patients.

Bone MarrowThese stem cells are obtained by performing a bone marrow aspiration. This is an extremely invasive and painful procedure which involves drilling a hole into the hip bone and sucking out a portion of bone marrow. Bone marrow aspiration does not yield a large amount of stem cells and for this reason they normally need to be cultured (grown) for several weeks to reach a number which will result in an effective (therapeutic) dose. Unfortunately, culturing stem cells is illegal in the United States and therefore you will have to travel outside of the US to receive an effective dose of bone marrow derived stem cells.

Embryonic/Fetal This is a very controversial source of stem cells as they are derived from unwanted (aborted) fetuses. These are currently illegal for use in the United States and have many moral and scientific issues surrounding them. Although these stem cells may contain a higher healing potential than some of the sources mentioned above they also come with substantially more risk. Embryonic stem cells have been linked to several cancers and unregulated tissue growth. For this reason and the obvious ethical concerns, you will have to travel outside the US if you are looking for this type of treatment.

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Before I discuss Stem Cell Therapy, its important to discuss the history of this so-called fountain of youth.Stem cells were discovered before I was born some 60 years ago. I was in graduate school at Penn State University in the 1980s, when our scientists isolated stem cells in adipose (fat) tissue. Prior to that, stem cells had already been discovered in umbilical cord blood. While in medical school at University of Temple School of Medicine, the first umbilical cord stem cell transplant was used to treat blood dyscrasia in 1988. Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) were officially named by Dr. Arnold Caplan from Case Western Reserve University over 26 years ago.Since that time, there have been hundreds of clinical trials and stem cell clinics, many who are claiming medical benefits to treat a variety of diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), acute spinal cord injuries, and other orthopedic disorders, including osteoarthritis (OA). Some of the early clinical results appear veryfavorable, however, level one clinical studies are lacking.

Stem cells are living, undifferentiated cells that have the capabilities to self-replicating in culture and differentiate into cartilage, fat or bone (multipotent). They are found in every organ in the human body. They keep us healthy by augmenting the natural healing process in our body by modulating our inflammatory and immune system. Therefore, they have the potential to repair and regenerate damaged or diseased tissue. Many believe they do this by decreasing inflammation and scar formation, while promoting increased blood supply to the injured area.I was once asked by a patient this simple question: If our stem cells are so great, why do we get sick? The answer: sometimes our stem cells stop working, malfunction, or wear out.It is important to know that there are different types of stem cells and to understand what their advantages and disadvantages are.

1. Embryonic stem cells2. Autologous adult stem cells3. Allogenic post-natal stem cells

Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent and therefore able to form any tissue type.However, they have a high potential to form tumors and they raise ethical issues.We do not work with embryonic stem cells.

Autologous adult stem cells come from our own bodies. These cells are present in our bone marrow and body fat. They are referred to as Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentration (BMAC) and Adipose Derived Stem Cells. These cells can be harvested through a minimally invasive procedure and injected back into the patient in the same sitting.

Allogenic post-natal stem cells are harvested from the umbilical cord of live healthy births. Stem cells are present in cord blood and Whartons Jelly, the cushion inside the cord. Each stem cell type has advantages and disadvantages, but its notable that these allogenic products can be very useful in patients older than 60, where there are concerns about the quantity and potency of their own stem cells. A small volume of allogenic stem cells can contain millions of cells. In addition, there is no harvest morbidity. Treatment involves a painless ultrasound procedure.

I recently developed problems with my knee that prevented me from performing everyday activities as well as exercise. Despite conservative therapy, my symptoms continued. An MRI of my knee showed significant pathology; most surgeons would have recommended surgical intervention after failing to improve with months of conservative therapy. With my work and family schedule, surgery was not a good option for me.I had benefitted from regenerative therapy on the same knee 15 years prior, so I felt confident it would work again. Therefore, I decided to receive an injection of post-natal Whartons jelly stem cells into my left knee.

(At 60 years old, I was concerned that my own bone marrow or adipose tissue may not have enough stem cells to resolve the cartilage issue in my knee,but if I were younger, I would have seriously considered using my own stem cells from either my bone or fat.)

Two weeks after my injection I was back on my mountain bike. I recently played beach volleyball with no issuesan activity that I havent dared to challenge since I played college football.I am absolutely amazed at the continued improvements since.

The misconception, with both autologous and allogenic stem cells, are that they differentiate and turn themselves into new tissues inside the body. While its not perfectly clear how they work, it is more likely that these cells stimulate our own autologous stem cells to replicate, repair and regenerate our tissues. Even Dr. Caplan has since called to rename MSCs to Medicinal Signaling Cells, to more accurately reflect their true function of signaling our resident stem cells by secreting bioactive factors.It is our own site-specific and tissue-specific stem cells that ultimately do all the work.

Autologous BMAC (treatment using ones own stem cells) has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat various disorders, however, the cell number and variability has a tendency to decrease as we age. Adipose-derived stem cells from our fatty tissue has the same advantages and disadvantages as bone marrowboth require a surgical harvest, and their volume decreases with age. Recently, the FDA issued a warning about only using minimal manipulation of the cells once removed from our body. This may eventually limit the number of techniques currently being used to isolate adipose derived stem cells.

Both autologous and allogenic stem cells are believed to offer both short-term and long-term benefits as they respond to inflammatory signals from injured tissues. This process appears to occur by modulating our inflammatory and immune processes. These cells have the capability to secrete hundreds of growth factors, cytokines, exosomes and micro RNA that secrete anti-inflammatory and auto immune modulators that help fight inflammation and even prevent the breakdown of collagen, the substance that gives our tissue structure and integrity. Some of these compounds act directly at the site of injury, while others act indirectly by modulating our immunologic response and increasing blood supply to the injured area.

There are many things we can do to optimize the anti-inflammatory, autoimmune and angiogenic (formation of new blood vessels) effects of these stem cells and their byproductsand the most important may be optimizing the environment in which they work.It is not uncommon for us to see a discouraged patient who tried a form of stem cell therapy somewhere else and failed to improve. Most of the time, these patients were given treatments or products that actually contained no stem cells. These treatments neglect the principle of optimizing the environment in order to optimize stem cell function. Some of these patients should have never been talked into an expensive, experimental treatment, and others should have had an attempt at correcting underlying issues that contributed to their poor result prior to stem cell therapy. There are many things we can do to optimize results prior to undergoing Regenerative Therapy.

The most important factor is to first determine if you are a good candidate for this type of treatment, because not everyone is.The next step would be to find out how you can optimize your results, or possibly become a viable candidate.

At the Athletic Institute of Medicine, it is our goal to help determine if regenerative medicine techniques are right for you, and to optimize your chances of successful treatment.Please review The Eight Questions You Need to Ask Your Provider Prior to Considering Stem Cell Therapy.

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