Category Archives: Cell Therapy

Aug. 24, 2014, 2:09 a.m.

An Australian-based biomedical company has been given approval from AFL to use stem-cell therapy on players recovering from injury.

An Australian-based biomedical company has been given approval from the AFL to use stem-cell therapy on players recovering from injury.

Sydney-based Regeneus has revealed it was recently given permission for its HiQCell treatment on players suffering from such issues as osteoarthritis and tendinopathy.

The treatment is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency if it is performance-enhancing but allowed if it is solely to treat injuries.

Regeneus commercial development director Steven Barberasaid the regenerative medicine company had sought approval from the AFL for what the company says is "innovative but not experimental" treatment.

"In 2013, Regeneus sought and received clearance from ASADA [Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority] for its proprietary HiQCell therapy for use with athletes who participate in sporting competitions subject to the WADA Anti-Doping Code. The AFL is one of many professional sports bodies which applies the WADA Anti-Doping Code within its regulations for players," he said.

"In March this year, the AFL introduced a Prohibited Treatments List as an additional level of scrutiny over and above the WADA code for player treatments. In light of this, Regeneus made a submission to the AFL to confirm that our specific treatment is not prohibited under that list. Subsequently, the chief medical officer of the AFL has recently communicated with our primary Melbourne-based HiQCell medical practitioner that the treatment is not prohibited and can be administered on a case-by-case basis to players.

"We anticipate documented confirmation of this outcome in the near future from the AFL.

"To our knowledge, the permission is specific to HiQCell and not necessarily to cell-based therapies in general."

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AFL approves stem-cell therapy

An Australian-based biomedical company has been given approval from the AFL to use stem-cell therapy on players recovering from injury.

Sydney-based Regeneus has revealed it was recently given permission for its HiQCell treatment on players suffering from such issues as osteoarthritis and tendinopathy.

The treatment is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency if it is performance-enhancing but allowed if it is solely to treat injuries.

Regeneus commercial development director Steven Barberasaid the regenerative medicine company had sought approval from the AFL for what the company says is "innovative but not experimental" treatment.

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"In 2013, Regeneus sought and received clearance from ASADA [Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority] for its proprietary HiQCell therapy for use with athletes who participate in sporting competitions subject to the WADA Anti-Doping Code. The AFL is one of many professional sports bodies which applies the WADA Anti-Doping Code within its regulations for players," he said.

"In March this year, the AFL introduced a Prohibited Treatments List as an additional level of scrutiny over and above the WADA code for player treatments. In light of this, Regeneus made a submission to the AFL to confirm that our specific treatment is not prohibited under that list. Subsequently, the chief medical officer of the AFL has recently communicated with our primary Melbourne-based HiQCell medical practitioner that the treatment is not prohibited and can be administered on a case-by-case basis to players.

"We anticipate documented confirmation of this outcome in the near future from the AFL.

"To our knowledge, the permission is specific to HiQCell and not necessarily to cell-based therapies in general."

The AFL confirmed it had given approval on a "case-by-case" basis.

See the article here:
AFL approves stem-cell treatment

Why not embryonic stem cell
Why not embryonic stem cell ? In conversation with Dr Alok Sharma (MS, MCh.) Professor of Neurosurgery Head of Department, LTMG Hospital LTM Medical College, Sion, Mumbai. Stem Cell Therapy...

By: Neurogen Brain and Spine Institute

Read the rest here:
Why not embryonic stem cell - Video

Human embryonic stem cells were differentiated into cells of the pancreas (blue). These cells give rise to insulin-producing cells (red). When implanted into mice, the stem cell-derived pancreatic cells effectively replace the insulin lost in type 1 diabetes. San Diego-based ViaCyte is developing an implantable artificial pancreas derived from human embryonic stem cells. Its work is funded in part by grants from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

San Diego's ViaCyte has received $20 million from a drug company to advance its stem cell-based therapy for type 1 diabetes into clinical trials.

ViaCyte's agreement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a Johnson & Johnson company, comes days after the company announced receiving the go-ahead from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin clinical trials. The agreement also includes the company's investment fund, Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation.

ViaCyte's experimental product, VC-01, is derived from human embryonic stem cells. These cells are matured into cells that regulate blood sugar levels. These includes cells that make insulin, which lowers blood sugar, in addition to cells that make glucagon, which raises blood sugar levels. It's believed that recreating this natural complement of hormones will be more effective than administering insulin alone.

The cells are encapsulated into a semi-permeable pouch that allows the hormones to enter the bloodstream, and nutrients from the bloodstream to enter cells, but keeps out the immune system, which would otherwise attack the cells.

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the states stem cell agency, has awarded ViaCyte more than $38 million to help develop the treatment over the past six years.

The money will mostly be used to advance clinical development of the product, ViaCyte said. The agreement also gives Janssen the right to "consider a longer-term transaction" related to the product.

This is excellent news as it demonstrates that pharmaceutical companies are recognizing stem cell therapies hold tremendous promise and need to be part of their development portfolio, CIRM president and CEO C. Randal Mills said in a statement. This kind of serious financial commitment from industry is vital in helping get promising therapies like this through all the phases of clinical trials and, most importantly, to the patients in need.

ViaCyte had also recently received $5.4 million in private equity financing.

These important transactions provide us with the additional resources we need to pursue the further development of the VC-01 product candidate as a potential new treatment option for patients with type 1 diabetes, said Paul Laikind, Ph.D., ViaCyte's president and CEO, in the statement. We are pleased to be extending our relationship with Janssen and JJDC is this area of mutual interest.

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ViaCyte gets $20M for diabetes therapy trials

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

12-Aug-2014

Contact: Meng Zhao eic@nrren.org 86-138-049-98773 Neural Regeneration Research

Mammalian adult central nerve system (CNS) injuries are devastating because of the intrinsic difficulties for effective neuronal regeneration. The greatest problem to be overcome for CNS recovery is the poor regeneration of neurons and myelin-forming cells, oligodendrocytes. Endogenous neural progenitors and transplanted exogenous neuronal stem cells can be the source for neuronal regeneration. However, because of the harsh local microenvironment, they usually have very low efficacy for functional neural regeneration which cannot compensate for the loss of neurons and oligodendrocytes. Glial cells (including astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes and NG2 glia) are the majority of cells in CNS that provide support and protection for neurons. Inside the local microenvironment, glial cells largely influence local and transplanted neural stem cells survival and fates. This review critically analyzes current finding of the roles of glial cells in CNS regeneration, and highlights strategies for regulating glial cells' behavior to create a permissive microenvironment for neuronal stem cells. The Perspectives paper published in Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 9, No. 13, 2014).

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Article: "Stem cell therapy for central nerve system injuries: glial cells hold the key" by Li Xiao, Chikako Saiki, Ryoji Ide (1 Pharmacology Department, The Nippon Dental University, School of Life Dentistry at Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; 2 Physiology Department, The Nippon Dental University, School of Life Dentistry at Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan).

Xiao L, Saiki C, Ide R. Stem cell therapy for central nerve system injuries: glial cells hold the key. Neural Regen Res. 2014;9(13):1253-1260.

Contact: Meng Zhao eic@nrren.org 86-138-049-98773 Neural Regeneration Research http://www.nrronline.org/

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Stem cell therapy for central nerve system injuries: Glial cells hold the key