Category Archives: Cell Therapy

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

16-Dec-2013

Contact: Press Office pressinfo@ki.se 46-852-486-077 Karolinska Institutet

Osteogeneis imperfecta (OI) is a congenital bone disease that causes stunted growth and repeated, painful fracturing. Ultrasound scans can reveal fractures already in the fetus, and now an international team of researchers from Sweden, Singapore and Taiwan have treated two babies in utero by injecting bone-forming stem cells. The longitudinal results of the treatment are published in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine.

The babies were treated with mesenchymal stem cells, connective tissue cells that can form and improve bone tissue. The stem cells were extracted from the livers of donors and although they were completely unmatched genetically, there was no rejection and the transplanted cells were accepted as self.

Back in 2005, a paper was published from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden describing how stem cells were given to a female fetus. The present study describes how the girl suffered a large number of fractures and developed scoliosis up to the age of eight, whereupon the researchers decided to give her a fresh stem cell graft from the same donor. For the next two years the girl suffered no new fractures and improved her growth rate. Today she takes dance lessons and participates more in PE at school.

Another unborn baby with OI, a girl from Taiwan, was also given stem cell transplantation by the Karolinska Institutet team and their colleagues from Singapore. The girl subsequently followed a normal and fracture-free growth trajectory until the age of one, when it levelled off. She was given a fresh stem cell treatment and her growth resumed. The girl started to walk and has since not suffered any new fractures. Today she is four years old.

"We believe that the stem cells have helped to relieve the disease since none of the children broke bones for a period following the grafts, and both increased their growth rate," says study leader Dr Cecilia Gtherstrm, researcher at Karolinska Institutet's Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology. "Today, the children are doing much better than if the transplantations had not been given. OI is a very rare disease and lacks effective treatment, and a combined international effort is needed to examine whether stem cell grafts can alleviate the disease."

The researchers have also identified a patient, a boy from Canada, who was born with OI caused by exactly the same mutation as the Swedish girl had. The boy was not given stem cell therapy and was born with severe and widespread bone damage, including numerous fractures and kyphosis of the thoracic vertebrae, which causes such over-curvature of the spine that it impairs breathing. The boy died of pneumonia within his first 5 months.

Participating institutions in Singapore have been the National University Hospotal, and the KK Women's and Children's Hospital. Collaborating partner of Taiwan was the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Linkou. Researchers of several universities and hospitals in Sweden, Canada and the USA also took part in the work. The study was financed with a grant from the Swedish Society for Medical Research, and two of the participating researchers received a salary from the Singaporean Ministry of Health.

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Brittle-bone babies helped by fetal stem cell grafts

stem cell therapy treatment for spinal cord injury by dr alok sharma, mumbai, india short
improvement seen in just 4 months after stem cell therapy treatment for spinal cord injury by dr alok sharma, mumbai, india. Stem Cell Therapy done date 2nd ...

By: Neurogen Brain and Spine Institute

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stem cell therapy treatment for spinal cord injury by dr alok sharma, mumbai, india short - Video

stem cell therapy treatment for autism by dr alok sharma mumbai india short
improvement seen in just 3 months after stem cell therapy treatment for autism by dr alok sharma, mumbai, india. Stem Cell Therapy done date 25 Jun 2013 Afte...

By: Neurogen Brain and Spine Institute

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stem cell therapy treatment for autism by dr alok sharma mumbai india short - Video

Parkinson's patient Ed Fitzpatrick speaks about stem cell research for his disease. Fitzpatrick talked on a Dec. 7 panel at the World Stem Cell Summit in San Diego. Bradley J. Fikes

Parkinson's patient Ed Fitzpatrick speaks about stem cell research for his disease. Fitzpatrick talked on a Dec. 7 panel at the World Stem Cell Summit in San Diego.

For eight local Parkinsons patients seeking treatment with stem cell technology, 2014 could bring the milestone theyve been anticipating.

If all goes well, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will approve an attempt to replace the brain cells destroyed in Parkinsons. The new cells, grown from each patients own skin cells, are expected to restore normal movement in the patients.

Because the new brain cells are made from the patients own cells, immunosuppressive drugs shouldnt be needed. Ideally, patients could stop taking their medications and resume normal activities for many years, or even the rest of their lives.

The project, Summit4StemCell.org, is a collaboration between three nonprofits. The Scripps Research Institute handles the science; Scripps Clinic takes care of the medical side; and the Parkinsons Association of San Diego helps to raise money for the self-funded project.

Since 2011, the focus has been at the institute, where scientists led by Jeanne Loring have made the artificial embryonic stem cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells, and turned them into the needed brain cells. Now Scripps Clinic is assuming a more prominent role to prepare for treating the patients.

A study in rats began in early December; results are expected by April. The animal study is meant to assess safety, although researchers will also look for signs of effectiveness.

In January, scientists will visit the FDA to lay the groundwork for a formal application, said Scripps Clinic neurologist Melissa Houser, who treats all eight patients.

Success in the animal study will likely result in a go-ahead, Houser said. If the animal trial fails, its back to the drawing board.

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Parkinson’s stem cell project aims for 2014 approval

Poway, California (PRWEB) December 13, 2013

Noni is a ten-year-old released Canine Companion for Independence dog who just achieved her Master Agility Champion status after the pain from arthritis tried to slow her down. Nonis owner, Dr. Kim Dembinski, a veterinarian at Paradise Veterinary Hospital in San Diego turned to stem cell therapy by Vet-Stem, Inc. and fellow colleague Dr. Jennipher Harris to help Noni.

When Dr. Dembinski noticed weakness and discomfort in her aging agility dog she was proactive in keeping Noni happy and comfortable, The main thought was that she gives so much between therapy work, being my best friend, and as the clinic mascot that giving her relief from pain and her being more comfortable was the least I could do for her.

Nonis stem cell therapy involved a small fat sample collection, which was brought to Vet-Stems lab in Poway, California. There, highly trained lab technicians processed Nonis fat tissue to isolate the stem cells into doses that could be injected into the arthritic joints that were causing her pain. Normally the tissue is shipped overnight to Vet-Stem and the cells are shipped overnight back to the veterinarian making doses available within 48 hours, but because Paradise Veterinary Hospital is located near Vet-Stem Nonis stem cell doses were available for injection the same day the fat sample was collected.

Noni did very well post procedure; she regained muscle strength and flexibility, Dr. Dembinski reported, Noni did four weeks of rehab then went right back to competing in agility. Six months after the procedure she earned her MACH (Master Agility Champion), AKC (American Kennel Club) title. Because of her stem cell therapy she is still comfortable and playing agility!

Dr. Dembinski is a general practitioner for pets including dogs, cats, small mammals, birds and exotics. She is currently owner and primary veterinarian at Paradise Veterinary Hospital and sits on the board of the San Diego County Veterinary Medical Association. Caring for animals is not just a job for Dr. Dembinski, it is a passion. In her free time she and Noni compete in dog agility trials with AKC, North American Dog Agility Council and Canine Performance Events.

About Vet-Stem, Inc. Vet-Stem, Inc. was formed in 2002 to bring regenerative medicine to the veterinary profession. The privately held company is working to develop therapies in veterinary medicine that apply regenerative technologies while utilizing the natural healing properties inherent in all animals. As the first company in the United States to provide an adipose-derived stem cell service to veterinarians for their patients, Vet-Stem, Inc. pioneered the use of regenerative stem cells in veterinary medicine. The company holds exclusive licenses to over 50 patents including world-wide veterinary rights for use of adipose derived stem cells. In the last decade over 10,000 animals have been treated using Vet-Stem, Inc.s services, and Vet-Stem is actively investigating stem cell therapy for immune-mediated and inflammatory disease, as well as organ disease and failure. For more on Vet-Stem, Inc. and Veterinary Regenerative Medicine visit http://www.vet-stem.com or call 858-748-2004.

Originally posted here:
San Diego Canine Overcomes Pain to Achieve Championship with the Help of Paradise Veterinary Hospital and Vet-Stem, Inc.

Dec. 11, 2013 Muscle cell therapy to treat some degenerative diseases, including Muscular Dystrophy, could be a more realistic clinical possibility, now that scientists have found a way to isolate muscle cells from embryonic tissue.

PhD Student Bianca Borchin and Associate Professor Tiziano Barberi from the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI) at Monash University have developed a method to generate skeletal muscle cells, paving the way for future applications in regenerative medicine.

Scientists, for the first time, have found a way to isolate muscle precursor cells from pluripotent stem cells using a purification technique that allows them to differentiate further into muscle cells, providing a platform to test new drugs on human tissue in the lab. Pluripotent stem cells have the ability to become any cell in the human body including, skin, blood, brain matter and skeletal muscles that control movement.

Once the stem cells have begun to differentiate, the challenge for researchers is to control the process and produce only the desired, specific cells. By successfully controlling this process, scientists could provide a variety of specialised cells for replacement in the treatment of a variety of degenerative diseases such as Muscular Dystrophy and Parkinson's disease.

"There is an urgent need to find a source of muscle cells that could be used to replace the defective muscle fibers in degenerative disease. Pluripotent stem cells could be the source of these muscle cells," Professor Barberi said.

"Beyond obtaining muscle from pluripotent stem cells, we also found a way to isolate the muscle precursor cells we generated, which is a prerequisite for their use in regenerative medicine.

"The production of a large number of pure muscle precursor cells does not only have potential therapeutic applications, but also provides a platform for large scale screening of new drugs against muscle disease."

Using a technology known as fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS), the researchers identified the precise combination of protein markers expressed in muscle precursor cells that enabled them to isolate those cells from the rest of the cultures.

Ms Borchin said there were existing clinical trials based on the use of specialised cells derived from pluripotent stem cells in the treatment of some degenerative diseases but deriving muscle cells from pluripotent stem cells proved to be challenging.

"These results are extremely promising because they mark a significant step towards the use of pluripotent stem cells for muscle repair," Ms Borchin said.

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Step closer to muscle regeneration