Category Archives: Stem Cell Therapy

Public release date: 19-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jeremy Moore jeremy.moore@aacr.org 215-446-7109 American Association for Cancer Research

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. Results of some preclinical trials have shown that low doses of the antidiabetic drug metformin may effectively destroy cancer stem cells, a group of cells that are considered to be responsible for tumor initiation and, because they are resistant to standard chemotherapies, tumor relapse.

In addition, when metformin was combined with a standard chemotherapy used for pancreatic cancer, the combination treatment was able to efficiently eradicate both cancer stem cells and more differentiated cancer cells, which form the bulk of the tumor, according to data presented by Christopher Heeschen, M.D., Ph.D., at the American Association for Cancer Research's Pancreatic Cancer: Progress and Challenges conference, held in Lake Tahoe, Nev., from June 18-21, 2012. Heeschen is professor for experimental medicine at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre in Madrid, Spain.

Most clinical trials of pancreatic cancer conducted during the last 15 years have failed to show marked improvement in median survival, suggesting that the selected approaches were not sufficient for several reasons, according to Heeschen. In recent years, researchers have identified cancer stem cells which, as opposed to the cancer cells that make up the bulk of the tumor, are a small subset of cells that are resistant to conventional therapy.

"Therefore, efficiently targeting these cells will be crucial for achieving higher cure rates in patients with pancreatic cancer," he said. "Our newly emerging data now indicate that metformin, a widely used and well-tolerated drug for the treatment of diabetes, is capable of efficiently eliminating these cells."

Specifically, the researchers found that metformin-pretreated cancer stem cells were particularly sensitive to alterations to their metabolism through the activation of AMPK. In fact, metformin treatment resulted in the death of cancer stem cells. In contrast, treatment of more differentiated cancer cells with metformin only arrested the cells' growth.

"As the cancer stem cells represent the root of pancreatic cancer, their extinction by reprogramming their metabolism with metformin in combination with the stalling of the proliferation of more differentiated cells should result in tumor regression and long-term, progression-free survival," Heeschen said.

The researchers generated data to support this idea when they treated immunocompromised mice implanted with a diverse set of patient-derived tumors with a combination of metformin and gemcitabine, the standard chemotherapeutic treatment for pancreatic cancer. They found that the treatment resulted in reduced tumor burden and the prevention of relapse as compared with treatment with either drug alone.

"Intriguingly, in all tumors treated with metformin to date, relapse of disease was efficiently prevented and there were no noticeable adverse effects," Heeschen said.

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Metformin treatment caused cancer stem cell death in pancreatic cancer cell lines

18-06-2012 18:01 Stem Cell Treatment at is exactly what actor Danny Glover received during his visit. Danny knows the positive impact stem cell therapy has on many different diseases and illnesses. Danny did his own stem cell research and found that the American Stem Cell & Anti Aging Center met his strict standards of medical stem cell care. If you have any questions visit the website and contact us right on the home page contact form. You can also call 800-442-1519. Visit the website at http

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Stem Cell Treatment with Danny Glover - Video

ROCKVILLE, Md., June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Neuralstem, Inc. (NYSE MKT: CUR) announced that the first patient to receive stem cell transplantation in both regions of the spinal cord has been treated in the ongoing Phase I trial of its spinal cord neural stem cells in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease). This is also the 16th patient to be treated in the trial altogether and the first patient returning to the trial for a second treatment. In this treatment, the patient received five injections in the cervical (upper back) region of the spinal cord, in addition to the ten he received previously in the lumbar (lower back) region of the spine, for a total of 15 injections. This is the highest number of injections in the trial so far. Patient 16 is also the first patient in the world to receive stem cell transplants in both the lumbar and cervical regions of the spinal cord in an FDA-approved trial. Two additional previously-treated patients are expected to return to the trial this summer in this cohort, provided they continue to meet the inclusion requirements. The trial is taking place at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20061221/DCTH007LOGO )

"Transplanting the first of the returning patients represents a major milestone in the trial," said Dr. Karl Johe, PhD, Neuralstem's Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer. "The ability to safely administer multiple dosings to these patients is a key enabling step in administering the maximum safe dose. Not only are we dosing patients for a second time in this cohort, we are now dosing in both the lumbar and cervical regions of the spinal cord for the first time, where the stem cell therapy could support both walking and breathing."

About the Trial

The Phase I trial to assess the safety of Neuralstem's spinal cord neural stem cells and intraspinal transplantation method in ALS patients has been underway since January 2010. The trial is designed to enroll up to 18 patients. The first 12 patients were each transplanted in the lumbar (lower back) region of the spine, beginning with non-ambulatory and advancing to ambulatory cohorts.

The trial then advanced to transplantation in the cervical (upper back) region of the spine. The first cohort of three was treated in the cervical region only. The current cohort of three will receive injections in both the cervical and lumbar regions of the spinal cord. In an amendment to the trial design, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the return of previously-treated patients to this cohort. The first of these returning patients was just treated. The entire 18-patient trial concludes six months after the final surgery.

About Neuralstem

Neuralstem's patented technology enables the ability to produce neural stem cells of the human brain and spinal cord in commercial quantities, and the ability to control the differentiation of these cells constitutively into mature, physiologically relevant human neurons and glia. Neuralstem is in an FDA-approved Phase I safety clinical trial for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, and has been awarded orphan status designation by the FDA.

In addition to ALS, the company is also targeting major central nervous system conditions with its cell therapy platform, including spinal cord injury, ischemic spastic paraplegia and chronic stroke. The company has submitted an IND (Investigational New Drug) application to the FDA for a Phase I safety trial in chronic spinal cord injury.

Neuralstem also has the ability to generate stable human neural stem cell lines suitable for the systematic screening of large chemical libraries. Through this proprietary screening technology, Neuralstem has discovered and patented compounds that may stimulate the brain's capacity to generate new neurons, possibly reversing the pathologies of some central nervous system conditions. The company has received approval from the FDA to conduct a Phase Ib safety trial evaluating NSI-189, its first neurogenic small molecule compound, for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). Additional indications could include CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), Alzheimer's disease, anxiety, and memory disorders.

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Sixteenth Patient Dosed In Neuralstem ALS Stem Cell Trial

Referenced Stocks: OSIR, SNY

Just a few weeks after gaining approval in Canada, Osiris Therapeutics, Inc.'s ( OSIR ) stem cell therapy, Prochymal, gained approval in New Zealand. Prochymal gained approval for the treatment of acute graft-vs-host disease (GvHD) in children.

Osiris had submitted its marketing application to Medsafe, the medical regulatory agency in New Zealand, in May 2011. Prochymal was granted priority review status.

Prochymal is the first manufactured stem cell product to gain approval and the first treatment to gain approval for GvHD.

Besides being approved in Canada and New Zealand, we note that Prochymal is available under an Expanded Access Program (EAP) in seven countries including the US.

Our Take

Prochymal's approval in New Zealand is a boost for Osiris. Shares were up 13.75% on the news. Prochymal is the lead candidate at Osiris and represents significant commercial potential. Prochymal is currently being evaluated for other indications as well including refractory Crohn's disease (phase III), type I diabetes, and myocardial infarction (heart attack - phase II).

We currently have low visibility on the status of Osiris' development and commercialization agreement with Genzyme, a Sanofi ( SNY ) company, for Prochymal. Earlier this year, Sanofi, in its fourth quarter press release, had said that it has discontinued the development of Prochymal for GvHD.

Osiris said that the announcement was made without its knowledge or advice and clarified that Prochymal's development has not been discontinued. Although Osiris had not received any communication from Sanofi regarding the termination of their agreement, Osiris notified Sanofi that it is treating Sanofi's statement as an intention to terminate the agreement.

According to Osiris, all rights to Prochymal will return to Osiris without the company being required to compensate Sanofi. Osiris believes it can now pursue commercialization agreements for Prochymal with other parties.

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Another Nod for Osiris' Prochymal - Analyst Blog