Category Archives: Stem Cell Treatments

NOKOMIS, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Rainbow Coral Corp. (RBCC) subsidiary Rainbow BioSciences will keep a close eye on a new study that could potentially lead to stem cell therapies for children with autism.

Researchers have been given the go-ahead by the FDA to launch a small study evaluating the effectiveness of autism treatments using patients own umbilical cord blood. Thirty children, aged two to seven, will receive injections of their own stem cells from the cord blood banked by their parents at birth.

Scientists will evaluate whether the stem cell therapy helps improve language and behavior in the children. Although the cause of autism is unknown and there is no cure for the disorder, one theory suggests that autism occurs because cell in the brain, known as neurons, are not connecting normally. Its possible that stem cells may address this problem.

RBCC is working to capitalize on the rising demand for effective new stem cell treatments by bringing a potentially game-changing stem cell technology to market. The company is close to a deal with Regenetech to acquire a license to perform cell expansion using that companys Rotary Cell Culture SystemTM, a rotating-wall bioreactor originally developed by NASA.

The rotating-wall bioreactor is capable of multiplying functional, 3-D stem cells for use in a variety of research projects, said RBCC CEO Patrick Brown. Stem cells carry tremendous potential to help researchers develop new treatments and cures for devastating diseases from Parkinsons to Alzheimers and even autism, but much research must be done first. Consequently, were very optimistic about the market potential for this revolutionary bioreactor technology.

RBCC plans to offer the new technology to help kickstart billions of dollars worth of research in an industry currently dominated by Amgen, Inc. (AMGN), Celgene Corporation (CELG), Genzyme Corp. (NASDAQ:GENZ) and Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD).

For more information on Rainbow BioSciences, please visit http://www.rainbowbiosciences.com/investors.html.

About Rainbow BioSciences

Rainbow BioSciences, LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rainbow Coral Corp. (OTCBB:RBCC). The company continually seeks out new partnerships with biotechnology developers to deliver profitable new medical technologies and innovations. For more information on our growth-oriented business initiatives, please visit our website at [http://www.RainbowBioSciences.com]. For investment information and performance data on the company, please visit http://www.RainbowBioSciences.com/investors.html.

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RBCC: Could Stem Cells Be Key to Promising Autism Therapy?

ScienceDaily (Oct. 15, 2012) New animal studies provide additional support for investigating stem cell treatments for Parkinson's disease, head trauma, and dangerous heart problems that accompany spinal cord injury, according to research findings released today.

The work, presented at Neuroscience 2012, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health, shows scientists making progress toward using stem cell therapies to repair neurological damage.

The studies focused on using stem cells to produce neurons -- essential, message-carrying cells in the brain and spinal cord. The loss of neurons and the connections they make for controlling critical bodily functions are the chief hallmarks of brain and spinal cord injuries and of neurodegenerative afflictions such as Parkinson's disease and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Today's new findings show that:

Other recent findings discussed show that:

"As the fields of developmental and regenerative neuroscience mature, important progress is being made to begin to translate the promise of stem cell therapy into meaningful treatments for a range of well-defined neurological problems," said press conference moderator Jeffrey Macklis, MD, of Harvard University and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, an expert on development and regeneration of the mammalian central nervous system. "Solid, rigorous, and well-defined pre-clinical work in animals can set the stage toward human clinical trials and effective future therapies."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Society for Neuroscience (SfN), via AlphaGalileo.

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Realizing the potential of stem cell therapy: Studies report progress in developing treatments for diseases and injuries

Public release date: 15-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Karen Robinson karobinson@som.umaryland.edu 410-706-7590 University of Maryland Medical Center

A new method of using adult stem cells as a model for the hereditary condition Gaucher disease could help accelerate the discovery of new, more effective therapies for this and other conditions such as Parkinson's, according to new research from the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine reprogrammed stem cells to develop into cells that are genetically similar to and react to drugs in a similar way as cells from patients with Gaucher disease. The stem cells will allow the scientists to test potential new therapies in a dish, accelerating the process toward drug discovery, according to the paper published online in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on Oct. 15 (Panicker et.al.).

The study was funded with $1.7 million in grants from the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund; researchers received a start-up grant for $200,000 in 2007 and a larger, five-year grant for $1.5 million in 2009.

"We have created a model for all three types of Gaucher disease, and used stem cell-based tests to evaluate the effectiveness of therapies," says senior author Ricardo Feldman, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and a research scientist at the University of Maryland Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. "We are confident that this will allow us to test more drugs faster, more accurately and more safely, bringing us closer to new treatments for patients suffering from Gaucher disease. Our findings have potential to help patients with other neurodegenerative diseases as well. For example, about 10 percent of Parkinson's disease patients carry mutations in the recessive gene for Gaucher disease, making our research possibly significant for Parkinson's disease as well."

Gaucher disease is the most frequent lipid-storage disease. It affects 1 in 50,000 people in the general population. It is most common in Ashkenazi Jews, affecting 1 in 1,000 among that specific population. The disease occurs in three subtypes Type 1 is the mildest and most common form of the disease, causing symptoms such as enlarged livers and spleens, anemia and bone disease. Type 2 causes very serious brain abnormalities and is usually fatal before the age of two, while Type 3 affects children and adolescents.

The condition is a recessive genetic disorder, meaning that both parents must be carriers for a child to suffer from Gaucher. However, said Dr. Feldman, studies have found that people with only one copy of a mutated Gaucher gene those known as carriers are at an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

"This science is a reflection of the mission of the University of Maryland School of Medicine to take new treatments from bench to bedside, from the laboratory to patients, as quickly as possible," says E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., vice president for medical affairs at the University of Maryland and John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. "We are excited to see where this research goes next, bringing new hope to Gaucher patients and their families."

Dr. Feldman and his colleagues used the new reprogramming technology developed by Shinja Yamanaka in Japan, who was recognized with this year's Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology. Scientists engineered cells taken from the skin of Gaucher patients, creating human induced pluripotent stem cells, known as hiPSC stem cells that are theoretically capable of forming any type of cell in the body. Scientists differentiated the cells to form white blood cells known as macrophages and neuronal cells.

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University of Maryland School of Medicine scientists develop stem cell model for hereditary disease

Public release date: 15-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Kat Snodgrass 202-962-4090 Society for Neuroscience

NEW ORLEANS New animal studies provide additional support for investigating stem cell treatments for Parkinson's disease, head trauma, and dangerous heart problems that accompany spinal cord injury, according to research findings released today. The work, presented at Neuroscience 2012, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health, shows scientists making progress toward using stem cell therapies to repair neurological damage.

The studies focused on using stem cells to produce neurons essential, message-carrying cells in the brain and spinal cord. The loss of neurons and the connections they make for controlling critical bodily functions are the chief hallmarks of brain and spinal cord injuries and of neurodegenerative afflictions such as Parkinson's disease and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Today's new findings show that:

Other recent findings discussed show that:

"As the fields of developmental and regenerative neuroscience mature, important progress is being made to begin to translate the promise of stem cell therapy into meaningful treatments for a range of well-defined neurological problems," said press conference moderator Jeffrey Macklis, MD, of Harvard University and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, an expert on development and regeneration of the mammalian central nervous system. "Solid, rigorous, and well-defined pre-clinical work in animals can set the stage toward human clinical trials and effective future therapies."

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This research was supported by national funding agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, as well as private and philanthropic organizations.

Todd Bentsen, (202) 962-4086

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Realizing the potential of stem cell therapy

Regenevda recently opened its brand new flagship facility in Beverly Hills, specializing in cutting edge anti-aging treatments such as Stem Cell Therapy.

Beverly Hills, CA (PRWEB) October 12, 2012

Dr. Thom Lobe is an internationally respected surgeon and has been in practice for over 30 years. Consistently pioneering advances in medicine, Dr. Lobe was one of the first doctors to ever separate conjoined twins. Consistently working to help make advances in medicine, Dr. Lobe also has over 200 publications to his credit.

Overseeing the business aspect of Regenevda is Lindsey Combs. She is responsible for sales, staff, accounting, facility management, and business development. A graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, Ms. Combs has been working in the anti-aging field for over 10 years and has been a California Licensed Esthetician since 2003.

Being one of the very few physicians in the country to hold the most advanced board certification (FAARM), Dr. Lobe is able to offer Stem Cell Therapy at the Regenevda clinic. Inside each persons own body, there are special cells in nearly every organ and tissue that have the ability to help heal damage. These special cells are called Stem Cells and this therapy works by harvesting these cells from a persons own blood, bone marrow, or fat and can help with different conditions. Some examples of procedures that use Stem Cell Therapy are: Stem Cell Facelifts, Stem Cell Breast Augmentation, and Stem Cell Joint Therapy. Stem Cell treatments are safe, non-invasive, and are done under local anesthesia.

Intravenous Nutrition Therapy (or IV Vitamin Therapy) is another anti-aging and rejuvenation treatment that can also help patients prevent migraines, lose weight, fight chronic infections like hepatitis, candida, lyme disease, as well as fight acute infections like the flu and mono. IV Therapy works by using intravenous solutions to deliver vitamins and minerals directly to the body cells. This bypasses the digestive system and provides a more direct method of delivery, which ensures that all of the nutrients required are delivered, allowing the patient to feel an improvement in condition almost immediately.

Human Growth Hormone (HGH) Therapy is another advanced treatment offered at Regenevda. HGH is secreted by the Pituitary gland and fuels cell growth and reproduction. This production peaks at adolescence. Over time, due to the effect of aging, the production of HGH slows down dramatically. As production declines, it makes it more difficult for the body to recover from physical and mental exertion. HGH Therapy acts as a supplement for HGH deficient adults to lessen body fat, boost lipid lineament, improve memory, promote bone density, as well as decrease risk factors that involve cardio-vascular conditions. If used at the onset of the decrease in HGH production, HGH Therapy can help curtail early aging and even be used as preventive measure against osteoporosis. A complete analysis of the patients sex hormones, evaluation of glucose regulation and functions of the adrenal gland, thyroid gland, and pancreas are performed before the treatment is administered for optimal results.

Combining decades of medical experience with the most cutting edge advances in medical technology, the Regenevda clinic looks to pave the way for the future of anti-aging treatments. The Regenevda Beverly Hills Institute of Cellular Therapy is located at 50 North La Cienega Boulevard. For any inquiries, they can be reached at 855-734-3638, or visit http://www.regeneveda.com.

About Regenevda :

Regeneveda, home of The Beverly Hills Institute of Cellular Therapy, provides state-of-the-art Stem Cell Therapy. Stem Cell Therapy is an effective treatment for chronic conditions such as Arthritis, Diabetes, Chronic Sports Injuries, and Chronic Pain, but is also revolutionizing anti-aging treatments such as Breast Enhancement, Erectile Dysfunction, and Facial Aging.

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Regenevéda Opens Flagship Stem Cell Therapy Clinic in Beverly Hills

Skin care meets science for stem cell education and product introduction to the only human and non-embryonic stem cell skincare line of its kind on October 25th, 2012.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) October 08, 2012

Lifeline Skin Care products feature a unique combination of stem cell extracts, vitamins A, B, E, and antioxidants that work synergistically to create new healthy cells. To date, Lifeline is the only skin care line based on human non-embryonic stem cells, which give skin cells the ability to continually proliferate. The result is firmer, smoother, younger and healthier looking skin. Lifeline Skin Care is based on a patented method for ethically extracting growth factors and peptides from young, human stem cells through the use of non-fertilized eggs and never embryos. Stem cell extracts help to increase skins overall thickness, making skin less vulnerable to premature aging.

Independent clinical studies have proven 73% firmer, tighter skin, 93% improved skin hydration, 63% improved skin tone and brightness, and 67% improved appearance of lines and wrinkles with topical use. With benefits boasting similar to those of collagen injections, Lifeline Skin Care offers a collection of formulas for day and night use. Both the Defensive Day Moisturizer Serum SPF 15 and Recovery Night Moisture Serum feature unique combinations of stem cell extract, vitamins A, B, E, and antioxidants.

Stimulating the skins ability to repair itself, these products along with Blue Spa professional procedures and treatments, make a win-win combination for beauty enthusiasts wanting to achieve optimal skincare results. Owner of Blue Spa, Ronda Nofal, recently stated, We are very pleased to be the first Medi Spa in Los Angeles to offer Lifeline@ Skin Care technology to clients. The science and technology behind this product line is far beyond anything else on the market and the results speak for themselves. Our staff has been using these products for the last two months and they have noticed theyre the perfect compliment to any of our facial laser services: IPL (FotoFacial), Laser Genesis, and Titan Skin Tightening. The skin reacts beautifully when paired with dermal fillers, Vitalize Peels, and Micro-dermabrasion as well.

Members of the press and media are invited for early entry on Thursday, October 25th, 2012 between 1-4 pm for Q& A with Lifeline Skin Care expert, Linda Nelson. Additional hours have been arranged for Friday, October 26th, 2012 from 10 am-12 pm. Please directly contact Blue Spa and Lifeline Skin Cares publicity team at Jade Umbrella, to schedule interviews.

About Blue Spa: Opened in October 1999 and former home to the infamous La Reina Theater, Blue Medi Spa is modern luxury spa combining beauty, science, service, and style. Staying ahead of beauty trends and the most effective treatments, highly trained specialists have the knowledge and a decade of experience in lasers (IPL/ Titan/ Laser Genesis/ Zerona), anti-aging skin cocktails, weight loss, non-invasive body contouring, and one-step-ahead aesthetic options. Where feeling blue, never felt better

Website: http://www.bluespa.com.

About Lifeline Skin Care: Developed in 2010 by the International Stem Cell Corporation (http://www.internationalstemcell.com/), while researching cures for diabetes and Parkinsons Disease, a team of biotech scientists discovered a powerful compound for regenerating skin cells. Lifeline Skin Cares goal is to help improve the look and feel of you skin by combining the latest discoveries in the fields of stem cell biology, nanotechnology and skin cream formulation technology to create the highest quality, scientifically tested, and most effective anti-aging products. Revenue helps to fund further research into finding cures and treatments for Diabetes, Parkinsons, Liver, Eye, and other neurological diseases.

Website: http://www.lifelineskincare.com

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Blue Spa and Lifeline® Stem Cell Skin Care Pair up to Promote a Beauty Breakthrough and Scientific Approach to Anti ...

Company praises efforts of professors and discusses its promising cellular reprogramming technology.

Scottsdale, Arizona (PRWEB) October 10, 2012

In the companys news yesterday,

International Stem Cell Corp. applauded Sir John Gurdon and Dr. Shinya Yamanaka for securing the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The teams use of cellular reprogramming to create pluripotent stem cells has led to the development of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS), which is now a major area of research. However, cellular reprogramming is currently accomplished by inserting genetic material, via a virus or otherwise, which raises serious safety concerns when developing treatments.

ISCO, in comparison, has developed a technology that could enable the creation of a new generation of iPS cells without these safety concerns. Unlike methods requiring the use of viruses or DNA constructs that may integrate into the genome, ISCOs new method utilizes only proteins which are naturally eliminated once they have served their purpose.

Overall, our new technology represents a level of control that is much finer than the multiple infections necessary for viral-based systems which cannot be turned off and where the dosage level cannot be modulated, stated Dr. Ruslan Semechkin, Vice President and head of ISCOs Research and Development. Moreover, ISCOs method can be used not only to reprogram somatic cells to become stem cells, but also transform stem cells into somatic cells. This technology provides an alternative to the existing cellular reprogramming methods and represents an enormous opportunity for ISCO to become a leader in the iPS field.

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QualityStocks News - International Stem Cell Corp. Congratulates Nobel Prize Winners

STOCKHOLM (AP) -- British researcher John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka of Japan won this year's Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine on Monday for discovering that mature, specialized cells of the body can be reprogrammed into stem cells a discovery that scientists hope to turn into new treatments.

Scientists want to harness that reprogramming to create replacement tissues for treating diseases like Parkinson's and diabetes, and for studying the roots of diseases in the laboratory.

The prize committee at Stockholm's Karolinska Institute said the discovery has "revolutionized our understanding of how cells and organisms develop."

Gurdon showed in 1962 the year Yamanaka was born that the DNA from specialized cells of frogs, like skin or intestinal cells, could be used to generate new tadpoles. That showed the DNA still had its ability to drive the formation of all cells of the body.

In 1997, the cloning of Dolly the sheep by other scientists showed that the same process Gurdon discovered in frogs would work in mammals.

More than 40 years after Gurdon's discovery, in 2006, Yamanaka showed that a surprisingly simple recipe could turn mature cells back into primitive cells, which in turn could be prodded into different kinds of mature cells.

Basically, the primitive cells were the equivalent of embryonic stem cells, which had been embroiled in controversy because to get human embryonic cells, human embryos had to be destroyed. Yamanaka's method provided a way to get such primitive cells without destroying embryos.

"The discoveries of Gurdon and Yamanaka have shown that specialized cells can turn back the developmental clock under certain circumstances," the committee said. "These discoveries have also provided new tools for scientists around the world and led to remarkable progress in many areas of medicine."

Just last week, Japanese scientists reported using Yamanaka's approach to turn skin cells from mice into eggs that produced baby mice.

Gurdon, 79, has served as a professor of cell biology at Cambridge University's Magdalene College and is currently at the Gurdon Institute in Cambridge, which he founded. Yamanaka, 50, worked at the Gladstone Institute in San Francisco and Nara Institute of Science and Technology in Japan. He is currently at Kyoto University and also affiliated with the Gladstone Institute. Yamanaka is the first Japanese scientist to win the Nobel medicine award since 1987.

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Nobel prize to Briton, Japanese for stem cell work

Two scientists from different generations won the Nobel Prize in medicine Monday for the groundbreaking discovery that cells in the body can be reprogrammed into completely different kinds, work that reflects the mechanism behind cloning and offers an alternative to using embryonic stem cells.

The work of British researcher John Gurdon and Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka who was born the year Gurdon made his discovery holds hope for treating diseases like Parkinson's and diabetes by growing customized tissue for transplant.

And it has spurred a new generation of laboratory studies into other illnesses, including schizophrenia, which may lead to new treatments.

Basically, Gurdon, 79, and Yamanaka, 50, showed how to make the equivalent of embryonic stem cells without the ethical questions those very versatile cells pose, a promise scientists are now scrambling to fulfill.

Once created, these "blank slate" cells can be nudged toward developing into other cell types. Skin cells can ultimately be transformed into brain cells, for example.

Just last week, scientists reported turning skin cells from mice into eggs that produced baby mice, a possible step toward new fertility treatments.

Gurdon and Yamanaka performed "courageous experiments" that challenged scientific opinion, said Doug Melton, co-director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.

"Their work shows ... that while cells might be specialized to do one thing, they have the potential to do something else," Melton said. It "really lays the groundwork for all the excitement about stem cell biology."

Another Harvard stem cell researcher, Dr. George Daley said, "I don't think anybody is surprised" by the award announcement. "The fact that these two share it together is inspired."

In announcing the $1.2 million award, the Nobel committee at Stockholm's Karolinska Institute said the work has "revolutionized our understanding of how cells and organisms develop."

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Nobel Prize awarded for stem cell, early cloning work

The techniques pioneered by the winners of this years Nobel Prize in medicine, John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka, have already allowed scientists to generate stem cells and clone animals.

But it is the potential these discoveries hold that truly boggles the mind. If stem cells the primitive cells that develop into tissue like skin, blood, nerves, muscle and bone can be harnessed, the belief is they can be used as a repair kit for the body.

In theory, a few skin cells could be harvested to rebuild a spinal cord damaged by trauma, to replace brain cells destroyed by dementia, to rebuild heart muscle damaged by a heart attack or to grow a new limb ravaged by diabetes. It is the stuff of science fiction, so close we can taste it.

But these dreams of miracle cures must be tempered with a strong dose of realism.

Despite billions of dollars in investment in research, from government agencies and biotech companies, there is little evidence that stem cell therapies work.

Yes, some hearing has been restored in gerbils and there have been modest improvements in paralyzed lab rats using stem cell treatments, but these are baby steps. In humans, the gains have been far more modest.

We can treat some forms of cancer, like leukemia and multiple myeloma, with stem cell transplants. But this is simply a refinement of an earlier technique, bone marrow transplant. And to perform such a transplant, the immune system must, for all intents and purposes, be destroyed a punishing regime with a significant mortality rate.

It is a far cry from the notion of an injection of magic stem cells that allow people to walk again or restore their memories.

The International Society for Stem Cell Research says that while there are hundreds of conditions that can purportedly be treated with stem cells, the treatments that have actually been shown to be beneficial are extremely limited. Aside from the cancer treatments mentioned above, some bone, skin and corneal conditions have been treated by grafting stem cells, growing them in the lab and transplanting them.

But in all these cases, the stem cells are tissue-specific, meaning the cells are carrying out a function they were designed to do. This is very different from the notion that undifferentiated stem cells can be used to treat a broad range of conditions.(And we wont delve into potential problems, such as rejection and the concern that stem cells could grow out of control and cause cancerous tumours.)

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Stem cell therapy a miracle cure? Not quite yet