A University of Texas spinoff company has pulled in $2 million to test a new technique for culturing non-embryonic stem cells.

According to a regulatory filing, StemBioSys raised at least $2 million of a $3.5 million equity offering. A company representative was not available to elaborate, but CEO Dr. Steven Davis told the San Antonio Business Journal last year when the company began raising the round that it would fund research projects to validate the quality of the stem cells generated by the companys technology.

StemBioSys is developing XC-marrow ECM, a propriety three-dimensional culture for growing mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow, adipose tissue and umbilical cord blood. These immature cells have multiple potential uses in research and therapeutics because they can self-renew and mature into a variety of cell types. Stem cell therapies are being studied as a repair mechanism for tissues all over the body, from the heart to the brain to the knees.

The company says its three-dimensional extracellular matrix can grow cells quicker than conventional media while retaining stem cell properties and may help overcome key obstacles in creating stem cell therapies.

The technology was developed by Dr. Xiao-Dong Chen, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center and the companys chief scientific officer, and licensed from UT.

Although its only available for research purposes now, this kind of technology could have therapeutic applications down the line. If this research transfers successfully to clinical application in humans, we could establish personal stem cell banks, Chen said back in 2011, when he and colleagues had a study published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. We would collect a small number of older stem cells from patients, put those into our young microenvironment to rescue them increasing their number and quality then deliver them back into the patient.

The company has struck a deal with GenCure, an affiliate of the nonprofit South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, to receive mononuclear cells from clinical grade umbilical-cord blood that it uses for R&D purposes.

It was founded in 2010 in San Antonio, Texas and has received previous funding from the Texas Technology Development Centers McDermott Pre-Seed Fund.

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Texas biotech rounds up $2 million for platform to grow stem cells faster

ROCKVILLE, MD--(Marketwire - Feb 21, 2013) - MarketResearch.com has announced the addition of the market research report "Complete 2012-13 Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Industry Report" to their product offering.

iPSCs are adult stem cells that have been transformed into embryotic-like stem cells through the manipulation of gene expression and similar methods. Despite some initial concerns, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) are now sold by more than half (53.4%) of U.S. research product companies and 38.7% of research product companies worldwide.

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BioInformant Worldwide, LLCis a global leader in stem cell industry data.As a specialty research company, BioInformant uses technology to track and identify profitable opportunities in stem cell product markets and provides this data to clients that prioritize industry dominance.

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MarketResearch.com is the leading provider of global market intelligence products and services. With research reports from more than 720 top consulting and advisory firms, MarketResearch.com offers instant online access to the world's most extensive database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends. Moreover, MarketResearch.com's Research Specialists have in-depth knowledge of the publishers and the various types of reports in their respective industries and are ready to provide research assistance. For more information, call Cindy Frei at 240.747.3014 or visit http://www.marketresearch.com.

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Market Research Report -- Therapeutic Applications of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Represent the Future of Medicine

Brading Cancer Stem Cells: Discovery of a hot new intestinal cancer stem cell marker!
Excited about stem cells? Want to learn how stem cells influence cancer growth? Learn how scientists are paving the way to a better understanding of the identity and behavior of cancer stem cells! For more exciting science videos, visit Youreka Science: http://www.yourekascience.com Original article: "Dclk1 distinguishes between tumor and normal stem cells in the intestine." Nakanishi et al. Nature Genetics, Jan 2013

By: YourekaScience

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Brading Cancer Stem Cells: Discovery of a hot new intestinal cancer stem cell marker! - Video