As of now, management is planning to conduct the pivotal program on its own, mostly likely seeking funding through grants with the ALS Association and U.S. National Institutes of Health. However, management is also in discussion with potential pharmaceutical partners on the pivotal program. ALS is a highly attractive area for Big Pharma. Depending on the strength of the phase 1 / 2 data, Neuralstem may be able to strike a commercialization partnership in 2014 to help defer the costs of the planned pivotal trial. We expect that any deal with a larger pharmaceutical company would include a substantial upfront payment that Neuralstem would then use to fund expansion of the development platform into new indications, such as spinal cord injury (IND filed) or stroke.

Market Opportunity

In February 2011, the U.S. FDA granted Neuralstem an Orphan Drug designation for its human spinal cord stem cells (HSSC) for the treatment of ALS. As noted above, there are approximately 30,000 patients in the U.S. living with ALS. We estimate that approximately half of these patients are characterized with an FVC > 60% and may be eligible for treatment with Neuralstems hNSCs. Given the Orphan Drug designation, the limited patient population, and the lack of any meaningful treatment options, we think Neuralstem or its commercialization partner could price this therapy at upwards of $100,000. Therefore, the peak market opportunity for Neuralstem is $1.5 billion.

That being said, drug development in ALS has been a graveyard for pharmaceutical companies. One would assume, based on numerous past clinical failures, that Neuralstems chances in ALS are slim. Small molecules including gabapentin, topiramate, celecoxib, tamoxifen, indinavir, minocycline, and xaliproden, many of which are approved for other indications and have posted annual sales over a billion dollars, have all failed human clinical programs for ALS. Even Vitamin E and Creatine have been tested, to little avail, in ALS. Failed mechanisms of action included calcium channel blockers, glutamate regulators, neuroprotectants, immunosuppressants, GABA receptors, anti-inflammatory agents, and antioxidants.

However, there is one thing in common we see in all of the above failures. They are one molecule targeting one mechanism of action or one pathway. ALS is a high complex and largely uncharacterized disease. Neuralstems approach uses human spinal stem cells that, once injected, can provide multiple mechanisms of action on multiple pathways to affect the disease. Plus, Neuralstems approach is highly targeted, with the cells injected directly into the lumbar or cervical spine. Following grafting, the hypothesis is that the cells rebuild circuitry with the patient motor neurons and protect existing neurons from further degradation. Its clearly a unique approach, and one we believe has a better chance of success than many of the previous failed theories enacted over the past decade.

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CUR - Neuralstem Pioneering Efforts In ALS

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

By Jason Napodano, CFA

Neuralstem, Inc. (NYSE MKT:CUR) has developed a technology that allows large-scale expansion of human neural stem cells ("hNSC") from all areas of the developing human brain and spinal cord. The company owns of has exclusive license to 25 patients and 29 patent applications pending worldwide in the field of regenerative medicine and cell therapy. Management is currently focusing the company's efforts on replacing damaged, malfunctioning, or dead neural cells with fully functional ones that may be useful in treating many central nervous system diseases and neurodegenerative disorders.

Neuralstems lead development program is for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ("ALS"), also known as Lou Gehrigs disease, named after the famous New York Yankee first baseman who was diagnosed with the disease in 1939, and passed in 1941 at the age of only 37.

ALS Background

ALS is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by weakness, muscle atrophy and twitching, spasticity, dysarthria (difficulty speaking), dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), and respiratory compromise. The disease is almost always fatal, typically due to respiratory compromise or pneumonia, in two to four years. Initial symptoms of ALS include weakness and/or stiffness followed by muscle atrophy in the arms and legs. This is followed by slurred speech or difficulty swallowing, and loss of tongue mobility. Approximately a third of ALS patients also experience pseudobulbar affect (uncontrollable emotions). As the disease progresses, worsening dysphagia and respiratory failure leads to death. A small percentage of patients may also experience cognitive affects such as frontotemporal dementia and anxiety.

The vast majority (~95%) of cases are idiopathic, although there is a known hereditary factor that leads to familial ALS associated with a defect on the 21st chromosome that accounts for approximately 1.5% of all cases. There are also suspected environmental causative factors, including exposure to a dietary neurotoxin called BMAA and cyanobacteria, and use of pesticides. However, in all cases, the defining factor of ALS is rapid and progressive death of upper and lower motor neurons in the motor cortex of the brain, brain stem, and spinal cord. Prior to their destruction, motor neurons develop proteinaceous inclusions in their cell bodies and axons. This may be partly due to defects in protein degradation.

Treatment for ALS is limited, and as of today only riluzole, marketed by Sanofi-Aventis as Rilutek, has been found to improve survival to a modest extent (several months). Riluzole preferentially blocks TTX-sensitive sodium channels, which are associated with damaged neurons. This reduces influx of calcium ions and indirectly prevents stimulation of glutamate receptors. Together with direct glutamate receptor blockade, the effect of the neurotransmitter glutamate on motor neurons is greatly reduced. Riluzole does not reverse the damage already done to motor neurons, and people taking it must be monitored for liver damaged (about 10% incidence).

The remaining treatments for ALS are designed to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. This supportive care includes a multidisciplinary approach that may include medications to reduce fatigue, control spasticity, reduce excess saliva and phlegm, limit sleep disturbances, reduce depression, and limit constipation. As noted above, median survival is two to four years. In the U.S., approximately 30,000 persons are currently living with ALS.

Neuralstems Approach For ALS

Neuralstem is seeking to treat the symptoms of ALS via transplantation of its hNSCs directly into the gray matter of the patients spinal cord. In ALS, motor neurons die, leading to paralysis. In preclinical animal work, Neuralstem cells both made synaptic contact with the host motor neurons and expressed neurotrophic growth factors, which are protective of cells.

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Neuralstem Pioneering Efforts In ALS

A new camera system allows researchers to measure multiple cardiac signals at once to understand how they interact to control heart function.

THE DEVICE: A complex interplay of signals governs the hearts rhythm. Voltage changes and calcium flux are both important in controlling heart muscle function, with each signal influencing the others dynamics. Scientists at the University of Oxford have created a single camera system that can capture the dynamics of these signals simultaneously, yielding important insight into their relationship.

Peter Lee and colleagues combined several colors of light emitting diodes (LEDs) with a multi-band emission filter so that one very high speed camera could capture the different wavelengths of light emitted by various fluorescent dyes. By using different colors of LEDs, they were able to stimulate different dyes to measure changes in calcium and voltage across cardiac tissue or single layers of human cardiomyocytes (created from induced pluripotent stem cells).

WHATS NEW:The new setup took advantage of advances in lighting technology, explained Lee. While many older systems used xenon lamps, LEDs are cheap, cover the spectrum from infrared to ultraviolet, and reach peak intensity almost immediatelyallowing for ultra-rapid switching between excitation colors. Many previous systems also relied on a moving wheel to switch between colors, and thus measure different signals, explained Guy Salama, who researches cardiac arrhythmias at the University of Pittsburgh, but was not involved in the new cameras development. The wheels needed to move uniformly without wobbling, which would throw off its precision measurements, said Salama, and meant that each parameter had to be recorded for exactly the same amount of time. But Lees system, which uses electronics to control the length of time each LED shines, allows for different excitation times for each parameter of interestwhich is important as not all physiological changes happen on the same time scale, said Salama. Lees system has also jettisoned the need for moving parts, which can require careful alignment.

Single camera and LED system. Peter Lee

IMPORTANCE: Because calcium and voltage changes interact to control cardiac function, and perturbations in either leading to dysfunctions like arrhythmia, Lees camera system provides researchers with a tool to further investigate the interaction between the two signals, and thus gain a deeper understanding of cardiac function.

Using a single camera with multiple emission filters also allowed Lee and his collaborators to measure calcium properly, Lee explained. Many previous experiments used high-affinity calcium dyes, which bound strongly but could perturb the signal. The strong LEDs allowed for weaker-binding dyes, and ratiometric calcium measurement, meaning the dyes display shifts in emission wavelength upon binding calcium. Researchers can then quantify the concentration of calcium based on the light emissions they detect and calcium flux simultaneously.

Additionally, explained Lee, the simplicity of the system makes it more easily scalable. LEDs are cheap and perform well, and the lack of moving parts makes setup much easier than multi-camera systems that need careful calibration.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT: As appealingly simple as a one-camera setup is, a single camera and multiple light sources can also introduce new hurdles, explained Salama. Because one camera is being used to capture multiple parameters, this cuts down on the number of image frames that can be devoted to each signal, noted Salama. For example, if a camera is running at 1,000 frames per second, but imaging four signals, only 250 of those frames would capture each parameter.

Salama also feared that lining up the LEDs and camera might result in the different light sources hitting the cardiac tissue at different angles, and bouncing off at different angles, making it difficult for the camera to capture them all. When visualizing the voltage and calcium propagations over a single layer of cells, scientists need to make sure the emissions theyre comparing are coming from the same locationso they arent trying to match voltage changes in one set of cells with calcium fluxes in another. When imaging microscopic-scale changes, Lee works around this problem by merging the lights into one path and using an optical fiber to direct all the colors to one site.

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Next Generation: The Heart Camera

French scientists revive stem cells of dead people

A group from the Pasteur Institute was able to reactivate muscle stem cells from deceased persons after 17 days, which functioned normally after transplant...

by Fabrice Chretien

French scientists were able to revive stem cells of muscle and bone marrow from persons who were already dead for 17 days, reports the journal Nature Communications in a paper released on Wednesday (13th) in France.

A team of researchers from the Pasteur Institute demonstrated that it is possible to reactivate the muscle stem cells from human cadavers and transplant them to make new ones born in perfect condition.

The scientists found that these cells did not die with the person. That's because they reduced their activity to a minimum and, after discarding the mitochondria (small bodies that help with breathing), were in a state of hibernation.

Thus, cells could survive even in an environment so hostile, without oxygen and in the middle of an acid bath, as well as in the case of a muscle injury, "sleeping and waiting out the storm," as Professor Fabrice Chrtien affirmed to the newspaper Libration.

"This reserve of stem cells could serve to make bone marrow transplants used to treat leukemia and blood diseases, among other conditions. They could also address the lack of donors," said Chretien, who led the study alongside researcher, Shahragim Tajbakhsh.

Despite the advances that have also been successfully tested in rats, the experiment showed an increase of one type of substance called ROS, which, in turn, has an incompatibility with the cells and genome, Professor Jean-Marc Lemaitre pointed out to the paper, Le Figaro. Due to this fact, the study still needs to determine whether these new cells, even in perfect condition, can hide still undetected malformations.

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French scientists revive stem cells of dead people

ScienceDaily (June 19, 2012) A cutting-edge method developed at the University of Michigan Center for Arrhythmia Research successfully uses stem cells to create heart cells capable of mimicking the heart's crucial squeezing action.

The cells displayed activity similar to most people's resting heart rate. At 60 beats per minute, the rhythmic electrical impulse transmission of the engineered cells in the U-M study is 10 times faster than in most other reported stem cell studies.

An image of the electrically stimulated cardiac cells is displayed on the cover of the current issue of Circulation Research, a publication of the American Heart Association.

For those suffering from common, but deadly heart diseases, stem cell biology represents a new medical frontier.

The U-M team of researchers is using stem cells in hopes of helping the 2.5 million people with an arrhythmia, an irregularity in the heart's electrical impulses that can impair the heart's ability to pump blood.

"To date, the majority of studies using induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac muscle cells have focused on single cell functional analysis," says senior author Todd J. Herron, Ph.D., an assistant research professor in the Departments of Internal Medicine and Molecular & Integrative Physiology at the U-M.

"For potential stem cell-based cardiac regeneration therapies for heart disease, however, it is critical to develop multi-cellular tissue like constructs that beat as a single unit," says Herron.

Their objective, working with researchers at the University of Oxford, Imperial College and University of Wisconsin, included developing a bioengineering approach, using stem cells generated from skin biopsies, which can be used to create large numbers of cardiac muscle cells that can transmit uniform electrical impulses and function as a unit.

Furthermore, the team designed a fluorescent imaging platform using light emitting diode (LED) illumination to measure the electrical activity of the cells.

"Action potential and calcium wave impulse propogation trigger each normal heart beat, so it is imperative to record each parameter in bioengineered human cardiac patches," Herron says.

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New method generates cardiac muscle patches from stem cells

HAIFA, Israel, June 19, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pluristem Therapeutics, Inc. (PSTI) (TASE:PLTR) announced today at the 2012 Bio International Convention the results of a pre clinical study it conducted measuring the effectiveness of its Placental eXpanded (PLX) cells when administered intramuscularly(IM). Cell therapies are traditionally delivered through intravenous (IV) injections for systemic effect. However, Pluristem's latest findings show that its PLX cells can be effective when injected by needle, into the muscle. Avoiding the use of an IV is simple and more cost-effective. This opens far larger markets for treatments in a wide range of potential outpatient settings and local clinics.

"The ability for IM injections of PLX cells has significant market implications that potentially broaden the indications and frequency with which our cell therapy can be used. We look forward to conducting additional testing of this very promising approach," said Zami Aberman, Chairman and CEO of Pluristem.

The study found that Intramuscularly administered PLX cells are safe, effective, easy to inject and provided systemic therapeutic benefits in a wide range of hematological disorders, as well as primary and secondary bone marrow failure, such as in radiation sickness and possibly for some complications from chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The results of the study demonstrated a significant survival and recovery rate of bone marrow and peripheral blood counts in animals pre-irradiated by high lethal doses. These findings indicate that the IM route of administration of PLX cells stimulate the hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) of the bone marrow to produce red and white blood cells as well as platelets crucial for the treatment of hematological disorders. The study was conducted in cooperation with the Sharett Institute of Oncology at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem.

"Pluristem is extremely pleased at how convincingly this study's data demonstrates that our PLX cells have the ability to stimulate the HSCs involved in rescuing bone marrow. With PLX cells, we may be able to reverse the traditional mindset that if you want to get a systemic effect, you need to inject the cells intravenously," said Liat Flaishon, MD. PhD. BD Director and the Head of the Radiation project at Pluristem.

"We had announced on May 9, 2012 the successful treatment of a pediatric patient whose bone marrow graft was rescued using our PLX cells. This data demonstrates the basis for the successful treatment. In the treatment conducted by Professor Reuven Or from the Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit at Hadassah, PLX cells were given to this patient intramuscularly as well," added Dr. Flaishon.

Prof. Raphael Gorodetsky, Head of the Laboratory of Biotechnology and Radiobiology in the Cancer Research Laboratories of Sharett Institute of Oncology at Hadassah Hospital, has been conducting the animal studies of Pluristem's PLX cells in the past several months. In these studies PLX cells and control medium were administered intramuscularly to C3H mice previously irradiated by a total body dose of 770cGy. The company previously reported initial results from these studies with respect to Acute Radiation Syndrome.

The key results of the Study include:

- After an initial sharp fall, a significant increase in the total number of bone marrow cells extracted from the major bones at 23 days was recorded: from~16million cells/mouse to ~32 million cells/mouse in the PLX treated (p<0.001). Non-irradiated animals had an average of 40 million cells.

- at 23 days a significant increase in the total number of red blood cells was recorded from 3.5 in the surviving controls to 6 million cells/microliter, in comparing the PLX (p<0.001). Non-irradiated animals had an average of 7 million cells/microliter.

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Pluristem Therapeutics' Cell Therapy Broadens Addressable Markets - Demonstrates Systemic Effectiveness of ...

RIO DE JANEIRO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Cryopraxis established in 2001 as the pioneer private umbilical cord blood bank in Brazil will be present at Bio 2012 in Boston. Eduardo Cruz, chairman of the board, will be a speaker at the Brazilian break-out session speaking about The Brazilian Biotechnology Sector and showing the results of the company's commitment to R&D. Cryopraxis has already collected and processed more than 25000 cord blood units (CBU) and is actively involved in several R&D projects in Brazil and abroad.

A spin-off of Cryopraxis, Cellpraxis, has recently finished one of the world's first cell therapy project clinical trials in Brazil: ReACT. ReACT is a stem cell formulation. This regenerative medicine pioneer product aims on treating an orphan disease condition called refractory angina. Refractory angina patients suffer from untreatable severe chest pain and the results of the clinical trial in a 5 years follow up proved ReACT to positively interfere in the course of the pathology. Most of the individuals treated experienced relief in pain and better quality of life. ReACT will be presented at Bio2012 as an example of Brazil's dynamic biotechnology research.

Cryopraxis is accredited by the American Association of Blood Bank since 2009.

According to Tatiana Lima, Technical Director at Cryopraxis, "extensive training and strict adherence to good laboratory practices are basic principles in Cryopraxis' corporate strategy." Janaina Machado, cell lab director describes the company's primary mission: "maximizing safety and efficiency of collection procedures to make sure our clients get what they look for: the highest quality standards."

Cryopraxis is part of Axis Biotec (www.axisbiotec.com.br) and it has the largest biological cryogenic storage facility in Brazil and one of the largest in the World. It is the largest umbilical cord blood bank in Brazil. The company is involved in several research projects in Brazil and abroad.For more information, visitwww.cryopraxis.com.brand http://www.cellpraxis.com

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Cryopraxis, Sponsor of Stem Cell Research is Represented at Bio2012 in Boston

BYRON, MN--It's a dream for many in the medical field, to use a person's own stem cells to help them heal. And it's a reality already happening in our area.

But it's not humans who are being treated. In this case, dogs are the ones being treated.

Animal Stem Cell Regenerative Therapy has been performed a few thousand times now across the U.S. Doctors harvest stem cells and re-enter them where the animal is having problems.

Both Marley and Vinnie have bad ligaments in their legs, and like many dogs suffering from arthritis, they are subject to monthly doses of expensive drugs.

That is until today.

Dr. Garren Kelly, D.V.M. at Meadow View Veterinary Clinic just outside Rochester says, "If you'd of asked me 5 years ago if I would be doing anything like this, I would have said no. But then as soon as I saw it i'm like 'Yeah that's for me'. I kind of like staying on the cutting edge of technology and surgeries".

The two are undergoing a first of its kind surgery in minnesota, using regenerative stem cells.

Blood is taken from the dogs, as well as fat tissue.

Then stem cells are separated out from the fat, activated with an led light, and injected back into the affected area. All in the same day.

MediVet America trainer Jordan Smith says, "It's a better quality of life, we're not promising to give them 10 years or 5 years but we are promising that the years that they do have remaining are a lot more enjoyable".

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Animal Stem Cell Therapy

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy Monday announced $9.8 million in grants to 19 stem cell research projects in the state. The Connecticut Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee had selected the recipients at its grant review meeting last Tuesday in Farmington.

"Connecticut's continued support of stem cell research has allowed for exciting and innovative research to take place right here in our state," Malloy said in a statement. "The research projects funded by these grants allow scientists to do revolutionary work that puts Connecticut at the forefront of bioscience industry."

Of the 19 grants, 13 grants totaling $7.25 million were awarded to Yale scientists, five went to University of Connecticut researchers, and one went to a collaboration between Wesleyan and UConn scientists.

The largest grant, $1.8 million, was awarded to D. Eugene Redmond of Yale. Redmond has focused on cellular repair in the nervous system and how it relates to Parkinson's disease.

UConn's Stormy Chamberlain, an assistant professor of genetics and developmental biology at the UConn Health Center, received a $450,000 grant to develop new therapies for Prader-Willi syndrome and Angelman Syndrome, both rare genetic disorders. Children born with Prader-Willi Syndrome have difficulty feeding and develop poor muscle tone, and starting about age 2, they develop an insatiable appetite that lasts for their lifetime. People with Angelman Syndrome suffer speech difficulties, seizures, problems with motor control and balance, and serious intellectual disabilities

Although Chamberlain generally focuses on Angelman Syndrome, the three-year project also will include Prader-Willi because the causes of the two disorders are similar. Angelman Syndrome is caused by the deletion of genes on a certain chromosome on the mother's side, while Prader-Willi Syndrome is caused by the deletion of genes in same chromosome on the father's side.

Chamberlain estimates that she's one of 30 researchers in the U.S. who studies Angelman Syndrome.

"The state funding really helps rare diseases because the foundations that typically fund their research are limited," she said, adding that support often is limited to fundraisers organized by families of those with the conditions.

A stem cell education outreach program, run by Laura Grabel, a professor of biology at Wesleyan, and Ren-He Xu, a professor of genetics at UConn, received $500,000. Grabel said the program, which has been in operation since 2006, holds workshops and retreats for stem cell researchers and educates the general public by sending speakers to schools and various organizations. The program also has representatives speak to high school science teachers about incorporating stem cell science in their curricula.

Although the program was started partly because of the controversy over the use of stem cells, Grabel said "we've seen very little pushback it's been very positive."

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State Awards $9.8 Million For Stem Cell Projects

BETHEL, Vt. -

Amelia Lincoln loves to garden. But so far this planting season, she has had to sit it out.

"It's been a long haul and we try to keep a pretty positive attitude about everything. So, I generally could feel worse right now," she said.

Lincoln's immune system is fragile. For the past six weeks, she has been undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.

"I have acute myelogenous leukemia," she said. "I have a leukemia that came back after a stem cell transplant two years ago."

She had been in remission, but the aggressive cancer in her bone marrow is back.

"It's a change of priorities, but what would anyone say if their spouse was sick," husband James Patterson said.

Lincoln needs another transplant at the Norris Cotton Cancer Center. But right now, she has yet to find the perfect match.

"We used to use bone marrow specifically for a bone marrow transplant. Nowadays, we can use medicines to stimulate a patient's bone marrow cells into the blood. We can collect those bone marrow cells in the blood-- called peripheral blood stem cells-- and use those cells for the transplant," said Dr. Kenneth Meehan of the Norris Cotton Cancer Center.

A donor drive Tuesday in Randolph Center could increase Amelia's odds. No needles-- just a swab.

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Bethel woman waits for marrow match

ScienceDaily (June 18, 2012) Chicagoan Ieshea Thomas is the first Midwest patient to receive a successful stem cell transplant to cure her sickle cell disease without chemotherapy in preparation for the transplant.

University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System physicians performed the procedure using medication to suppress her immune system and one small dose of total body radiation right before the transplant.

The transplant technique is relatively uncommon and is a much more tolerable treatment for patients with aggressive sickle cell disease who often have underlying organ disease and other complications, says Dr. Damiano Rondelli, professor of medicine at UIC, who performed Thomas's transplant.

The procedure initially allows a patient's own bone marrow to coexist with that of the donor. Since the patient's bone marrow is not completely destroyed by chemotherapy or radiation prior to transplant, part of the immune defense survives, lessening the risk of infection. The goal is for the transplanted stem cells to gradually take over the bone marrow's role to produce red blood cells -- normal, healthy ones.

Thomas, 33, had her first sickle cell crisis when she was just 8 months old. Her disease became progressively worse as an adult, particularly after the birth of her daughter. She has spent most of her adult life in and out of hospitals with severe pain and has relied on repeated red blood cell transfusions. Her sickle cell disease also caused bone damage requiring two hip replacements.

"I just want to be at home with my daughter every day and every night," said Thomas, who depends on family to help care for her daughter during her frequent hospitalizations.

This type of stem cell transplant is only possible for patients who have a healthy sibling who is a compatible donor.

Thomas' sister was a match and agreed to donate blood stem cells through a process called leukapheresis. Several days prior to leukapheresis, Thomas' sister was given drugs to increase the number of stem cells released into the bloodstream. Her blood was then processed through a machine that collects white cells, including stem cells. The stem cells were frozen until the transplant.

Last Nov. 23, four bags of frozen stem cells were delivered to the hospital's blood and marrow transplant unit. One by one, the bags were thawed and hung on an IV pole for infusion into Thomas. The procedure took approximately one hour. Her 13-year-old daughter, Miayatha, was at her bedside.

Six months after the transplant, Thomas is cured of sickle cell disease and no longer requires blood transfusions.

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Chicago woman cured of sickle cell disease

17-06-2012 23:59 Gary B Stem Cell Therapy for CMT Part 2 - For more info. visit

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Stem Cell Therapy for CMT-Gary B-part 2.mp4 - Video

A FAMILY is waiting anxiously to see whether a bone marrow transplant, made possible by a rare prison transfer, has saved a boy's life.

Gao Yong, who began a 10-year sentence for burglary in 2005, was allowed to travel to donate bone marrow stem cells for his nine-year-old son, Jun Jie, who has leukemia.

Gao, who had been serving his sentence in east China's Zhejiang Province, was transferred to a prison in southwest Guizhou Province to be closer to the Xinqiao Hospital in Chongqing where Jun Ji had been taken after all possible treatments in his hometown of Zunyi in Guizhou had been exhausted.

Jun Jie was diagnosed with leukemia around the end of 2011.

Doctors at Xinqiao said Jun Jie required a bone marrow transplant, but tests showed none of his other family members were a match. His only hope was his father.

In February, after a blood sample was sent to the jail holding Gao some two hours away by air, good news came back - they matched.

Too weak to travel

"At that time, Jun Jie had become too weak to travel, so I went to judicial departments both in Zhejiang and Guizhou to persuade them to transfer his father to the Xinqiao Hospital,'' his mother Luo Jing said.

In March, Gao was transferred to the prison in Guizhou to prepare for the operation. On June 9, 10 officers escorted Gao to Chongqing.

It is very rare for a prisoner to come out of their assigned jail for as long as a week, noted the head of the escort team.

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Eastday-Rare jail move to save a son

EDINBURGH, Scotland, June 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --A revolution in modern medicine is quietly under way in Scotland, which is rapidly emerging as a global leader in regenerative medicine and drug discovery.

Ranked #1 in the world for stem cell research, Scotland recently launched a new stem cell trial to cure corneal blindness, which could result in the development of the first harvest stem cells that restore the sight of millions of people. The revolutionary research, conducted by Advanced Cell Technologies at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, is the first trial of its kind ever to be carried out in the UK.

Scotland is also responsible for many other groundbreaking life science discoveries, including MRI and CAT scanners, the discovery of p53 cancer suppressor gene, world-recognized research in diabetes and cancer, ReNeuron's stem cell trial for stroke patients, and the cloning of "Dolly" the sheep.

More than two dozen Scottish life science companies and research organizations will come together to showcase these discoveries among other recent life science developments at the 2012 BIO International Convention on June 18-21 in Boston.

"Scotland may be small in size, but we're big in bioscience," said Danny Cusick, President, Americas, of Scottish Development International. "Scotland is home to some of the world's leading life science companies and has the largest concentration of animal science-related expertise and more medical research per capita than any other country in Europe."

The University of Dundee and the University of St. Andrews are both ranked among the top 10 best international academic institutions for scientists. Little wonder that the University of Dundee and the Medical Research Council just announced more than $21 million in funding from a consortium of six of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies for continuing research on the development of new drug treatments of major global diseases.

Beyond the universities, Scotland is also investing heavily in infrastructure to support development of its life science sector. Case in point is the expansive new Edinburgh BioQuarter (EBQ), which just celebrated the opening of pioneering bio-medical facilities: The Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine and new bio-incubator building, Nine. The EBQ was designed to foster collaboration between Scottish researchers and global life science companies that is conducive to developing and commercializing new medical discoveries.

Likewise, a former Merck research facility in Scotland's Central Belt between Glasgow and Edinburgh, is being transformed into "BioCity Scotland" to foster the growth of life science and pharmaceutical companies.

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From Cloning 'Dolly the Sheep' to Curing Blindness, Scotland is on the Forefront of Life Science Discoveries

17-06-2012 02:12 Gary B. Stem Cell Therapy for CMT - For more info. visit

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Stem Cell Therapy for CMT - Gary B-part 1 - Video

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Sistemic Ltd., a leading provider of microRNA-based problem-solving services and kit-based products to the Cell Therapy community, announced today that chairman and CEO Jim Reid is moderating a panel discussion at the 2012 Bio International Convention on Wednesday, June 20, in Boston. Featuring leaders from the regenerative medicine space, the panel is titled Stem Cell Therapies Fact or Fiction, and will share the lessons learned to-date from Scottish, European and American perspectives on the path to successfulcommercialization of stem cell therapies.

Jim Reid, Sistemic CEO, commented, "Sistemic is very active in the CellTherapyarena and aremembersof Alliance for Advanced Therapies (AAT) and the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM). We see the ability to raise this topic at the leading world event, BIO 2012, as animportantstep on the path to commercialization of these products which will be transformational in healthcare, and bring hope and cures to many people around the globe."

More information on the panel at BIO 2012:

What: Panel Discussion Featuring Leaders in the Regenerative Medicine Space

When: Wednesday, June 20, 3:00PM EDT

Where: Boston Convention Center, Room 254A

Who: Leaders of the Regenerative Medicine space:

Panel objectives include evaluating lessons learned and best practice including from the Scotland Roadmap for the commercialization of stem cell therapies; identifying global (US and EU) examples of progress in stem cell therapy commercialization; and facilitating a debate on the need for a global, multi-disciplinary approach to successful commercialization of stem cell therapies.

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Sistemic to Moderate Regenerative Medicine Panel at 2012 Bio International Convention

ROYAL OAK, Mich., June 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Woodside Animal Hospital announced they have added both stem cell therapy and cold laser therapy to their suite of services. These two cutting edge treatments are done entirely in-house, no third-party lab work is required. Royal Oak veterinarian Dr. John Simon is the first Michigan veterinarian to provide pets with in-house adult stem cell therapy. The stem cells are derived from the pet's fat deposits and absolutely no embryonic tissue is used.

"As a holistic veterinarian, I am committed to providing high quality, cutting-edge care that combines traditional veterinary care with advanced holistic treatments," said Dr. Simon. "Our in-house stem cell therapy and cold laser therapy procedures alleviate pain in limping dogs and promote internal healing following an injury. I also recommend these procedures for pets with osteoarthritis."

Cold laser therapy is a non-surgical approach to pain management. Holistic equine veterinarians have used the procedure for over 20 years to treat injuries and joint pain. Today, veterinarians are using cold laser therapy to provide natural pain relief for injured pets.

According to Dr. Simon, cold laser therapy works by using a low-level energy beam to penetrate just below the skin's surface. Injured cells use the laser's energy to repair cellular damage. This provides relief for pain and swelling following a soft tissue injury, such as a ligament, tendon or muscle strain.

"Cold laser therapy is a revolutionary treatment for natural pain management in animals," said the Royal Oak veterinarian. "Laser therapy allows for advanced pain management, especially for pets suffering from chronic conditions or soft tissue injuries."

Woodside Animal Hospital also provides in-house pet stem cell therapy. This treatment uses adult stem cells collected from a dog's fat deposits to promote the growth of new soft tissue and cartilage. By performing the whole procedure in the clinic, the stem cells can be harvested and re-injected on the same day.

"Our in-house pet stem cell therapy is an affordable, same-day treatment that helps dogs suffering from joint pain, osteoarthritis, soft tissue injuries and hip dysplasia," said Dr. Simon. "As pets age, it's natural that their range of movement becomes restricted. While oral joint care supplements and prescription painkillers can help, medication alone cannot restore a full range of movement. Our treatments help restore activity and movement."

In addition to cold laser therapy and stem cell therapy, Dr. Simon also provides holistic treatments for cancer in dogs, cat and dog rashes, and dietary needs. The Royal Oak practice is a full-service animal hospital with wellness care, vaccinations and surgical procedures.

Dr. Simon is active in the greater Detroit veterinary community, serving as the past president of the Oakland County Veterinary Medical Association and as a board member for the Southeastern Michigan Veterinary Medical Association (SEMVMA).

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Royal Oak Veterinarian Dr. Simon First in Michigan to Offer In-House Adult Pet Stem Cell Therapy

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