Category Archives: Stem Cell Clinic

Here’s Why CRISPR Stocks Fell in January – The Motley Fool

Spurred by promising clinical results in an important trial, each of the three major CRISPR stocks had a great performance in the second half of 2019. Unfortunately, they didn't keep the momentum going in the first month of 2020.

Shares of Intellia Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NTLA) fell 18.8% in January, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. That was followed by a 14.7% loss for shares of CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRSP) and a 10.7% tumble for shares of Editas Medicine (NASDAQ:EDIT).

While each has recovered some ground in the first week of February, this trio of pharma stocks is no stranger to volatility. Investors should probably expect that to continue as clinical programs advance in 2020.

Image source: Getty Images.

In November, CRISPR Therapeutics reported data for the first two individuals in the trial, one with sickle cell disease (SCD) and one with transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT), treated with its lead drug candidate CTX001. Both enjoyed significant benefits in their standard of living, which investors interpreted as a sign that CRISPR gene editing might actually live up to the hype.

That fueled annual gains of 113% for CRISPR Therapeutics last year. While Editas Medicine and Intellia Therapeutics gained only 30% and 7%, respectively, each had been sitting at a year-to-date loss in October.

What relevance does that have for the tumbles taken in January? First, it's not unusual for stocks to regress to the mean. Stocks that are red hot eventually cool off, while those that tumble without good reason eventually recover some ground.

Second, and the more important consideration for investors, is that the early stage results for CTX001 mean relatively little for the industry's pipeline of CRISPR-based gene editing drug candidates.

Consider that CTX001 is an ex vivo tool. Researchers harvest bone marrow from patients, extract specific types of stem cells, and engineer those with CTX001. The engineered stem cells are then grown in the lab before being reinjected into the patient.

Many other CRISPR-based drug candidates are designed as in vivo tools. That means the gene editing payloads are designed to engineer a patient's DNA while inside the body. An in vivo approach is inherently more complex and will be more difficult to control compared to an ex vivo approach.

Put another way, investors cannot take the promising, early stage results from CTX001 and extrapolate it broadly across all first-generation CRISPR tools. Wall Street certainly isn't, if the correlation between technical approach and stock performance is any guide.

Consider that the two most advanced drug candidates from CRISPR Therapeutics rely on ex vivo engineering. By contrast, the lead drug candidate from Editas Medicine relies on in vivo methods.

The lead pipeline asset from Intellia Therapeutics is also an in vivo tool, though unlike the lead assets from its peers, it has yet to advance to clinical trials.

Investors should expect 2020 to be a busy year for these CRISPR stocks. CRISPR Therapeutics will have more clinical data from CTX001 and the first set of data for its lead oncology asset CTX110.

Similarly, Editas Medicine should have results for EDIT101 and progress additional assets, while Intellia Therapeutics is preparing to finally enter the clinic with NTLA-2001 in the second half of the year.

Investors cannot know if the next batch of results will be as rosy as the initial data for CTX001, but they can probably expect another year of volatile stock movements.

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Here's Why CRISPR Stocks Fell in January - The Motley Fool

Korzan: On World Cancer day, pledge to be relentless – AberdeenNews.com

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has projected that 1.9 million people in the United States and 18 million around the world will be diagnosed with cancer in 2020.

In small town family practices and big city hospitals all across America and around the world, doctors will give these patients the news that they have cancer and tell them to go home and get their affairs in order before starting treatment.

When somebody is told they have cancer, it hits them like a body blow. Theres fear. Its real. Its raw. After the initial shock and terror of being diagnosed with cancer, these folks will leave the doctors office in a daze and go home.

There will be scary, sleepless nights. Floors will be paced. There will be emotional phone calls where words cannot even begin to describe the hurt on the other end of the line as the cancer diagnosis is shared with a parent or a sibling or a child.

On top of being sick, theres financial stress. Anxious conversations around the kitchen table about money. What happens with work? The mortgage still has to be paid. Bills start pile up as the first insurance co-pays come due. There are questions about a living will and life insurance.

Friends and relatives will flood social media with messages of thoughts and prayers and fill up mailboxes with cards. There will be flowers from loved ones. But in the middle of the night, alone with their thoughts, the silence will be deafening.

The day will finally come when the person checks into a cancer center, puts on a hospital gown and officially becomes a patient. In almost all cases they start receiving some form of chemotherapy or radiation. Many times the treatment will be worse than the actual disease, ultimately proving to be a therapeutic failure.

A cancer patient can push the call button and the nurse will bring medication for nausea or diarrhea or other common side effects of treatment. Pain pills and depression meds may be prescribed. A social worker or chaplain might be summoned.

The problem is theres no magic pill to inspire courage. Nothing can be prescribed to power the patient forward to face another challenging day of treatment. This is the ultimate battle for survival. To live they must will themselves forward. The fight is not just physical. The fight is mental. Its all mindset.

How do I know so much about cancer at age 13? My perspective is personal. My dad was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2012. For half my life, Ive watched him battle this dreadful, deadly disease as it relapsed after his initial treatment, and then relapsed a second time.

After riding an emotional rollercoaster of devastating lows and euphoric highs that spanned five years and 11 rounds of intensive chemotherapy, the experience ultimately culminated with my father beating the disease after undergoing a high-risk stem cell transplant at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

I remember asking my dad during an especially tough round of chemotherapy that just crushed him, How can you suffer this much and still be so strong? Ill never forget his answer: Floyd, there may come a time in your life when the only one left who believes in you is you. In those times, you have to will yourself forward. You have to be relentless.

The message was so powerful I remember getting goose bumps at the time. I was so moved by my dads relentless mindset and how it helped him to battle cancer that I wanted to share it to help others. On the anniversary of my dads successful transplant, I started the Relentless Pledge, a nonprofit organization.

Working with hospital administrators and oncology nurses in South Dakota, North Dakota and all across America, were working to give each cancer patient a relentless wristband to inspire hope and courage. In that moment, the patient knows they are not alone in the fight against cancer. They know you and I and a million other Americans have their back.

For more information, and to take the pledge to be relentless in your own life and support the mission of the Relentless Pledge organization on World Cancer Day, which is today, you can visit our website at relentlesspledge.org online.

Floyd Korzan, 13, of Mitchell, started the Relentless Pledge organization, which aims to give each cancer patient in South Dakota and across the nation a relentless wristband to inspire hope and courage. For more information, visit relentlesspledge.org. This column is being run on World Cancer Day.

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Korzan: On World Cancer day, pledge to be relentless - AberdeenNews.com

Global Radiation Therapy Market to Reach US$ 8.6 bn by 2026, Product Approvals to Drive Growth: Transparency Market Research – PRNewswire

ALBANY, New York, Feb. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Amid technological advancement, and notable research and development activities, the global radiation therapy marketis set to chart a sturdy growth curve, owing to a steady growth rate of 5.2% from 2018 to 2026. As per Transparency Market Research (TMR), the growth is attributable to surge in product approvals, increase in expenditure on healthcare, high incidence of cancer, and a growing preference for non-invasive treatment procedures.

TMR states that, "From bench to clinic, there is a wave of therapeutic and diagnostic technologies, paving way for higher growth in oncology. And, this will aid radiation therapy witness better times to come. Over the forecast period external beam radiation therapy will dominate the market landscape."

Key Findings of the Radiation Therapy Market Study

Explore 183 pages of top-notch research, incisive insights, and detailed country-level projections. Gain business intelligence on radiation therapy market by Type - External Beam Radiation Therapy (Conformal Radiation Therapy, Proton Beam Therapy, Image Guided Radiation Therapy, Stereotactic Radiation Therapy), Internal Radiation Therapy (Brachytherapy, Systemic Radiation Therapy); End user - Hospitals, Specialty Clinics. https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=36080

Radiation Therapy Market: Key Driving Factors

The market report, based on extensive research, by Transparency Market Research, is leading to growth in the landscape. And, a wave of innovation is keeping the statistics buoyant over the period. Some of the factors that will sustain growth over the forecast period in the global radiation therapy market include the following:

View Detailed Table of Contents athttps://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/36080

Key Impediments for Radiation Therapy Market Players

While the overall outlook of the global radiation therapy market is positive, TMR speaks of certain restraints that will hamper growth to some extent. According to the study, the key restraints impeding market growth include,

Radiation Therapy Market: Region-wise Analysis

Analyze radiation therapy market growth in 30+ countries including US, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Russia, Poland, Benelux, Nordic, China, Japan, India, and South Korea. Request a sampleof the study,

Competition Landscape

Strategic alliances and a keen focus on technological advancement is the key to growth for players operating in the global radiation therapy market over the forecast period. One of the most notable agreement that took place in the recent past November 2018 is that between Chengdu Xingcheng and Mevion. The aim behind the move is to lead center for proton therapy in China's sub-provincial city Chengdu.

Besides, players are focused on product development and launch. For instance, in the year 2018, ProBeam 360 a system of single room proton therapy - was launched by Varian Medical Systems. In the same year Hitachi Ltd. received approval for commercialization of RGPT.

Key players include Varian Medical Systems, Inc. (US), Elekta (Sweden), Accuray Incorporated (US), Ion Beam Applications SA (Belgium), ViewRay, Inc. (US), IsoRay Medical, Inc. (US), Hitachi Ltd. (Japan), Panacea Medical Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (India), Provision Healthcare (US), and Mevion Medical Systems, Inc. (US)

Transparency Market Research has segmented the radiation therapy market report based on type, end-use and region.

By Type:

External beam Radiation Therapy

Internal Radiation Therapy

By End user:

Explore Transparency Market Research's award-winning coverage of the global Pharmaceutical industry:

External Beam Radiation Therapy Market- External beam radiation therapy is the most common type of radiation therapy used in cancer treatments around the world. During the therapy, high-intensity radiation beams form a linear accelerator are focused on the tumor. Major drivers of the global external beam radiation therapy market are increase in patient population, new product approvals, technological advancements, favorable reimbursement policies, and rise in health care expenditure in developing economies such as India and others.

Proton Therapy Market- Rise in prevalence of cancer patients, growing awareness among people, improvement in insurance coverage for proton therapy, increase in consumption of tobacco, and surge in demand for proton therapy are factors driving the global proton therapy market. Tobacco use is associated with increased risk of several cancers including lung, oral cavity, pharynx, bladder, esophagus, kidney, liver, stomach, larynx, pancreas, bowel, cervix, leukemia, and ovarian.

Cancer Biomarkers Market- The global cancer biomarkers market is expected to exhibit a splendid CAGR of 11.8% during the forecast period from 2017 to 2025. In this timeframe, the market is anticipated to gain revenue worth US$27.63 bn by the end of 2025. Increasing incidences of various types of cancers all over the globe has caused a rise in the need for cancer biomarkers, thereby providing a healthy impetus to the associated market.

Cancer Cachexia Market- The cancer cachexia market stood at US$1.63 bn and is projected to garner a CAGR of 4.90% from 2017 to 2025. By the end of this assessment period, opportunities in the market will climb to US$2.51 bn. The growth of the global cancer cachexia market is fueled by vast research on using multiple agents for treating metabolic abnormalities in cachexia. Development of these multiple pharmacologic agents will further gather steam on the back of regulatory landscape.

Stem Cells Market- the global market for stem cells is projected to reach a value of US$270.5 bn by the end of 2025. The market is likely to exhibit a strong 13.80% CAGR between 2017 and 2025. The rapid development of the infrastructure that is required for the stem cell banking and processing, especially in developing economies is predicted to encourage the growth of the global stem cells market in the coming years.

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About Us

Transparency Market Research is a next-generation market intelligence provider, offering fact-based solutions to business leaders, consultants, and strategy professionals.

Our reports are single-point solutions for businesses to grow, evolve, and mature. Our real-time data collection methods along with ability to track more than one million high growth niche products are aligned with your aims. The detailed and proprietary statistical models used by our analysts offer insights for making right decision in the shortest span of time. For organizations that require specific but comprehensive information we offer customized solutions through adhoc reports. These requests are delivered with the perfect combination of right sense of fact-oriented problem solving methodologies and leveraging existing data repositories.

TMR believes that unison of solutions for clients-specific problems with right methodology of research is the key tohelp enterprises reach right decision.

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Global Radiation Therapy Market to Reach US$ 8.6 bn by 2026, Product Approvals to Drive Growth: Transparency Market Research - PRNewswire

SASpine to offer Stem Cell Therapy – Yahoo Finance

SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SASpine is now offering cutting edge Stem Cell Treatments to patients. For the past several years Dr. Steven Cyr, Mayo Clinic Trained Spine Surgeon, has been researching the benefits of stem cells in the treatment of multiple medical conditions including spinal disorders, specifically, conditions which involve spinal cord injury, degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, and as a supplement to enhance the success of Spinal fusions when treating instability, deformity, and fractures of the spine.

Steven J. Cyr, M.D., is a spine surgeon who has gained a reputation for surgical excellence in Texas, throughout the nation, and abroad.

Dr. Steven Cyr has been treating patients using growth factors and stem cells contained in amniotic tissue and bone marrow aspirate to provide a potential for improved success with fusion procedures, when treating herniated discs, and for arthritic or damaged joints, with remarkable success. "The goal of any medical intervention is to yield improved outcomes with the ideal result of returning a patient to normal function, when possible," states Dr Cyr. He went on to elaborate that there are times when only a structural solution can solve problems related to spinal disorders, but even in that scenario, the use of stem cells or growth factors derived from stem cell products can possibly improve the success of surgical procedures. "I have patients previously unable to jog or run return to normal function and athletic ability after injections of growth factors and stem cell products into the knee joints, hip joints, and shoulder joints," he said. "This includes high-level athletes, professional dancers, and the average weekend warrior."

There may be promise in treating patients with spinal cord injury as well. SASpine CEO, LeAnn Cyr, states, "There are reports of patients gaining significant neurological improvement after being treated with stem cells." Dr Cyr continues, "Most patients with spinal cord injuries resulting from trauma also have mechanical pressure on the nerves that result either from bone fragments or disc material compressing the spinal cord that needs to be removed along with surgical stabilization of the spinal bones. There's significant potential that stem cells bring to the equation when treating these types of patients, and I am excited about the potential that these products offer to the host of treatments to address spinal conditions and arthritic joints."

For more information about SASpine's Stem Cell Treatment Program, visit http://www.saspine.com or call (210) 487-7463 in San Antonio or (832) 919-7990 in Houston.

Related Linkswww.facebook.com/saspinewww.instagram.com/surgical.associates.in.spine

If you've been living with back pain, you're not alone. Here at SASpine, we have experienced spine specialists who are committed to improving your quality of life. (PRNewsfoto/SASpine)

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SASpine to offer Stem Cell Therapy - Yahoo Finance

Dr. Kenneth Pettine Announces Verification of Clinical Safety Trial – Yahoo Finance

Kenneth Pettine's stem cell product to treat OA was tested on retired Navy SEALs

FORT COLLINS, CO / ACCESSWIRE / February 3, 2020 / Kenneth Pettine is proud to announce that his revolutionary mesenchymal stem cell product to treat osteoarthritis was recently tested on 33 former Navy SEALs (one is a medal of honor recipient).

Kenneth Pettine is co-founder of Paisley Laboratories and a co-developer of a bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell active growth factor and exosome product that is anticipated to revolutionize regenerative medicine.

In this study, Extracellular Vesicle Isolate Product (EVIP) was injected into 33 retired Navy SEALs to assist with knee, shoulder, elbow, ankle, and wrist osteoarthritis. At three-month follow-up, the injection appeared both safe and effective, with improvements ranging from 40% to as high as 98%. The average improvement is over 70%.

"This is extremely promising and we are motivated to continue our clinical studies to improve the quality of life for patients," says Kenneth Pettine.

Kenneth Pettine notes in his study that over 50 million Americans require daily treatment for disability and pain associated with OA. Every year, over one million total hip and knee replacements are performed in the U.S. with direct costs of over $30 billion and indirect costs of over $200 billion, with these numbers expected to double in the next three years.

In addition to this trial, Kenneth Pettine has three additional clinical studies planned to evaluate his stem cell products to treat erectile dysfunction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and chronic lower back pain from painful discs.

For more information, visit https://www.kenneth-pettine.com/

About Kenneth Pettine

Dr. Kenneth Pettine is a serial entrepreneur and published clinical researcher with over 30 years of experience as an orthopedic surgeon. He holds a medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and completed his master's degree in orthopedic surgery and residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

In 1991, Dr. Pettine founded the Rocky Mountain Associates in Orthopedic Medicine. Kenneth Pettine is also the founder of Paisley Laboratories and the co-founder of the Society for Ambulatory Spine Surgery. In addition, he co-invented the Prestige cervical artificial disc and the Maverick Artificial Disc. Dr. Pettine is the principal investigator of 18 FDA studies involving non-fusion implants, biologics, and stem cells. He holds the only two issued U.S. patents for performing stem cell joint and spinal injections and currently has 21 additional patents pending for bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cell applications. Kenneth Pettine is also a philanthropist and currently has a scholarship program underway to help students fund their education.

For more information, visit https://www.kenneth-pettine.com/ or https://www.kennethpettinescholarship.com/

Contact

info@kenneth-pettine.com

https://www.kenneth-pettine.com/

SOURCE: Kenneth Pettine

View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/574987/Dr-Kenneth-Pettine-Announces-Verification-of-Clinical-Safety-Trial

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Dr. Kenneth Pettine Announces Verification of Clinical Safety Trial - Yahoo Finance

The Marsh Presents Welcome to The Cancer Caf – Patch.com

BERKELEY, CA (3 February 2020) A PT Clinical Specialist in Chronic Pain, Judith C. never imagined being on the opposite end of treatment until she was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, an incurable blood cancer with a limited life expectancy. This March, Judith's journey from diagnosis to stem cell transplant unfolds in her hilarious and heartbreaking solo show Welcome to The Cancer Caf at The Marsh Berkeley. Enlightening, elevating, and deeply personal, Judith brings audiences on her unexpected journey from provider to patient, sharing the profound lessons this role reversal offers. Using actual conversations with providers, Judith portrays her interactions with the medical establishment, bringing keen insight and offering a better understanding of the journey and choices faced by people of similar circumstances. Proceeds from each show will be donated to a local cancer organization chosen by Judith. Talkback engagements after every performance will also be offered. Welcome to The Cancer Caf will be presented March 8 22, 2020 with performances at 2:00pm Sundays at The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. For tickets ($20-$35 sliding scale; $55 and $100 reserved) or more information, the public may visit http://www.themarsh.org or call The Marsh Box office at 415-282-3055 (open Monday through Friday, 1:00pm-4:00pm).

Motivated by portrayals of cancer heroes, cancer miracles, and people that "fight" for their lives, Judith C. was determined to shed light on different responses to cancer than the typical warrior model. Welcome to The Cancer Caf has been performed at the Stanford Oncology Grand Rounds (2017), Bone Marrow Transplant Life Survivorship Symposium in Denver, CO (2018) and Orlando, FL (2019), Kehilla Community Synagogue (2018), and for various cancer support groups throughout Northern CA. Originally presented at The Marsh Berkley as part of its Marsh Rising series in November 2019, Welcome to The Cancer Caf returns in March 2020 for a full run.

Proceeds from each performance will be donated to a local cancer organization chosen by Judith. Talkback engagements following all performances of Welcome to The Cancer Caf will also be offered:

Sunday, March 8: Proceeds will go towards Camp Kesem (Berkeley), one of many chapters of a wider organization that supports children through and beyond a parent's cancer. Founded at Stanford University in 2000, Camp Kesem has since expanded to 116 chapters in 42 states around the country, offering free summer camps for children who have been impacted by this life-changing event. Camp Kesem Outreach Coordinator Autumn Frlekin and Development Coordinator Shaked Salem will discuss how the camp brings together a community of children with similar experiences in a safe, welcoming environment to have fun and rediscover their childhood.

Sunday, March 15: Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic for Low-Income Women with Cancer in Oakland will be receiving proceeds from the March 15th performance. For 25 years, this free public health clinic and 501(c)(3) non-profit organization has provided integrative cancer care and supportive services that compliment mainstream cancer treatments. These services include acupuncture, herbs, homeopathy, bodywork, guided imagery, movement, and nutritional therapies. Dr. Loveleena Virk and Dr. Divya Chandrasekar, Palliative Care MDs at Kaiser Oakland, will discuss approaches that improve the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness.

Sunday, March 22: Proceeds from the final performance will go towards the Women's Cancer Resource Center (WCRC) in Berkeley. This non-profit organization creates opportunities for women with cancer to improve their quality of life through education, supportive services, and practical assistance. Dolores Moorehead, WCRC Lead Client Navigator and Multicultural Client Support Clinician, will be accompanied by a client to share how this organization helps people with cancer navigate through the overwhelming health care system, allowing them to get the appropriate care and treatment they need.

Described by the San Francisco press as "the monologue maestro" and "the dean of solo performance," David Ford has been collaborating on new and unusual theater for decades and has been associated with The Marsh for most of that time. After seeing Welcome to the Cancer Caf, Ford said, "I've worked for 30 years with people who are writing and performing their own stories. In that time, I've heard a lot of people give witness to the trials of having a life-threatening disease. Judith C. goes further than anyone I've ever encountered. She gets the awful contrasts of fear and courage, agency and impotence, armor and vulnerability."

Judith C. (Actor/Writer) is a PT Clinical Specialist in Chronic Pain/Feldenkrais practitioner, with decades of clinical and teaching experience. At age 58, she was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, an incurable blood cancer with no clear, accepted treatment path. Following her diagnosis, Judith began writing and performing about her experience as a way to cope with her life as a Myeloma patient being the "new normal" eventually leading to the birth of her first solo work, Welcome to The Cancer Caf.

Rebecca Fisher (Director) is the creator of The Marsh's Writing Cabaret and the co-producer of the long-running Marsh series Tell it on Tuesday. Her solo performance work has been called "smart, challenging, and unmistakably affecting" by the San Francisco Chronicle and has won a San Francisco Best of Fringe award. She has directed solo shows in national fringe festivals, as well as Mark Kenward's Nantucket and Diane Barnes' My Stroke of Luck, both presented at The Marsh. Fisher was a teaching artist with The Lincoln Center affiliated arts education program in Bay Area schools and has directed theater camps with the Berkeley Playhouse/Julia Morgan Center for the Arts and The Marsh.

The Marsh is known as "a breeding ground for new performance." It was launched in 1989 by Founder and Artistic Director Stephanie Weisman, and now annually hosts more than 600 performances of 175 shows across the company's two venues in San Francisco and Berkeley. A leading outlet for solo performers, The Marsh's specialty has been hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as "solo performances that celebrate the power of storytelling at its simplest and purest." The East Bay Times named The Marsh one of Bay Area's best intimate theaters, calling it "one of the most thriving solo theaters in the nation. The live theatrical energy is simply irresistible."

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The Marsh Presents Welcome to The Cancer Caf - Patch.com

Freeport stem cell therapy provider Okyanos in wind-up petition battle – EyeWitness News

NASSAU, BAHAMAS The fate of Freeports pioneering stem cell therapy provider has now become the subject of legal dispute, with its principal creditor seeking the winding-up of the company.

According to court documents seen by Eyewitness News, Okyanos claims that damagessuffered toits nearly 15,000 sq feet rented Freeport facilities as a result of Hurricane Dorian in September 2019 left thepremisesunfit for use. As a consequence, all of thecompanysbusiness ceased. That claim however has beenfiercely disputed by its landlord First Commercial Ltd who is seeking to have its dispute arbitrated and block the removal of the companys equipment which could satisfy an award in those proceedings.

Okyanos is the first licensed stem cell therapy provider in The Bahamas. It has been treating patients with chronic diseases by using their own stem cells from fat tissue. It opened to patients in October 2014, providing treatment for those with autoimmune, orthopaedic, cardiovascular and neurological conditions.

According to details outlined in a wind-up petition by its primary creditor LS Enterprise Ltd, -a companyregisteredin the British Virgin Islands, Okyanos between August 2, 2017 and May 6 2019 entered into four loanfacilityagreementsfor working capital and generalcorporate amounting to some $15.9 million. Okyanos had ultimately sought additional loans from LS Enterprise Ltd following Hurricane Dorian however was informed that it was in default of its facility agreements having ceased to carry on its business and that all loans were immediately due and payable.

According to the wind-up petition an ex parte order obtained by Okyanoss landlord First Commercial Ltd had restrained the stem cell therapy provider fromremediatingthepremisesor removing its equipment. It is claimed that substantial amounts of water and wind had penetrated the companyspremises causing major property loss and damage.Further, a lack of consistent electricity and airconditioninghad caused mold contamination.

Thecompanyattemptedtomitigateloss and damage by movingequipmentto aclimatecontrolledstorage and and preparing thecompanysoperatingfacilitiesfor moldremediation butthat was hampered by the landlord whose servants oragentsinstructed thecompanys personnel to cease anddeistfrom such activities, LS Enterprise outlined in its petition.

It further noted that in a notice to the landlord dated October 25, 2019, Okyanos had exercised its right to terminate its leaseagreementwithin 60 daysfollowingthe storm due to the facilities being unfit for use or occupancy the hurricane. On October 30, First Commercial Ltd obtained an ex parte order restraining the company from anyfurtherremediation efforts as well as the removal or disposal of equipment, LS Enterprise has claimed. The company had filed for damages with its insurance provider but had not received the majority of any such insurance proceeds the petition station.

Accordingly it is claimed that the company has insufficient funds to secure a new lease forfacilitiesto treatpatients,arbitratewith landlord torecover itsequipment and supplies, or conduct amarketingcampaignto attract patients to The Bahamas.

However, an affidavit but attorney Andre Jay Feldman, president and a member of the Board of Directors of First Commercial Centre seeking to restrain Okyanos from breaching its lease disputed the companys damages claim.

According to Mr Feldmans affidavit, a copy of which was seen by Eyewitness News, he inspected thepremiseson September 4 and beyond some minimal damage due to a single window having opened in one of theclinicalrooms, there was no damagewhatsoeverthroughoutthe clinic and nosignificantdamage referred to by the company. Mr Feldman claimed that Steve Araiza, a Houston based attorney for Okyanos had written him on September 26, 2019 seeking a rent abatement and to end theleaseon thegrounds of hurricane damage.

According to Mr Feldman, flood water had entered parts of theground flooroccupiedby CIBC and on September 15, 2019, the bank had not onlyremediatedany damage but hadreopenedfor business. He further contended that on September 4, Okyanos had allowed the Rand Memorial Hospital to use itsfacilities for urgent patient care. Mr Feldman contends that there was no damage to make the facilities unfit for use. According to Mr Feldman, since September 1 there had been no payment towards rent or electricity with respect to air-conditioning consumption. He asserted that if Okyanos is allowed to remove its assets they would be shipped out of country and would not be available to satisfy any award from arbitration. The landlord is claiming it is owed $1,768,000 and that while it plans to claim on a $890,000 loss of rentinsurancethere is no guarantee that can be recovered.

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Freeport stem cell therapy provider Okyanos in wind-up petition battle - EyeWitness News

Osaka University transplants iPS cell-based heart cells in world’s first clinical trial – The Japan Times

OSAKA An Osaka University team said it has carried out the worlds first transplant of cardiac muscle cells created from iPS cells in a physician-initiated clinical trial.

In the clinical project to verify the safety and efficacy of the therapy using induced pluripotent stem cells, Yoshiki Sawa, a professor in the universitys cardiovascular surgery unit, and colleagues aim to transplant heart muscle cell sheets over the course of three years into 10 patients suffering from serious heart malfunction caused by ischemic cardiomyopathy.

As part of its first step in the project, the team conducted an operation on a patient this month, which was a success. The patient has since moved to the general ward at a hospital.

The cells on the degradable sheets attached to the surface of the patients hearts are expected to grow and secrete a protein that can regenerate blood vessels and improve cardiac function. The iPS cells have already been derived from healthy donors blood cells and stored.

Each sheet is around 4 to 5 centimeters wide and 0.1 millimeter thick.

The team will continue to monitor the patient over the next year.

I hope that (the transplant) will become a medical technology that will save as many people as possible, as Ive seen many lives that I couldnt save, Sawa said at a news conference.

The researchers said Monday they decided to conduct a clinical trial instead of a clinical study in hopes of obtaining approval from the health ministry for clinical applications as soon as possible.

The trial involves stringently evaluating risks, particularly cancer probabilities, and the efficacy of transplanting some 100 million cells per patient that may include tumor cells.

This is the second iPS cell-based clinical trial in Japan. The first was conducted on eye disease patients by the Riken research institute.

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Osaka University transplants iPS cell-based heart cells in world's first clinical trial - The Japan Times

Umbilical cord blood donation: The family of the Chinese New Year baby gives life – Daily Gaming Worlld

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Jack Chieh and Yinnie Wong with their baby, born last Friday (Chinese New Year). The couple donate their babys umbilical cord blood to BCs umbilical cord blood bank. Womens clinic & health center.

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Yinnie Wong and Jack Chiehs six-pound, 13-ounce boy still unnamed was born on a promising day, January 24, Chinese New Year, and is already doing well in the world.

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Everyone was really happy, its supposed to be a lucky day, said Wong.

Although the birth was a scheduled caesarean section, Wong had no control over the date the hospital administrators chose for the birth. What she controlled was the decision to donate her babys umbilical cord blood to BCs umbilical cord blood bank. Womens clinic & health center, which has just celebrated its fifth anniversary.

Umbilical cord blood is blood that is drawn from the umbilical cord and placenta immediately after the birth of a healthy child. Cord blood is rich in stem cells and can be used to treat over 80 diseases, including leukemia.

According to Canadian Blood Services, ethnically diverse donors are particularly in demand, since according to Stats Canada 67.7 percent of Canadians consider their ethnic origins to be different, but only 31 percent of Canadians with blood in the Canadian stem cell registry have an ethnically different background.

Crystal Nguyen, 20, is a former B.C. Childrens hospital patient whose life was saved by a stem cell transplant from donated umbilical cord blood. Nguyen was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia for the first time at the age of 12. After chemotherapy, she went into remission for almost three years. Then the cancer returned. She was told she needed a bone marrow transplant.

Crystal Nguyen, now 20, was first diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at the age of 12. She found a match between stem cells and a required bone marrow transplant via the international umbilical cord blood bank.

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When I fell behind, I was very confused, it was kind of surreal. The main thing when I was told that I needed the bone marrow stem cell transplant was confusion, fear, and restlessness.

Nguyen is of Vietnamese descent and needed a match to survive. In her family there was no match or stem cell match in the Canadian cord blood bank. Thanks to Canadian Blood Services partnerships with 47 international blood banks, a match was found.

I was told that it came from somewhere in the distance via the international cord blood bank, said Nguyen, who has been in remission since the transplant.

When she found out that the stem cell transplant was successful, Nguyen, who is now studying to become a pediatric oncology nurse, said it felt too good to be true.

There was a lot of luck, joy and excitement. Donating umbilical cord blood is so easy to save a life.

Although cord blood can be collected and stored by private companies for a fee and is reserved for use by the donor family, the cord blood donated through Canadian Blood Services is available to the public free of charge whoever needs the match.

Wong didnt hesitate when her son was born. I felt like I wanted to do it if it helped someone in public and if it could save lives I would have been very happy to help another child, said Wong, a B.C. nurse. Womens Hospital.

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Umbilical cord blood donation: The family of the Chinese New Year baby gives life - Daily Gaming Worlld

Someone You Should Know: The Relentless Pledge – KSFY

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - A Mitchell boy is defying one of the darkest times in his family's life, his dad's battle with cancer. He's turning it into a message of inspiration for others.

On that exact day maybe three hours later, that's when I started going door to door.

Floyd Korzan is a motivated kid. That's easy to see. It's also evident that he's caring and loves his dad very much.

"I remember some nights, they'd literally bring over a bed and I'd just sleep with him there.

His dad Matt spent a lot of time at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota battling leukemia from 2012 to 2017. It came back twice.

"The doctors at the Mayo Clinic told our family that the only thing more deadly than leukemia is relapsed leukemia, said Matt.

But Matt was relentless in his fight, a keyword in their family to this day.

"I'm a high-energy guy, this was crushing and devastating, said Matt. I'd never been sick a day in my life before this happened, it was crazy. But, my mindset is you got to be relentless. That's what I told Floyd. You got to fight, you got to get up, and you got to gut it out, you've got to be relentless.

Now that Matt has made it more than two years cancer-free thanks to a stem cell transplant they're doing something special.

But the impact it's had already, they did not expect.

Less than a month ago, Floyd, who's just 13 years old, started a nonprofit with his parents' help.

Its centered on that word, relentless.

"After I saw what struggle me, my dad and the rest of my family went through, I thought that that would've been a great motivator for some people to try to achieve their goals and overcome obstacles, said Floyd.

People can go online and take the relentless pledge, purchase a wristband, or nominate someone in their community to receive one for free whether that's a cancer patient or local heroes like police and firefighters.

"They have to risk their lives almost every day just to try to help people and I feel like that takes some relentlessness, said Floyd.

The Korzans have a website and social media pages for their relentless pledge. Thanks to the reach of their Facebook, it's already become a global movement.

"Floyd has had pledges and we've shipped these relentless wristbands to folks in 36 different states and three continents, these are people we've never heard of, we've received emails that would make you tear up, I'm really proud of it, said Matt.

Their goal is big.

"The goal is to get our relentless wristbands to every single cancer patient in America, said Matt.

But then again, they have a plan.

"To be relentless.

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Someone You Should Know: The Relentless Pledge - KSFY