Local News In Cancer Care

MANILA, Philippines As the Cancer Center of the Makati Medical Center celebrates its first year, the hospital unveils to the public two of its latest offerings: the Cellular Therapeutics Laboratory and its new cutting-edge radiation treatment TomoTherapy.

In two seperate occasions, the hospital invited select media representatives to witness its unveiling. Present on the first occasion was neurosurgeon Dr. Eric Flores, head of the new and impressive state-of-the art facility. "This is the future of medicine. It's time the hospital enters the molecular age,"

In the medical field, stem cell therapy is used to treat a host of diseases, from Parkinson's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis to Type 1 Diabetes and a slew of orthopedic ailmetns. It has aided doctors in successful plastic and reconstructive surgeries, and can even give a patient immunity from cancer.

In MakatiMed, stem cells are used to repopulate the blood and bone marrow with normal blood elements after ablative chemotherapy in the treatment of such conditions as leukemia, multiple myeloma Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Stem Cell Rescue can also make Type 1 Diabetes a thing of the past: after ablataive chemotherapy ot the abnormal cellular immune system, stem cells produce a normal immune system, thereby allowing normal cells in the pancreas to grow.

Dr. Flores also expounds on the reasons why the hospital's new laboratory is the best in the country.

"Compared to other facilities in the Philippines, our laboratory is unmatched in terms of providing the best cellular product of quality. In comparison with other laboratories, the lab is at least three notches better in providing a sterile environment. Most cancer patients have weakened immune systems, hence, we put premium importance in the quality and sterility of the product."

He continues, "Separation of the cellular products is carried out within our Biosafety level 5 facilities automated magnetic-based cell separation. Our technology is approved by the US-FDA in clinical trials to perform cell purification without compromising cell physiology. Thus, the laboratory is totally unmatched in terms of the cell purity and cell viability of the product."

Dr. Flores also stressed on the 10-point DNA matching capability. "In a condition wherein the stem cells will be sourced out from a donor, our laboratory will perform the strictest standards in identifying a possible cross-match for the recipient. We have the technology to push this cellular transplantation process that will significantly minimize complications. Full disclosure of the patient's cell status, characteristics and quality will be provided."

New radiation therapy system

Meanwhile, another recent addition to the hospital's superb cancer care is TomoTherapy treatment, a new radiation therapy system which employs intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). It is valued as the most superior radiation treatment technique for delivering the desired dose to the tumor while limiting healthy tissue exposure.

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Local News In Cancer Care

Gene-modified stem cell transplant protects patients from toxic side effects of chemotherapy, study suggests

ScienceDaily (May 9, 2012) For the first time, scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have transplanted brain cancer patients' own gene-modified blood stem cells in order to protect their bone marrow against the toxic side effects of chemotherapy. Initial results of the ongoing, small clinical trial of three patients with glioblastoma showed that two patients survived longer than predicted if they had not been given the transplants, and a third patient remains alive with no disease progression almost three years after treatment.

"We found that patients were able to tolerate the chemotherapy better and without negative side effects after transplantation of the gene-modified stem cells than patients in previous studies who received the same type of chemotherapy without a transplant of gene-modified stem cells," said Hans-Peter Kiem, M.D., senior and corresponding author of the study published in the May 9 issue of Science Translational Medicine.

Kiem, a member of the Clinical Research Division at the Hutchinson Center, said that a major barrier to effective use of chemotherapy to treat cancers like glioblastoma has been the toxicity of chemotherapy drugs to other organs, primarily bone marrow. This results in decreased blood cell counts, increased susceptibility to infections and other side effects. Discontinuing or delaying treatment or reducing the chemotherapy dose is generally required, but that often results in less effective treatment.

In the current study, Kiem and colleagues focused on patients with glioblastoma, an invariably fatal cancer. Many of these patients have a gene called MGMT (O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase) that is turned on because the promoter for this gene is unmethylated. MGMT is a DNA repair enzyme that counteracts the toxic effect of some chemotherapy agents like temozolomide. Patients with such an unmethylated promoter status have a particularly poor prognosis.

A drug called benzylguanine can block the MGMT gene and make tumor cells sensitive to chemotherapy again, but when given with chemotherapy, the toxic effects of this combination are too much for bone marrow cells, which results in marrow suppression.

By giving bone marrow stem cells P140K, which is a modified version of MGMT, those cells are protected from the toxic effects of benzylguanine and chemotherapy, while the tumor cells are still sensitive to chemotherapy. "P140K can repair the damage caused by chemotherapy and is impervious to the effects of benzylguanine," Kiem said.

"This therapy is analogous to firing at both tumor cells and bone marrow cells, but giving the bone marrow cells protective shields while the tumor cells are unshielded," said Jennifer Adair, Ph.D., who shares first authorship of the study with Brian Beard, Ph.D., both members of Kiem's lab.

The three patients in this study survived an average of 22 months after receiving transplants of their own circulating blood stem cells. One, an Alaskan man, remains alive 34 months after treatment. Median survival for patients with this type of high-risk glioblastoma without a transplant is just over a year.

"Glioblastoma remains one of the most devastating cancers with a median survival of only 12 to 15 months for patients with unmethylated MGMT," said Maciej Mrugala, M.D., the lead neuro oncologist for this study.

As many as 50 percent to 60 percent of glioblastoma patients harbor such chemotherapy-resistant tumors, which makes gene-modified stem cell transplant therapy applicable to a large number of these patients. In addition, there are also other brain tumors such as neuroblastoma or other solid tumors with MGMT-mediated chemo resistance that might benefit from this approach.

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Gene-modified stem cell transplant protects patients from toxic side effects of chemotherapy, study suggests

Osiris Therapeutics Reports First Quarter 2012 Financial Results

COLUMBIA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: OSIR - News), the leading stem cell company focused on developing and commercializing products to treat medical conditions in inflammatory, cardiovascular, orthopedic, and wound healing markets, announced today its results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012.

Highlights and Recent Developments

This was an excellent quarter all around for Osiris, said C. Randal Mills, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Osiris Therapeutics. "It is gratifying to witness the solid growth of our Biosurgery products, driven by Osiris continued clinical success. I am particularly proud of how well our team is executing during our transition into a fully commercial entity, including our ability to tackle challenging reimbursement issues and expand our manufacturing and distribution capabilities."

First Quarter Financial Results

Biosurgery product revenue rose 49% from the previous quarter to $1.14 million. Total revenues were $4.6 million in the first quarter of 2012, which include the final amortization of license fees from our collaboration agreements. Total revenues in the first quarter of 2011 were $10.4 million, and consisted almost exclusively of amortized license fees. Net loss for the first quarter of 2012 was $1.3 million compared to net income of $4.0 million in the first quarter of 2011.

Research and development expenses for the first quarter of 2012 were $4.0 million, compared to $4.7 million incurred in the first quarter of 2011. General and administrative expenses were $1.5 million for the first quarter of 2012 compared to $1.7 million for the same period of the prior year. Net cash used in operations for the three months ended March 31, 2012 was $4.0 million. As of March 31, 2012, Osiris had $44.2 million of cash, receivables and short-term investments.

Webcast and Conference Call

A webcast and conference call to discuss the financial results is scheduled for today, May 11, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. ET. To access the webcast, visit the Investor Relations section of the company's website at http://investor.osiris.com/events.cfm. Alternatively, callers may participate in the conference call by dialing (877) 303-6133 (U.S. participants) or (970) 315-0493 (international participants).

A replay of the conference call will be available approximately two hours after the completion of the call through May 17, 2012. Callers can access the replay by dialing (855) 859-2056 (U.S. participants) or (404) 537-3406 (international participants). The audio replay confirmation code is 74747423. To access a replay of the webcast, visit the Investor Relations section of the company's website at http://investor.osiris.com/events.cfm.

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Osiris Therapeutics Reports First Quarter 2012 Financial Results

2 Cell Transplantation studies impact dental stem cell research for therapeutic purposes

Public release date: 8-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: David Eve celltransplantation@gmail.com Cell Transplantation Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair

Tampa, Fla. (May. 8, 2012) Two studies appearing in a recent issue of Cell Transplantation (20:11-12), now freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/, evaluate stem cells derived from dental tissues for characteristics that may make them therapeutically useful and appropriate for transplantation purposes.

Induced pluripotent stem cells from immature dental pulp stem cells

A Brazilian and American team of researchers used human immature dental pulp stem cells (IDPSCs) as an alternative source for creating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), stem cells that can be derived from several kinds of adult tissues. According to the study authors, production of iPSCs "opens new opportunities for increased understanding of human genetic diseases and embryogenesis" and will likely have a "great impact on future drug screening and toxicology tests."

The authors note, however, that the reprogramming methodology for making iPSCs is relatively new and "needs refining" in terms of technique, efficiency and cell type choice.

The researchers report that they easily, and in a short time frame, programmed human immature dental pulp stem cells into iPSCs with the hallmarks of pluripotent stem cells.

"Human IDPSCs can be easily derived from dental pulp extracted from adult or 'baby teeth' during routine dental visits," said study lead author Dr. Patricia C.B. Beltrao-Braga of the highly ranked National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem and Cell Therapy in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil. "hIDPSCs are immunologically privileged and can be used in the absence of any immune suppression protocol and have valuable cell therapy applications, including reconstruction of large cranial defects."

Contact: Dr. Patricia C.B. Beltrao-Braga, National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy, 2051 Tenente Catao Roxo St. Ribeirao Preto, Brazil. Tel. 55 (11) 3091-7690 Email patriciacbbbraga@usp.br

Citation: Beltro-Braga, P. C. B.; Pignatari, G. C.; Maiorka, P. C.; Oliveira, N. A. J.; Lizier, N. F.; Wenceslau, C. V.; Miglino, M. A.; Muotri, A. R.; Kerkis, I. Feeder-free derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells from human immature dental pulp stem cells. Cell Transplant. 20(11-12):1707-1719;2011.

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2 Cell Transplantation studies impact dental stem cell research for therapeutic purposes

Duke Team Turns Scar Tissue into Heart Muscle Without Using Stem Cells

By Duke Medicine News and Communications

Scientists at Duke University Medical Center have shown the ability to turn scar tissue that forms after a heart attack into heart muscle cells using a new process that eliminates the need for stem cell transplant.

The study, published online April 26 in the journal Circulation Research, used molecules called microRNAs to trigger the cardiac tissue conversion in a lab dish and, for the first time, in a living mouse, demonstrating the potential of a simpler process for tissue regeneration.

If additional studies confirm the approach in human cells, it could lead to a new way for treating many of the 23 million people worldwide who suffer heart failure, which is often caused by scar tissue that develops after a heart attack. The approach could also have benefit beyond heart disease.

"This is a significant finding with many therapeutic implications," said Victor J. Dzau, MD, a senior author on the study who is James B. Duke professor of medicine and chancellor of health affairs at Duke University. "If you can do this in the heart, you can do it in the brain, the kidneys, and other tissues. This is a whole new way of regenerating tissue."

To initiate the regeneration, Dzau's team at Duke used microRNAs, which are molecules that serve as master regulators controlling the activity of multiple genes. Tailored in a specific combination, the microRNAs were delivered into scar tissue cells called fibroblasts, which develop after a heart attack and impair the organ's ability to pump blood.

Once deployed, the microRNAs reprogrammed fibroblasts to become cells resembling the cardiomyocytes that make up heart muscle. The Duke team not only proved this concept in the laboratory, but also demonstrated that the cell conversion could occur inside the body of a mouse -- a major requirement for regenerative medicine to become a potential therapy.

"This is one of the exciting things about our study," said Maria Mirotsou, PhD, assistant professor of cardiology at Duke and a senior author of the study. "We were able to achieve this tissue conversion in the heart with these microRNAs, which may be more practical for direct delivery into cells and allow for possible development of therapies without using genetic methods or transplantation of stem cells."

The researchers said using microRNA for tissue regeneration has several potential advantages over genetic methods or transplantation of stem cells, which have been difficult to manage inside the body. Notably, the microRNA process eliminates technical problems such as genetic alterations, while also avoiding the ethical dilemmas posed by stem cells.

"It's an exciting stage for reprogramming science," said Tilanthi M. Jayawardena, PhD, first author of the study. "It's a very young field, and we're all learning what it means to switch a cell's fate. We believe we've uncovered a way for it to be done, and that it has a lot of potential."

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Duke Team Turns Scar Tissue into Heart Muscle Without Using Stem Cells

Division of Labor in Neural Stem Cell Maintenance

Newswise NEWARK, N.J. -- Sibling growth factors cooperate to maintain a pool of neuron-generating stem cells in the brain, according to a study published in the journal Stem Cells by researchers at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ).

Numerous soluble proteins and receptors help to maintain neural stem cells (NSCs) supportive environment in central nervous system (CNS). NSCs access some of these nurturing factors by sending cellular extensions into the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), which is rich in stem cell-promoting proteins.

Insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I and IGF-II) are essential for the growth and development of the CNS. But although they are abundant in the brain and CSF, it was not clear whether they are required by NSCs. Steven Levison, PhD, and Teresa Wood, PhD, of UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School and colleagues now show that IGF-I and II cooperate to maintain NSC numbers and the NSCs ability to self-renew. IGF-I maintains NSC numbers by promoting cell division (via the IGF-I receptor), whereas IGF-II drives the expression of proteins essential for NSC self-renewal and stemness (via the insulin receptor).

The role of IGF-I and -II in maintaining NSC numbers and function might help to explain the cognitive impairments associated with aging, as the abundance of both proteins declines with age.

Disclosure: This study was funded by a Deans grant from UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, NIH grants (R21HL094905, F31NS065607 and T32-HL069752) and a grant from the LeDucq Foundation.

The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) is New Jerseys only health sciences university with more than 6,000 students on five campuses attending the state's three medical schools, its only dental school, a graduate school of biomedical sciences, a school of health related professions, a school of nursing and New Jerseys only school of public health. UMDNJ operates University Hospital, a Level I Trauma Center in Newark, and University Behavioral HealthCare, which provides a continuum of healthcare services with multiple locations throughout the state.

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Division of Labor in Neural Stem Cell Maintenance

Hadassah centenary honored May 6 by Chicago chapter

By Natasha Wasinski Contributor April 23, 2012 11:10AM

Miriam Schencker Goldberger (right) sits with two of her four grandchildren, Ari Schencker, 7, and his sister Sadie, 9, as 4-year-old Noah Schencker approaches to have his photo taken. Miriam, a member to Hadassah for past 50 years, purchased life members

storyidforme: 29352286 tmspicid: 10613889 fileheaderid: 4867083

Updated: April 23, 2012 8:47PM

With this year marking its centennial anniversary, the largest Jewish membership and womens organization in the U.S. has much to celebrate.

The Chicago chapter of Hadassah, the Womens Zionist Organization of America, hosts a benefit dinner May 6 at the Bryn Mawr Country Club in Lincolnwood to support trailblazing stem cell research efforts of a Jerusalem medical center.

Special guest Ehud Kokia, director general of Hadassah University Medical Center, is visiting from Israel to give a keynote address.

He oversees the Hadassah organizations flagship cause, which includes two hospitals with 1,000 beds, 31 operating theaters, nine intensive care units and five medical-profession schools, owned and operated in collaboration with the Hebrew University.

Supporting health work is a core component of Hadassahs service-oriented mission.

The national volunteer-led organization provides funding for programs and projects in Israel related to the Hadassah Medical Organization, education and youth institutions, and reforestation and parks.

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Hadassah centenary honored May 6 by Chicago chapter

Hadassah centennial to be honored by Chicago chapter

By Natasha Wasinski Contributor April 23, 2012 11:10AM

Miriam Schencker Goldberger (right) sits with two of her four grandchildren, Ari Schencker, 7, and his sister Sadie, 9, as 4-year-old Noah Schencker approaches to have his photo taken. Miriam, a member to Hadassah for past 50 years, purchased life members

storyidforme: 29352286 tmspicid: 10613889 fileheaderid: 4867083

Updated: April 23, 2012 8:47PM

With this year marking its centennial anniversary, the largest Jewish membership and womens organization in the U.S. has much to celebrate.

The Chicago chapter of Hadassah, the Womens Zionist Organization of America, hosts a benefit dinner May 6 at the Bryn Mawr Country Club in Lincolnwood to support trailblazing stem cell research efforts of a Jerusalem medical center.

Special guest Ehud Kokia, director general of Hadassah University Medical Center, is visiting from Israel to give a keynote address.

He oversees the Hadassah organizations flagship cause, which includes two hospitals with 1,000 beds, 31 operating theaters, nine intensive care units and five medical-profession schools, owned and operated in collaboration with the Hebrew University.

Supporting health work is a core component of Hadassahs service-oriented mission.

The national volunteer-led organization provides funding for programs and projects in Israel related to the Hadassah Medical Organization, education and youth institutions, and reforestation and parks.

Read more from the original source:
Hadassah centennial to be honored by Chicago chapter

Hadassah centennial to be honored

By Natasha Wasinski Contributor April 23, 2012 8:14PM

Miriam Schencker Goldberger (right) sits with two of her four grandchildren, Ari Schencker, 7, and his sister Sadie, 9, as 4-year-old Noah Schencker approaches to have his photo taken. Miriam, a member to Hadassah for past 50 years, purchased life members

storyidforme: 29385357 tmspicid: 10613889 fileheaderid: 4867083

Updated: April 24, 2012 11:03AM

With this year marking its centennial anniversary, the largest Jewish membership and womens organization in the United States has much to celebrate.

The Chicago chapter of Hadassah, the Womens Zionist Organization of America, will conduct a benefit dinner May 6 at the Bryn Mawr Country Club in Lincolnwood to support stem-cell research efforts of a Jerusalem medical center.

Special guest Ehud Kokia, director general of Hadassah University Medical Center, is visiting from Israel to give a keynote address.

He oversees the Hadassah organizations flagship cause, which includes two hospitals with 1,000 beds, 31 operating theaters, nine intensive care units and five medical profession schools, owned and operated in collaboration with the Hebrew University.

Supporting health work is a core component of Hadassahs service-oriented mission.

The national volunteer-led organization provides funding for programs and projects in Israel related to the Hadassah Medical Organization, education and youth institutions, and reforestation and parks.

Originally posted here:
Hadassah centennial to be honored

Medical Center Researchers Discover "Housekeeping" Mechanism for Brain Stem Cells

Published: April 22, 2012

Findings offer new insights into neurologic development and regenerative therapies for neurologic disease

(New York, NY, April 22, 2012) Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) have identified a molecular pathway that controls the retention and release of the brains stem cells. The discovery offers new insights into normal and abnormal neurologic development and could eventually lead to regenerative therapies for neurologic disease and injury. The findings, from a collaborative effort of the laboratories of Drs. Anna Lasorella and Antonio Iavarone, were published today in the online edition of Nature Cell Biology.

The research builds on recent studies, which showed that stem cells reside in specialized niches, or microenvironments, that support and maintain them.

From this research, we knew that when stem cells detach from their niche, they lose their identity as stem cells and begin to differentiate into specific cell types, said co-senior author Antonio Iavarone, MD, professor of Pathology and Neurology at CUMC.

However, the pathways that regulate the interaction of stem cells with their niche were obscure, said co-senior author Anna Lasorella, MD, associate professor of Pathology and Pediatrics at CUMC and a member of the Columbia Stem Cell Initiative.

In the brain, the stem cell niche is located in an area adjacent to the ventricles, the fluid-filled spaces within the brain. Neural stem cells (NSCs) within the niche are carefully regulated, so that enough cells are released to populate specific brain areas, while a sufficient supply is kept in reserve.

Neural stem cells detaching from the vascular niche. Image credit: Anna Lasorella, CUMC /Nature Cell Biology

In previous studies, Drs. Iavarone and Lasorella focused on molecules called Id (inhibitor of differentiation) proteins, which regulate various stem cell properties. They undertook the present study to determine how Id proteins maintain stem cell identity.

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Medical Center Researchers Discover "Housekeeping" Mechanism for Brain Stem Cells