Cell Therapy News Volume 10.10 | Mar 23 2009

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    Cell Therapy News 10.10, March 23, 2009
         In this issue: Science | Policy | Business | NIH | CBER | Regulatory
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    Top Stories

    Protein is Key to Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation: Investigators at Burnham Institute for Medical Research have learned that a protein called Shp2 plays a critical role in the pathways that control decisions for differentiation or self-renewal in both human embryonic stem cells and mouse embryonic stem cells.
    Article

    Science

    Epigenetic Mark Guides Stem Cells Toward Their Destiny
    In recent research, scientists at Rockefeller University have uncovered a gene-control mechanism that guides the development and differentiation of epidermal skin stem cells in mouse embryos and shown that this mechanism tempers the development of the skin barrier.
    Article

    Stem Cells Yield New Clues to Glut of Glial Cells in Down’s Syndrome, Glioblastoma, and Alzheimer’s Disease
    A newly identified molecular pathway that directs stem cells to produce glial cells yields insights into the neurobiology of Down’s syndrome and a number of central nervous system disorders characterized by too many glial cells.
    Article

    New Target for Heart Failure Therapy Identified
    A novel signaling pathway plays a significant role in the production of aldosterone, a hormone that promotes heart failure after a myocardial infarction, according to a study conducted by Thomas Jefferson University researchers.
    Article

    What’s Driving Specific Patterns of Gene Expression Among Cell Types?
    Providing another tool to help to understand gene regulation on a global scale, a nationwide research team has identified and mapped 55,000 enhancers, short regions of DNA that act to enhance or boost the expression of genes.
    Article

    Lab-Grown Nerves Promote Nerve Regeneration After Injury
    Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have engineered transplantable living nerve tissue that encourages and guides regeneration in an animal model. Results were published this month in Tissue Engineering.
    Article

    Adult Stem Cell Study Demonstrates Improved Quality of Life for Patients Suffering from Spinal Cord Injury
    DaVinci Biosciences announced recently the publication of study results of the first eight of 52 patients (four acute and four chronic) who were administered autologous bone marrow derived stem cells using a multiple route delivery technique.
    Article

    ABSTRACTS, REVIEWS AND SPECIAL REPORTS

    Aurora B-Mediated Abscission Checkpoint Protects against Tetraploidization
    This study reports a cell division control mechanism that prevents tetraploidization in human cells with perturbed chromosome segregation.
    Article

    Improved Regional Function After Autologous Bone Marrow-derived Stem Cell Transfer in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction: a Randomized, Double-blind Strain Rate Imaging Study
    This study investigates whether intracoronary transfer of bone marrow progenitor cells (BMPCs) early after reperfusion of an acute myocardial infarction improves regional myocardial function in a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled strain rate imaging study.
    Article

    Neurogenin3 Is Sufficient for Transdetermination of Hepatic Progenitor Cells into Neo-Islets In Vivo but Not Transdifferentiation of Hepatocytes
    The researchers show that hepatic gene transfer of Ngn3 transiently induces insulin in terminally differentiated hepatocytes but fails to transdifferentiate them.
    Article

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    Policy

    Critics: Stem Cell Bill Would Hurt Georgia Business
    Critics of a stem cell bill that passed the state Senate this week said it would brand the state as anti-technology even as it’s set to host the world’s largest biotech conference this spring.
    Article

    A Few States Buck Stem Cell Trend with Bans
    Days after President Barack Obama lifted limits on federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research this month, the Oklahoma Republican state representative introduced a bill that would make much of such work illegal in his state.
    Article

    Canada’s Private-sector Biotechnology R&D Troubled
    Peter Brenders has never seen it this bad. When the man who represents some of the enterprising companies in biotechnology looks at Canada’s private-sector research and development, the picture that emerges is bleak and demoralizing.
    Article

    Embryonic Stem Cell Research Bill Dies in New Mexico House
    The New Mexico House of Representatives defeated legislation today that would have legalized the use of embryonic stem cell research in the state.
    Article

    Stem Cell Register to Be Held in City
    A register of donors’ stem cells will appear in St. Petersburg by 2012, it was announced this week.
    Article

    Business

    Roche, Securing Genentech, Focuses on Integrating Biotech’s Scientists
    Having all but clinched a $46.8 billion deal to acquire the rest of Genentech Inc., Roche Holding AG faces a potentially bigger challenge: How to integrate and squeeze value out of the pioneering California-based biotech firm without killing it.
    Article

    Roche Acquires innovatis AG to Complement Its Product Portfolio in the Rapidly Growing Area of Cellular Analytics 
    Roche recently announced that it has signed a definite agreement under which Roche will acquire 100% of innovatis, a provider of automated cell analysis solutions.
    Article

    The Western Pennsylvania Hospital Joins Prominent Group of Cancer Centers Exploring New Therapy for Leukemia and Lymphoma Patients
    The Western Pennsylvania Hospital and the Gamida Cell – Teva Joint Venture announced recently that the hospital is now enrolling patients to participate in the ExCell study.
    Article

    MultiCell Technologies Signs Liver Stem Cell R&D Agreement To Develop Products for the Study of Liver Cancer
    MultiCell Technologies, Inc. announced recently that it has entered into a cooperative research and development agreement with Maxim Biotech, Inc. to develop products for the study of liver stem cells and liver cancer.
    Article

    Cenix BioScience Follows Up Successful RNAi-based Target Discovery Screens with Target Validation Study for AstraZeneca.
    Cenix BioScience GmbH, a leading RNA interference-focused contract research organization, recently announced that it has initiated a second research project under its existing framework research agreement with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies.
    Article

    Battered Miller Group Consoled by 54m Pound Edinburgh Deal as Land bank Writedown Hits Results
    The Edinburgh-based company Miller Group will announce that it has won the deal to build the first phase of the £600m Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the bioquarter being developed in Little France on the outskirts of the city.
    Article

    Stem Cell Researcher Stemgent Raises $14M
    Stemgent Inc. raised a $14 million Series A round this month, just as President Barack Obama has reversed the federal government’s restrictions on embryonic stem cell funding.
    Article

    San Francisco State, Other Schools Get Stem Cell Grants
    California’s stem cell agency has approved $17.5 million in grants to San Francisco State and 10 other state universities to train young scientists in embryonic stem cell technology.
    Article

    International Stem Cell Corporation Receives Third $1M Tranche under a $5 Million Financing
    International Stem Cell Corporation has received the third $1 million tranche of an anticipated private equity financing of up to $5 million to be funded over the next several months.
    Article

    Stem Cell Therapy International Inc. Announces Bridge Financing Obtained
    Stem Cell Therapy International Inc. announced recently that the Company has obtained short term financing, enabling the Company to update and finalize the merger between Stem Cell Therapy International, Inc. and the Histostem Corporation, Ltd.
    Article

    Rockefeller Receives New $4.8 Million State Grant to Fund Stem Cell Research
    Rockefeller University will receive $4.8 million from the state to establish new facilities for studying the molecular basis of how stem cells are maintained and how they differentiate.
    Article

    NuGEN Introduces WT-Ovation(TM) One-Direct RNA Amplification System For Whole-Transcriptome Expression Analysis From a Single Cell
    NuGEN Technologies, Inc announced recently that it has launched the first RNA amplification system enabling whole-transcriptome gene expression analysis from a single cell.
    Article

    Patent Office Shows Tougher Stance on “Evergreening”
    The rate of patent applications refused in Europe has risen to an all time high, as authorities target “evergreening” of intellectual property.
    Article

    NIH

    NIH Announces the Availability of Recovery Act Funds for Administrative Supplements (NOT-OD-09-056)
    Link

    NIH Announces the Availability of Recovery Act Funds for Competitive Revision Applications (NOT-OD-09-058)
    Link

    Extension of Expiration Date for PA-07-277, PA-06-367, and PA-06-368 Research on Ethical Issues in Human Subjects Research (NOT-OD-09-062)
    Link

    NIH Fiscal Policy for Grant Awards FY 2009 (NOT-OD-09-066)
    Link

    Announcing the FY 2009 NIH Directors Bridge Awards (NOT-OD-09-068)
    Link

    Salary Limitation on Grants, Cooperative Agreements, and Contracts (NOT-OD-09-069)
    Link

    Notice of Legislative Mandates in Effect for FY2009 (NOT-OD-09-070)
    Link

    The Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 Makes the NIH Public Access Policy Permanent (NOT-OD-09-071)
    Link

    CBER

    Public Workshop: Clinical Trials Endpoints for Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation – 5/19/2009
    Link

    Current Licensed Establishments and Products; Listed by Product
    Link

    Current Licensed Establishments and Products; Alphabetical List of Licensed Establishments
    Link

    Draft Guidance for Industry and FDA Staff: User Fees and Refunds for Premarket Approval Applications
    Link

    Regulatory

    FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (United States)

    FDA Commish To Employees: Keep Quiet or Else!
    Frank Torti, the acting FDA commissioner, has an important message for all agency employees – you won’t make a peep if you know what’s good for you.
    Article

    Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997: Modifications to the List of Recognized Standards, Recognition List Number: 021
    Link

    Blood Products Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting
    Link

    Biotest Tango Automated Blood Bank Analyzer;  Urgent Instruction Correction
    Link

    MEDICINES AND HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS REGULATORY AGENCY (United Kingdom)

    Interim UK Regulatory Route Map for Stem Cell Research and Manufacture
    Link


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