Cell Therapy News Volume 15.07 | Feb 24 2014

Efficacy and Toxicity Management of 19-28z CAR T Cell Therapy in B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Researchers report on 16 patients with relapsed or refractory B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia that they treated with autologous T cells expressing the 19-28z chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) specific to the CD19 antigen. [Sci Transl Med] Abstract | Press Release

Cyclin A2 Induces Cardiac Regeneration after Myocardial Infarction through Cytokinesis of Adult Cardiomyocytes
The authors report that delivery of the Cyclin A2 (CCNA2) gene to infarcted porcine hearts invokes a regenerative response. They used a catheter-based approach to occlude the left anterior descending artery in swine, which resulted in substantial myocardial infarction. A week later, they performed left lateral thoracotomy and injected adenovirus carrying complementary DNA encoding CCNA2 or null adenovirus into peri-infarct myocardium. [Sci Transl Med] Abstract | Press Release

Scaffold-Mediated Lentiviral Transduction for Functional Tissue Engineering of Cartilage
Scientists demonstrated that scaffold-mediated gene delivery of transforming growth factor β3, using a 3D woven poly(ε-caprolactone) scaffold, induced robust cartilaginous extracellular matrix formation by human mesenchymal stem cells. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Press Release

Stem Cell Therapy and Curcumin Synergistically Enhance Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury
The transplantation of stem cells is a promising treatment strategy for spinal cord injury. In order to facilitate functional recovery, investigators employed stem cell therapy alone or in combination with curcumin, a naturally-occurring anti-inflammatory component of turmeric, which potently inhibits NF-κB. [PLoS One] Full Article

Effective Expansion of Engrafted Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells in Bone Marrow of Mice Expressing Human Jagged-1
Researchers generated non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency/IL-2 receptor gamma chain null mice expressing human Jagged1 (hJ1) in an osteoblast-specific manner to examine whether Notch signaling induced by hJ1 mediates human hematopoietic stem cell proliferation and/or maintenance in mice. [Exp Hematol] Abstract

Adipose Stem Cells Used to Reconstruct 13 Cases with Cranio-Maxillofacial Hard-Tissue Defects
Autologous adipose tissue was harvested from the anterior abdominal wall, and adipose-derived stem cells were cultured, expanded, and then seeded onto resorbable scaffold materials for subsequent reimplantation into hard-tissue defects. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract | Press Release

Lgr5-Positive Supporting Cells Generate New Hair Cells in the Postnatal Cochlea
The authors showed that supporting cells, which surround hair cells in the normal cochlear epithelium, differentiate into new hair cells in the neonatal mouse following ototoxic damage. Using lineage tracing, they showed that new hair cells, predominantly outer hair cells, arise from Lgr5-expressing inner pillar and third Deiters cells and that new hair cell generation is increased by pharmacological inhibition of Notch. [Stem Cell Rep]
Full Article | Graphical Abstract | Press Release

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Cellular Biomedicine Group Announces Updated Results from Phase I/IIa Clinical Trial for ReJoin^TM Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis (KOA)
Cellular Biomedicine Group, Inc. announced updated analysis of its Phase I/IIa clinical trial for human adipose-derived mesenchymal precursor cell (haMPC) therapy for KOA, which tests the safety and efficacy of intra-articular injections of autologous haMPCs in order to reduce inflammation and repair damaged joint cartilage. [Press release from GlobeNewswire, Inc. discussing research presented at the New York Stem Cell Summit (NYSCS), New York City] Press Release

Blow to Researchers as England Delays Medical Data Sharing
A massive scheme to create an England-wide database of medical records, which has been heavily supported by many research groups, has been delayed amid concerns from patients and controversy over how they can opt out. [Nature News] Editorial

Duke Physician-Scientist to Lead U.S. Institute of Medicine
The next president of the U.S. National Academies’ Institute of Medicine will be Victor Dzau, a physician-scientist who is now chancellor of health affairs at Duke University. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

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Novartis Expands Cancer Immunotherapy Research Program with Acquisition of CoStim
Novartis announced that it is broadening its cancer immunotherapy research program with the acquisition of CoStim Pharmaceuticals Inc., a privately held biotechnology company focused on harnessing the immune system to eliminate immune-blocking signals from cancer. [Novartis AG] Press Release

Barts Health Leads Largest Ever Adult Stem Cell Heart Attack Trial
Doctors at The London Chest Hospital have administered the first patient’s own stem cells in the world’s largest-ever trial of adult stem cell therapy in heart attack patients. Patients admitted to the hospital, run by Barts Health NHS Trust, will be among the first of 3,000 individuals involved in the Europe-wide trial to test whether administering a patient’s own stem cells shortly after a heart attack will prolong life. [Barts Health NHS Trust] Press Release

Cesca Therapeutics and Cook Medical Enter Supply Agreement for a Phase Ib Clinical Trial
Cesca Therapeutics Inc. announced that they have entered a supply agreement with Cook Medical. Under the terms of the agreement, Cook Medical has been chosen as the supplier for select delivery device products for the AMIRST (Acute Myocardial Infarction Rapid Stem cell Therapy) Phase Ib trial set to begin later this calendar year. [GlobeNewswire, Inc.] Press Release

New Phase IIa Trial in the United States and Phase III Trial in Kazakhstan Study the Use of CardioCell’s Ischemia-Tolerant Mysenchymal Stem Cells Therapy for Treating Acute Myocardial Infarction
CardioCell LLC announced two new clinical trials using its allogeneic stem-cell therapy to treat subjects with acute myocardial infarction, a problem facing more than 1.26 million Americans annually. [CardioCell LLC]
Press Release

California Stem Cell Announces U.S. FDA Approval of Phase II Cancer Stem Cell Clinical Trial for Ovarian Cancer
California Stem Cell, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Company’s application to begin a Phase II clinical trial exploring the potential of a patient-specific cancer immunotherapy in women with Stage III or IV ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer. [California Stem Cell, Inc.] Press Release

Key European Patent Granted for Use of Mesoblast’s Mesenchymal Precursor Cells in Cardiac and Vascular Conditions
Mesoblast Limited announced that it has been granted a key patent by the European Patent Office covering its proprietary adult mesenchymal precursor cells for use in the treatment of cardiac and vascular conditions. [Mesoblast Limited] Press Release

Pluristem Receives Key 3D Cell Expansion Patent in Australia
Pluristem Therapeutics, Inc. announced it has been granted a new patent by the Australian Patent Office. Patent #2007228341 covers the method and composition of matter for three-dimensional (3D) expansion of placental or adipose stromal cells, Pluristem’s key technology platform. [Pluristem Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

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Postdoctoral Position – Cardiovascular Electrophysiology Research Involving Human ESC or iPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes (Stanford University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Hemostasis Gene Therapy (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia)

Postdoctoral Fellowships – Tissue Regeneration and Molecular Cell Engineering (MD Anderson Cancer Center)

Project Manager – Cell Therapy (University of California, Irvine)

Postdoctoral Position – Epigenetic Enzymes in Breast Cancer (University of Wisconsin – Madison)

Postdoctoral Position – Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (RUNMC)

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