Cell Therapy News Volume 16.32 | Aug 24 2015

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    Issue 16.32 August 24, 2015
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    Publications | Reviews | Science | Policy | Business | NIH | CBER | Regulatory | Events | Jobs

     
    TOP STORY
    MRI Scanners Can Steer Tumor Busting Viruses to Specific Target Sites within the Body
    Researchers found magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners can non-invasively steer cells, which have been injected with tiny super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, to both primary and secondary tumor sites within the body. This targeted approach is extremely beneficial for patients as it dramatically increases the efficiency of treatment and drug doses could potentially be reduced – helping to alleviate side effects. [Press release from The University of Sheffield discussing online publication in Nature Communciations] Press Release | Abstract
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    PUBLICATIONS (Ranked by impact factor of the journal)
    Human Engineered Heart Muscles Engraft and Survive Long-Term in a Rodent Myocardial Infarction Model
    Scientists assessed the transport stability, long term survival, structural organization, functional benefits, and teratoma risk of engineered heart muscle in a chronic myocardial infarction model. [Circ Res] Abstract

    Porous Nanofibrous Poly(L-Lactic Acid) Scaffolds Supporting Cardiovascular Progenitor Cells for Cardiac Tissue Engineering
    Researchers developed the technology to induce cardiovascular progenitor cells derived from mouse embryonic stem cells towards desired cardiomyocytes as well as smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells. [Acta Biomater] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

    Engineered Composite Fascia for Stem Cell Therapy in Tissue Repair Applications
    Scientists describe a composite, laser micromachined, collagen-alginate construct containing human mesenchymal stem cells for tissue repair applications. Collagen type I was fashioned into laminated collagen sheets to form a mechanically robust fascia that was subsequently laser micropatterned with pores of defined dimension and spatial distribution as a means to modulate mechanical behavior and promote tissue integration. [Acta Biomater] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

    In Vivo Effects of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Two Patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
    Researchers performed a detailed analysis of the immunomodulatory properties and proteomic profile of mesenchymal stromal cells systemically administered to two patients with severe refractory acute respiratory distress syndrome on a compassionate use basis and attempted to correlate these with in vivo anti-inflammatory actions. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract

    Chorion Mesenchymal Stem Cells Show Superior Differentiation and Immunosuppressive and Angiogenic Potential Comparison with Haploidentical Maternal Placental Cells
    Investigators analyzed the biological characteristics of haploidentical mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated from fetal sources, including the umbilical cord and chorion, compared with maternal decidua MSCs. Immunosuppressive capacity was assessed by the inhibition of T-cell proliferation, and angiogenic potential was evaluated in a Matrigel transplantation assay. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract

    TGF-β1 Suppresses Inflammation in Cell Therapy for Intervertebral Disc Degeneration
    Scientists explored the effects of TGF-β1 during bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells-based therapy for disc degeneration. MRI analysis revealed significant recovery of signal intensity in the degenerative discs of rabbits receiving cells transplantation than receiving cells treated with a TGF-β1 inhibitor or saline. [Sci Rep] Full Article

    Reductively Responsive Hydrogel Nanoparticles with Uniform Size, Shape, and Tunable Composition for Systemic siRNA Delivery In Vivo
    Researchers report reductively responsive hydrogel nanoparticles with highly uniform size and shape for systemic siRNA delivery in vivo. “Blank” hydrogel nanoparticles with high aspect ratio were prepared using continuous particle fabrication based on particle replication in non-wetting templates. [Mol Pharm] Abstract

    Identification of Apoptosis-Related MicroRNAs and Their Target Genes in Myocardial Infarction Post-Transplantation with Skeletal Myoblasts
    The authors explored the cardioprotection by skeletal myoblasts (SkMs) in infracted rats and determined cardiac functions at four weeks. In addition, they compared the expression profiles of microRNAs and mRNAs in post-myocardial infarction rats with or without SkM cell therapy using microarray. [J Transl Med] Full Article

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    REVIEWS
    Integrative Utilization of Microenvironments, Biomaterials and Computational Techniques for Advanced Tissue Engineering
    The authors present a review of the benefits of microfluidic devices, biomaterial, and computational methods in the case of tissue engineering and regeneration medicine. [J Biotechnol] Abstract

    Virus-Specific T Cell Therapy in Solid Organ Transplantation
    The authors review the current state of T cell therapy as therapeutic option for virus-associated diseases against the background of the most common viral complications and their standard treatment regimens after solid organ transplantation. [Transpl Int] Abstract

    Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the cell, gene and immunotherapy research fields.

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    SCIENCE NEWS
    Transgene Announces Oral Presentation on TG4010 Cancer Immunotherapy at World Conference on Lung Cancer
    Transgene S.A. announced that results, including more mature overall survival data, from the Phase IIb part of the Phase IIb/III TIME trial with its immunotherapy candidate TG4010 in non-small cell lung cancer, will be presented. [Press release from Transgene S.A. discussing research to be presented at the 16th World Conference on Lung Cancer, Denver] Press Release

    Advaxis and MedImmune Commence Enrollment in Phase I/II Study of Axalimogene Filolisbac (ADXS-HPV) in Combination with Durvalumab (MEDI4736) for the Treatment of HPV-Associated Cancers
    Advaxis, Inc. and MedImmune announced that enrollment has commenced in a Phase I/II clinical trial of ADXS-HPV, Advaxis’s investigational Lm Technology™ immunotherapy, in combination with MedImmune’s investigational anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, durvalumab, for the treatment of patients with advanced, recurrent or refractory human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cervical cancer and HPV-associated head and neck cancer. [Advaxis, Inc.] Press Release

    IBC’s Cell Therapy Bioprocessing & Commercialization meeting

     
    POLICY
    A for Effort, C for Impact from U.S. Biomedical Research, Study Concludes
    Productivity in the biomedical sciences has exploded in the past 50 years in the United States and globally, with more than a million papers now published each year by an even larger number of scientists. Yet dramatic growth in funding and knowledge has not been matched by a similar impact on U.S. public health. [ScienceInsider]
    Editorial | Report

    Faked Peer Reviews Prompt 64 Retractions
    A leading scientific publisher has retracted 64 articles in ten journals, after an internal investigation discovered fabricated peer-review reports linked to the articles’ publication. Berlin-based Springer announced the retractions in a statement. [Nature News] Editorial | Statement

    Greek Bailout Set to Free Up Research Funds
    The Greek Parliament and the European Council of Ministers both approved the third bailout of Greece’s current economic crisis. That, along with slight improvements in the country’s financial liquidity, clears the way for the release of two large chunks of research money, says Costas Fotakis, the Greek research minister. [Nature News] Editorial

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    BUSINESS
    AstraZeneca and Peregrine Pharmaceuticals to Collaborate on Immuno-Oncology Combination Clinical Trial
    AstraZeneca and Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that they have entered into a cancer immunotherapy clinical trial collaboration. The collaboration will evaluate Peregrine’s investigational phosphatidylserine-signaling pathway inhibitor, bavituximab, in combination with AstraZeneca’s investigational anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, durvalumab. [Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release

    Biogen, the ALS Association and Columbia University Medical Center Collaborate to Drive Understanding of Genetic Influence in ALS
    Biogen, the ALS Association and Columbia University Medical Center announced a new collaboration to better understand the differences and commonalities in the ALS disease process and how genes influence the clinical features of the disease. [Biogen] Press Release

    Avita Medical Announces New Research Partnership with the University’s Institute of Skin Integrity and Infection Prevention
    Avita Medical Ltd. announced that it has forged a partnership with the University of Huddersfield to explore the mechanism of Regenerative Epithelial Suspension – from Avita’s ReCell® device – to better understand its ability to effectively treat burns, hard-to-heal wounds and skin trauma. [University of Huddersfield] Press Release

    Janus Biotherapeutics Enters Collaboration with Roche in Autoimmune Diseases
    Janus Biotherapeutics announced that they have entered into a collaboration with Roche for the development of a small molecule toll-like receptor inhibitor with the potential to address several autoimmune diseases. [Janus Biotherapeutics, Inc. (PR Newswire Association LLC)] Press Release

    $52 Million NIH Grant Advances Clinical and Translational Research at UC San Diego
    The Clinical and Translational Research Institute at University of California, San Diego has received a five-year Clinical and Translational Science Award for approximately $52 million from the National Center for Advancing Translational Science, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). [UC San Diego Health] Press Release

    Horae Oriental Endows Gene Therapy Center at UMass Medical School with $2 Million Gift
    The Gene Therapy Center at UMass Medical School has received a $2 million endowment from the Horae Oriental Shenzhen Investment Company. In recognition of the gift, the Gene Therapy Center has been named the Horae Gene Therapy Center. [UMass Medical School] Press Release

    UH Case Medical Center Investigating Adult Stem Cells for Sports Injuries
    University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center’s Dr. James Voos, head team physician for the Cleveland Browns, outlined details about a pilot trial using mesenchymal stem cell therapies in patients and athletes. [University Hospitals Case Medical Center] Press Release

    ImmunoCellular Therapeutics Issues Letter to Shareholders, Highlighting Progress on Advancing ICT-107 to Phase III Registrational Trial
    ImmunoCellular Therapeutics would like to highlight the progress they are making as ICT-107 advances toward initiation of a registrational Phase III trial in newly diagnosed glioblastoma and they build the stem-to-T cell platform to create their future pipeline. [ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd.] Press Release

    Argos Therapeutics Awarded Patent for Its Experimental Individualized Immunotherapy for the Treatment of HIV Infection
    Argos Therapeutics Inc. announced that it has been issued U.S. Patent No. 9,085,807 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The issued claims relate to the company’s AGS-004 product, which is currently being evaluated in an investigator initiated Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of HIV infection. [Argos Therapeutics Inc.] Press Release

    Pluristem Granted U.S. Patent for Production Methods and Use of Placental Cell Therapy in a Range of Indications
    Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued to the company patent #9,096,827 titled “Adherent Cells From Placenta Tissue and Use Thereof in Therapy.” [Pluristem Therapeutics Inc.] Press Release

     
    NIH
    National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences: Notice of Meetings (FR Doc. No: 2015-20450)

     
    CBER
    Rare Diseases: Common Issues in Drug Development Guidance for Industry

     
    REGULATORY
    Food and Drug Administration (United States)

    Designating Additions to the Current List of Tropical Diseases in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FR Doc. No: 2015-20554)

     
    EVENTS
    NEW 3rd Annual Cell Culture & Bioprocessing Asia Congress 2015
    October 15-16, 2015
    Singapore, Singapore

    Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the cell, gene and immunotherapy community.

     
    JOB OPPORTUNITIES
    NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – HMGA Chromatin Remodeling Proteins in Cancer and Stem Cell Biology (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

    Senior Research Technician (Qu Biologics Inc.)

    Postdoctoral Fellow Position – Genome Editing, Synthetic Biology, and Cell Evolution and Engineering (University of California – Irvine)

    Research Associate – Cell Biology (Editas Medicine)

    Senior Research Associate (Editas Medicine)

    Postdoctoral Fellow – Biotechnology (Qu Biologics Inc.)

    Cell Biology Lab Manager (Harvard Apparatus Regenerative Technology)

    Science Writer – Cardiovascular Regeneration (Houston Methodist Research Institute)

    PhD Studentship – Veterinary and Animal Sciences (University of Milan)

    Postdoctoral Research Associate – Breast Stem Cell Biology (University of Miami Miller School of Medicine)

    Aseptic Manufacturing Associate (Lonza Biologics, Inc.)

    Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell Biology (INSERM)


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