Cell Therapy News Volume 7.29 | Jul 31 2006

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    Volume 7.29, July 31, 2006
         In this issue: Science | Policy | Business | NIH | CBER | Regulatory
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    Top Stories

    Clinical Use Embryonic Stem Cells Made in Singapore: Four ‘safe’ embryonic stem-cell lines, which have been made from scratch specifically for clinical use, made their debut this week.
    Article

    Science

    University of California, Los Angeles Researchers Transform Stem Cells Found in Human Fat Into Smooth Muscle Cells
    The study is one of the first to show that stem cells derived from adipose tissue can be changed to acquire the physical and biochemical characteristics, as well as the functionality, of smooth muscle cells.
    Article

    Duke Scientists Discover Key to Growing New Stem Cells
    Scientists at Duke University Medical Center have demonstrated they can grow human stem cells in the laboratory by blocking an enzyme that naturally triggers stem cells to mature and differentiate into specialized cells.
    Article

    New Human Stem Cells Set To Speed Up Drug Discovery
    Stem Cell Sciences have announced the in-licencing of a novel human stem cell, called the human multi-potent adipocyte-derived stem (hMADS) cell. Discovered in fat tissue and easily grown, hMADS show great promise as biologically relevant cells to improve drug discovery.
    Article

    University of Florida Scientists Test Improved Gene Therapy Method for Hereditary Heart Conditions
    A new way of delivering corrective genes with a single injection into a vein holds promise for long-lasting treatments of hereditary diseases of the heart.
    Article

    TissueGene Initiates Phase I Clinical Trial with TG-C
    The study aims to assess safety and pharmacokinetics of TG-C for the treatment of degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis.
    Article

    ViaCell Announces Completion Of CB001 Phase I Clinical Trial
    The Phase I clinical trial is a safety study of CB001 using stem cells that have been isolated from umbilical cord blood and expanded using ViaCell’s proprietary expansion technology.
    Article

    German Biopharmaceutical Company, co.don(R) AG Enhances its Product Portfolio
    For the first time worldwide, a hip cartilage defect was successfully treated by using autologous 3-dimensional cultured chondrocytes (co.don chondrosphere(R)).
    Article

    Genitope Hammered on Study Setback
    A data safety monitoring board recommends continuation of MyVax(R) Personalized Immunotherapy Phase 3 trial after second interim analysis.
    Article

    Disgraced Scientist Says He Tried to Clone Mammoth
    Disgraced scientist Hwang Woo-suk denied Tuesday that he had spent research funds for personal use and said part of the money was used in failed attempts to clone mammoths, extinct relatives of today’s elephants.
    Article

    Equine Science Sells Longevity
    An experimental therapy developed at the Royal Veterinary College in London allows for the “regrowth” of tendons.
    Article

    ABSTRACTS, REVIEWS & SPECIAL REPORTS

    Embryonic Pig Pancreatic Tissue Transplantation for the Treatment of Diabetes
    In this study, researchers examined the growth potential, functionality, and immunogenicity of pig embryonic pancreatic tissue harvested at different gestational ages.
    Abstract

    Policy

    Britain Allows Lab to Recruit Stem Cell Egg Donors
    A British research institute will be allowed to recruit women having fertility treatment to donate eggs for stem cell research and therapeutic cloning.
    Article

    European Union Extends Stem Cell Research Funding with Limitations
    The European Union will continue to fund human embryonic stem cell research that does not involve human cloning or destroying embryos.
    Article

    Business

    BioLife Solutions Expands Executive Team
    BioLife Solutions Inc., a developer, manufacturer, and marketer of proprietary cryopreservation solutions for cells and tissue storage and preservation at low temperatures, announced it has named veteran medical technology executive Michael Rice as its president and chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors.
    Article

    Biotech Heads Skeptical After Meeting with California Stem Cell Institute
    Some area biotech executives who met with California’s stem cell research institute in San Francisco acknowledge they are nervous about getting involved with the $3 billion program. The institute faces two constitutionality lawsuits that have delayed issuance of bonds needed to finance the program, and some executives say a possible requirement to share profits might discourage companies from participating.
    Article

    New Survey Shows Golden State is Magnet for Stem Cell Researchers
    One of the promises made by proponents of Proposition 71 was that it would turn California into a Mecca for stem-cell research. According to a new study from Princeton University, this promise is starting to come true.
    Article

    Stem Cell Bank Opens
    The world’s largest family newborn stem cell bank was launched by the Cord Blood Registry.
    Article

    CalbaTech, Inc. Announces Launch Date For Stem Cell Microbank(TM)
    CalbaTech, Inc., an emerging life sciences company concentrating on banking adult stem cells for possible future therapeutic uses and providing products and platforms to the biotech, pharmaceutical research market and to academic institutions, has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, LifeStem, Inc. will begin operations of its Adult Stem Cell Microbank(TM) collection service on August 15th 2006.
    Article

    Stage Set for World-Leading Stem Cell Research Centre
    The Wellcome Trust has announced funding of £10 million to establish an international centre of excellence in fundamental stem cell research at the University of Cambridge.
    Article

    Ottawa Stem Cell Researchers Benefit from $7-Million Donation
    An Ottawa-born investor has made a $7-million donation to stem cell researchers at the Ottawa Hospital.
    Article

    NIH

    Selection of Funding Opportunities Related to Exfoliated Cells and Circulating DNA in Cancer Detection and Diagnosis (NOT-CA-06-034)
    Link

    Regulatory

    Food and Drug Administration (United States of America)

    Blood Products Advisory Committee Charter – Updated
    Link

    Cellular, Tissue and Gene Therapies Advisory Committee Charter – Updated
    Link

    Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee Charter – Updated
    Link

    CBER FY 2005 Annual Report
    Link

    Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Bar Code Label Requirement for Human Drug and Biological Products
    Link

    FDA Announces Plan to Strengthen Advisory Committee Processes
    Link

    Warning Letter – Oklahoma Blood Institute Institutional Review Board
    Link

    Ministry of Health (China)

    China Regulates Stem Cell Collection, Transplantation
    China’s Ministry of Health has outlined new requirements concerning stem cell collection and transplants, banning profits from illegal stem cell transplantation.
    Article

    ISCT

    For more information on the Somatic Cell Therapy Symposium, see www.celltherapysociety.org.

    AABB-ISCT Cellular Therapy Audioconference Series
    Link

    European branch of the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT-Europe) and German Society for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology (DGTI) Joint meeting “Regulatory Framework for Advanced Medicinal Products in Europe”
    Link

    Profiled Journal

    Volume 15, Supplement 1

    ISMETT INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON REGENERATIVE MEDICINE

    CONTENTS

    Introduction
    Bruno Gridelli

    End-Stage Organ Failure: Will Regenerative Medicine Keep Its Promise?
    Fabio Triolo and Bruno Gridelli

    Tissue Engineering and the Challenges Within
    Sara L. Wargo, Thangappan Ravi Kumar, and Alan J. Russell

    Development of Composite Porous Scaffolds Based on Collagen and Biodegradable Poly(ester urethane)urea
    Jianjun Guan, John J. Stankus, and William R. Wagner

    The Use of Extracellular Matrix as an Inductive Scaffold for the Partial Replacement of Functional Myocardium
    Stephen F. Badylak, Paul V. Kochupura, Ira S. Cohen, Sergey V. Doronin, Adam E. Saltman, Thomas W. Gilbert, Damon J. Kelly, Ronald A. Ignotz, and Glenn R. Gaudette

    Growth Factor Enhancement of Cardiac Regeneration
    Nadia Rosenthal, Maria Paola Santini, and Antonio Musarò

    Stem Cell Therapy for Ischemic Heart Disease: Beginning or End of the Road?
    Christof Stamm, Andreas Liebold, Gustav Steinhoff, and Dirk Strunk

    Wound Healing in the Biliary Tree of Liver Allografts
    A. J. Demetris, Paulo Fontes, John G. Lunz, III, Susan Specht, Noriko Murase, and Amadeo Marcos

    Flexible Lineage Specifications of Adult Hepatic Cells, Associated Molecular Pathways, and Their Relationship to Liver Cancer
    George K. Michalopoulos

    Towards the Development of a Pediatric Ventricular Assist Device
    Harvey S. Borovetz, Stephen Badylak, J. Robert Boston, Carl Johnson, Robert Kormos, Marina
    V. Kameneva, Marwan Simaan, Trevor A. Snyder, Hiro Tsukui, William R. Wagner, Joshua Woolley, James Antaki, Chenguang Diao, Stijn Vandenberghe, Bradley Keller, Victor Morell, Peter Wearden, Steven Webber, Jeff Gardiner, Chung M. Li, Dave Paden, Bradley Paden, Shaun Snyder, Jingchun Wu, Gill Bearnson, John A. Hawkins, Gordon Jacobs, John Kirk, Pratap Khanwilkar, Peter C. Kouretas, James Long, and R. E. Shaddy

    Is Facilitating Pancreatic Beta Cell Regeneration a Valid Option for Clinical Therapy?
    Massimo Trucco

    Protein Transduction: A Novel Approach to Induce In Vitro Pancreatic Differentiation
    Juan Domínguez-Bendala, Ricardo L. Pastori, Camillo Ricordi, and Luca Inverardi

    Bioreactors for Extracorporeal Liver Support
    Jörg C. Gerlach

    Hepatocyte Transplantation: Clinical Experience and Potential for Future Use
    Stephen C. Strom, Paolo Bruzzone, Hongbo Cai, Ewa Ellis, Thomas Lehmann, Keitaro Mitamura, and Toshio Miki

    The Regenerative Potential of Stem Cells in Acute Renal Failure
    Marina Morigi, Ariela Benigni, Giuseppe Remuzzi, and Barbara Imberti

    Vascular Tissue Engineering
    Chiara Arrigoni, Davide Camozzi, and Andrea Remuzzi

    Abstracts

    Cell Transplantation publishes original, peer-reviewed research and review articles on the subject of cell transplantation and its application to human diseases. To ensure high-quality contributions from all areas of transplantation, separate section editors and editorial boards have been established. Articles deal with a wide range of topics including physiological, medical, preclinical, tissue engineering, and device-oriented aspects of transplantation of nervous system, endocrine, growth factor-secreting, bone marrow, epithelial, endothelial, and genetically engineered cells, among others. Basic clinical studies and immunological research papers are also featured. To provide complete coverage of this revolutionary field, Cell Transplantation will report on relevant technological advances, and ethical and regulatory considerations of cell transplants.