Cord Blood News Volume 2.26 | Jul 15 2010

The Impact of Anti-HLA Antibodies on Unrelated Cord Blood Transplantations
Researchers investigated the impact that patients’ pre-transplantation anti-HLA antibodies have on the outcome of cord blood transplantations. [Blood]

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Protein That Predicts Prognosis of Leukemia Patients May Also Be a Therapeutic Target
Researchers have identified a protein, called Musashi 2, that is predictive of prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia patients. [Press release from the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research discussing online prepublication in Nature Medicine]

Stem Cell Transplantation of Therapy-Resistant Chronic Leukemia Successful
Allogeneic stem cell transplantation offers the chance of cure for patients with an aggressive form of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), irrespective of genetic prognostic factors and the prior course of the disease. [Press release from EurekAlert! discussing online prepublication in Blood]

USF Issued Patent for Technology to Improve Treatment for Neurodegenerative Diseases
The University of South Florida’s (USF) Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair has been granted a patent for a cell transplantation procedure combining human umbilical cord blood cells and mannitol that may make a big difference in treating life-threatening neurodegenerative diseases. [University of South Florida Press Release]

Artificial Blood Developed for the Battlefield
Scientists have made blood from hematopoietic stem cells from discarded human umbilical cords, which are turned into large quantities of red blood cells by a method called “blood pharming” that mimics the functions of bone marrow. [PhysOrg]

Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation Provides Durable Disease Control in Poor-Risk Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Long-Term Clinical and MRD Results of the GCLLSG CLL3X Trial
Allogeneic stem cell transplantation for poor-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia can result in long-term minimal residual disease-negative survival in up to half of the patients independent of the underlying genomic risk profile. [Blood]

An In Vivo Model of Double Unit Cord Blood Transplantation That Correlates with Clinical Engraftment
Unit dominance is an in vivo phenomenon likely associated with a graft-versus-graft immune interaction mediated by CD34^neg cells. [Blood]

Effect of Parity on Fetal and Maternal Microchimerism: Interaction of Grafts Within a Host?
Observations suggest that interactions occur among naturally acquired grafts and are of interest in light of recent observations of graft-graft interaction resulting in predominance of one unit in double-unit cord blood transplantation and the correlation of maternal microchimerism with the effect of non-inherited maternal HLA antigens. [Blood]

Absence of P-Selectin in Recipients of Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation Ameliorates Experimental Graft Versus Host Disease
Researchers conclude that targeting P-selectin may be a viable strategy for graft versus host disease prophylaxis or treatment. [J Immunol]

Umbilical Cord Blood T Cells Respond Against the Melan-A/MART-1 Tumor Antigen and Exhibit Reduced Alloreactivity as Compared with Adult Blood-Derived T Cells
The observed properties of umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived CD8+ T cells could contribute to the reduced incidence of graft versus host disease and heightened incidence of opportunistic infections observed following UCB transplant. [J Immunol]

Impact of Viable CD45 Cells Infused on Lymphocyte Subset Recovery After Unrelated Cord Blood Transplantation in Children
Considering the ratio viable CD45+ cells/collected total nucleated cell, the “immune recovery based” threshold corresponds to a higher cell dose than the minimum usually recommended dose for myeloid engraftment. This may have important implication for unrelated cord blood selection. [Biol Blood Marrow Transplant]

Comparison Between Short-Term Response and Long-Term Outcomes After Initial Systemic Treatment of Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease
Results suggest that early response to agents currently used for primary treatment does not necessarily predict subsequent tolerance, an important endpoint in the management of chronic GVHD. [Biol Blood Marrow Transplant]

MicroRNA-146: Tiny Player in Neonatal Innate Immunity?
Researchers investigated for the first time whether microRNA-146 family (miR-146a/b) plays a regulatory role in human monocytes derived from infant cord or adult blood, and whether differences in miRNA-146 expression exist. [Neonatology]

Cord Blood America Moving Forward with Major International Acquisitions
Cord Blood America, Inc. announced that all preliminary due diligence is now complete for the acquisition of controlling interest in BioCells, Inc. [Cord Blood America Press Release]

Roche and IBM Collaborate to Develop Nanopore-Based DNA Sequencing Technology
Roche and IBM announced an agreement to develop a nanopore-based sequencer that will directly read and decode human DNA quickly and efficiently. [Roche Press Release]

Stem Cells Offer Hope in Cerebral Palsy Battle
Researchers have begun a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-authorized random clinical trial to see if cord blood stem cells have the ability to cure or lessen spastic cerebral palsy in children aged 1 to 6. [Triangle Business Journal]

ChemGenex and U.S. FDA Agree on Potential Regulatory Pathway for OMAPRO™
ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited announced it has agreed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a potential regulatory path to progress OMAPRO™ (omacetaxine mepesuccinate) for the treatment of patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. [ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited Press Release]

SPRYCEL® (dasatinib) Receives FDA Priority Review for the Treatment of Adult Patients with Newly Diagnosed Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in Chronic Phase
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing and review the supplemental New Drug Application for SPRYCEL® (dasatinib) for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase. [Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Press Release]

Threshold Pharmaceuticals Initiates a Clinical Trial Evaluating TH-302 in Patients With Advanced Leukemias
Threshold Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that it has initiated a Phase I clinical trial of TH-302 in patients with advanced leukemias. [Threshold Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Press Release]

Phase III Meeting Scheduled with FDA Following Positive Results of Bone Marrow Regeneration Trial
Mesoblast Limited announced that based on positive results from its bone marrow transplant clinical trial, conducted at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, a formal meeting has been scheduled with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss a proposed Phase III clinical trial program. [Mesoblast Limited Press Release]

Kiadis Pharma receives IND approval from FDA to start pivotal clinical trial with ATIR™
Biopharmaceutical Company Kiadis Pharma announced that it has received approval for its Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start the pivotal clinical study for its product ATIR™ in the United States. [Kiadis Pharma Press Release]

NIH Expands National Network for Transforming Clinical and Translational Research
Nine health research centers have received funds to develop ways to reduce the time it takes for clinical research to become treatments for patients. The funds were awarded as part of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards program which is led by the National Center for Research Resources. [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Bioethics Council Hears Pleas for More Oversight of Synthetic Biology
A presidential bioethics commission took up a burning new issue in science: the risks and benefits of synthetic biology. [Bioethics Council, United States]

Harold Varmus Sworn in as National Cancer Institute’s 14th Director
Nobel Prize winner Harold E. Varmus, M.D., took the oath of office to become the National Cancer Institute’s 14th director. [National Cancer Institute, United State]

Berwick Appointed to Head CMS Without Senate Vote
Pediatrician Donald Berwick, MD, a leading advocate of patient safety and quality improvement in healthcare, became the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) without a bruising Senate confirmation process. [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, United States]

Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission Elects Margaret Conn Himelfarb as Chair
The Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission announced that it has elected Margaret Conn Himelfarb as chair and Bowen P. Weisheit, Jr. as vice chair. [Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission, United States]

Genetic Testing Clamp Down
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has told five genetic test manufacturers that their products need the agency’s blessing before they can be sold to consumers. [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Britain Delays Controversial Assessment Scheme for Research
Britain’s new science minister made good a manifesto pledge when he announced that the coalition government would delay for one year the implementation of the controversial Research Excellence Framework, a system of assessing university departments for the distribution of funding. [Ministry of Universities and Science, United Kingdom]

MHRA Annual Report and Accounts 2009/10
The Annual Report and Accounts give a selective overview of the events that have had most impact on the Agency during the past year, highlighting the landmark events and the safety issues the Agency has had to deal with, including the rise and global spread of pandemic influenza H1N1. [Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, United Kingdom]

Spanish Science Spending Lockdown
Spain’s science and innovation minister said that research funding will be “frozen or minimally reduced” as a result of government-wide austerity measures. [Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain]

Clinical Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee (CLIAC); Notice of Meeting [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States]

Request for Information (RFI) on the National Institutes of Health Plan to Develop the Genetic Testing Registry; Notice [National Institutes of Health, United States]

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering; Notice of Closed Meeting [National Institutes of Health, United States]

EVENTS

Select Biosciences 3rd Annual Stem Cells Europe Conference
August 24-25, 2010
Edinburgh, Scotland

Select Biosciences World Biobanking Summit
August 24-25, 2010
Edinburgh, Scotland

Select Biosciences Inaugural Cellular Therapy Summit
August 24-25, 2010
Edinburgh, Scotland

International Society for Cellular Therapy – Europe 2nd Regional Meeting
September 11-14, 2010
Belgirate, Italy

Stem Cells USA & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2010
September 13-15, 2010
Philadelphia, United States

Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) – Asia Pacific 2010
September 15-17, 2010
Sydney, Australia

International Society for Hematology and Stem Cells (ISEH) 2010 Meeting
September 15-18, 2010
Melbourne, Australia

AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks) Annual Meeting & Cellular Therapy and Transfusion Medicine Expo (CTTXPO) 2010
October 9-12, 2010
Baltimore, United States

Institute for Genomic Medicine Inaugural Symposium
October 11-12, 2010
San Diego, United States

Fraunhofer Life Science Symposium Leipzig 2010
October 29-30, 2010
Leipzig, Germany

World Cord Blood Congress
November 4-7, 2010
Marseille, France

Select Biosciences 2nd International Forum on Stem Cells (2010 IFSC)
November 12-13, 2010
Tianjin, China

52nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition
December 4-7, 2010
Orlando, United States

Select Biosciences 5th Annual Stem Cells World Congress
January 24-25, 2011
San Diego, United States

Visit our events page to stay up to date with the latest events in the cell, gene and immunotherapy community.

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