Cord Blood News Volume 3.16 | Apr 28 2011

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    Cord Blood News 3.16, April 28, 2011

         In this issue: Science News | Current Publications | Industry News | Policy News | Events
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    TOP STORY

    Alternative Donor Transplantation: Results of Parallel Phase II Trials using HLA-Mismatched Related Bone Marrow or Unrelated Umbilical Cord Blood Grafts
    The Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network conducted two parallel multi-center phase II trials for individuals with leukemia or lymphoma and no suitable related donor. These multicenter studies confirm the utility of unrelated double umbilical cord blood and Haplo-marrow as alternative donor sources and set the stage for a multicenter randomized clinical trial to assess the relative efficacy of these two strategies. [Blood]

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    CURRENT PUBLICATIONS (Ranked by Impact Factor of the Journal)

    STAT3-Dependent IL-21 Production from T Helper Cells Regulates Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Homeostasis
    Researchers demonstrated that hematopoietic progenitor cell activity is decreased in mice with STAT3-deficient T cells, a phenotype that is not due to decreased expression of IL-17 or RORγt. [Blood]

    Alemtuzumab with Fludarabine and Cyclophosphamide Reduces Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease After Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation for Acquired Aplastic Anemia
    Researchers evaluated a novel alemtuzumab-based conditioning regimen in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for acquired severe aplastic anemia. [Blood]

    Novel Measurements of Mammary Stem Cells in Human Umbilical Cord Blood as Prospective Predictors of Breast Cancer Susceptibility in Later Life
    The positive association between measurable breast and hematopoietic stem cells in human umbilical cord blood suggests plausible mechanisms for a prenatal influence on breast cancer risk. [Ann Oncol]

    Red Blood Cells from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: Hurdles and Developments
    The most proliferative source of stem cells for generating cultured red blood cells is the cord blood, but this source is limited in terms of hematopoietic stem cells and dependent on donations. [Curr Opin Hematol]

    CD11b and CD27 Reflect Distinct Population and Functional Specialization in Human Natural Killer Cells
    Nearly all natural killer (NK) cells from peripheral blood are CD11b+ CD27− populations whereas NK cells from cord blood have CD11b+ CD27− and CD11b+ CD27+ populations. [Immunology]

    Factors Influencing the Outcome of a Second Autologous Stem Cell Transplant (ASCT) in Relapsed Multiple Myeloma: A Study from the British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation Registry
    Second ASCT in relapsed multiple myeloma is associated with superior OS and PFS compared to conventional chemotherapy, offering a potential consolidative option for selected patients. [Biol Blood Marrow Transplant]

    Humanized Substitutes for Animal Sera in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Culture and Differentiation
    This study investigates the use of two ‘human-derived’ supplements, namely human platelet lysate and umbilical cord blood serum, in human mesenchymal stem cell culture. [Cell Biol Int]

    Successful Neutrophil Engraftment by Reduced Use of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation with Mycophenolate Mofetil for Graft-Versus-Host Disease Prophylaxis
    Researchers compared the clinical outcomes between a standard dose (SD) fixed at 300 μg per day and a high dose (HD) of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). While time to neutrophil engraftment was not different in the HD and SD groups in patients receiving cord blood transplantation (CBT, 20 vs. 17.5 days, P = 0.243) or bone marrow transplantation (BMT, 11 vs. 10 days, P = 0.227), there seemed to be an increased risk of developing acute GVHD in the HD group with CBT (20 vs. 0%, P = 0.073) and BMT (57 vs. 24%, P = 0.165). [Int J Hematol]

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    INDUSTRY NEWS
    Tarix Pharmaceuticals Enrolls First Patient in Phase I Clinical Study of TXA127 in Adult Patients Following Double Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplant
    Tarix Pharmaceuticals announced enrollment of the first patient in a Phase I clinical study of TXA127, a pharmaceutical grade formulation of a naturally occurring peptide known to stimulate early hematopoietic precursor cells in the bone marrow. The study will evaluate the safety of TXA127 following double cord blood stem cell transplant in adult patients with hematological cancers. [PR Newswire]

    Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells
    ATCC (American Type Culture Collection) now offers a complete solution to successfully grow normal human primary mesenchymal stem cells derived from human umbilical cord matrices (Wharton’s Jelly) — invaluable tools used for research studies that include developmental biology, regenerative medicine, cell therapy, and tissue engineering. [Drug Discovery & Development]

    California Ponders Cell-Banking Venture
    The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is holding a trio of meetings to consider funding induced pluripotent stem cell banking projects. [NatureNews]

    ThermoGenesis Announces China Customer Implements Cord Blood Products
    ThermoGenesis Corporation said BoyaLife, a major stem cell bank in China, has become the largest operating cord blood banking organization in the country to commit to the implementation of its AXP® AutoXpress™ (AXP) and BioArchive® Systems used to process and store stem cells from cord blood. [ThermoGenesis Corporation Press Release]

    Cord Blood America Announces News on Stock Split
    Cord Blood America, Inc. announced that its shareholders have approved an amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation effecting a reverse stock split. [Cord Blood America, Inc. Press Release]

    Public Stem Cell Bank Halts Operations for Want of Moolah
    The country’s first public stem cell bank has stopped accepting cord blood donations. After processing and storing stem cells from cord blood of 569 women since February 2009, Jeevan Stem Cell Bank has put its operations on hold owing to lack of funds. [The Times of India]

    POLICY NEWS
    National Institutes of Health (United States)

    Food and Drug Administration (United States)

    Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

    European Medicines Agency (European Union)

    Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

    Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

    EVENTS

    NEW Keystone Symposia: Changing Landscape of the Cancer Genome
    June 20-25, 2011
    Boston, United States

    NEW Stem Cells USA & Regenerative Medicine Congress
    September 12-15, 2011
    Boston, United States

    NEW American Association for Cancer Research: Tumor Microenvironment Complexity: Emerging Roles in Cancer Therapy
    November 3-6, 2011
    Orlando, United States

    NEW American Association for Cancer Research International Conference New Horizons in Cancer Research: Biology to Prevention to Therapy
    December 13-16, 2011
    Gurgaon, India

    Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the cord blood community.

    JOB OPPORTUNITIES

    Implementation Coordinator – Maternity Leave Contract (STEMSOFT Software Inc.)

    Lab Technologist – Human Embryonic and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (STEMCELL Technologies)

    Quality Assurance Manager – Program in Children’s Regenerative Medicine (The University of Texas Medical School at Houston)

    Supervisor Cell Therapy Laboratory – Cord Blood Bank (The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center)

    Supervisor Cell Therapy Lab (The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center)

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