If you or one of your family members has diabetes, I'm pretty sure that the recent news on stem cell transplantation providing a cure for Type 1 Diabetes (Type 1 DM) has you sitting upright and your full attention. I've had a lot of positive feedback on this news which has appeared in our newspapers here, from clients asking if this would be a cure resulting in an insulin independent life.
REASON FOR OPTIMISM
I think that the news is very positive and certainly its a start to demonstrating that it may be possible to modulate diseases originating from a malfunctioned immune system through a patient's autologous (own) stem cell transplant. This concept has been tested before, systemic lupus erythmatoses for example is a case which has resulted in patients remaining SLE free after stem cell transplantation. In the case of Type 1 DM, experimental stem cell transplantation conducted previously on mice yielded results which indicated the prevention of the disease.
STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION
It was based on these results* that the doctors Julio Voltarelli and colleagues from the Regional Blood Center, at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil decided to initiate the study on how stem cell transplantation might assist in halting the deterioration of pancreatic beta cell function in newly diagnosed patients (patients who have had the disease for a long time may not have any pancreatic beta cells left as the immune system would have destroyed them all).
SOURCE: PATIENT'S OWN ADULT STEM CELLS
The stem cells were the patient's own stem cells, mobilized from their bone marrow to the blood stream where they were collected. Then, they were prepared for transplantation by suppressing their immune system (a form of chemotherapy) and wiping out their existing circulating immune cells. The stem cells were then administered back into their bloodstream. The patients stayed in isolation for 2 weeks, which is a typical length of time for the immune system to kick start (using stem cells from others would have taken more than 2 months to have the same result, barring no rejection issues).
SELECTION IS KEY
I have to tell you that patient selection is key in every trial, as not any one procedure will benefit everyone. Disease, timing and response varies from patient to patient and the trick is trying to find patients with similar symptoms and baseline measurements, but yet with no other organ complications. 15 patients were selected out of 100 initally screened, and took place over almost 3 years between November 2003 and July 2006, with observation up til February this year at the Bone marrow transplantation unit of the School of Medicine at Ribeirao Preto(otherwise known as Brazil's California... nice!).
The patients were monitored and gradually reduced their need for injectable insulin. The interesting and exciting results were that 14 out of 15 patients were insulin-independent for lengths from 1 to 36 months, where the insulin free period was nearly 19 months.
The doctors are wondering whether the effect was due to a reprieve of the immune system on the pancreas (hence allowing the remaining beta cells to regenerate) or whether it was truly due to the immune system modulation, which allowed the pancreas cells to work, but eventually give up (organ under stress).
WHAT IF YOU HAD TO HAVE INJECTIONS EVERY DAY?
Whilst there have been those who have pointed out the lack of a control group, it is clear that at least for a short while, these type 1 DM patients experienced a time when insulin injections weren't a mealtime affair**.
*"Autologous Nonmyeloablative Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus."
Júlio C. Voltarelli, Carlos E. B. Couri, Ana B. P. L. Stracieri, Maria C. Oliveira, Daniela A. Moraes, Fabiano Pieroni, Marina Coutinho,Kelen C. R. Malmegrim, Maria C. Foss-Freitas, Belinda P. Simões, Milton C. Foss, Elizabeth Squiers, Richard K. Burt. JAMA. 2007;297:1568-1576. Vol. 297 No. 14, April 11, 2007.
** Quite a lot of us can't bear injections once a year, so compare that to several injections per day. Transplant specialists, get ready for the phonecalls.
ps. I do apologise that I haven't posted for a while... yes it has been really busy here at StemLife (in a good way) :)
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
StemLife's New Website and Good News For Women who have stored their Stem Cells
First and foremostly, I'd like to share with everyone that StemLife has recently launched a new website. Our web team has opted to refresh and update both pictures and information to enable company news and services to be accessed more easily. I'm sure that they'll be changing the photos and features from time to time, so please share it with all your friends and family.
StemLife- Malaysia's First Stem Cell Bank and Therapeutics Company for Babies and Adults
Access the site at www.StemLife.com
What about the WOMEN and their Stem Cells?
Well, I thought you might be interested in this article that I read in the Herald today. Apparently, scientists from the University of Pittsburgh have been studying the regenerative potential of stem cells obtained from females versus that from males. While they were investigating muscular dystrophy models in mice, the scientists noticed that the implantation of female stem cells led to significantly better recovery in the muscles than the male stem cells.
The scientist who made the finding, Dr. Bridget Deasy, postulates that the difference may be due to the different ways male and female cells respond to oxidative stress during the process of transplantation. Female cells may just survive the process better. This has a particular relevance to Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy because this genetic condition mainly affects boys and 1 in 3500 are born with the lifelong degenerative disease.
Further, this study might also provide some insights into the differences between men and women with regards to how either sex responds to ageing or disease. If female stem cells are more tolerant in transplant conditions, any stem cell company trying to grow them for mass use had better obtain female donors. And if a patient has a choice to obtain stem cells from a brother or a sister... well, it might be another good reason for Asian families to have girls too. Stronger stem cells :)
I'm wondering if anyone has done a study on all human transplants to date and found any correlation that might corroborate this finding in mice.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Adult Blood Stem Cells for Muscular Dystrophy
I've had some enquiries before about the use of stem cells to help patients with muscular dystrophy, but never as able to tell them very much. Now I've read that italian scientists from the Stem Cell Research Institute in Rome, have taken human adult stem cells from the bloodstream (much like what StemLife does presumably) and injected the stem cells into mice with muscular dystrophy.
What's interesting is that the scientists injected the cells intravenously into the dogs (young golden retreivers) and the cells circulated to regenerate the muscles of these dogs. Even more interesting was that the researchers proceeded further to obtain the blood cells of patients with muscular dystrophy, insert the correct gene (thereby sliencing the defective gene) and injected them into the mice. The result was that the cells made their way to the skeletal muscle and were able to partly regenerate the muscles.
This is really very interesting work and raises a few possibilities in my mind.
a) Can a muscular dystrophy patient use a younger patient's healthy stem cells and inject intravenously for the same effect?
b) How many cells might they need and would they need a really large stem cell dose to exhibit regeneration of the muscles?
c) Do the cells need to be autologous for effectivity in humans?
d) Any supplementary treatment to be administered?
The only way to really know -as in all research- is to give it a go because muscular dystrophy patients (depending on the severity) don't have time to wait.
I watched a movie entitled "Rory O'Shea was here" the other night (on satellite quite late) about two boys -one with cerebral palsy and the other with muscular dystrophy- about how they form a symbiotic relationship and eventually friendship. It was a moving and touching portrayal of people with the condition, their limitations, frustrations and will. I really enjoyed it and thought that it was well worth watching. Get your tissues ready.
If you'd like to know more about muscular dystrophy and how to recognize it, have a look at this site.
What's interesting is that the scientists injected the cells intravenously into the dogs (young golden retreivers) and the cells circulated to regenerate the muscles of these dogs. Even more interesting was that the researchers proceeded further to obtain the blood cells of patients with muscular dystrophy, insert the correct gene (thereby sliencing the defective gene) and injected them into the mice. The result was that the cells made their way to the skeletal muscle and were able to partly regenerate the muscles.
This is really very interesting work and raises a few possibilities in my mind.
a) Can a muscular dystrophy patient use a younger patient's healthy stem cells and inject intravenously for the same effect?
b) How many cells might they need and would they need a really large stem cell dose to exhibit regeneration of the muscles?
c) Do the cells need to be autologous for effectivity in humans?
d) Any supplementary treatment to be administered?
The only way to really know -as in all research- is to give it a go because muscular dystrophy patients (depending on the severity) don't have time to wait.
I watched a movie entitled "Rory O'Shea was here" the other night (on satellite quite late) about two boys -one with cerebral palsy and the other with muscular dystrophy- about how they form a symbiotic relationship and eventually friendship. It was a moving and touching portrayal of people with the condition, their limitations, frustrations and will. I really enjoyed it and thought that it was well worth watching. Get your tissues ready.
If you'd like to know more about muscular dystrophy and how to recognize it, have a look at this site.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Sports and Stem Cells
My cousin and I used to love wakeboarding and we did it every weekend off the coast of Singapore for almost a year when I lived there. The thing about wakeboarding which makes it a real impact sport, is the pull of the speedboat cutting through seawater, sliding out away from the wake at a sharp angle and slicing back in to use the wake as a ramp for a jump.
Depending on how you've positioned yourself before and during the jump, your landing could be very elegant and soft, or very, very hard and bruising. The worst is probably what's called a "face-plant" where you slam face first onto the surface of the water, and you would be lucky if all you got was the wind knocked out of you without too much injury.
Many of the wakeboarders (well, not so many 11 years ago...) used to sport some injury or another, and I recall my boat driver and instructor whose knee injury was so bad that he had to wear a brace permanently and stop wakeboarding, which he loved so much.
If I had his number now, I'd certainly convince him to store his own stem cells to treat his injured knee.
I believe that applications of stem cells in sports injuries will take centerstage in the near future, simply because there isn't that much out there which assures patients that they'll really be able to get back their full range of motion after serious damage. Apart from the excruciating pain and lengthy recovery period (my cousin hurt her knee once on the board and was out of action for months), injuries are often severe enough that full form is never quite regained and the sport loses its lustre.
ENOUGH ABOUT WAKEBOARDING WHAT ABOUT THE STEM CELLS?
I read this interesting article in the International Herald Tribune about how doctors and researchers are now promoting the storage of stem cells from the umbilical cord to use in tendon, ligament, muscle and ligament repair in the few years.
Estimated timeline?
"It's not a pie in the sky notion," said Dr. Scott Rodeo, an orthopedist and research scientist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. "Maybe it's not going to happen next year, but a three-to-five year horizon is not unreasonable."
Dr. Rodeo, who is the doctor for the New York Giants football team and former US Olympic team doctor, has apparently been conducting common injury trials which do not mend easily on rats, reconstructing knees, ligament and shoulder cuffs with stem cells.
Another strong endorsement for stem cell banking:
"If you have a child who has exceptional athletic talent at the age of 5 or 6, you might want to get a muscle or fat biopsy to draw and freeze some young stem cells," said Dr. Johnny Huard, director of the Stem Cell Research Center of the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and a leading gene therapy researcher. "To have a pool of stem cells already removed would be enormously valuable. The practical use might be years away, but that's the future of sports medicine."
Of course there are detractors to using stem cells as a treatment option, but frankly, if you've every played futsal or even fallen down the stairs and sprained your ankle in a life-limiting way, to me having an option is better then no option at all.
If you're a weekend athlete with an injury and would like to consider stem cell banking and therapy, please give us a call (603-2163 8800) and we'll be happy to make the arrangements for you*.
*No, you do not have to be pregnant to store your stem cells, StemLife offers Adult Stem Cell Banking for individuals who wish to use their own stem cells for their own treatment.
Depending on how you've positioned yourself before and during the jump, your landing could be very elegant and soft, or very, very hard and bruising. The worst is probably what's called a "face-plant" where you slam face first onto the surface of the water, and you would be lucky if all you got was the wind knocked out of you without too much injury.
Many of the wakeboarders (well, not so many 11 years ago...) used to sport some injury or another, and I recall my boat driver and instructor whose knee injury was so bad that he had to wear a brace permanently and stop wakeboarding, which he loved so much.
If I had his number now, I'd certainly convince him to store his own stem cells to treat his injured knee.
I believe that applications of stem cells in sports injuries will take centerstage in the near future, simply because there isn't that much out there which assures patients that they'll really be able to get back their full range of motion after serious damage. Apart from the excruciating pain and lengthy recovery period (my cousin hurt her knee once on the board and was out of action for months), injuries are often severe enough that full form is never quite regained and the sport loses its lustre.
ENOUGH ABOUT WAKEBOARDING WHAT ABOUT THE STEM CELLS?
I read this interesting article in the International Herald Tribune about how doctors and researchers are now promoting the storage of stem cells from the umbilical cord to use in tendon, ligament, muscle and ligament repair in the few years.
Estimated timeline?
"It's not a pie in the sky notion," said Dr. Scott Rodeo, an orthopedist and research scientist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. "Maybe it's not going to happen next year, but a three-to-five year horizon is not unreasonable."
Dr. Rodeo, who is the doctor for the New York Giants football team and former US Olympic team doctor, has apparently been conducting common injury trials which do not mend easily on rats, reconstructing knees, ligament and shoulder cuffs with stem cells.
Another strong endorsement for stem cell banking:
"If you have a child who has exceptional athletic talent at the age of 5 or 6, you might want to get a muscle or fat biopsy to draw and freeze some young stem cells," said Dr. Johnny Huard, director of the Stem Cell Research Center of the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and a leading gene therapy researcher. "To have a pool of stem cells already removed would be enormously valuable. The practical use might be years away, but that's the future of sports medicine."
Of course there are detractors to using stem cells as a treatment option, but frankly, if you've every played futsal or even fallen down the stairs and sprained your ankle in a life-limiting way, to me having an option is better then no option at all.
If you're a weekend athlete with an injury and would like to consider stem cell banking and therapy, please give us a call (603-2163 8800) and we'll be happy to make the arrangements for you*.
*No, you do not have to be pregnant to store your stem cells, StemLife offers Adult Stem Cell Banking for individuals who wish to use their own stem cells for their own treatment.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Stem Cells for John Plummer's Heart
More and more companies are moving into the US stem cell therapeutic arena, this is probably a good indicator that StemLife is moving in the right direction.
Here's an article that makes a few interesting points, with doctors making positive and strong statements that will lead the industry forward. The exciting thing about the stem cell industry is that it crosses the boundaries between healthcare and science and really seems to have convinced many physicians that this is really the way to go. Stem cell medicine makes gene therapy and other more technical innovations seem not only expensive, but very far away from reality and practicality.
Doctors at Vanderbilt University have led the way in the US to be the first few medical centers to perform stem cell therapy for stimulating regeneration of the heart muscle after heart attacks. Funded by a company called Amorcyte, the trial runs on for five years where the patients enrolled will be monitored on a yearly basis.
I thought the following points were worth noting:
a) Both Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine, Dr. Douglas Vaughan and Director of the Cardiac Cath Lab Dr. David Zhao were very positive about stem cell medicine.
Dr. Douglas Vaughan, had very positive comments to make about stem cell therapy saying that it had the potential to "transform the way we treat people with cardiac disease".
Dr. David Zhao was quoted as saying,"If we treat a patient rapidly, some may not have any damage at all, but for those who, despite all efforts, suffer damage to the heart muscle, we are studying the effects of this treatment in repairing the heart muscle."
b) the article notes that most stem cell work has been conducted in Europe and only recently commenced in the US
c) the patient, a 63 yr old Professor, is delightfully enthusiastic that he's undergoing the treatment
d) the stem cells harvested are delivered in exactly the same way as StemLife's current method
e) preliminary results seen within 3-6 months
f) lastly but certainly not leastly, full support and funding from government body NIH.
Quote from the patient:
"There are no guarantees," said Plummer. "It was the prospect of improvement - any improvement - that made it worth it. There are certain risks, but the prospect of the study proving to be valuable to others as well, all of those considerations made it seem like something I ought to do."
"I look at it this way. This is an improvement you would give almost anything to make. There is nothing more important than your general health."
Here's an article that makes a few interesting points, with doctors making positive and strong statements that will lead the industry forward. The exciting thing about the stem cell industry is that it crosses the boundaries between healthcare and science and really seems to have convinced many physicians that this is really the way to go. Stem cell medicine makes gene therapy and other more technical innovations seem not only expensive, but very far away from reality and practicality.
Doctors at Vanderbilt University have led the way in the US to be the first few medical centers to perform stem cell therapy for stimulating regeneration of the heart muscle after heart attacks. Funded by a company called Amorcyte, the trial runs on for five years where the patients enrolled will be monitored on a yearly basis.
I thought the following points were worth noting:
a) Both Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine, Dr. Douglas Vaughan and Director of the Cardiac Cath Lab Dr. David Zhao were very positive about stem cell medicine.
Dr. Douglas Vaughan, had very positive comments to make about stem cell therapy saying that it had the potential to "transform the way we treat people with cardiac disease".
Dr. David Zhao was quoted as saying,"If we treat a patient rapidly, some may not have any damage at all, but for those who, despite all efforts, suffer damage to the heart muscle, we are studying the effects of this treatment in repairing the heart muscle."
b) the article notes that most stem cell work has been conducted in Europe and only recently commenced in the US
c) the patient, a 63 yr old Professor, is delightfully enthusiastic that he's undergoing the treatment
d) the stem cells harvested are delivered in exactly the same way as StemLife's current method
e) preliminary results seen within 3-6 months
f) lastly but certainly not leastly, full support and funding from government body NIH.
Quote from the patient:
"There are no guarantees," said Plummer. "It was the prospect of improvement - any improvement - that made it worth it. There are certain risks, but the prospect of the study proving to be valuable to others as well, all of those considerations made it seem like something I ought to do."
"I look at it this way. This is an improvement you would give almost anything to make. There is nothing more important than your general health."
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Adult Stem Cell Education Video
Did you like the animated graphics in the video in the last entry? Here's another one by the same author on adult stem cells and what they can do. It's just as good as the previous video and I think its really worth watching it once or twice just to make sure you don't miss anything..
I particularly liked the depiction of stem cells in the bone marrow, how the stem cells form matured red blood cells and how they move into the bloodstream to perform their function in circulation. The narrator also made a good point about how stem cells are important to the body in replacement of lost tissue either due to wear and tear, or by medical damage (say treatment by radiotherapy or chemotherapy). Essentially, if your stem cells are totally destroyed, all the parts will wear down really fast; And if you have the choice to keep a small bank of replacement cells in the event that it does happen, wouldn't you do it?
Drop us a line if you'd like to get your own stem cell account- StemLife makes the process as pleasurable as possible.
Take it from me... I've already banked mine ;)
Turn your speakers on and press play.......
I particularly liked the depiction of stem cells in the bone marrow, how the stem cells form matured red blood cells and how they move into the bloodstream to perform their function in circulation. The narrator also made a good point about how stem cells are important to the body in replacement of lost tissue either due to wear and tear, or by medical damage (say treatment by radiotherapy or chemotherapy). Essentially, if your stem cells are totally destroyed, all the parts will wear down really fast; And if you have the choice to keep a small bank of replacement cells in the event that it does happen, wouldn't you do it?
Drop us a line if you'd like to get your own stem cell account- StemLife makes the process as pleasurable as possible.
Take it from me... I've already banked mine ;)
Turn your speakers on and press play.......
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Video on the Characteristics of Stem Cells
It isn't very often that one finds a good video explaining what stem cells are and what they do. I found this very short one on Youtube and found the graphics animation really quite impressive and visually stimulating. If you're a client of StemLife, I'd really like you to watch this and share this blog with your family and friends so that they can understand stem cells better.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Bill Spence- Heart Patient Improved with Adult Stem Cell Therapy
Given that heart disease is probably the number ONE lifestyle killer in all developed countries, it is thus highly appropriate that a fair number of entries are dedicated to the treatment of this expensive and progressive condition.
I've been following the Gary Schaer trial for a while now and been updating this blog on any new articles detailing the patients' progress. This latest article describes one of the thirty-three patients who has undergone stem cell therapy for his intense chest pain which is so bad that he is confined to his home and has no other viable conventional treatment options to explore (he's had 2 heart attacks, open heart surgery, a pacemaker and several stents inserted and takes more than 25 medications daily).
In the article, the patient tells us of what the pain is like:
Bill Spence, heart disease patient: "The pain starts in the chest, radiates through the back and up over the shoulder and down the arm."
The article also describes what the procedure performed on Mr. Spence, which is almost exactly like what StemLife is providing in Malaysia.
First, patients are injected with a drug that helps the body release stem cells. A special machine isolates the cells from their own blood. Doctors use this mapping system to inject the stem cells back into weak areas of the heart. The idea is to grow new blood vessels.
I was really pleased to see that in the pilot trial, more than 60% of patients reported less chest pain, which is significant as this could help them get back to doing the activities they enjoy independently. Furthermore, it could even mean that their health could take a turn and they could reduce their drug intake, saving healthcare industry funds to reach a wider audience that would otherwise be denied.
This is also StemLife's aim in making it affordable and accessible to all Malaysians and anyone with heart disease. We've also got some very good progress reports from our patients and look forward to helping put more patients back on their feet.
If you have heart disease or know someone who does -and would like to explore stem cell therapy- please don't feel shy to call us for a no obligations consult. Call us at +6012 2050 165 and ask to speak to one of our Adult Stem Cell Therapy team members. :)
I've been following the Gary Schaer trial for a while now and been updating this blog on any new articles detailing the patients' progress. This latest article describes one of the thirty-three patients who has undergone stem cell therapy for his intense chest pain which is so bad that he is confined to his home and has no other viable conventional treatment options to explore (he's had 2 heart attacks, open heart surgery, a pacemaker and several stents inserted and takes more than 25 medications daily).
In the article, the patient tells us of what the pain is like:
Bill Spence, heart disease patient: "The pain starts in the chest, radiates through the back and up over the shoulder and down the arm."
The article also describes what the procedure performed on Mr. Spence, which is almost exactly like what StemLife is providing in Malaysia.
First, patients are injected with a drug that helps the body release stem cells. A special machine isolates the cells from their own blood. Doctors use this mapping system to inject the stem cells back into weak areas of the heart. The idea is to grow new blood vessels.
I was really pleased to see that in the pilot trial, more than 60% of patients reported less chest pain, which is significant as this could help them get back to doing the activities they enjoy independently. Furthermore, it could even mean that their health could take a turn and they could reduce their drug intake, saving healthcare industry funds to reach a wider audience that would otherwise be denied.
This is also StemLife's aim in making it affordable and accessible to all Malaysians and anyone with heart disease. We've also got some very good progress reports from our patients and look forward to helping put more patients back on their feet.
If you have heart disease or know someone who does -and would like to explore stem cell therapy- please don't feel shy to call us for a no obligations consult. Call us at +6012 2050 165 and ask to speak to one of our Adult Stem Cell Therapy team members. :)
Monday, March 05, 2007
Pop! Goes My Heart... Stem Cells for Carrol Payne & Hugh Grant
I have two happy videos to share about hearts today.
The first one is about a firefighter, Carrol Payne, whose heart wasn't quite functioning as well anymore. He describes having a heart attack, being admitted to hospital and enrolling in a study to use stem cells as the treatment.
There were a few notable points in the article. Firstly, the doctor recommends extraction of the bone marrow stem cells between day 6-9 of the heart attack. This probably allows the infarcted area to settle down a little and ensure that the patient hasn't got further complications as a result of the heart attack. Secondly, that the bone marrow is extracted under local anaesthesia but there is no mention of how much in terms of volume. Thirdly, that the stem cells were sent to the lab, separated and re-infused using a catheter. The treating doctor, Dr. Quyyumi believes that the stem cells may help to regenerate the muscles of the heart and heal the blood vessels to recover the edges of the heart.
I am really pleased that the patient is feeling much better, we also see very similar results with StemLife's patients who are symptomatic and undergo peripheral stem cell harvesting and therapy (but with no surgery).
I'm looking to more of the work from Dr. Quyyyumi, although I know it isn't easy to organize as there is a fair amount of coordination required between patient, doctor, lab and every single member of hospital staff in between.
The second video is a one which I really enjoyed (showing my age here) but to truly appreciate it, you'll have to go watch this movie in the theatres called "Music and Lyrics" which stars Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. I won't reveal the story here but felt that the music video was re-creating a heart attack* and has a certain amount of relevance to our topic on stem cells.
Watch this youtube version (its hilarious) and maybe try singing along to the lyrics that I adjusted for this blog entry... but I'm no lyricist so tell me if you can come up with a better stem cell version :)
[VERSE 1]
I never thought that I could be in so much pain,
Everytime that I do a bit of exercise.
A squeeze inside me that words just can't describe,
And there's no explaining.
There's something that's disturbing my sleep, I can't deny,
Every pill to my lips is a lullaby.
Angioplasty makes life worth while,
I feel cold and shiver.
[CHORUS]
I said I wasn't gonna eat the bread, but then
POP! Goes my heart.
I wasn't gonna take my pills again, but then
POP! Goes my heart.
And I just can't live with thick blood flow,
I just don't have the feeling.
[VERSE 2]
These precious moments, I have so few,
Let me go to see StemLife, where they can get your stem cells today.
You show to me that my vessels are new,
And there's no explaining.
*Author's note: Hugh Grant's heart attack in the music video can be classified as a heart break which mimics a heart attack. Ever felt one before? Read more about heart break attacks here.
The first one is about a firefighter, Carrol Payne, whose heart wasn't quite functioning as well anymore. He describes having a heart attack, being admitted to hospital and enrolling in a study to use stem cells as the treatment.
There were a few notable points in the article. Firstly, the doctor recommends extraction of the bone marrow stem cells between day 6-9 of the heart attack. This probably allows the infarcted area to settle down a little and ensure that the patient hasn't got further complications as a result of the heart attack. Secondly, that the bone marrow is extracted under local anaesthesia but there is no mention of how much in terms of volume. Thirdly, that the stem cells were sent to the lab, separated and re-infused using a catheter. The treating doctor, Dr. Quyyumi believes that the stem cells may help to regenerate the muscles of the heart and heal the blood vessels to recover the edges of the heart.
I am really pleased that the patient is feeling much better, we also see very similar results with StemLife's patients who are symptomatic and undergo peripheral stem cell harvesting and therapy (but with no surgery).
I'm looking to more of the work from Dr. Quyyyumi, although I know it isn't easy to organize as there is a fair amount of coordination required between patient, doctor, lab and every single member of hospital staff in between.
The second video is a one which I really enjoyed (showing my age here) but to truly appreciate it, you'll have to go watch this movie in the theatres called "Music and Lyrics" which stars Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. I won't reveal the story here but felt that the music video was re-creating a heart attack* and has a certain amount of relevance to our topic on stem cells.
Watch this youtube version (its hilarious) and maybe try singing along to the lyrics that I adjusted for this blog entry... but I'm no lyricist so tell me if you can come up with a better stem cell version :)
[VERSE 1]
I never thought that I could be in so much pain,
Everytime that I do a bit of exercise.
A squeeze inside me that words just can't describe,
And there's no explaining.
There's something that's disturbing my sleep, I can't deny,
Every pill to my lips is a lullaby.
Angioplasty makes life worth while,
I feel cold and shiver.
[CHORUS]
I said I wasn't gonna eat the bread, but then
POP! Goes my heart.
I wasn't gonna take my pills again, but then
POP! Goes my heart.
And I just can't live with thick blood flow,
I just don't have the feeling.
[VERSE 2]
These precious moments, I have so few,
Let me go to see StemLife, where they can get your stem cells today.
You show to me that my vessels are new,
And there's no explaining.
*Author's note: Hugh Grant's heart attack in the music video can be classified as a heart break which mimics a heart attack. Ever felt one before? Read more about heart break attacks here.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Amelia Worth has passed away awaiting her Stem Cell Transplant
I blogged about Amelia's condition a while ago and was very sad to see this recent article published saying that she had passed away.
Apparently she won her fight to find a matching donor, but not in time for a the transplant to be performed. She had her chemotherapy, had an infection and succumbed in a coma.
For what its worth, I hope she was not in pain.
And I hope that people will consider banking their stem cells just in case they need it, not because I'm promoting the service but really because when you read stories like hers, you really wish that there was something that you could have done earlier. :(
Read the story here.
Apparently she won her fight to find a matching donor, but not in time for a the transplant to be performed. She had her chemotherapy, had an infection and succumbed in a coma.
For what its worth, I hope she was not in pain.
And I hope that people will consider banking their stem cells just in case they need it, not because I'm promoting the service but really because when you read stories like hers, you really wish that there was something that you could have done earlier. :(
Read the story here.
Monday, February 26, 2007
A new application for stem cells: FOOD FOR HUMANS
When I was at school in the UK (alas, many many years ago), I used to love writing short stories. Unfortunately, I no longer have the luxury of time to pursue this hobby.
Strange as it might sound, I won a school writing award for a story I submitted about harnessing biotechnology for food and the creation of transgenic animals for human health.
Admittedly at the time, I had read only very little about xenotransplantation or about food production, but my active teenage imagination took care of a lot of the details in the script. Without going into too many details about my short story, it somewhat resembles this article that I found on line, except that it includes my current favorite topic: stem cells.
I really thought the article was marvellous and have posted it here in its entirety. However, you could click on link just to check out the illustration that comes along with it.
Who needs animals? It's only a matter of time before lab-grown meat turns into the oink-less BLT
BY Ian Christe
It sounds like a sci-fi nightmare: giant sheets of grayish meat grown on factory racks for human consumption. But it's for real. Using pig stem cells, scientists have been growing lab meat for years, and it could be hitting deli counters sooner than you think.
Early attempts produced less-than-enticing results. Then, in 2001, scientists at New York's Touro College won funding from NASA to improve in vitro farming. Hoping to serve something, well, beefier than kelp on moon bases and Mars colonies, the scientists successfully grew goldfish muscle in a nutrient broth. And, in 2003, a group of hungry artists from the University of Western Australia grew kidney bean-size steaks from biopsied frogs and prenatal sheep cells. Cooked in herbs and flambéed for eight brave dinner guests, the slimy frog steaks came attached to small strips of fabric — the growth scaffolding. Half the tasters spit out their historic dinner. (Perhaps more significant, half didn't.)
Today, scientists funded by companies such as Stegeman, a Dutch sausage giant, are fine-tuning the process. It takes just two weeks to turn pig stem cells, or myoblasts, into muscle fibers. "It's a scalable process," says Jason Matheny of New Harvest, a meat substitute research group. "It would take the same amount of time to make a kilogram or a ton of meat." One technical challenge: Muscle tissue that has never been flexed is a gooey mass, unlike the grained texture of meat from an animal that once lived. The solution is to stretch the tissue mechanically, growing cells on a scaffold that expands and contracts. This would allow factories to tone the flaccid flesh with a controlled workout.
Lab-grown meat isn't an easy sell, but there could be benefits. Designer meat would theoretically be free of hormones, antibiotics, and the threat of mad cow disease or bird flu. Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins could be blasted into the mixture or dispersed through veins. Revolting? You bet, but have you ever visited a sausage factory? Currently costing around $100,000 per kilogram, a choice cut of lab meat makes Kobe beef seem like a bargain. But meat-processing companies hope to start selling affordable factory-grown pork in under a decade. Bon appétit.
If I can find that story I childishly wrote so long ago, maybe I'll post it and we can do a two decade double-take... strangely it doesn't take a whole generation for technology to catch up and make what you read in a book or saw on TV a reality.
Stem Cell technological application may be a lot wider than we currently know.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Viacell ABANDONS Cord Blood Stem Cell Expansion Program
IS IT ENOUGH?
Whilst many cord blood banks rather unscrupulously hype up the possibilities of stem cell expansion (in order to get clients to store whatever they have and believe in their technology), I've always asked the StemLife team to take a very careful view of the science and the practical realities*.
[As a side note, here in Malaysia cord blood banks claiming to compete with us - operate on the cheap using non-FDA approved storage systems- promote the usage of vials as a storage medium on the pretext that cells can be selectively taken one vial at a time for future expansion. Read on to see why this is a disingenuous marketing ploy...]
THE CHALLENGES OF EXPANSION
The reason why StemLife has taken a cautious approach towards the expansion technology are three fold.
Firstly, in order to expand stem cells, you'll need enough cells -the more the better- in the first place. As a crude analogy, you'll need enough lactobacilli to make yoghurt (too little and it will take too long, allowing other bacteria to destroy the process).
Secondly, sterile technique is absolutely critical; when you're growing the cells, you have to make sure that it contains only the cells that you're growing and nothing else. This requires not only human precision, expensive facilities and sterile reagents, but most importantly, the money to maintain everything in exactly this pristine sterile condition (many, many zeros in any currency).
Thirdly, knowledge of cellular morphology and function is also very important. No one I know would like to risk having cells injected into the heart forming liver or kidney tissue instead. This means identifying the cells and providing the assurance that the cells are indeed stem cells and nothing else.
Hence, any organization, private or public has to be prepared to have deep pockets and a lot of patience when venturing into this technology.
HOW DEEP ARE YOUR POCKETS?
I've been following Viacell's (VIAC) progress in this area for some time, not only because they were one of the first stem cell companies to announce their sincere interest and demonstrate their financial committment in this area, but also because I was kindly shown around their big and beautiful facilities two years ago in Boston.
It is unfortunate therefore to see this press release by Viacell on their decision to terminate the cord blood stem cell expansion project CB001 despite its apparent reported success but on the grounds that the process and product was unaffordable and commercially inviable due to other alternatives.
"What's the alternative?" I hear you ask. The reason why Viacell made the tough commercial decision to cut their losses was that the preferred methodology by transplanters in the US is a dual cord stem cell transplant (using 2 cord blood stem cell units instead of just 1). The results of the expanded product were as good as and in some ways slightly better in the initial trial, but I suspect that the cost did not justify only small improved outcomes. I would say that it was a wise commercial decision by Viacell, and an acknowledgement that what scientists dream and love to do, is not always feasible for clinical practice.
I learned this a long time ago when I was still in research, that what looks good on paper does not necessarily transform into a money spinner despite the winning ideas and long hours of toil.
A GOOD CEO KNOWS WHEN TO QUIT
By cutting the budget for this research and focusing on service improvements, Viacell expects to finally achieve profitability in 2008 for the first time since their listing a few years ago (this is probably also true of many of the other cord blood banks which have committed much of their funding to very costly research, sacrificing their bottom line).
"Given these results and the shift in the treatment paradigm in transplant medicine from single cord to two cord transplants, ViaCell has made the decision not to advance CB001 in future clinical trials. As a result of the reduced clinical and development costs related to CB001, along with anticipated continued growth in its operating business, ViaCell expects to become cash flow positive in the first half of 2008."
Now, Viacell intend to focus on cord blood stem cells for cardiac applications, which I think is probably more interesting and may pose less life-threatening consequences for patients.
"We are committed to continuing to grow our operating business, advancing ViaCyte(SM) through a pivotal clinical trial, which, if successfully developed, will leverage our sales and marketing infrastructure, and working to advance our cord blood-derived cardiac program," said Mr. Beer. "We are already generating cash flow within our ViaCord business and we anticipate continued growth in 2007. As a result, given our reduction in clinical and development costs related to CB001, we expect ViaCord's contributions to the overall operation will allow us to turn cash flow positive in the first half of 2008."
So if you are specifically told by any stem cell company that stem cell expansion technology is available today, they aren't lying, but don't forget to ASK them whether:
1. Your unit baby's cord blood unit has sufficient stem cells to be expanded,
2. Who's offering the service (full due diligence here) and how successful the treatments outcomes have been and what assurances they provide otherwise;
3. And, specifically at what cost.
STEMLIFE BELIEVES IN CHOICES
The way I read the cord blood stem cell tea leaves, if you banked a unit of stem cells and it is not enough, seek other matching units to combine with your own or consider joining StemLife's adult stem cell banking program.
We believe in continually providing affordable and accessible options to our clients... and making stem cell banking a more than once in a lifetime opportunity. :)
*We do not turn away clients who express their wish to proceed but provide them with a cautious advisory to indicate if the stem cell counts are below what we would normally expect. StemLife also provides a full refund for those clients who decide not to proceed to store, and we usually ask them to let us know when they'll be having the next baby (success second time round).
StemLife has a joint research project with the National University of Singapore at very initial stages which differs from Viacell's approach, you can read more about it here.
Whilst many cord blood banks rather unscrupulously hype up the possibilities of stem cell expansion (in order to get clients to store whatever they have and believe in their technology), I've always asked the StemLife team to take a very careful view of the science and the practical realities*.
[As a side note, here in Malaysia cord blood banks claiming to compete with us - operate on the cheap using non-FDA approved storage systems- promote the usage of vials as a storage medium on the pretext that cells can be selectively taken one vial at a time for future expansion. Read on to see why this is a disingenuous marketing ploy...]
THE CHALLENGES OF EXPANSION
The reason why StemLife has taken a cautious approach towards the expansion technology are three fold.
Firstly, in order to expand stem cells, you'll need enough cells -the more the better- in the first place. As a crude analogy, you'll need enough lactobacilli to make yoghurt (too little and it will take too long, allowing other bacteria to destroy the process).
Secondly, sterile technique is absolutely critical; when you're growing the cells, you have to make sure that it contains only the cells that you're growing and nothing else. This requires not only human precision, expensive facilities and sterile reagents, but most importantly, the money to maintain everything in exactly this pristine sterile condition (many, many zeros in any currency).
Thirdly, knowledge of cellular morphology and function is also very important. No one I know would like to risk having cells injected into the heart forming liver or kidney tissue instead. This means identifying the cells and providing the assurance that the cells are indeed stem cells and nothing else.
Hence, any organization, private or public has to be prepared to have deep pockets and a lot of patience when venturing into this technology.
HOW DEEP ARE YOUR POCKETS?
I've been following Viacell's (VIAC) progress in this area for some time, not only because they were one of the first stem cell companies to announce their sincere interest and demonstrate their financial committment in this area, but also because I was kindly shown around their big and beautiful facilities two years ago in Boston.
It is unfortunate therefore to see this press release by Viacell on their decision to terminate the cord blood stem cell expansion project CB001 despite its apparent reported success but on the grounds that the process and product was unaffordable and commercially inviable due to other alternatives.
"What's the alternative?" I hear you ask. The reason why Viacell made the tough commercial decision to cut their losses was that the preferred methodology by transplanters in the US is a dual cord stem cell transplant (using 2 cord blood stem cell units instead of just 1). The results of the expanded product were as good as and in some ways slightly better in the initial trial, but I suspect that the cost did not justify only small improved outcomes. I would say that it was a wise commercial decision by Viacell, and an acknowledgement that what scientists dream and love to do, is not always feasible for clinical practice.
I learned this a long time ago when I was still in research, that what looks good on paper does not necessarily transform into a money spinner despite the winning ideas and long hours of toil.
A GOOD CEO KNOWS WHEN TO QUIT
By cutting the budget for this research and focusing on service improvements, Viacell expects to finally achieve profitability in 2008 for the first time since their listing a few years ago (this is probably also true of many of the other cord blood banks which have committed much of their funding to very costly research, sacrificing their bottom line).
"Given these results and the shift in the treatment paradigm in transplant medicine from single cord to two cord transplants, ViaCell has made the decision not to advance CB001 in future clinical trials. As a result of the reduced clinical and development costs related to CB001, along with anticipated continued growth in its operating business, ViaCell expects to become cash flow positive in the first half of 2008."
Now, Viacell intend to focus on cord blood stem cells for cardiac applications, which I think is probably more interesting and may pose less life-threatening consequences for patients.
"We are committed to continuing to grow our operating business, advancing ViaCyte(SM) through a pivotal clinical trial, which, if successfully developed, will leverage our sales and marketing infrastructure, and working to advance our cord blood-derived cardiac program," said Mr. Beer. "We are already generating cash flow within our ViaCord business and we anticipate continued growth in 2007. As a result, given our reduction in clinical and development costs related to CB001, we expect ViaCord's contributions to the overall operation will allow us to turn cash flow positive in the first half of 2008."
So if you are specifically told by any stem cell company that stem cell expansion technology is available today, they aren't lying, but don't forget to ASK them whether:
1. Your unit baby's cord blood unit has sufficient stem cells to be expanded,
2. Who's offering the service (full due diligence here) and how successful the treatments outcomes have been and what assurances they provide otherwise;
3. And, specifically at what cost.
STEMLIFE BELIEVES IN CHOICES
The way I read the cord blood stem cell tea leaves, if you banked a unit of stem cells and it is not enough, seek other matching units to combine with your own or consider joining StemLife's adult stem cell banking program.
We believe in continually providing affordable and accessible options to our clients... and making stem cell banking a more than once in a lifetime opportunity. :)
*We do not turn away clients who express their wish to proceed but provide them with a cautious advisory to indicate if the stem cell counts are below what we would normally expect. StemLife also provides a full refund for those clients who decide not to proceed to store, and we usually ask them to let us know when they'll be having the next baby (success second time round).
StemLife has a joint research project with the National University of Singapore at very initial stages which differs from Viacell's approach, you can read more about it here.
Friday, February 23, 2007
StemLife wishes our chinese readers Happy New Year!
Hi Everyone!
Happy New Year to all our chinese readers who celebrate the festival! Its the 3rd day of Chinese New Year (CNY has 15 days) and the StemLife office is back in full force (we're open for clients 24 by 7 but our staff do celebrate certain festivities:)).
The team has decorated the office beautifully whilst I've been away. Here's a sample picture of how the team has decorated the plants in the office.
I've got some new entries I'd like to post and will get round to writing them this weekend. So check back for new information in a day or two.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Cord Blood Stem Cells Verdict: Same and Better than Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplants from Other Sources
In my conversation with many doctors, there is often a disbelief that cord blood stem cells can be used for successful transplantation. Although, I've been doing my very best to inform them that many adults have also been treated with cord blood stem cells, and that the applications are not limited to pediatric leukemias, I guess the detractors always get more attention for their comments than the published evidence.
Now, I'm happy to see this news published in the prestigious medical journal BLOOD* which states the results of a study conducted by researchers in Japan who compared the outcomes of patients with leukemia or lymphoma who underwent allogeneic stem cell transplants from either cord blood, peripheral blood or bone marrow.
The results were succinctly stated as follows:
At three years mortality related to treatment was 9% for those treated with umbilical cord transplants and 13% for those treated with bone marrow or peripheral blood transplants.
At three years relapses occurred in 17% for those treated with umbilical cord transplants and 26% for those treated with bone marrow or peripheral blood transplants.
At three years cancer-free survival was 70% for those treated with umbilical cord transplants and 60% for those treated with bone marrow or peripheral blood transplants.
For patients who were at a standard risk of developing a recurrence, cancer-free survival at three years was 93% for those treated with umbilical cord transplants and 85% for those treated with bone marrow or peripheral blood transplants.
For patients who were at a high risk of developing a recurrence, cancer-free survival at three years was 56% for those treated with umbilical cord transplants, compared with 45% for those treated with bone marrow or peripheral blood transplants.
GVHD was less frequent after umbilical cord transplants compared with bone marrow or peripheral blood transplants.
The researchers concluded that umbilical cord transplants provide results that are comparable to or better than those achieved with standard allogeneic stem cell transplants utilizing peripheral blood or bone marrow stem cells from a related donor.
These results provide additional evidence that the use of umbilical cord stem cells may be an effective alternative to an allogeneic stem cell transplant from an unrelated donor.
With these results, I'm hoping that haematologists will be considering cord blood stem cells as a source and option for patients equivalent terms, not just as a last resort as it is often currently viewed today. And, if all babies bank their own cord blood stem cells, this will avail them to those units as adults in the future**.
*Reference: Takahashi S, Ooi J, Tomonari A, et al. Comparative single-institute analysis of cord blood transplantation from unrelated donors with bone marrow or peripheral blood stem-cell transplants from related donors in adult patients with hematologic malignancies after myeloablative conditioning regimen. Blood. 2007;109:1322-1330.
**StemLife provides cord blood and adult stem cell banking services for individuals and families. If you've missed the cord blood stem cell banking service for your child, you can consider enrolling in our adult stem cell banking service. Do contact us if you'd like more information.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Giant Cartilage Weaving Stem Cell Machine
If you're into the whole bio-engineering scene or are planning to work in labs which create polymers for human regenerative use, this machine might interest you. Check out this cool photo of a giant stem cell scaffold weaving loom.
Our collaborators in the National University of Singapore have something like this in Prof. Seeram Ramakrishna's lab but I haven't had the privilege of seeing at work. Right now, they use it to spin the polymers made of gelatin and other organic substances but I don't think its for commercial application just yet.
Our collaborators in the National University of Singapore have something like this in Prof. Seeram Ramakrishna's lab but I haven't had the privilege of seeing at work. Right now, they use it to spin the polymers made of gelatin and other organic substances but I don't think its for commercial application just yet.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Malaysian Biotechnology Information Center
Congratulations to the Malaysian Biotechnology Information Center headed by Ms. Maha on the launch of the new logo yesterday!
I was kindly invited as a fellow scientific advisor to attend the launch yesterday morning at MARDI in Serdang and was delighted to see that there was a huge turnout for the event. There is no doubt in my mind that under Maha's leadership, that MABIC will make many in-roads where other larger organizations may find it difficult due to their affiliations.
If you'd like to know what's happening in the Biotechnology field from a non-governmental perspective, do check out MABIC's website.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Stem Cell News Updates- Hearts & Virgin & Astronauts...
I came back into the office this morning sporting a new flu bug and trying not to speak to anyone for fear that it might spread. Two bottles of anti-tussive Robitussin (manufactured locally by pharmaceutical manufacturer Pharmaniaga) and a whole tube of fizzy Redoxon later, the fever has fortunately been reduced to phlegmy obstruction in my eustachian tubes, nose and throat.
I have full confidence that my stem cells are kicking into overdrive to produce the necessary lymphocytes and leukocytes to do battle, as evidenced by the phlegm (cellular war debris and aftermath). :)
BATTLE AGAINST BREATHLESSNESS & PAIN
Anyway, I had a quick look at the recent news in the stem cell arena and saw another update on the Gary Schaer trial at Rush Medical Center's Cardiac Catheterization Lab using CD34+ cells for heart disease, where the objective is to "stimulate the growth of new blood vessels to bring more blood and oxygen to the heart muscle, so that these patients will have a better quality of life and less chest pain". One of the reasons why I highlight this clinical application is because one of the big brand names, Baxter, is helping to bring together two specialties- cardiology and hematology. No longer are CD34+ a code language for hematologists to use alone, but these cells have been perhaps overlooked or underestimated in their capacity to regenerate. Their results have been like ours, which is good news to reinforce our work- the treatment is well tolerated and patients report having less chest pain and improved exercise capacity.
Many doctors I speak with are afraid of cross specialties, largely because to properly understand it requires an extensive undertaking in time to read up on one's own, or to have to fork out a decent amount of time (+ money) to receive further training in the area. I understand the reluctance and agree somewhat that these are special interest areas and think that it should probably be left up to those who are keenly interested or have been specifically trained so that it can administered safely and ethically.
Having said that, I also believe that it is possible that doctors who are interested in this subject area but neither have the time nor money to pursue it as a specific interest area, are able to garner the expertise through collaborating with a specialist organization like StemLife. Unlike other companies who found the business attractive and believed they could replicate our work after reading our prospectus, it does take more than cash to ensure committment, energy and drive to fuel passion and continuous knowledge assimilation.
MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND?
Whilst we're on the topic of spending wads of cash, I also read about Sir Richard Branson's very PR-driven announcement of initiating a cord blood stem cell bank in the UK. From the BBC news site:
Virgin says its service is unique because it will offer a charitable element, allowing the NHS to use some of stem cells the company stores. Sir Richard explained: "We will take an individual's cord blood and we will divide it in two. "So, part of it will go into a national blood centre that anybody can get access to. And the other half will be put aside for the child." He said this should help particularly high risk ethnic groups who are prone to conditions that can be treated with stem cells but who may have difficulty finding well-matched cord blood.
I found this to be interesting on the ownership and ethical prospect. The idea is marvellous, semi-altruistic (except for the fact that parents still have to pay a fee) but leaves behind quite a number of questions in my mind which I wonder how they will resolve. Here's a few ones that spring immediately to mind:
Parents have to pay 1500 British Pounds or (RM 10,500) to store their stem cells in Virgin's bank.
1. So if it is divided in 2, who owns which half and does the parent have the first right of refusal if someone needs it but they wish not to donate?
2. How will they ensure that the cord blood collected will be sufficient to be divided in half? (volumes are highly variable)
3. Does the NHS have to pay Virgin for the use of the stem cells?
4. With this new company, will the NHS now permit Virgin to collect the cord blood in their trust hospitals or will be specific ones only? (see previous blogs)
5. If the unit is half used and the donor now needs it, can they get a replacement for free?
According to the Virgin press release on this topic, Professor Colin McGuckin and his Newcastle team are involved with Sir Richard on this project and are his advisors. If the cord blood stem cells can also be used for research, it would guarantee their facility an endless supply of cells to work with for stem cell expansion or treatment. I'm not against entrpreneurs wishing to start up stem cell banks, but I do think that if new models are being thought up, I'm keen to know how they are being thought through.
Okay, this is turning out to be a rather long blog entry so bear with me for the last bit which I feel brings everything round and round and round.
STEM CELLS & SPACE TRAVEL: CORD BLOOD INTO A NEW DIMENSION
It turns out that this article mentioned that Prof. Colin McGuckin (yes, him again) has been awarded a USD 1 million grant to determine the potential of growing new body tissues to replace tissue damaged or turned cancerous by space radiation, using his zero-gravity simulator. He plans to put adult stem cells derived from astronaut's blood in a zero-gravity bio-reactor and using a cocktail of stimuli (ie cytokines), instruct the cells to grow into liver or muscle or any other tissue. The aim being to provide NASA with the means for a replacement body part for every astronaut on their travel to another planet (maybe Mars in 2030 or Uranus in 2090?).
This is exciting because it negates the effect of time on the wear and tear of the body. If you are a Star trek fan (and I'm talking The Next Generation here), you'll remember that cool wand that Dr. Beverly Crusher uses whenever one of the crew is injured to stimulate healing in a total of 5 seconds. Must be a stem cell activation factor.
And there weren't too many lives that she couldn't save :)
I have full confidence that my stem cells are kicking into overdrive to produce the necessary lymphocytes and leukocytes to do battle, as evidenced by the phlegm (cellular war debris and aftermath). :)
BATTLE AGAINST BREATHLESSNESS & PAIN
Anyway, I had a quick look at the recent news in the stem cell arena and saw another update on the Gary Schaer trial at Rush Medical Center's Cardiac Catheterization Lab using CD34+ cells for heart disease, where the objective is to "stimulate the growth of new blood vessels to bring more blood and oxygen to the heart muscle, so that these patients will have a better quality of life and less chest pain". One of the reasons why I highlight this clinical application is because one of the big brand names, Baxter, is helping to bring together two specialties- cardiology and hematology. No longer are CD34+ a code language for hematologists to use alone, but these cells have been perhaps overlooked or underestimated in their capacity to regenerate. Their results have been like ours, which is good news to reinforce our work- the treatment is well tolerated and patients report having less chest pain and improved exercise capacity.
Many doctors I speak with are afraid of cross specialties, largely because to properly understand it requires an extensive undertaking in time to read up on one's own, or to have to fork out a decent amount of time (+ money) to receive further training in the area. I understand the reluctance and agree somewhat that these are special interest areas and think that it should probably be left up to those who are keenly interested or have been specifically trained so that it can administered safely and ethically.
Having said that, I also believe that it is possible that doctors who are interested in this subject area but neither have the time nor money to pursue it as a specific interest area, are able to garner the expertise through collaborating with a specialist organization like StemLife. Unlike other companies who found the business attractive and believed they could replicate our work after reading our prospectus, it does take more than cash to ensure committment, energy and drive to fuel passion and continuous knowledge assimilation.
MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND?
Whilst we're on the topic of spending wads of cash, I also read about Sir Richard Branson's very PR-driven announcement of initiating a cord blood stem cell bank in the UK. From the BBC news site:
Virgin says its service is unique because it will offer a charitable element, allowing the NHS to use some of stem cells the company stores. Sir Richard explained: "We will take an individual's cord blood and we will divide it in two. "So, part of it will go into a national blood centre that anybody can get access to. And the other half will be put aside for the child." He said this should help particularly high risk ethnic groups who are prone to conditions that can be treated with stem cells but who may have difficulty finding well-matched cord blood.
I found this to be interesting on the ownership and ethical prospect. The idea is marvellous, semi-altruistic (except for the fact that parents still have to pay a fee) but leaves behind quite a number of questions in my mind which I wonder how they will resolve. Here's a few ones that spring immediately to mind:
Parents have to pay 1500 British Pounds or (RM 10,500) to store their stem cells in Virgin's bank.
1. So if it is divided in 2, who owns which half and does the parent have the first right of refusal if someone needs it but they wish not to donate?
2. How will they ensure that the cord blood collected will be sufficient to be divided in half? (volumes are highly variable)
3. Does the NHS have to pay Virgin for the use of the stem cells?
4. With this new company, will the NHS now permit Virgin to collect the cord blood in their trust hospitals or will be specific ones only? (see previous blogs)
5. If the unit is half used and the donor now needs it, can they get a replacement for free?
According to the Virgin press release on this topic, Professor Colin McGuckin and his Newcastle team are involved with Sir Richard on this project and are his advisors. If the cord blood stem cells can also be used for research, it would guarantee their facility an endless supply of cells to work with for stem cell expansion or treatment. I'm not against entrpreneurs wishing to start up stem cell banks, but I do think that if new models are being thought up, I'm keen to know how they are being thought through.
Okay, this is turning out to be a rather long blog entry so bear with me for the last bit which I feel brings everything round and round and round.
STEM CELLS & SPACE TRAVEL: CORD BLOOD INTO A NEW DIMENSION
It turns out that this article mentioned that Prof. Colin McGuckin (yes, him again) has been awarded a USD 1 million grant to determine the potential of growing new body tissues to replace tissue damaged or turned cancerous by space radiation, using his zero-gravity simulator. He plans to put adult stem cells derived from astronaut's blood in a zero-gravity bio-reactor and using a cocktail of stimuli (ie cytokines), instruct the cells to grow into liver or muscle or any other tissue. The aim being to provide NASA with the means for a replacement body part for every astronaut on their travel to another planet (maybe Mars in 2030 or Uranus in 2090?).
This is exciting because it negates the effect of time on the wear and tear of the body. If you are a Star trek fan (and I'm talking The Next Generation here), you'll remember that cool wand that Dr. Beverly Crusher uses whenever one of the crew is injured to stimulate healing in a total of 5 seconds. Must be a stem cell activation factor.
And there weren't too many lives that she couldn't save :)
Monday, January 29, 2007
Encouraging Research Careers in Stem Cells
It's always nice to read about a young person's start in life, filled with passion and career goals, especially in the area of stem cell research and application (my favorite topic!).
Featured in the local paper the Star recently, was 28 year-old Tan Guak Kim from Kota Tinggi, Johor, who recently qualified with a Masters of Medical Science from University Malaya. She has proudly announced winning a full PhD scholarship from the Australian government to pursue her studies on cartilage regeneration in the University of Queensland.
Her work will be centered on (guess what!) scaffolding and biomaterial influence on stem cell differentiation to form cartilage cells. She says that she would like to perhaps start an institute in future which would teach others about stem cell work and provide arthritic applications.
Guak Kim, you're always welcome to give us a call when you're ready with an application. Or maybe just even when you're back in Malaysia for a vacation.
Well done also to all the other winners of the Endeavour award!
I have friends who studied with me in the UK and pursued their PhD programmes there. Scientific pursuit is a lot about having the community of friendly researchers who support each other and a strong funding program as research equipments and reagent are expensive. My friends have gone on to receive support, encouragement and generous funding from the UK governments to pursue their areas of interest, and I suspect sadly, won't be coming home anytime soon.
Featured in the local paper the Star recently, was 28 year-old Tan Guak Kim from Kota Tinggi, Johor, who recently qualified with a Masters of Medical Science from University Malaya. She has proudly announced winning a full PhD scholarship from the Australian government to pursue her studies on cartilage regeneration in the University of Queensland.
Her work will be centered on (guess what!) scaffolding and biomaterial influence on stem cell differentiation to form cartilage cells. She says that she would like to perhaps start an institute in future which would teach others about stem cell work and provide arthritic applications.
Guak Kim, you're always welcome to give us a call when you're ready with an application. Or maybe just even when you're back in Malaysia for a vacation.
Well done also to all the other winners of the Endeavour award!
I have friends who studied with me in the UK and pursued their PhD programmes there. Scientific pursuit is a lot about having the community of friendly researchers who support each other and a strong funding program as research equipments and reagent are expensive. My friends have gone on to receive support, encouragement and generous funding from the UK governments to pursue their areas of interest, and I suspect sadly, won't be coming home anytime soon.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Recent Stock Prices For Stem Cell Companies in the US & Malaysia
I haven't written much about the financial status of stem cell companies in this blog (it is dedicated to therapy mostly), but in the light of what I've been reading in some very well-read financial magazines, it is difficult to ignore that the better the company is funded and perceived by investors, the more recognition they are able to get for their products and services. This recognition then translates into greater awareness and acceptance by members of the public, which by using the company's services will generate more revenues and greater returns for investors.
STOCK UP 135% - ADULT STEM CELLS FOR BONES
In this month's Bloomberg Markets publication (February 2007, page 22) the first paragraph pretty much brings home the judgement of which stem cell companies are excelling and which are not. The article starts by praising Osiris Therapeutics*, a company focussing on adult stem cells which provides treatment for broken bones and joint therapies, as having taken the path of least resistance. Shares in Osiris recently rocketed up 135% to USD 25.82 in the space of 5 months after its initial public offering (IPO). I think the reason why investors are keen on this company is due to the generation of USD 2.5 million in revenue in the 3rd quarter.
NOT THERE YET- EMBRYONIC STEM CELL HURDLES
Contrast Osiris's stock performance with Geron -a company that focuses on developing embryonic stem cells for treatment in Alzheimer's- which for the year of 2006 rose only 9%. Geron is still in its product development phase and is planning to commence human clinical trials in 2007. Other companies which have also underperformed in 2006 stock price are Aastrom Biosciences and Cytori Therapeutics. Aastrom has had a few changes in top management since their inception (much as the business model may be sexy, savvy investors also look at leadership and team), whilst Cytori started off as Stemsource in California and is now trying to get its fat stem cell processing machine FDA approved.
ADULT STEM CELLS- NO DISPUTE
Amongst the financial community and medical community, there is no dispute about the rationale behind adult stem cell successes which certainly helps a company working on adult stem cells' stock performance. Firstly, U.S. President George Bush imposed funding restrictions on embryonic stem cell research from a moral and ethical perspective. Second, adult stem cells found in umbilical cord blood, bone marrow or peripheral blood has already been proven over the last few decades in medicine. Christopher Thomas Scott, executive director of the Program on Stem Cells in Society at Stanford University was quoted as saying "The companies that will emerge first in the stem cell arena will be those using adult stem cells".
*Osiris Therapeutics is thought to have great potential to perform in the financial arena as it generates mass produced stem cells from one donor for more than 5000 treatments. However, it will be interesting to see if it is possible to overcome all stem cell matching issues and whether the cells respond similarly in all patients. The cells may also be donor dependent and there are always inherent risks when accepting tissue or blood from another person.
FIRST MALAYSIAN STEM CELL COMPANY LISTED ON STOCK EXCHANGE
StemLife recently listed on the Mesdaq board of the Malaysian Stock Exchange. If you'd like to find out how our share price is doing, you can call your broker and ask for stock code 0137 or StemLfe, look in the business news or check out this recent article in the Star.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
MEN: Why your AGE and LENGTH matters...
...to your risk of developing heart disease. I'm talking about your telomeres, by the way!
ANTI-AGING / ANTI- HEART DISEASE
Not only do telomeres shorten with age (like a candle burning at both ends- each cell replication shortens the telomeres hence indicating the passage of time) but now it seems that men with short telomeres may also have a higher risk of developing heart disease. Although telomere length has not been confirmed as a predictive marker of heart disease, the study authors believe that this result has its implications.
"The main implication of the findings is perhaps a better understanding of why some people develop heart disease early and some people, despite having similar risk factors, never develop or develop it later," said study author Dr. Nilesh J. Samani, British Heart Foundation chair of cardiology at the University of Leicester, in the United Kingdom.
The article appeared to be promoting the use of statins in the treatment of men at risk of heart disease as the medical journal The Lancet published the paper (Jan 13th) describing a study where the authors compared the telomere lengths of white blood cells in hight risk middle aged men, out of whom 484 subsequently developed coronary heart disease with 1058 who didn't develop the condition. The analysis of the results showed that in the men who were taking statins but had short telomeres, the risk of developing heart disease was considerably lowered. The authors also postulate that the short telomere lengths may lead to the heart disease and that statins may interact with the telomere length, causing the rate of loss to slow.
CAUTIONARY NOTE
Please note that these results are not conclusive and do not take medication not prescribed by your physician. Note that you should also know that every drug has its adverse effects which may affect some individuals more severely than others when consumed over the same period of time.
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