tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36978421.post2243658808530454857..comments2011-12-16T15:27:21.456-06:00Edmund Injae Leenoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36978421.post-41450331428152047232011-12-16T15:27:21.456-06:002011-12-16T15:27:21.456-06:00StemCells, Inc. Completes Enrollment of First Cohort in Landmark Chronic Spinal Cord Injury Trial<br /><br />&quot;I am also pleased to announce,&quot; added Martin McGlynn, President and CEO, &quot;that, in consultation with the clinical team at Balgrist Hospital, the Company has decided to open enrollment for the remainder of the trial to patients living in the United States and Canada. We have received a large number of inquiries from patients in both countries, and hopefully this decision will come as good news to the spinal cord injury community, who were greatly disappointed by Geron&#39;s recent decision to discontinue its spinal cord injury trial. We remain optimistic about the prospect of being able to demonstrate safety and clinical utility of our cells in this devastating condition, and are committed to funding our spinal cord injury program until such time as we can come up with a definitive outcome.&quot;<br /><br />http://investor.stemcellsinc.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=86230&amp;p=irol-newsArticle&amp;ID=1640072&amp;highlight=tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09886995566115512797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36978421.post-39379796558705178932011-12-10T17:48:03.628-06:002011-12-10T17:48:03.628-06:00Only fools censure information...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />In a Breakthrough for Gene Therapy, an Injection Works on Hemophilia B<br /><br />Dr. Nathwani and his team reported that they treated the patients by infusing the delivery virus into their veins. The virus homes in on the cells of the liver, and the gene it carries then churns out correct copies of Factor IX. A single injection enabled the patients to produce small amounts of Factor IX, enough that four of the six could stop the usual treatment, injections of Factor IX concentrate prepared from donated blood. The other two patients continued to need concentrate, but less frequently.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/health/research/hemophilia-b-gene-therapy-breakthrough.html?_r=2dantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12191604348463740813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36978421.post-19736999982791790962011-12-05T09:14:39.693-06:002011-12-05T09:14:39.693-06:00On November 14, Geron, a pioneer in the field of human embryonic stem cell research, announced that it would discontinue its stem cell programs. This abrupt decision, which shocked the science and business communities, raises important ethical questions about clinical trials conducted by for-profit corporations.<br />Geron has said that it will “continue to follow all enrolled patients, accruing data and updating the Food and Drug Administration and the medical community on their progress.” Moreover, Stephen Kelsey, Geron’s chief medical officer, is reported to have said that the results “will be a fair reflection of what would have happened if we had completed the study.” This statement is deeply problematic, however.<br />No clinical trial should involve too few or too many participants. It is important that the trial not be underpowered and thus unable to generate scientific knowledge. It is equally important than no more research participants than necessary be exposed to potential research risks. If only five participants were needed to generate the scientific knowledge, then why would Geron and the F.D.A. have agreed to expose additional persons to the potential harms of trial participation?<br /><br />It is one thing to close a trial to further enrollment for scientific reasons, such as a problem with trial design, or for ethical reasons, such as an unanticipated serious risk of harm to participants. It is quite another matter to close a trial for business reasons, such as to improve profit margins.<br /><br />Read more: http://www.thehastingscenter.org/Bioethicsforum/Post.aspx?id=5640&amp;blogid=140#ixzz1fVbS4zSOtomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09886995566115512797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36978421.post-85209276177765180782011-12-01T07:14:13.194-06:002011-12-01T07:14:13.194-06:00Stem cell promise for multiple sclerosis<br /><br />Biplab Das<br /><br />New research has found a way to replenish the fatty layer or myelin sheath around nerve cells1 — a finding that could yield a cure for neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis.<br /><br />Researchers have now understood how the right mix of biological growth factors coaxes human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to form oligodendrocytes, a type of nerve cells that form the myelin sheath.<br /><br />http://www.nature.com/nindia/2011/111201/full/nindia.2011.176.htmltomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09886995566115512797noreply@blogger.com