Monthly Archives: March 2014

Seven months after a bill to create a regional stem cell therapy hub at The University of Kansas Medical Center took effect, two doctors from the center say it is enrolling patients in clinical trials and they are beginning their work.

David Prentice and Buddhadeb Dawn expressed excitement Monday about what the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center has been able to accomplish in a short time and what possibilities it holds for the future.

"Kansas can be the leader in providing adult stem cell treatments and information to physicians and patients around the world," Dawn said.

Prentice said the center, which limits itself to research on adult stem cells, will foster "ethical, noncontroversial" treatments for patients with multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, heart damage, stroke and juvenile diabetes.

At the same time he said it will serve to educate schoolchildren on the promise of adult stem cells and act as a "hub" for regional research.

Potentially, physicians from across the region could be sending samples," Prentice told the Senate Ways and Means Committee that approved millions in start-up funds for the center last year.

Sen. Jeff Melcher, R-Leawood, said he was heartened by news of the center beginning work, but somewhat concerned about it monetizing that work.

He noted that the 15 members of the center's advisory board are academics and legislators, with no one from the business community.

I see kind of a void in that I dont see the people that it would take to product-ize this," Melcher said. "The sales and marketing expertise, the product development.

Dawn said the medical center has some in-house experts who can help with that and that it also will be working with specific companies in some of its clinical trials.

View post:
Stem cell center starting trials

Topeka Eight months after the establishment of the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center at Kansas University Medical Center, the center is conducting clinical trials and advancing treatments for numerous diseases, KU officials said Monday.

"We are very excited about the work that is going on," said Dr. Doug Girod, executive vice chancellor of the KU Medical Center.

Dr. Buddhadeb Dawn, the center's director, detailed clinical trials that are under way and several in the planning stages to the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

"These trials will help local patients to get access to stem cell therapy," Dawn said. "Kansas can be a leader in providing stem cell treatments."

Created last year by the Legislature and Gov. Sam Brownback, the center will work on adult stem cell, cord blood and related stem cell research, providing therapies to patients and serving as a clearinghouse for physicians on cutting-edge treatments.

The center is prohibited from using embryonic stem cells or cells taken from aborted fetal tissue. Abortion opponents oppose human embryonic stem cell research because it involves the destruction of the embryo.

David Prentice, senior fellow for life sciences of the Family Research Council, said the center was unique in the country.

Prentice, who was involved in the development of the center and is on the center's advisory board as a representative of the scientific community, said, "I do want to reemphasize the focus on the center is patient-centered," while also working on education, clinical trials and research.

The FRC describes itself as a Christian organization promoting the traditional family unit and the Judeo-Christian value system. Its critics say it spreads anti-gay propaganda.

State Sen. Jeff Melcher, R-Overland Park, said the research sounded exciting but that he was concerned that the advisory board had no business people on it to secure private and business funding.

Originally posted here:
Stem Cell Center advancing treatments, officials say

ReNeuron Group Quote more

Price: 3.50

Chg: 0.25

Chg %: 7.69%

Date: 16:18

A US-based charity has agreed to provide funding and access to clinical expertise for ReNeuron's retinal stem cell therapy candidate for a degenerative eye disease.

Shares in ReNeuron rose 8.8% to 3.54p on the news.

The Foundation for Fighting Blindess has agreed to provide further funding towards the AIM-listed company's late pre-clinical work on its stem cell therapy candidate for retinitis pigmentosa, together with resources in support of preparations for initial clinical trials such as access to its network of expert pre-clinical and clinical advisers.

The charity has previously funded pre-clinical work on its ReN003.

ReNeuron's Chief Scientific Officer, John Sinden, said: "We are delighted that the Foundation Fighting Blindness will be supporting the development of our ReN003 therapeutic candidate for retinitis pigmentosa. In particular, the Foundation's extensive knowledge, experience and network of advisers will be invaluable to us as we look to progress the ReN003 programme into its clinical phase."

Here is the original post:
US foundation funds ReNeuron stem cell therapy