4 replies to this topic

[manofsan]

Here's one to read:

http://www.washingto...5091901365.html

How much farther beyond is this than the other announcements in this area?

[lightowl]

http://www.money.net...storyID=5680612

US Financial Network: U.S. BioDefense receives first stem cell line and extends agreement with University of British Columbia & StemCells, Inc. announces filing of IND amendment for treatment for Batten disease

Sep 20, 2005 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX)

City of Industry, CA - Biotechnology industry news provided by
Financial News USA (OTC: FNWU) U.S. BioDefense (OTCBB:UBDE) is pleased
to announce today that it has received its first stem cell line as a
part of an agreement with the University of British Columbia. The
company will begin evaluation of the neural crest stem cell line before
beginning production of a commercial line which will be available for
research use by Universities and other biotech companies. We will also
be evaluating the utilization of this line for human transplantation
and in collaboration with the FDA; we will investigate whether further
development of this cell line will make it appropriate for the
treatment of brain neurodegeneration and spinal cord repair.

StemCells, Inc. (NASDAQ: STEM) recently announced the filing with the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of an amendment to its initial
IND (Investigational New Drug) application to begin a clinical trial of
its human neural stem cells (HuCNS-SC) as a treatment for Batten
disease. Batten disease is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative genetic
condition affecting infants and children. The proposed Phase I trial
has been on hold since February 2005, pending a complete response to
questions and concerns presented to the Company by the FDA. MedImmune,
Inc. (Nasdaq: MEDI) announced recently that it submitted a supplemental
Biologics License Application (sBLA) with the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) for approval to use CAIV-T (cold adapted influenza
vaccine, trivalent) in preventing influenza in healthy individuals 5 to
49 years of age. CAIV-T is MedImmune's investigational,
refrigerator-stable formulation of FluMist (Influenza Vaccine Live,
Intranasal), a frozen vaccine approved to prevent influenza in healthy
children and adolescents, 5 to 17 years of age, and healthy adults, 18
to 49 years of age. ImClone Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ: IMCL)
announced today its Board of Directors has approved a stock repurchase
program to purchase up to $100 million in aggregate principal amount of
outstanding shares of the Company's common stock during the next two
years.

STEM is currently up 21% to around $6 on NASDAQ.

[lightowl]

http://www.money.net...storyID=5683514

SmallCap Sentinel: Paralysis Reversal in Mice Using Human Stem Cells the Latest in a Whirlwind of Breakthrough Events

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 20, 2005, Sep 20, 2005 (PRIMEZONE via COMTEX)

"In yet another in what has been a whirlwind of recently reported breakthrough developments, Stemcells Inc. is reporting that researchers in conjunction with the Reeve Irvine Research Center at the University of California, Irvine have restored lost motor function to a mouse with spinal cord injuries using the companies proprietary human stem cells," stated SmallCap Sentinel analyst D.R. Clark. "Mice who had experienced loss of hind leg mobility as a result of crush injuries were able to walk again after the transplant of human neural stem cells, effectively reversing the paralysis according to the study."

Support for the study was also provided by the Christopher Reeve Foundation through its International Research Consortium on Spinal Cord Injury.

"Breakthroughs are coming fast and furious in the stem cell arena, garnering headlines on front pages and financial pages," said Clark. "It's like a benevolent game of one upmanship, with spectacular reports trumping previously triumphant news. Let's hope that it continues as such and that soon, humans will directly benefit from the fruits of the researchers' labor."

An informational report titled "Looking at the Political Impact on Stem Cell Research" has been made available free of charge via financial courier StockUpTicks.com at www.SmallCapSentinel.com

New Life Scientific (OTCBB:NWLF), which endeavors to blend Eastern European research & development with Western management, Stemcells Inc. (Nasdaq:STEM), Aastrom Biosciences Inc. (Nasdaq:ASTM), and Geron Corp. (Nasdaq:GERN) will be discussed in the report.

Individuals may also register to receive free future reports at: http://stockupticks.com/register.html

[niner]

Someone bumped this long-dead thread from 2005. Since it popped up on Recent Topics, it makes me wonder what happened to the Whirlwind of Breakthrough Events... I guess this is an object lesson in the slow pace of biomedical research. Lots of things happen, but not very many of them make it all the way to treatments. Lately I've been noticing people giving more reasonable estimates for how long it will take for a drug or other treatment to make it to patients. I've more than once heard "ten years" quoted in the press. Does that mean we're now four years away from curing spinal cord injuries? I don't know.

[kmoody]

Someone bumped this long-dead thread from 2005. Since it popped up on Recent Topics, it makes me wonder what happened to the Whirlwind of Breakthrough Events... I guess this is an object lesson in the slow pace of biomedical research. Lots of things happen, but not very many of them make it all the way to treatments. Lately I've been noticing people giving more reasonable estimates for how long it will take for a drug or other treatment to make it to patients. I've more than once heard "ten years" quoted in the press. Does that mean we're now four years away from curing spinal cord injuries? I don't know.

Depends on how well these things actually work. Geron is treating spinal cord injuries with hESC derived oligodendrocytes (which myelinte axons) and is currently in phase I clinical trials. Probably at least 7-8 years to get FDA approval IF things work PERFECTLY. They already ran into a snag where their pre-clinical animal models grew "benign tumors" (sounds suspiciously like teratoma) and were put on hold for a bit by the FDA. It is easy to sell a skin cream with "stem cells" in it or convince people that eating telomerase is somehow useful. Demonstrating something valid in a regulated setting is far more involved. It is nice to see that at least your sources are beginning to realize that bench to clinic is a time-consuming process that often doesn't work. Lesson to be gained: thoroughly evaluate prospective projects and choose them wisely because they are a serious commitment.

Edited by kmoody, 10 March 2011 - 04:12 AM.