Players storing children's stem cells as "repair kit": paper

LONDON (Reuters) - Some leading English soccer players are storing stem cells from their newborn babies as a potential future treatment for their own career-threatening sports injuries, according to a report in the UK Sunday Times newspaper.

Players are freezing the cells taken from the umbilical cord blood of their babies as a possible future cure for cartilage and ligament problems. Stem cells can be used to regenerate damaged organs and tissue because they are the earliest form of cells.

The paper quoted one unnamed Premier League player from a north west club as saying: "We decided to store our new baby's stem cells for possible future therapeutic reasons, both for our children and possibly for myself.

"As a footballer, if you're prone to injury it can mean the end of your career, so having your stem cells - a repair kit if you like - on hand makes sense."

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'Ethical' stem cell lines created

from our friends at BBC news...

Human embryonic stem cell lines have been generated without embryos being destroyed, according to researchers.
A US team created stem cell lines by removing single cells from embryos, a process that left them intact, they report in the journal Nature.

At present, growing this type of stem cell results in embryo destruction.

The researchers say their findings may remove some of the ethical barriers to this field and provide a way of bypassing current US legislation.

In 1995, the US congress passed an amendment stating that the government would not fund research in which human embryos were destroyed.

And in 2001, President Bush declared federal funding would only be available for research using the 61 human embryonic stem cells lines already in existence, where a "life or death decision had already been made".

This meant that no new lines could be created, whether from existing embryos or cloned embryos.

US stem cell researchers said the funding limits had ensured the US lagged behind in this field of research, limiting new studies to private companies, while pro-lifers hailed the decision.

Scientists believe stem cells may one day help to combat a range of diseases, such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, or to repair spinal cord injury.

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Proton Therapy Used More to Treat Cancer

HOUSTON (AP) -- Francis Maloy lay on his back on a narrow, metallic table, waiting for a giant machine to bombard the tumor in his chest with proton beams.

"The last time I heard about protons I was in college taking physics," said Maloy, a 68-year-old retired Army colonel from Stuart, Fla., just before the procedure.

Maloy, who has advanced lung cancer, is one of the first patients being treated at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center's new $125 million Proton Therapy Center.

It is the largest of the nation's four centers that treat cancer by targeting proton beams narrowly on the tumor itself, sparing the healthy tissue that with typical X-ray radiation would be blasted along with the cancer cells.

While newer forms of traditional radiation, with the help of computers, also allow doctors to precisely target a tumor, proton therapy allows higher levels of radiation. For a patient like Maloy, it could be his best hope at this stage of his cancer.

Dr. James Cox, chief of radiation oncology at M.D. Anderson, wasn't always a believer in the technology. But he said studies have shown proton therapy allows a higher level of radiation on the tumor, with less damage to healthy tissue and fewer side effects, such as loss of appetite, diarrhea and headaches. "That was the breakthrough, what changed my mind," he said.

"Anytime you have cancer in any location where it requires a high dose for control and it's close to sensitive normal structures (such as the eye, the skull, the spinal cord) that's an indication for proton therapy," said Cox. It also is useful for treating cancer in children, who are more sensitive than adults to the side effects of radiation.

Doctors at M.D. Anderson are using proton beam treatments mostly on patients whose cancers are so early in development that a cure is possible. But it is also being used on people like Maloy, who have relatively advanced cancers, Cox said.

Proton therapy has been around since the mid-1950s but was done mostly at research facilities, according to the National Association for Proton Therapy. The world's first hospital-based facility opened in 1990 at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California.

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Scientists hail breakthrough in bird flu drug quest

LONDON, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Scientists said on Wednesday they had made a breakthrough in the race to develop a drug for the H5N1 bird flu virus if it mutates into a form that can jump from human to human.

But they warned that it could take five years or longer to convert their discovery of a potential weak point in the N1 part of the virus into an effective drug.

So far the 238 cases of human infection have been from direct contact with infected birds, and scientists have said there is no evidence the virus is mutating towards making the leap between humans, though this could happen at any time.

Nearly 60 percent of those infected have died, and the best known drugs to tackle H5N1 infection in humans are oseltamivir known as Tamiflu and zanamivir known as Relenza, both originally developed to fight other forms of human 'flu. Now a team of scientists lead by John Skehel of London's National Institute of Medical Research say they have found a cavity in the N1 or neuraminidase part of the H5N1 virus that could be exploited as a potential weak point.

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Pfizer's Next Problem

Pfizer had a problem???...beyond my chloresterol medication going generic?...

Roche's competitor to Pfizer's much-anticipated "good cholesterol" pill torcetrapib may be more powerful than anyone thought, diluting the potential advantage for Pfizer's most important experimental drug.

Researchers who have seen data on the Roche drug say that it is far more potent when given with food, potentially complicating the gamble Pfizer has made on torcetrapib, which it is spending a record $800 million to develop.

Pfizer, the world's largest drug firm, is desperately in need of new firepower. Its $12 billion cholesterol pill Lipitor, the world's best-selling drug, is under siege from cheap generic copies of rival Zocor and the highly effective branded medicines Crestor and Vytorin. To make matters worse, an appeals court ruling just stripped a year of patent protection from Lipitor, meaning generics of the mega-blockbuster could be available in March 2010.

Torcetrapib is Lipitor's heir apparent. The drug is designed to boost high-density lipoprotein (HDL), nicknamed "good cholesterol" because it appears to actually clear plaque from the arteries and reduce the risk of heart attack.

In clinical studies alongside Lipitor, torcetrapib raised HDL by 60%. If everything goes as planned, a combination pill containing both torcetrapib and Lipitor will hit the market in the first half of 2008, and some analysts forecast 2009 sales of more than $1 billion. In a recent research note, analyst Barbara Ryan of Deutsche Bank called the drug "critical to Pfizer's future cash flows."

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Experimental RNA-Based Drug Kills Prostate Cancer Cells Effectively and Safely

I keep waiting for the breakthru, sort of like this...

DURHAM, N.C. -- Acting as a genetic Trojan horse, an experimental RNA-based drug -- the first of its kind -- tricks its way into prostate cancer cells and then springs into action to destroy them, while leaving normal cells unharmed.

The drug, developed at Duke University Medical Center, uses one type of genetic material, called targeting RNA, to enter cancer cells, and another type, called silencing RNA, to stop the expression of a protein that keeps the cells alive.

In tests in mice with prostate cancer, the drug shrank the size of their tumors by half, while the tumors in control mice that did not receive the drug continued to grow, said study co-author Bruce Sullenger, Ph.D., director of Duke's Translational Research Institute and chief of the Division of Experimental Surgery.

The mice showed no side effects from the treatment, Sullenger said.

"This study represents the first step in creating an RNA-based drug for cancer," said lead author James McNamara, Ph.D. a postdoctoral fellow in experimental surgery. "It provides a 'proof of principle' that an entirely RNA-based drug can work with minimal side effects, and it shows it is possible to overcome many of the obstacles that have hampered the development of RNA-based drugs."

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Bill and Melinda- Fund's $500M targets diseases

I haven't seen this info in any US new outlets...

TORONTO -- The battle against three diseases that are a scourge of sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions -- HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria -- got a $500-million US boost from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The couple will give the cash over five years to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

"The Global Fund is one of the most important health initiatives in the world today," Bill Gates said in a statement announcing the gift ahead of the 16th International AIDS Conference in Toronto that starts Sunday.

Providing antiretroviral drugs to people infected with HIV/AIDS is a major feature of the fund's work.

Gates Foundation

update

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Vaccine slows hunger hormone, keeps rats slim

There may be hope for me after all...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A vaccine that slows down a key hunger hormone kept rats from gaining weight, even when they over ate, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

The team at The Scripps Research Institute in California cautioned that such a vaccine is a long way from being tested in human volunteers, and that it may not work in people.

But the study shed light on how hunger and weight gain work, they reported in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The vaccine targeted ghrelin, a hormone discovered in 1999 that helps control appetite in animals and people.


"It appears that active vaccination against ghrelin is one avenue that can slow weight gain and fat build-up in the body," said Kim Janda, a chemistry professor who helped direct the study.

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Biotech investing surges in Philly

From the Biotech Weblog

Venture investment surges in the Philadelphia region

This article from Philly.com higlights the increase in life science venture capital investing in the Philadelphia region.

Link to blog article

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Reports Significant Advance In H5N1 Pandemic Flu Vaccine Program

PHILADELPHIA, July 26, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- GlaxoSmithKline plc today announced headline data showing that its H5N1 pandemic flu vaccine achieved a high immune response at a low dose of antigen. The vaccine, which uses a proprietary adjuvant, enabled over 80% of subjects who received 3.8 micrograms of antigen to demonstrate a strong seroprotective immune response. This level of seroprotection meets or exceeds target criteria set by regulatory agencies for registration of influenza vaccines. Efficacy results at these levels of antigen dosage have also not been reported for any other H5N1 vaccine in development to date, including those using other adjuvants such as alum.

Commenting on the data, JP Garnier, GlaxoSmithKline's Chief Executive Officer, said: "These excellent clinical trial results represent a significant breakthrough in the development of our pandemic flu vaccine. This is the first time such a low dose of H5N1 antigen has been able to stimulate this level of strong immune response.

"There is still a lot more work to be done with this program, but this validation of our approach provides us with the confidence to continue developing the vaccine, including assessment of its ability to offer cross-protection to variants of the H5N1 strain. All being well, we expect to make regulatory filings for the vaccine in the coming months."

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Proteins Hold Clues to Chronic Pain

maybe this is why my knees hurt all the time...

WEDNESDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- Low blood levels of two anti-inflammatory proteins could be key to chronic pain, researchers report.

Low concentrations of two cytokines, IL-4 and IL-10, were found in patients with chronic widespread pain, according to a German study published in the August issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

Cytokines are proteins that act as messengers between cells.

The study included 40 patients who'd received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) as a novel treatment for pain that hadn't responded to standard therapy and another 15 patients who did not receive IVIG. The study also included a control group of 40 healthy people.

Blood samples were collected from all the study volunteers, and the pain patients were asked to rate their pain, fatigue, mood and cognitive function.

Compared with the control group, the 40 pain patients had significantly lower levels of IL-4 and IL-10. The 15 patients in the second group had similar results, although the difference in their levels of IL-10 compared to people in the control group was not statistically significant.

Several factors may be involved in low levels of these cytokines and how they influence pain, the study authors said. They noted that previous studies have shown that IL-10 reduces sensitivity to pain and that IL-4 can also dull pain response.

Genetic variations in different cytokine genes are associated with certain diseases. For example, IL-4 gene variations are associated with asthma, Crohn's disease and chronic polyarthritis, the researchers said.

"The low levels of IL-4 and IL-10 we observed in the patients with chronic widespread pain might therefore also be caused by genetic alterations either in the cytokine genes themselves or in regulatory elements, although other factors may be involved," they explained.

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Fat stem cells turn into muscle in experiment

now we're talking...

now if we could just get fat cells to turn into gasoline...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Stem cells taken from human fat can be transformed into smooth muscle cells, offering a way to treat many kinds of heart disease, gastrointestinal and bladder ills, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

While the experiment does not quite offer a way to turn a pot belly into a flat stomach, the researchers said the transformed cells contracted and relaxed just like smooth muscle cells.

These cells help the heart beat and blood flow, push food through the digestive system and make bladders fill and empty, the researchers reported.


Their study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the latest to show that fat can be a rich source of the body's master cells.

"Fat tissue may prove a reliable source of smooth muscle cells that we can use to regenerate and repair damaged organs," said Dr. Larissa Rodriguez, an assistant professor in the Department of Urology at the University of California Los Angeles medical school.

And almost any American has plenty of spare fat cells.

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Another marketing executive is leaving Merck

Another top marketing executive has left Merck & Co. Inc., part of a management shake-up under chief executive officer Richard T. Clark's plan to revive the pharmaceutical firm.

Per Wold-Olsen, 58, a 30-year veteran of Merck, "has informed us of his decision to retire" as president of Merck Human Health Intercontinental, the company confirmed yesterday. He will be succeeded by Stefan Oschmann as president of Merck's European and Canadian marketing subdivision.

Last week, Bradley T. Sheares, 49, president of U.S. Human Health, based in Upper Gwynedd, Montgomery County, was replaced by Adam Schechter, current general manager of Merck's joint venture with Schering-Plough Corp. Sheares left to "pursue other opportunities," the company said.

The departures affect two of the top three executives at Merck Human Health, its prescription-drug division and biggest revenue producer. David Anstice, former chief of the division, remains at Merck as president of Human Health Asia-Pacific. He is also a key defense witness at Merck trials over the pain-reliever Vioxx.

The shake-up was expected to continue, perhaps including sales managers and sales representatives, according to Wall Street analysts and others knowledgeable about Merck's plans. It comes two months after Clark installed a new president of Global Human Health, Peter Loescher, over Olsen, Sheares and Anstice as part of a restructuring triggered largely by the Vioxx recall and litigation.

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California to lend stem-cell center up to $150 mln

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger moved on Thursday to provide his state's voter approved stem-cell research institute with a loan of up to $150 million.

The governor's decision came after President George W. Bush vetoed a bill to expand federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research.

The loan will come from California's general fund and will support grants for medical research involving stem cells, which many researchers believe can be used to develop treatments and cures for various diseases, including Alzheimer's disease.


"We anticipate a couple of months at most before the money would go out the door," said H.D. Palmer, a spokesman for California's Department of Finance.

The money will help the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine fund initial research grants.

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stem cell research

350 New Jobs Planned For Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics

and North Carolina wins it?...

Gov. Mike Easley announced Tuesday that Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics will build and operate an influenza vaccines manufacturing plant with 350 new jobs and invest a minimum $267.5 million over the next five years in Wake County. The announcement was made possible in part by the One North Carolina Fund and the Job Development Investment Grant.

still looking for the story link...

link to previous post

Maryland fails to seduce Novartis

Senate passes stem cell measure despite Bush veto threat

"The politics of dancing..."

- UPDATE-

Bush vetoes stem cell bill as promised

WASHINGTON - President Bush cast the first veto of his presidency Wednesday, saying legislation easing limits on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research "crosses a moral boundary."

link to full article


WASHINGTON (AFP) -President George W. Bush is expected to use his power of veto for the first time since he took office to stop the US Congress from expanding funding for stem cell research.

The president "believes strongly that for the purpose of research it's inappropriate for the federal government to finance something that many people consider murder," White House spokesman Tony Snow said before a controversial Senate vote on Tuesday.

The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act would lift rules Bush set in 2001 that make federal funds available only for research on a small number of embryonic stem cell lines which existed at that time.

Government money was barred from supporting work on new lines derived from human embryos -- a restriction that opponents say hampers overall research. They say that some of the stem-cell lines approved under the 2001 legislation are unusable.

Stem cell research advocates say the technique shows promise for the treatment of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and for diabetes.

Opponents say the destruction of human embryos is morally wrong.

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Using Tobacco To Fight Cancer: Scientists Engineer Tobacco-Made Antibodies Targeting Cancer Cells

When virologist Hilary Koprowski, M.D., reported last month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences how he and colleagues used tobacco plants to produce cancer-fighting monoclonal antibodies that recognize and hunt down breast and colorectal cancer cells, the work represented another step toward a goal he has been pursuing for the last decade.

While therapeutic uses for such antibodies continue to grow at a rapid rate, production has failed to keep pace. Dr. Koprowski, professor of cancer biology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson’s Kimmel Cancer Center in Philadelphia, contends that “plants are safer, less expensive and easier to use” than currently used methods in the laboratory and with animals. For mass production purposes, he says, “plants make more sense.”

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Maryland fails to seduce Novartis

12/07/2006 - Maryland is no longer in the running for a $500m (€392m) vaccine manufacturing plant Novartis is seeking to build in the US, as speculation about which state will host America’s first cell culture-derived influenza vaccine plant is reaching fever pitch.

The state had been in the running with North Carolina and Georgia for the Swiss company's plant, offering incentives to convince Novartis to make the investment, according to the Baltimore Business Journal.
But Aris Melissaratos, Maryland's secretary of the Department of Business and Economic Development, has now been reported by the Washington Business Journal as saying that other states were willing to give away free land and so Maryland couldn't compete with that incentive given this region's high real estate prices.

Asked by In-PharmaTechnologist.com what criteria the drugmaker is using for the selection, a Novartis spokeswoman cited the availability of an educated workforce and the proximity to other company locations as key requirements.

The facility has attracted great interest because it will be the first US-based vaccine manufacturing facility using biotechnology cell cultures rather than chicken eggs for primary production.

Current egg-derived vaccines production requires several months of logistics for ordering and receiving eggs, so this lead time can hinder the response to unanticipated demands such as the discovery of pandemic strains, production failures and seasonal influenza virus strain changes.

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vaccine manufacturing

FDA says open to more flexible clinical trials

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. regulators are preparing guidelines telling drug makers how they can streamline the testing of experimental medicines by conducting more flexible clinical trials, a top official said on Monday.

The Food and Drug Administration wants to encourage "adaptive" clinical trials that change mid-way through, said Dr. Scott Gottlieb, deputy FDA commissioner for medical and scientific affairs.

The approach is a departure from the rigid structure of most drug studies required for FDA approval in which companies, patients and physicians do not know results until the research is completed. Such "blinding" is usually mandated to keep doctors or patients from acting in a way that could affect a study's outcome.

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Killer tomatoes attack human diseases

Those crazy Russians are at it again...

here's hoping it works...

GENETICALLY modified tomatoes containing edible vaccine are to be used to challenge two of the world's most lethal viruses.

The aim is to create affordable vaccines for HIV and the hepatitis B virus (HBV) that could be easily grown and processed in the countries where they are most needed. So far, none of the 90 or so potential vaccines against HIV have proved successful and, though a vaccine already exists for HBV, it is too expensive to be used by poorer countries.

Rurik Salyaev at the Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry in Irkutsk, Russia, and his colleagues used the soil bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens to shuttle a synthetic combination of HIV and HBV DNA fragments into tomato plants. These include fragments of genes for various HIV proteins and the gene for an HBV protein called HBV surface antigen.

The tomato plants then manufacture the proteins and, like the oral polio vaccine, when the tomatoes are eaten, these proteins prompt the body to create antibodies against the viruses.

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