StemCell Therapy

Animation of stem cell therapy attacking malignant glioma. (Northwestern Medicine)

CHICAGO - A first-of-a-kind neural stem cell therapy that works with a common cold virus to seek out and attack a lethal and aggressive brain cancer is being tested at Northwestern Medicine in a Phase I clinical trial for patients newly diagnosed with malignant glioma.

The novel drug to treat malignant glioma, notorious for recurring after typical bouts of standard cancer treatment, was developed by a Northwestern scientist and has been approved as an investigational drug by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This is only the second time the University has supported and filed an investigational new drug as a sponsor.

We have discovered that combining stem cells with a virus causes the new drug to react like a cancer-seeking missile targeting cancerous cells in the brain said principal investigator, Dr. Maciej Lesniak, the Michael J. Marchese Professor and chair of neurological surgery atNorthwestern University Feinberg School of Medicineand a neuro-oncologist at Northwestern Medicine. If it works in humans, it could be a powerful weapon against brain cancer and an option that our patients are desperate for.

One reason malignant glioma recurs so often is because a small subpopulation of cancer cells, often deep in the brain tissue, is highly resistant to chemotherapy and radiation.

We havent seen significant progress in the last decade for patients with a brain tumor, and that is why its crucial to do everything we can to find a better treatment for brain tumors.

The pre-clinical work done by Lesniak and his team has shown that the approach being tested at Northwestern Medicine can target this population of therapy resistant cells, further delaying and sometimes even preventing tumor recurrence.

The stem cells used in the research came from a collaboration of researchers from City of Hope.

We havent seen significant progress in the last decade for patients with a brain tumor, and that is why its crucial to do everything we can to find a better treatment for brain tumors, said Dr. Roger Stupp, a co-investigator who is working alongside Lesniak on this clinical trial. Combining novel therapy with medical expertise, we are able to get one step closer to eradicating this lethal disease.

Stupp, a world-renowned neuro-oncologist, recently joined Northwestern Medicine as director of neuro-oncology and associate director for strategic initiatives at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University. He is best known for developing temozolomide in combination with radiation as the standard-of-care chemotherapy for patients with glioblastoma.

Lesniak and his team of scientists are starting to test the safety and dosage of the treatment in patients at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Lesniak began the research more than a decade ago while at the University of Chicago and completed it when he moved to Northwestern in 2015.

This investigational new drug contains neural stem cells to deliver a potent virus responsible for the common cold, oncolyotic adenovirus, which is engineered to kill brain cancer cells. The novel treatment works synergistically with chemotherapy and radiation to enhance the standard cancer treatments effectiveness.

Malignant gliomas are the most aggressive forms of cancer and are predicted to affect nearly 20,000 new patients this year, according to the American Brain Tumor Association. Sometimes called the grow-and-go tumors, gliomas can make their own blood supply, which fuels the tumors rapid growth and helps them hatch satellite tumors. Each tumor sends out tentacles that infiltrate and dig deep into normal brain tissue, making complete removal of cancerous cells impossible. Any cancerous cells in the brain left over from standard of care can cause the tumor to recur.

Lesniak plans to enroll up to 36 newly diagnosed patients with glioma. These patients will be divided into two groups: those with tumors that can be removed and those where the tumors are not removable by surgery.

Next step, Northwestern Memorial will extend this research to the collaborating partners at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte, California.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke grant U01NS069997.

Link:
New investigational drug acts like a cancer-seeking missile in brain - Northwestern University NewsCenter

Mouse study looks at safety of stem cell therapy for early ... Science Daily Now that we know that egg-making stem cells exist in adults and that these cells can be transplanted into mice with premature ovarian failure to produce ... and more »

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Mouse study looks at safety of stem cell therapy for early ... - Science Daily

NEW ORLEANS, LADespite new data showing that stem cell therapy has the potential to improve exercise time and reduce mortality in patients with refractory angina, researchers said at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 2017 Scientific Sessions last week that the option is all but dead due to withdrawal of financial support, resulting in patients being denied access to a promising treatment.

Presenting a summation of all the data that have been collected over the last decade on the use of autologous CD34+ cells to treat patients with class III or IV angina despite optimal medical therapy, Thomas Povsic, MD, PhD (Duke Clinical Research Institute, Chapel Hill, NC), said this group of patients is in dire need of new treatment options, and maintained that it is imperative to explore methods to bring this therapy to patients.

He and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis from the only three trials of CD34+ therapy in refractory angina patients: a phase I study (n = 24); ACT-34 CMI and its 24-month extension study (n = 168); and the RENEW study (n = 112). All three were randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. However, RENEW was terminated early by the sponsor due to financial reasons.

Taken together, the trials showed that among the 187 patients who received the therapy, total exercise time improved by 90.5 seconds at 12 months compared with an improvement of just 39.5 seconds in those who received a placebo.

Additionally, patients who received CD34+ treatment had more than a fourfold lower rate of mortality by 24 months (2.6% vs 11.8%; P = 0.003) and fewer instances of MACE (29.8% vs 40.0%; P = 0.08).

A Cloudy Future

Povsic said the CD34+ trials are extremely expensive to run, resulting in the only sponsor, Baxter Healthcare, divesting itself of all further research in this area.

I personally believe that this therapy has more data associated with it for efficacy and safety than any other cell therapy thats been investigated in the cardiovascular disease space, he observed. The passage of the 21st Century Cures Act may hold some hope for the future, Povsic added, since it allows for a therapy that fulfills a specific medical need to undergo expedited approval.

Its challenging because this patient population has no options, Povsics co-author Timothy Henry, MD (Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Los Angeles, CA), said in a press briefing prior to the presentation. This is by far the strongest data for any therapy for refractory angina. Its also the . . . strongest data for cell therapy, and its a shame that its not available to patients.

Henry added that hes hopeful the data from the meta-analysis may be well received by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Povsic noted that although other companies have expressed interest in the therapy, its future is cloudy. Referencing the termination of RENEW for financial reasons, he added that it shows the ramifications that early cessation of a clinical trial can have, because its truly a disservice to the patients that were enrolled in the trial, the investigators that invested time, and the fact that this therapy . . . seemed so close to the finish line, but [now] the path forward is unclear.

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Access Denied: Stem Cell Therapy Shows Some Promise in Refractory Angina, but Patients Can't Get It - TCTMD

May 18, 2017

Now that we know that egg-making stem cells exist in adult rodents and humans and that these cells can be transplanted into mice with premature ovarian failure to produce offspring, the next question is to assess whether the offspring from the egg-making stem cells of a single adult mouse are biologically normal compared to natural births. On May 18 in the journal Molecular Therapy, researchers in China show that female mice with early menopause that receive egg-making stem cells from another mouse are capable of producing healthy pups 2 months later with no observable genetic malfunctions.

"One of our aims is to cure the disease of premature ovarian failure using female germline stem cells," says senior author Ji Wu, a reproductive biologist at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. "Before this treatment can be applied to humans, we need to know the mechanism of female germline stem cell development and safety after transplantation of single mouse female germline stem cells."

Premature ovarian failure, also called early menopause, is the loss of normal ovarian function, and thereby the release of eggs, before the age of 40. The condition is rare, affecting 200,000 women in the United States per year, and is incurable, although it can be treated with hormone supplements. Multiple groups are now looking at whether stimulating tissue regeneration or using stem cell transplants could help.

In the Molecular Therapy study, Wu and her colleagues isolated and characterized female germline stem cells from a single transgenic mouse with cells that show green fluorescence when activated by a blue laser. This allowed the researchers to observe and analyze the development of the transplanted stem cells, which were introduced to the ovaries of other mice using a fine glass needle.

Wu and colleagues found that the transplanted egg-producing stem cells exhibited a homing ability and began to differentiate into early-stage oocytes when they reached the edge of the ovary. The oocytes spent a few weeks maturing and yielded offspring within 2 months. The researchers then demonstrated that the developmental mechanisms of eggs derived from transplanted germline stem cells were similar to that of normal eggs.

"The results are exciting because it's not easy to get offspring from female germline stem cells derived from a single mouse," Wu says.

Wu's lab is also working to establish female egg-producing stem cell lines from scarce ovarian tissues derived from follicular aspiratesthe leftover cells gathered when a clinician searches a patient for oocytesthat are produced and discarded in in vitro fertilization centers worldwide. These aspirates can yield stem cells that differentiate into eggs in the lab, with the potential to be transplanted. The study not only provides a new approach to obtain human female germline stem cells for medical treatment, but also opens several avenues to investigate human oogenesis in vitro.

Explore further: Making sperm from stem cells in a dish

More information: Molecular Therapy, Wu et al.: "Tracing and characterizing the development of transplanted female germline stem cells in vivo" http://www.cell.com/molecular-therapy-family/molecular-therapy/fulltext/S1525-0016(17)30180-6 , DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2017.04.019

Journal reference: Molecular Therapy

Provided by: Cell Press

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Mouse study looks at safety of stem cell therapy for early menopause - Medical Xpress

May 17, 2017 This illustration shows the bone-tissue engineering technique developed by Cedars-Sinai investigators. 'Endogenous MSCs' refers to stem cells from a patient's bone. The 'BMP gene' is a gene that promotes bone repair. Credit: Gazit Group/Cedars-Sinai

A Cedars-Sinai-led team of investigators has successfully repaired severe limb fractures in laboratory animals with an innovative technique that cues bone to regrow its own tissue. If found to be safe and effective in humans, the pioneering method of combining ultrasound, stem cell and gene therapies could eventually replace grafting as a way to mend severely broken bones.

"We are just at the beginning of a revolution in orthopedics," said Dan Gazit, PhD, DMD, co-director of the Skeletal Regeneration and Stem Cell Therapy Program in the Department of Surgery and the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute. "We're combining an engineering approach with a biological approach to advance regenerative engineering, which we believe is the future of medicine."

Gazit was the principal investigator and co-senior author of the research study, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

More than 2 million bone grafts, frequently necessitated by severe injuries involving traffic accidents, war or tumor removal, are performed worldwide each year. Such injuries can create gaps between the edges of a fracture that are too large for the bone to bridge on its own. The grafts require implanting pieces from either the patient's or a donor's bone into the gap.

"Unfortunately, bone grafts carry disadvantages," said Gazit, a professor of surgery at Cedars-Sinai. "There are huge unmet needs in skeleton repair."

One problem is that enough healthy bone is not always available for repairs. Surgeries to remove a bone piece, typically from the pelvis, and implant it can lead to prolonged pain and expensive, lengthy hospitalizations. Further, grafts from donors may not integrate or grow properly, causing the repair to fail.

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The new technique developed by the Cedars-Sinai-led team could provide a much-needed alternative to bone grafts.

In their experiment, the investigators constructed a matrix of collagen, a protein the body uses to build bones, and implanted it in the gap between the two sides of a fractured leg bone in laboratory animals. This matrix recruited the fractured leg's own stem cells into the gap over a period of two weeks. To initiate the bone repair process, the team delivered a bone-inducing gene directly into the stem cells, using an ultrasound pulse and microbubbles that facilitated the entry of the gene into the cells.

Eight weeks after the surgery, the bone gap was closed and the leg fracture was healed in all the laboratory animals that received the treatment. Tests showed that the bone grown in the gap was as strong as that produced by surgical bone grafts, said Gadi Pelled, PhD, DMD, assistant professor of surgery at Cedars-Sinai and the study's co-senior author.

"This study is the first to demonstrate that ultrasound-mediated gene delivery to an animal's own stem cells can effectively be used to treat nonhealing bone fractures," Pelled said. "It addresses a major orthopedic unmet need and offers new possibilities for clinical translation."

The study involved six departments at Cedars-Sinai, plus investigators from Hebrew University in Jerusalem; the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York; and the University of California, Davis.

"Our project demonstrates how scientists from diverse disciplines can combine forces to find solutions to today's medical challenges and help develop treatments for the patients of tomorrow," said Bruce Gewertz, MD, surgeon-in-chief and chair of the Department of Surgery at Cedars-Sinai.

Explore further: Combining adult stem cells with hormone may speed bone fracture healing

More information: DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aal3128 "In situ bone tissue engineering via ultrasound-mediated gene delivery to endogenous progenitor cells in mini-pigs," Science Translational Medicine (2017). http://stm.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.aal3128

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Injured bones reconstructed by gene and stem cell therapies - Medical Xpress

LEXINGTON, Ky (LEX 18) A retired canine with the Lexington Police Department is still a big goofy dog that acts like a puppy, thanks to stem cell transplants, Garik can continue to do so with less pain.

The City of Lexington featured the dog's story on their website.

Officer Brian Burnette said that he is living the dream by getting to be an officer in the canine unit. He told the City of Lexington that after a couple of years of not connecting with one dog, he was switched to Garik the German Shepherd.

As soon as I got him, we could hit the street together. His drive, we just matched perfectly together, he said.

He described the now seven-year-old dog as a big goofy dog that acts like a puppy and enjoys sniffing for little sticks or twigs in the grass.

While Garik is an active, playful dog, in 2016, Burnette began to notice that something was different. Garik was in a lot of pain. His legs would shake while they were out and he would trip. The department thought that Garik might have hip dysplasia, but Garik had developed a degenerative bone spur on his spine, causing him much pain.

Garik retired and Burnette took him home to live a relaxed life, but Burnette was still concerned about the dog's pain.

That's when a Nicholasville-based company came to the rescue.

Dr. Jeff Baker, President and COO of MediVet Biologics offered a free stem cell kit for Garik.

My mom's a cancer survivor. And she's had stem cell transplants. But I had no idea they even did this for dogs, Burnette told the City of Lexington.

During the treatment, stem cells are extracted from Garik's fat tissue and then re-injected into his body. The procedure is done at Woodford Animal Hospital.

Garik has received two stem cell injections so far.

While the therapy won't cure Garik's condition, they say it will relieve his pain significantly.

This isn't the first time MediVet has helped service dogs, they also donated stem cell therapy kits to the dogs that searched Ground Zero and the Pentagon after 9/11.

Read more:
Retired Lexington Police Department Canine Undergoes Stem Cell Treatment - LEX18 Lexington KY News

Stem Cell Therapy Can Help.

At the Lung Institute, we recognize that all patients have their own stories. While they have chronic lung conditions in common, our patients have had all kinds of careers and hobbies. Whether they enjoy growing plants in the garden, playing a round of golf or creating delicious meals, our patients are unique and deserve treatments unique to them.

At the Lung Institute, we screen each patient thoroughly, focusing on medical history and current condition to encourage only the best-possible treatment results.

Using the natural maintenance capabilities of stem cells, we first withdraw and separate the patients stem cells from their blood or bone marrow. We then reintroduce the stem cells into the body where they come to rest inside the lungs, promoting both natural healing and inflammation reduction.

To learn more about how stem cells work, review our Stem Cell Treatment Basics and discover how stem cell therapy can work to affect your quality of life. Click on the links below to read more about the two treatments we offer.

* All treatments performed at Lung Institute utilize autologous stem cells, meaning those derived from a patient's own body. No fetal or embryonic stem cells are utilized in Lung Institute's procedures. Lung Institute aims to improve patients' quality of life and help them breathe easier through the use of autologous stem cell therapy. To learn more about how stem cells work for lung disease, click here.

All claims made regarding the efficacy of Lung Institute's treatments as they pertain to pulmonary conditions are based solely on anecdotal support collected by Lung Institute. Individual conditions, treatment and outcomes may vary and are not necessarily indicative of future results. Testimonial participation is voluntary. Lung Institute does not pay for or script patient testimonials.

Under current FDA guidelines and regulations 1271.10 and 1271.15, the Lung Institute complies with all necessary requirements for operation. Any individual who accesses Lung Institute's website for information is encouraged to speak with his or her primary physician for treatment suggestions and conclusive evidence. All information on this site should be used for educational and informational use only.

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May 12, 2017

Researchers have pinpointed a key enzyme that is vital for the production of fresh blood cells in the body. The enzyme is essential for the survival of specialised stem cells that give rise to new blood cells, the study found. Experts say the findings could help to improve the success of stem cell therapies that are being developed to treat some blood cancers and disorders of the immune system.

Enzyme

Scientists focused on an enzyme called fumarase, which is known to play a key role in the generation of energy inside cells. Children with gene mutations that affect fumarase have blood defects, which prompted researchers to investigate its function.

The mouse study found that deletion of fumarase from blood cells causes major defects in new blood cell production. These defects could be traced back to defects in the specialised stem cells that give rise to new blood cells. Blocking the enzyme causes a molecule called fumarate to build up inside the cells, which has wide-ranging toxic effects.

Stem cells

The study sheds new light on the conditions that blood stem cells need to survive, which could help to boost the success of stem cell therapies, the researchers say. Stem cell metabolism is an emerging field of research with an immense therapeutic potential. In future, we hope to identify the biochemical pathways affected by fumarate in stem cells and, by manipulating these pathways, improve the success of stem cell transplant therapies.

Professor Kamil Kranc says, "The research was prompted when researchers noticed that children with genetic mutations in the fumarase gene have blood defects."

The research was prompted when researchers noticed that children with genetic mutations in the fumarase gene have blood defects.

Scientists from the Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh led the study.

The research is published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine and was funded by The Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund, Cancer Research UK, Bloodwise, Tenovus Scotland and Wellcome.

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Blood study insight could improve stem cell therapy success - Medical Xpress

It is the "shock absorber" between the vertebrae of the spine, cushioning every step, bend and jump: the intervertebral disc. If the fibrocartilage tissue in the spine degenerates over time, an intervertebral disc can "slip" -- pinching the medulla or nerves. The consequences include intense pain or even paralysis. Not only people, but also dogs are often susceptible to this disease. Since intervertebral discs themselves cannot regenerate, the affected disc material is removed in an operation that can be performed on both people and animals. The pressure on the nerves and medulla disappears, but the degeneration of the disc remains.

Great hope has thus been placed on stem cell therapy as practiced by Frank Steffen, neurologist at the Clinic for Small Animal Surgery at the Vetsuisse Faculty of the University of Zurich. Stem cells are multipotent cells that can be differentiated into various cell types. Steffen hopes that the stem cells will possibly form new disc cartilage once injected into a damaged disc. His study on three sick German shepherds demonstrate that a treatment with the body's own stem cells are well tolerated -- an important first step.

Gaining knowledge directly from the afflicted animal

Research on intervertebral disc regeneration is frequently performed using animal testing. At the Clinic for Small Animal Surgery in Zurich, researchers have taken another path: "Since we treat numerous dogs who spontaneously sustain a slipped disc every year, we have been able to gain important knowledge directly from animals that are actually afflicted with this disease," Frank Steffen explains. "Due to the similarity in pathology and the course of the illness, conclusions can presumably be drawn for the treatment of affected persons as well." The project for the development of stem cell therapy in dogs is being conducted in cooperation with Swiss Paraplegic Research (SPR) in Nottwil, Switzerland.

The study on the sick German shepherds was organized as follows: With the permission of the dog owners, neurologist Frank Steffen and his team removed stem cells from the marrow of the pelvic bone of the affected animals. After the cleaning and preparation of the cell material in the laboratory, the stem cells were injected into the degenerated intervertebral disc during a disc operation that had become necessary for the animal in question. "Our objective is for the stem cells to trigger cellular and molecular repair processes and, ideally, to form new intervertebral disc cells in order to contribute to the regeneration of the tissue," Steffen says.

After tolerability, check effectiveness

The results are pleasing: The three dogs well tolerated the injections of their own stem cells and the researchers have determined no negative effects. However, later X-rays and magnetic resonance tomographies did not show clear indications that the damaged discs have already regenerated in comparison with the control group.

Not yet -- of that, Steffen is confident. "Proving the tolerability of the therapy was our first important step." Now he is working on the effectiveness of the stem cell injections, for example, with the targeted addition of growth factors. "If our method proves successful one day, it would be a pioneering step -- for human medicine as well," the neurologist says.

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Zurich. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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New intervertebral discs from stem cells - Science Daily

The Indy 500 legend has been through several highs and lows recently. Clark Wade/IndyStar

Indianapolis 500 legend A.J. Foyt.(Photo: Clark Wade/IndyStar)Buy Photo

Its been a long and wild ride, and A.J. Foyt has enjoyed nearly every second of it.

I had a lot of fun, the 82-year-old racing legend told IndyStar on Wednesday at his racing garage in Speedway. If I passed out talking to you right now and fell on the floor, at least I made good money, had a happy life and what else can you ask for? So many people are so miserable with their jobs and that. I had a wonderful job doing what was fun.

Foyts job driving into racing's history books provided him with a lifetimes worth of close friends, amazing stories and thrilling adventures. But it also often required him to put his life on the line.

"I guess I was a little bit crazy back in those days,"Foyt, who walks with a limp but without assistance, said with a smile.

But being crazy was part of the job, he said. He needed it to overcome his fears.

"A lot of race drivers you talk to these days say they've never been scared in racing," Foyt said. "Well, they're lying to you and they're lying to themselves. I cannot name you one race at one time or another thatI didn'tscare the hellout of myself. Honestly. I don't know if that's good or bad, but I'm just being honest with you."

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Despite thosehealthy fears, his long and prestigious racing career resulted ina laundry list of injuries and eventual ailments that would and have horrifieddoctors.

The four-time Indianapolis 500 champion has stared death and dismemberment in the face more times than hed care to count, dealing withcar wrecks, killer bees, a bulldozer accident, heart ailments and two staph infections. As a result, hes nearly had his feet amputated,broken his back two or three times, has two false knees and a false hip, a titanium plate in his chest from open heart surgeryand said hell be on antibiotics for the rest of his life because of the amount of metal he has inside of him.

But he's far from discouraged and fightsto keep going with the same vigor and courage the colored his youth. One way he's done so recently is by undergoing stem cell therapy.Foyt said his wife, Lucy, who suffers from diabetes and arthritis, suggested that they both take on the treatment in order to try and find "the fountain of youth."

I mainly did it for her, Foyt said. She got sugar diabetes real bad, and (is) pretty sick, but, of course, I did it for myself too, dont get me wrong. But shes really been suffering the last five or six years. So we just thought wed try it.

A.J. and Lucy Foyt spent seven days in Cancun, Mexico the treatment is not performed in the United States undergoing a therapy he said likely wont take effect for another month at least. A.J. Foyt had adult stem cells injected into each shoulder and ankle, as well as into his blood.

Theres no guarantees the treatment will help either of them, but the uncertainty doesnt bother him.

I figure if we gain something, fine, and if we dont, well, Ive lost before," Foyt said.

But giving Foyt an edge in his fight against injury, ailment and Father Timeis a competitive fire that has burned within him his whole life.

A little more than a month ago, Foyt and fellow driving legend Dan Gurney were honored in Long Beach, Calif., for the 50th anniversary of their all-American victory at 24 Hours of Le Mans. Many racing greats attended the event, and Foyt was happy to see them, but he couldn't help but stackhimself up one more time against his old rivals.

I guess Im doing better than them, Foyt said with a smile. Poor Parnelli (Jones) has a lot of back trouble. Dan was in a wheelchair. Last three or four years Ive been going in and out of them, but Im still going pretty strong. So far Im hanging in there pretty good. ...Every days a good day. And Iguess thats good when youre getting ready to kick."

Follow IndyStar Motor Sports Insider Jim Ayello on Twitter and Instagram: @jimayello.

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May 9, 2017 Credit: Vetsuisse Faculty, UZH

The intervertebral disc is the "shock absorber" between the vertebrae of the spine, cushioning every step, bend and jump. If the fibrocartilage tissue in the spine degenerates over time, an intervertebral disc can "slip" pinching the medulla or nerves. The consequences include intense pain or even paralysis. Dogs and people are often susceptible to this disease. Since intervertebral discs themselves cannot regenerate, the affected disc material is removed in an operation that can be performed on both people and animals. The pressure on the nerves and medulla disappears, but the degeneration of the disc remains.

Frank Steffen, neurologist at the Clinic for Small Animal Surgery at the Vetsuisse Faculty of the University of Zurich, has developed a stem cell therapy for the condition. Stem cells are multipotent cells that can be differentiated into various cell types. Steffen hopes that the stem cells will possibly form new disc cartilage once injected into a damaged disc. His study on three sick German shepherds demonstrate that treatment with the body's own stem cells is well tolerated an important first step.

Gaining knowledge directly from the afflicted animal

Research on intervertebral disc regeneration is frequently performed using animal testing. At the Clinic for Small Animal Surgery in Zurich, researchers have taken another path: "Since we treat numerous dogs who spontaneously sustain a slipped disc every year, we have been able to gain important knowledge directly from animals that are actually afflicted with this disease," Steffen explains. "Due to the similarity in pathology and the course of the illness, conclusions can presumably be drawn for the treatment of affected persons as well." The project for the development of stem cell therapy in dogs is being conducted in cooperation with Swiss Paraplegic Research (SPR) in Nottwil, Switzerland.

With the permission of the dog owners, Steffen and his team removed stem cells from the marrow of the pelvic bone of the affected animals. After the cleaning and preparation of the cell material in the laboratory, the stem cells were injected into the degenerated intervertebral disc during an operation. "Our objective is for the stem cells to trigger cellular and molecular repair processes and, ideally, to form new intervertebral disc cells in order to contribute to the regeneration of the tissue," Steffen says.

After tolerability, check effectiveness

The results are promising: The three dogs tolerated the injections of their own stem cells and the researchers have determined no negative effects. However, later X-rays and magnetic resonance tomographies did not show clear indications that the damaged discs have regenerated in comparison with the control group.

Steffen says, "Proving the tolerability of the therapy was our first important step." Now, he is working on the effectiveness of the stem cell injections with the targeted addition of growth factors. "If our method proves successful one day, it would be a pioneering step for human medicine as well," the neurologist says.

Explore further: MRI can visualize effects of traction on herniated discs

More information: Frank Steffen et al. Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells as Autologous Therapy in Dogs with Naturally Occurring Intervertebral Disc Disease: Feasibility, Safety and Preliminary Results, Tissue Engineering Part C: Methods (2017). DOI: 10.1089/ten.TEC.2017.0033

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Stem cells therapy for naturally occurring intervertebral disc disease - Medical Xpress

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Stem cell therapy is revolutionizing medicine and now has come to the rescue once again, this time, to help those who suffer from a debilitating, auto-immune skin disease called Lichen Sclerosus (LS). For most patients, this condition attacks the genitalia causing unbearable burning and itching, as well as making sexual intercourse very painful and impossible for some. Severe symptoms can interfere with activities such as exercising, sitting for extended periods of time, or even wearing tight clothing. Previously reported that LS only occurs in post-menopausal women, recent reports, however, state that as many as one in 30 people may suffer from LS and yet, the information on this disease is sparse and relief is hard to find. To date, there is no known cure for this painful disease, which can also affect men and children.

The tragedy of Lichen Sclerosus, says Board Certified Dermatologist, Nathan Newman, M.D. of Beverly Hills, CA is that it often goes unrecognized for years and is frequently misdiagnosed as a post-menopausal change, a yeast infection, urinary tract infection or even a venereal disease, such as herpes. Until now, the main treatment for LS has been topical potent steroids to alleviate the symptoms. However, many patients report no symptomatic relief from conventional treatments and some even experience an exacerbation of symptoms.

Now, with the Stem Cell Lift developed by Dr. Newman, there is hope for these patients for not only relief of their symptoms, but also to help prevent disease progression. Dr. Newman, a well-known pioneer in stem cell therapy, developed his proprietary Stem Cell Lift over 16 years ago for post-cancer reconstruction, wound healing and the innovative, natural, scar-free, knife-free rejuvenating face lift. During this procedure, fat is removed from your own body and the stem cells found in this fat are concentrated and injected back into the treatment area. Stem cells are specialized cells that are genetically programmed to help repair, restore and replenish damaged cells and tissues in our body. Through my experience and knowledge of stem cell therapy, explains Dr. Newman, I knew that stem cells have been able to positively affect the immune response and put other auto-immune diseases in remission.

He applied his knowledge of stem cell therapy to treating patients suffering from LS with the Stem Cell Lift and is finding success in helping to alleviate the symptoms of Lichen Sclerosus. In fact, the first patient he treated for LS with the Stem Cell Lift has been in remission for almost four years.

Anna, a 56-year-old woman diagnosed two years ago with LS says, The fusing, burning and tearing were so painful, I couldnt sit down. Topical steroids were not providing her relief from her painful symptoms. After her first Stem Cell Lift treatment, Anna is thrilled to report she is experiencing 91-100% relief from her debilitating symptoms. ANNA VIDEO

To date, I have treated more than 150 patients with Lichen Sclerosus with the Stem Cell Lift, states Dr. Newman. Remarkably, 25% of these patients are in complete remission; meaning they have no symptoms and no disease progression. Most describe significant improvement in symptoms, are no longer using any topical steroids and do not have any anatomical changes. Patients report they can resume their normal activities, such as exercising, wearing jeans or underwear and are able to have intercourse without discomfort.

He adds, My staff and I are in constant contact with our Lichen Sclerosus patients to monitor their progress and to study the effectiveness of the Stem Cell Lift. Although all of his patients have reported significant overall improvement in their symptoms, most patients require 2-3 treatments to achieve optimal benefits. Dr. Newman continues, The Stem Cell Lift is showing very promising results in bringing relief to Lichen Sclerosus sufferers. Our hope is it will continue to result in remission of LS.

After discovering how little information is available to those who suffer from LS, Dr. Newman is dedicated to raising more awareness about it and is determined to help those suffering from this horrible disease. To achieve this personal mission, he is launching a campaign called #LS HOPE: Helping Open Peoples Eyes to Lichen Sclerosus in May 2017. His dream is to create an annual LS HOPE month every May.

For more information on Dr. Nathan Newman and his treatment of Lichen Sclerosus, please visit his website http://stem-cell-lift.com/ and LS link http://stem-cell-lift.com/lichen-sclerosus/ that includes videos of patient testimonials. Dr. Newman is located at 9301 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA and can be reached at 310-273-3344.

Links to patient testimonials TRACI VIDEO LAURIE VIDEO

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Dr. Nathan Newman's Stem Cell Lift Helps Women Get Their Sex Life Back! - Business Wire (press release)

Its our goal for this to be a normal NHS procedure, so everyone who has a heart problem [and could benefit from this] will be able to. There are few downsides because theres no rejection as theyre your own stem cells, and every patient who has successfully had this treatment ends up taking less medication.

Jenifer is overjoyed with the progress already made, and knows that Ian would be, too, had he lived to tell his story.

For Ian, the treatment gave him an extra three years of life, but in 2006 he died from heart failure, at the age of 70.

He would be so thrilled, says Jenifer. His concern would be were not doing it quick enough, because for him everything had to be done immediately. But to have achieved this much well, the medical world says weve done it all in a very short space of time.

The couple spent their final years together alternating between their family home in St Johns Wood, north London, and a holiday home in Miami.

They were both each others second spouses, having married in 1980 after a whirlwind romance in Cannes Jenifers first husband had died, while Ian had divorced his wife and did not have children together. But Ian had two children from his first marriage, as well as two young grandchildren who he was able to spend those extra three years with.

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My husband's heart failure inspired a life-saving stem cell therapy - Telegraph.co.uk

Lucknow: In what may come as a relief to over 1 lakh patients of thalassemia in India, a public sector stem cell bank is set to come up at UP's King George's Medical University here. A project of the university's transfusion medicine department, the stem cell bank would roll out stem cell therapy to patients of thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia. The proposal is awaiting clearance from state department of medical education.

Stem cells are omnipotent and can take shape of any cell inside the body. If infused in the pancreas, stem cells will become pancreatic while in the liver, they will become liver cells.

These are found in human bone marrow and can be derived from the umbilical cord which contains blood vessels that connect baby in the womb to the mother to ingest nutrition required for development.

Research on the therapeutic use of stem cells is underway in US, Europe, China, South East Asia besides India. In UP, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) and KGMU are both trying to explore the potential of stem cells to treat various health problems. SGPGI has, so far, restricted itself to use of allogenic (stem cells derived from bone marrow of a person), while KGMU has used stem cells derived from the umbilical cord.

Head of transfusion medicine department of KGMU, Prof Tulika Chandra said, "Several private sector stem cell banks like Life Cell and Cord Life India are operating in India but they serve only those who have deposited the baby's cord, while our bank will help everyone."

KGMU has sustained access to umbilical cord because of a very developed obstetrics and gynaecology department. The cord is gathered from the placenta in the uterus of pregnant women which nourishes and maintains the baby through the umbilical cord.

Sources in medical education department said the proposal is worth Rs 9 crore including infrastructure cost. "Stem cell bank promises to become financially self-sustaining within 2-3 years of inception," said a directorate officer.

Talking about why children with thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia were chosen, Chandra said, "Global literature shows umbilical cord stem cells can induce extraordinary results on such children. In fact, success rate is around 70-75% and higher score can be achieved if therapy is provided at an earlier age."

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First public sector stem cell bank to come up at KGMU - Times of India

Former Tranmere Rovers player Joe Thompson has shared an inspiring photo as he begins stem cell therapy to battle his cancer.

The 28-year-old is battling the disease for the second time, after first discovering tumours in his neck in 2013.

The footballer played 32 games for Rovers in 2012 and 2013, before being diagnosed with nodular sclerosing Hodgkins disease.

He fought through six months of chemotherapy before returning to football, joining Bury and then starting at Rochdale last summer.

Now Joe has shared a brave photo from hospital, as he undergoes stem cell therapy.

Posting the picture to Twitter he said: Little Update, First day of the Stem Cell Harvest Process! Docs are very surprised with how good my blood counts are! Hearts super fit.

When he first announced his cancer had resturned in March Joe said his wife and daughter were his daily motivation.

He said: I will fight this life hurdle with the same belief, courage and desire as my previous battle.

The support shown to me since I discovered my illness has returned has been immense.

I would like to thank my wife, Chantelle, who was my rock in my first encounter and will once again be by my side with the same encouragement, discipline and strength.

Not to mention the love shown to me by both my wife and beautiful daughter Thailula-Lily who are both my motivations daily.

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Former Tranmere footballer shares powerful picture as he begins fighting cancer with stem cell therapy - Liverpool Echo

The ability of stem cells to divide into different mature cell types has ignited the field of regenerative medicine. Stem cells promise to repair and regenerate damaged or diseased tissues without the need for orthodox medical or surgical interventions.

However, there is disparity between the expectations held by the general public and some medical professionals versus the reality of the emerging clinical evidence. This disconnect was highlighted recently by the case of three elderly patients who were blinded by the use of an unproven stem cell therapy at a clinic in Florida, USA (BioNews 893).

While stem cell therapies in the field of haematology are showing promise, there are still many challenges in using them in any other disease models. In some countries, medical professionals are using unproven stem cell therapies as medical procedures to treat patients in lieu of conventional treatment pathways. What is more, these practitioners are operating under the premise of a trial.

Proponents of using stem cell therapies outside the context of a true clinical trial believe that these therapies are inherently safe, particularly if the stem cells derive from the individual patient themselves. And the medical professionals offering unproven stem cell therapies are convinced that the potential benefits of undergoing the therapy far outweigh the potential risks.

These benefits are used as an argument to forge ahead with unproven therapies outside ofclinical trials, as regulatory bodies are often to slow to regulate for the fast-paced field of regenerative medicine;gaining regulatory approval is usually a lengthy and costly process. And the regulation that is in place is often narrow in scope and does not account for the variety of products and manipulative techniques used in the field.

An anecdotal account of a stem cell therapys potential to cure a disease, however, does not make for an adequate standard of evidence. In the Florida case, three elderly patients with a progressive eye disease sought out an unproven stem cell therapy. The clinic involved was offering the therapy under the guise of a trial, however the patients had to pay for the procedure (in itself a 'red flag') that promised to 'cure' their disease. The therapy not only failed, but all three patients are now blind as described in The New England Journal of Medicine on 16 March.

Referring back to the disparity in expectations, how the word 'trial' is understood helps to clarify the basis of thedisconnect between the public and clinicians, and emerging evidence. The word 'trial' in the sense of a clinical trial calls for a robust experimental framework and sets of regulations and standards that safeguard the enrolled patients' rights and overall health. Furthermore, trials are performed in a phased manner to ensure any potential risks are minimised. The results generated from a certain phase informs the researchers as to the most effective way to proceed or indeed not proceed.

Using the word 'trial' in the sense of administering a therapy outside of the setting described above, however, only truly refers to the inherent risk of the therapy not working. Moreover, when being administered by a trusted medical professional, the harms of the therapy are often overshadowed by the promise of a'cure' relayed bythese professionals.

The differences in the interpretation of the word trial among medical professionals is reflected by the lack of strict regulation among professional bodies, such as medical councils and regulatory bodies including the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). While the FDA, for example, has published more specific guidelines in October 2015, these are unenforceable on a global scale.

Interestingly, on a regulatory level, there are opportunities afforded to medical professionals to use unproven stem cell therapies outside the context of a clinical trial as noted in the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2016 guidelines:

...the ISSCR acknowledges that in some very limited cases, clinicians may be justified in attempting medically innovative stem cell-based interventions in a small number of seriously ill patients.

However the ISSCR goes on to clarify that it 'condemns' the use of unproven stem cell therapies in any other setting where clinical need is not deemed serious.

In relation to classifying unproven stem cell therapies as a medical procedure, the 2014 United States of America v Regenerative Sciences, LLC et al case dealt with the use of mesenchymal stem cells taken from a sample of a patient's own bone marrow to treat their own orthopaedic disorders. In this case, the court was not convinced that manipulating stem cells outside the body and reintroducing them to the patient was a matter of standard 'medical procedure', as argued by the companyRegenerative Sciences LLC. Instead, the court upheld the FDAs right to regulate the manufacturing (or manipulating) of these stem cells: however cases where there is significantly less manipulation of stem cells are yet to be tested.

Issues remain regarding how best to regulate the use of stem cell therapies, particularly in the early phases of their development. There have been calls for strict regulation through bodies such as the FDA, but others argue that strict regulation will only curtail the benefits stem cell therapies can impart. On the other hand, regulations that are too lenient, it is argued, will only harm the patient seeking the therapy, as a solid evidence base will not yet have been compiled for the therapy.

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BioNews - Unproven stem cell therapies promise versus evidence - BioNews

Stem Cells 101, the Value Proposition

The Key purpose of stem cells is to maintain, heal and regenerate tissues wherever they reside in our body. This is a continuous process that occurs inside the human body throughout its life.

If we did not have stem cells, our lifespan would be about 1 hour, because there would be nothing to replace exhausted cells or damaged tissue. In addition, any time the body is exposed to any sort of toxin, the inflammatory process causes stem cells to swarm the area to repair the damage.

As an example: Say you went to the gym in the morning and did some squats. As a result of that, you would get tiny tears inside the muscle. The stem cells that reside beneath the muscle would come out and repair those little tears.

The reason that, if you continuously go to the gym, you would start to build new muscle, is because those stem cells, hard at work underneath your muscle, are helping to repair and build that new muscle. This would apply to all of the tissues inside your body.

Sure, it is easy to think of stem cell therapy as a magic bullet,but is wise to implement strategies that nourish and thereby help optimize the stem cells we already have in our body.

As noted by Kristin Comella, named # 1 on the Academy of Regenerative Practices list of Top 10 stem cell innovators, has been a stem cell researcher for nearly 20 years: You have to create an appropriate environment for these cells to function in. If you are putting garbage into your body and you are constantly burdening your body with toxins, your stem cells are getting too distracted trying to fight off those toxins.

By creating an appropriate environment, optimizing your diet and reducing exposure to toxins, that will allow the stem cells that were putting in to really home in and focus on the true issue that were trying to treat.

The other thing weve discovered over the years is that [stem cell therapy] is not the type of thing where you take one dose and youre cured forever. Our tissues are constantly getting damaged Youre going to have to repeat-dose and use those stem cells to your advantage.

When you think about a lizard that loses its tail, it takes two years to grow back the tail. Why would we put unrealistic expectations on the stem cells that were trying to apply to repair or replace damaged tissue? This is a very slow process. This is something that will occur over months and may require repeat dosing.

In the past, stem cells were isolated from bone marrow, and were used for bone marrow transplants for cancer patients since the 1930s. But, stem cells come from just about any tissue in the human body, as every tissue contains stem cells.

Human bone marrow has very low amounts of mesenchymal stem cells now believed to be the most important, from a therapeutic perspective.

Mesenchymal stem cells help trigger an immunomodulatory response or a paracrine effect, which means they send signals out to the rest of your body, calling cells to the area to help promote healing.

What researchers have discovered recently is that a more plentiful source of stem cells is actually your fat tissue. Body fat can contain up to 500X more cells than bone marrow, as far as these mesenchymal type stem cells go.

One thing that is also critically important when youre talking about isolating the cells is the number of other cells that are going to be part of that population.

When youre isolating a bone marrow sample, this actually is very high in white blood cells, which are pro-inflammatory.

White blood cells are part of your immune response. When an injury occurs, or a foreign body enters your system, white blood cells will attack. Unfortunately, white blood cells do not discriminate, and can create quite a bit of damage as they clean the area out, Ms. Comella says.

Stem cells, in particular the mesenchymal cells, quiet down the white blood cells and then start the regeneration phase, which leads to new tissue.

Bone marrow tends to be very high in white blood cells and low in the mesenchymal cells. Isolating stem cells from fat tissue is preferred not only because its easier on the patient, but fat also contains a higher population of mesenchymal cells and fewer white blood cells.

The benefit also of isolating [stem cells from] fat is that its a relatively simple procedure. Theres typically no shortage of fat tissue, especially in Americans.

Also, as you age, your bone marrow declines with regards to the number of cells in it, whereas the fat tissue maintains a pretty high number of stem cells, even in older individuals.

We can successfully harvest fat off of just about anyone, regardless of their age or how thin they are. The procedure is done under local [anesthesia], meaning that the patient stays awake. They dont have to go under general anesthesia. We can harvest as few as 15 cubic centimeters of fat, which is a very small amount of fat, and still get a very high number of stem cells, Ms. Comella says.

A stem cell procedure can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000, depending on what is being done, and rarely if ever will insurance cover it.

Still, when compared it to the cost of long-term medications or the out-of-pocket cost of getting a knee replacement, stem cell therapy may still be a less expensive alternative.

Also, a single extraction will typically yield enough stem cells for 20 to 25 future treatments, should one decide to store stem cells for future needs.

I think it is accessible for patients, Ms. Comella says. Its an out-patient procedure. One should plan to be in clinic for about 2 hours; no real limitations afterwards, just no submerging in water, no alcohol, no smoking for a week. But other than that, patients can resume their normal activities and go about their regular daily lives.

Interestingly, Ms. Comella notes that patients who eat a very healthy diet, focusing on Organic and grass fed meat, have body fat that is very hearty and almost sticky, yielding high amounts of very healthy stem cells.

We can grow much better and faster stem cells from that fat than [the fat from] somebody who eats a grain-based diet or is exposed to a lot of toxins in their diet, she says. Their fat tends to be very fluffy, buttery yellow. The cells that come out of that are not necessarily as good a quality. Its just been very interesting. And of note, patients that are cigarette smokers, their fat is actually gray-tinged in color. The stem cells do not grow well at all.

The beauty of stem cell therapy is that it mimics a process that is ongoing in the human body all the time. Our stem cells are continuously promoting healing, and they do not have to be manipulated in any way. The stem cells naturally know how to hone in on areas of inflammation and how to repair damaged tissue.

All we are doing is harnessing the cells from one location where theyre sitting dormant and relocating them to exactly where we want them and we need them to work, Ms.Comella says. Basically, anything inside your body that is inflamed, that is damaged in some way, that is lacking blood supply, the [stem] cells can successfully treat.

That means orthopedics, knee injections, shoulder injections, osteoarthritis, acute injuries, anterior cruciate ligament tears in your back back pain associated with degenerative disc disease or damaged tendons or ligaments, herniated and bulging discs. You can also use it in systemic issues, everything from diabetes, to cardiac, to lungs any tissue organ inside your body thats been damaged.

Autoimmune diseases [can also be treated]. The stem cells are naturally immunosuppressant, meaning they can help quiet down an over reactive immune system and help the immune system function in a more normal way. Neurological diseases, traumatic brain injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinsons. All of these have to do with tissue thats not functioning properly. The cells can be used to address that.

The list of different diseases that could benefit from this intervention is very impressive.

And one can dramatically improve the benefits of stem cell intervention by combining it with other healthy lifestyle factors that optimize mitochondrial function, such as eating a healthy Real Food diet, exercising, sleeping well, avoiding toxins and detoxifying from toxic influences.

Stem cells can be used as part of an anti-aging program. Ms. Comella has used stem cells on herself for several years, and report feeling better now than she did a decade ago.

The ability to reduce inflammation inside your body is basically making yourself live longer. Inflammation is what kills us all. Its what makes our telomeres shrink. Its what causes us pain and discomfort. Its what makes the tissues start to die. The ability to dose yourself with stem cells and bring down your inflammation, which is most likely caused by any sort of toxin that youve been exposed to breathing air is exposure to toxins this is going to lengthen your lifespan.

I typically will do a dose every 6 to 12 months, regardless of whats going on. If I have anything thats bothering me, if I tweak my knee at the gym, then I absolutely will come in and do an injection in my knee. I want to keep my tissue healthy for as long as possible.

I want to stay strong. I dont want to wait until something is wrong with me. I think that this is the future of medicine. This is what were going to start to see. People will begin to get their regular doses of [their own] stem cells and itll just be common practice.

Keep in mind there is a gradual and progressive decline in the quality and the number of stem cells as we age, so when considering this approach, it would be prudent and advantageous to extract and bank stem cells as early on as possible. There are stem cell banking services available.

Your stem cells are never as young as they are right now. Every minute that you live, your telomeres are shrinking. The ability to lock in the youth of your cells today can be very beneficial for you going forward, and for your health going forward. God forbid something happens. What if you have a heart attack? Youre not going to get clearance to get a mini-lipo aspirate procedure.

If you have your cells waiting in the bank, ready for you, it becomes very easy to pull a dose and do an IV delivery of cells. Its almost criminal that were not doing this for every single one of our cardiac patients. This should be standard practice. We should be having every single patient bank their stem cells at a young age and have them waiting, ready and available. The technology is there. We have it. Im not sure why this technology is not being made available to everyone,says.

I think stem cell therapy is very different than traditional medicine. Stem cell therapy may actually make it so that you dont have to be dependent on pharmaceutical medications. You can actually repair the tissue and thats it. This is a very different way of viewing medicine,Ms. Comella says.

The amniotic products available in the US are not so much stem cell products as they are growth factor products.

According to Ms. Comella, they can be useful in creating an immunomodulatory response, which can help to promote healing, but that differs from the living stem cell procedures that can be done by either isolating cells from body fat or bone marrow. As a general rule, clinical benefits are not achieved when using an amniotic product, primarily because they do not contain living stem cells.

I want to contrast that to what are called embryonic stem cells, Ms.Comella adds. The products obtained from cord blood, from women who are having babies, are not embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are when you are first bringing the egg and sperm together. Three days after that, you can isolate what is called an inner cell mass. This inner cell mass can be used to then grow cells in culture, or that inner cell mass could eventually lead to the formation of a baby.

Those are embryonic stem cells, and those are pluripotential, meaning that they have the ability to form an entire being, versus adult stem cells or stem cells that are present in amniotic tissue, [which] are multipotential, which only have the ability to form subsets of tissue.

When dealing with different diseases or damaged tissue or inflammation, mostly you want to repair tissue. If somebody has damage in their knee, they do nnot necessarily need embryonic cells because they do not need a baby in their knee. They need new cartilage in their knee.

Stem cell therapy is very different than traditional medicine. Stem cell therapy may actually make it so that we do have to depend on pharmaceutical medications. And we can actually repair the tissue and be done with it. This is a very different way of viewing medicine.

Eat healthy, Be healthy, Live lively

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Paul A. Ebeling, polymath, excels in diverse fields of knowledge. Pattern Recognition Analyst in Equities, Commodities and Foreign Exchange and author of The Red Roadmasters Technical Report on the US Major Market Indices, a highly regarded, weekly financial market letter, he is also a philosopher, issuing insights on a wide range of subjects to a following of over 250,000 cohorts. An international audience of opinion makers, business leaders, and global organizations recognizes Ebeling as an expert.

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Stem Cells 101, the Value Proposition - Live Trading News

The 360+ joints in the human body link bones and keep our bodies flexible. Until they become painful. Physical discomfort, where bones meet to form a joint, can be mild to intensely agonizing when the joints cartilage, ligaments, tendons, or muscles become inflamed and sore. Pain in one joint may be the result of an injury, or a condition such as tendonitis. Pain in multiple joints may indicate arthritis or gout.

Many joint pain problems in the knees, hips, and shoulders can be relieved with stem cell injection therapy, according to Dr. Frank Ostir, Director, Ostir Physical Medicine in Joliet. He explains that stem cells have anti-inflammatory properties plus growth factors. They relieve pain and rebuild damaged joints by regenerating into new tissue and cartilage. Stem cells can also heal torn ligaments.

They speed up the bodys own healing abilities. Theres no risk of tissue rejection, and no toxic substances or side effects. This regenerative treatment gives the best results in the shortest amount of time, Ostir says.

This phenomenal advancement in regenerative medicine makes it possible for patients to be pain-free and possibly avoid surgery through a minimally invasive procedure performed in the office. The actual procedure takes about 15 minutes. We used guided imaging from fluoroscopy and ultrasound technology to inject the stem cells to the exact site of affliction. The stem cells are mixed with a local anesthetic and injected through a small needle, to minimize any discomfort.

Ostir continues, The patient usually rests on the day of the injection, and resumes regular activity afterwards. About 80 percent of healing occurs in the first two months of treatment, due to the rate of stem cells replicating. Its our hope that this truly amazing therapy will eliminate the need for drugs and surgery.

For more information, contact Ostir Physical Medicine, (815) 729-2022, or visit http://www.ostirphysicalmed.com.

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Stem cell therapy relieves pain, restores joints - The Herald-News

New Delhi: A 20-year-old man named Aditya Bhatia was suffering from Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD) -- a condition which slowly weakens and degenerates all the muscles of the body leading to disability was treated using stem cell therapy.

Aditya was diagnosed with Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD) in 2012. It started after he found it difficult to lift his arms over the head -- one of the main and strongest symptoms. Consultations with several doctors did not find Bhatia any solution, and his condition grew severe and started affecting other parts of the body such as face.

FSHD usually begins before age 20, with weakness and atrophy of the muscles around the eyes and mouth, shoulders, upper arms and lower legs. Later, weakness can spread to abdominal muscles and sometimes hip muscles.

Experts says that FSHD can be divided into adult-onset and infantile-onset forms.

Bhatia's parents had heard about the stem cell treatment which had proved effective in many diseases such as spinal diseases.

Accordingly, they consulted doctors on stem cell therapy and decided to give it a try.

All the procedures were followed and he was tested for hyper sensitivity reactions with stem cells, also known as Human Embryonic Stem Cell Therapy.

Doctors said that during the treatment procedure, Bhatia was injected with 0.05 ml stem cells.

(With IANS inputs)

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Stem cell therapy treats man with muscle degeneration | Zee News - Zee News

By David Ikudayisi

In recently published papers in the New England Journal of Medicine about the use of Stem Cell Therapy for Macular Degeneration, one report showed that 3 partially blind women became blind after the treatment with stem cells and the other report showed that an inevitable loss of vision was halted by use of stem cells in another patient. The stem cells used in these two reports were from two different sources fat and skin cells.

First of all, we need to remember or understand that Macular Degeneration is caused by the deterioration of the central portion of the retina, known as the macula, and it is responsible for focusing central vision in the eye, and it controls our ability to read, drive a car, recognize faces or colors, and see objects in fine detail. In America, it affects more than 10 million people more than cataracts and glaucoma combined.

Caucasians are more likely to develop the disease than African-Americans, Hispanics/Latinos or Africans. At present, Macular Degeneration is considered an incurable eye disease, and the closest hope for cure seems to be via Stem Cell Therapy. As shown in the reports, there is still a lot to be understood about stem cells in terms of dosing, frequency, source to be used for different disorders, etc; especially when talking about very sensitive organs of the body like the eyes.

The Florida Company that treated the three patients that went from partial blindness to total blindness have treated over 7,000 patients and have had very few adverse events reported. The scientific director of the company believes the safety track record is very strong and feels very confident about the procedures that they do as it has shown great success in many different health problems.

However, the rarity of the procedure causing harm draws me to see the many benefits and potential Adult Stem Cell Therapy could have on people. Examples of its effectiveness has been seen in so many patients in different studies and even in my own practice in the United States of America. There are already beneficiaries of Adult Stem Cell Therapy in Nigeria. I can say that my experience using stem cells have been great.

In fact, of all the patients that I have treated, only one did not respond positively after just 1 treatment. This was not even done with Adult Stem Cell Therapy but Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy using the patients own blood. Nevertheless, there was no adverse event. The patient is recommended to do Adult Stem Cell Therapy which will increase his chance of success. Many of the other patients showed improvements after the first treatment, and the few that needed second treatment went on to see amazing results after more treatment was done; needless to say that they were elated with the results.

Generally, Adult Stem Cell Therapy and Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy are safe as shown by many published research reports and clinical trials done already. However, this does not guarantee that adverse effects cant occur as seen in the case of the 3 women who had accelerated blindness 2 years ago (as with any other treatments in the scope of medicine).

Another recent report in March 2017 from Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University in USA highlighted one of the benefits of Adult Stem Cell Therapy in stroke patients. The multicenter trial shows that not only was it safe, but if Adult Stem Cell Therapy is given within two days of an ischemic stroke, it could reduce the death of cells around the strokes core that were also injured. The Nigerian government should get involved more and invest more in Regenerative Medicine as it will help improve the health status of the nation.

Link:
Stem cell therapy 'magic' for stroke, eye ailments - Vanguard