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NAS Releases Final Report on Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology - JD Supra (press release)

Investors in Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (PBYI - Free Report) need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the July 28th, 2017, $55 Puthad some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today.

What is Implied Volatility?

Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy.

What do the Analysts Think?

Clearly, options traders are pricing in a big move for Puma Biotechnology shares, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, Puma Biotechnology is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) in the Medical-Biomed/Genetics industry that ranks in the Bottom 37% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 60 days, 2 analysts have increased their earnings estimates for the current quarter, while none have dropped their estimates. The net effect has taken our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter from loss of $2.33 per shareto a loss of $2.13 in that period.

Given the way analysts feel about Puma Biotechnology right now, this huge implied volatility could mean theres a trade developing. Often times, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected.

Looking to Trade Options?

Each week, our very own Dave Bartosiak gives his top options trades. Check out his recent live analysis and options trade for the TSLA earnings report completely free. See it here: Tesla Earnings Preview with Options Trade Ideas or check out the embedded video below for more details:

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Are Options Traders Betting on a Big Move in Puma Biotechnology (PBYI) Stock? July 03, 2017 - Zacks.com

Nanotechnology is one of the most promising technologies in 21st century. Nanotechnology is a term used when technological developments occur at 0.1 to 100 nm scale. Nano medicine is a branch of nanotechnology which involves medicine development at molecular scale for diagnosis, prevention, treatment of diseases and even regeneration of tissues and organs. Thus it helps to preserve and improve human health. Nanomedicine offers an impressive solution for various life threatening diseases such as cancer, Parkinson, Alzheimer, diabetes, orthopedic problems, diseases related to blood, lungs, neurological, and cardiovascular system.

Development of a new nenomedicine takes several years which are based on various technologies such as dendrimers, micelles, nanocrystals, fullerenes, virosome nanoparticles, nanopores, liposomes, nanorods, nanoemulsions, quantum dots, and nanorobots.

In the field of diagnosis, nanotechnology based methods are more precise, reliable and require minimum amount of biological sample which avoid considerable reduction in consumption of reagents and disposables. Apart from diagnosis, nanotechnology is more widely used in drug delivery purpose due to nanoscale particles with larger surface to volume ratio than micro and macro size particle responsible for higher drug loading. Nano size products allow to enter into body cavities for diagnosis or treatment with minimum invasiveness and increased bioavailability. This will not only improve the efficacy of treatment and diagnosis, but also reduces the side effects of drugs in case of targeted therapy.

Global nanomedicine market is majorly segmented on the basis of applications in medicines, targeted disease and geography. Applications segment includes drug delivery (carrier), drugs, biomaterials, active implant, in-vitro diagnostic, and in-vivo imaging. Global nanomedicine divided on the basis of targeted diseases or disorders in following segment: neurology, cardiovascular, oncology, anti-inflammatory, anti-infective and others. Geographically, nanomedicine market is classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and MEA. Considering nanomedicine market by application, drug delivery contribute higher followed by in-vitro diagnostics. Global nanomedicine market was dominated by oncology segment in 2012 due to ability of nanomedicine to cross body barriers and targeted to tumors specifically however cardiovascular nanomedicine market is fastest growing segment. Geographically, North America dominated the market in 2013 and is expected to maintain its position in the near future. Asia Pacific market is anticipated to grow at faster rate due to rapid increase in geriatric population and rising awareness regarding health care. Europe is expected to grow at faster rate than North America due to extensive product pipeline portfolio and constantly improving regulatory framework.

A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/6370

Major drivers for nanomedicine market include improved regulatory framework, increasing technological know-how and research funding, rising government support and continuous increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, kidney disorder, and orthopedic diseases. Some other driving factors include rising number of geriatric population, awareness of nanomedicine application and presence of high unmet medical needs. Growing demand of nanomedicines from the end users is expected to drive the market in the forecast period. However, market entry of new companies is expected to bridge the gap between supply and demand of nanomedicines. Above mentioned drivers currently outweigh the risk associated with nanomedicines such as toxicity and high cost. At present, cancer is one of the major targeted areas in which nanomedicines have made contribution. Doxil, Depocyt, Abraxane, Oncospar, and Neulasta are some of the examples of pharmaceuticals formulated using nanotechnology.

Request to View Tables of Content @http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/6370

Key players in the global nanomedicine market include: Abbott Laboratories, CombiMatrix Corporation, GE Healthcare, Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Mallinckrodt plc, Merck & Company, Inc., Nanosphere, Inc., Pfizer, Inc., Celgene Corporation, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., and UCB (Union chimique belge) S.A.

To Know About Latest Report Click Here:http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/healthcare-nanotechnology-nanomedicine-market.asp

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Healthcare Nanotechnology (Nanomedicine) Market Expected to Generate Huge Profits by 2015 2021: Persistence ... - MilTech

Researchers at London, UK-based Imperial College are developing a technology to transport drugs directly to the lungs of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients.

The technology consists of ethanol-heated iron and trans-trans muconic acid nanoparticles that can be small molecule drug actives.

These particles can be delivered directly to the site of the disease according to lead researcher Jane Mitchell, who told us the targeted approach bypasses the toxicity issues that have held back development of less targeted, systemic nanomedicines.

One of the biggest limitations in nanomedicine is toxicity, some of the best nanomedicine structures do not make it past the initial stages of development, as they kill cells, said Mitchell.

However in a study published in Pulmonary Circulation , researchers explain that these metallic structures - called metal organic frameworks (MOF) are not harmful to cells.

We made these prototype MOFs, and have shown they were not toxic to a whole range of human lung cells, Mitchell told us.

The hope is that using this approach will ultimately allow for high concentrations of drugs we already have, to be delivered to only the vessels in the lung, and reduce side effects, she said.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)

PAH is a rare lung disease caused by changes to the smaller branches of the pulmonary arteries. The artery walls thicken, and eventually cause organ failure.

While no cure exists, treatments that open up blood vessels in the artery wall are available. According to Mitchell, these treatments can produce negative side effects.

The drugs available [for PAH]are all small molecule drugs which are seriously limited by systemic side effects. Therefore delivering these drugs to the site of disease in our metal organic frame-work (MOF) carrier would represent a paradigm step forward in technology to treat this disease, she said.

Further, researchers believe the MOF technology has therapeutic benefits of its own.

We know that the carriers can havetherapeutic benefits intheir own right such as reducing inflammation and, in the case of ourformation, the potential for imaging, said Mitchell.

For patients with PAH, it could mean we are able to turn it from a fatal condition, to a chronic manageable one, she said.

According to Mitchell, the technology is not expensive at the experimental level, and would be scaled up at commercial level.

We now need to perform proof of concept studies using carriers containing drugs in cell and animal based models. With funding, this will be complete within 2 years, she Mitchell.

Upon completion of clinical trials, the University hopes to license out the technology.

Link:
Nanoparticle delivery tech targets rare lung disease - In-PharmaTechnologist.com

BBC News

6.8m genetic medicine plan for targeted treatment - BBC News BBC News Patients in Wales will benefit from stronger services and more expertise in genetic medicine, under a new strategy. The 6.8m plan has been designed to ensure ... Tories ask for government assurances over genetic medicine pledge ...Barry and District News Government strategy strives for tailor-made healthcarePenarth Times all 4 news articles »

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6.8m genetic medicine plan for targeted treatment - BBC News - BBC News

Precision medicine is hot and Konica Minolta wants a piece of the action. To that end, its Healthcare Americas arm is paying $1 billion to acquire Ambry Genetics.

Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) is helping to fund the deal.Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas and INCJwill make an all-cash payment of $800 million. Ambry shareholders will get up to $200 million over the next two years.

Konica views the deal as a stepping stone marking its debut as a player in the space and plans to bring Ambrys products to Japan and then to Europe, according to a news release. Shoei Yamana, Konica Minolta CEO said in a news release that the deal marks the first in a series of initiatives to build Konicas precision medicine profile.

The future of medicine is patient-focused. Together with Ambry, we will have the most comprehensive set of diagnostic technologies for mapping an individuals genetic and biochemical makeup, as well as the capabilities to translate that knowledge into information the medical community can use to discover, prevent, and cost-effectively treat diseases, Yamana said. This will not only serve as the future foundation for our healthcare business but will pave the way for a fundamental shift in the way medicine is practiced globally.

Ambrys diagnostic offerings span multiple fields, including neurology, oncology and womens health. As with most genomics services, the business will also be generating rich data as a byproduct of its sales. Konica may be able to tap into this information in myriad ways, from drug discovery to companion diagnostics and more. Its the foundations of todays precision medicine work.

Photo: maxsattana, Getty Images

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Konica Minolta establishing itself as precision medicine player with $1B Ambry Genetics deal - MedCity News

July 5, 2017 Credit: Cancer Research UK

Cancer patients should have routine access to genetic testing to improve diagnosis and treatment, according to England's chief medical officer.

Despite the UK being a world leader in genomic medicine its full potential is still not being realised, Professor Dame Sally Davies said in a new report.

Davies urged clinicians and the Government to work together and make wider use of new genetic techniques in an attempt to improve cancer survival rates.

Genetic testing can pinpoint the faults in DNA that have led to a cancer forming. Different cancers have different faults, and these determine which treatments may or may not work.

Such testing could lead to patients being diagnosed faster and receiving more targeted or precise treatments.

Davies said that "the age of precision medicine is now" and that the NHS must act quickly to remain world class.

"This technology has the potential to change medicine forever but we need all NHS staff, patients and the public to recognise and embrace its huge potential." said Davies.

Sir Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK's chief executive, agreed, saying that it would be a disservice to patients if the UK were slow to respond to innovations in this area.

The report recommends that within 5 years training should be available to current and future clinicians and that all patients should be being offered genomic tests just as readily as they're given MRI scans today.

Davies also called for research and international collaboration to be prioritised, along with investment in research and services so that patients across the country have equal access.

However the report recognises potential challenges such as data protection issues and attitudes of clinicians and the public.

"This timely report from the chief medical officer showcases just how much is now possible in genomics research and care within the NHS," added Sir Kumar.

"Cancer Research UK is determined to streamline research, to find the right clinical trial for cancer patients and to ensure laboratory discoveries benefit patients".

And the design of clinical trials are starting to change. A number of trials are underway, like Cancer Research UK's National Lung Matrix Trial with AstraZeneca and Pfizer, where patients with a certain type of lung cancer are assigned a specific treatment based on the genetic makeup of their cancer.

However, Sir Harpal Kumar stressed that to bring the report's vision to life the Government, the NHS, regulators and research funders need to act together.

Explore further: Adding abiraterone to standard treatment improves prostate cancer survival by 40 percent

Cancer Research UK is partnering with pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Pfizer to create a pioneering clinical trial for patients with advanced lung cancer marking a new era of research into personalised medicines ...

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Greater access to genetic testing needed for cancer diagnosis and ... - Medical Xpress

July 5, 2017 Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Pioneering research using the tropical zebrafish could provide new insights into the genetic basis of myopathy, a type of human muscle disease.

An international research team, led by Professor Philip Ingham FRS, inaugural Director of the University of Exeter's Living Systems Institutehas taken the first steps in determining the central role a specific gene mutation in a poorly characterised human myopathy.

Myopathies are diseases that prevent muscle fibres from functioning properly, causing muscular weakness. At present, there is no single treatment for the disease, as it can develop via a number of different pathways.

One particular type is nemaline myopathy, which primarily affects skeletal muscles and can lead to sufferers experiencing severe feeding and swallowing difficulties as well as limited locomotor activity.

Mutations in a specific gene, called MY018B, have recently been found to be present in people exhibiting symptoms of this disease, but the role these mutations play in muscle fibre integrity has until now been unclear.

In this new research, the Ingham team, based in Singapore and Exeter, has used high-resolution genetic analysis to create a zebrafish model of MYO18B malfunction; this research takes advantage of the remarkable similarity between the genomes of zebrafish and humans,which have more than 70 per cent of their genes in common.

The Singapore/Exeter team found that the MYO18B gene is active specifically in the 'fast-twitch' skeletal muscles of the zebrafish, typically used for powerful bursts of movement. Crucially, by studying fish in which the MYO18B gene is disrupted, they were able to show that it plays an essential role in the assembly of the bundles of actin and myosin filaments that give muscle fibres their contractile properties.

The team believe this new research offers a vital new step towards understanding the cause of myopathy in humans, which in turn could give rise to new, tailored treatments in the future.

The leading research is published in the scientific journal, Genetics.

Professor Ingham, said: "The identification of a MYO18B mutation in zebrafish provides the first direct evidence for its role in human myopathy and gives us a model in which to study the molecular basis of MYO18B function in muscle fibre integrity."

A pioneer in the genetic analysis of development using fruit flies and zebrafish as model systems, Prof Ingham is internationally renowned for his contributions to several influential discoveries in the field of developmental biology over the last century.

This is the latest research by Professor Ingham that has revealed important links between the processes that underpin normal embryonic development and disease.

His co-discovery of the 'Sonic Hedgehog' gene, recognised as one of 24 centennial milestones in the field of developmental biology by Nature, in 2004, led directly to the establishment of a biotechnology company that helped develop the first drug to target non-melanoma skin cancer.

The research comes at the University of Exeter holds the official opening of the Living Systems Institute with an Opening Symposium event, from July 5-6 2017.

Two Nobel Laureates, Sir Paul Nurse FRS and Christiane Nsslein-Volhard ForMemRS, who separately won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, will deliver keynote speeches as part of the opening event.

The high-profile event, held at the University's Streatham Campus marks the official opening of the LSIa 52 million inter-disciplinary research facility designed to bring new, crucial insights into the causes and preventions of some of the most serious diseases facing humanity.

A Zebrafish Model for a Human Myopathy Associated with Mutation of the Unconventional Myosin MYO18B is published in Genetics.

Explore further: Zebrafish help identify mutant gene in rare muscle disease

Journal reference: Genetics

Provided by: University of Exeter

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Research could give insight into genetic basis of of the human muscle disease, myopathy - Medical Xpress

Politics The school's state funding was slated to be cut under the state budget released in February this year By Haley Suh 18 hours ago Photo: Yolanda Chen / The Daily Pennsylvanian

The School of Veterinary Medicine, which for months appeared to be on the verge of losing millions in state funding, will almost certainly have its funding from Harrisburg remain in place, according to the latest updates from the state budget negotiations.

In the Pennsylvania state budget for the upcoming fiscal year, funding for Penn close to 90 percent of which goes to the Vet School was slated to be cut. The Vet School stood to lose almost $30 million, which constitutes 20 percent of their total budget.

This funding now looks like it might be restored by a bill that allocates $30.1 million from the state budget to the Vet School and over $281 thousand to the Division of Infectious Diseases at Penn Medicine.

The state Senate has already voted unanimously for the bill to pass and the House of Representatives will vote on the bill later this week, University spokesperson Stephen MacCarthy said in a statement.

We are grateful to the Senate for unanimously voting to restore funding for the School of Veterinary Medicine and look forward to continuing to advocate for the House of Representatives to support restoration, MacCarthy said.

The bill comes after advocates urged the government to reconsider the restoration of funding that Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf proposed eliminating in his budget address in February. Wolfs cut came as a surprise to the Vet School, which has received funding from the state for the past 133 years.

Vet School Dean Joan Hendricks wrote a letter earlier this month to the editor of The Pike County Courier, a newspaper in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, urging people to recognize the vital role that veterinarians play in not just providing care for companion animals, but also in protecting the food supply and public health.

Hendricks cited the Vet Schools ability to fight re-emerging threats such as rabies, [help] farmers and truckers see where [swine virus] is present to prevent its spread, and ensure that 99.99 percent of Pennsylvania eggs [make] it to market without salmonella.

She also noted that Penn Vet was the only school of veterinary medicine in Pennsylvania.

Richard Ebert, president of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, which provides legislative support and services to farmers in the state, also spoke out against the cut in funding. Ebert wrote to the Centre Daily Times, a periodical based out of State College, Pa., urging state lawmakers to support the restoration of state funding to Penn Vet. He cited the organizations role in studying diseases that could influence human health.

As a dairy farmer, I couldnt imagine losing access to Penn Vets world-class research, food protection programs, and veterinarian care, Ebert wrote. Thats why were calling on the state general assembly to fund this critical support system of agriculture.

Mark ONeill, director of communications at the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, said in an email that the organization was concerned that a loss of funding would diminish the Vet Schools strong focus on Pennsylvania agriculture, as well as its partnership with the State Department of Agriculture and Penn State University to monitor animal diseases.

ONeill also wrote that farmers were concerned the loss would hurt Penns ability to attract, train, and produce large animal veterinarians, who are decreasing in numbers in Pennsylvania and across the U.S.

Excerpt from:
Penn Vet may keep its $30 million in state funding after all - The Daily Pennsylvanian

PHOENIX, July 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Nextmune group ("Nextmune"), headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of the assets of Spectrum group ("Spectrum") and formed Spectrum Veterinary, LLC. Founded by Mervyn Levin in 1989, Spectrum, headquartered in Phoenix (Arizona), USA, is dedicated to helping veterinarians and pet parents provide a better quality of life for pets with allergies. By combining differentiated testing, treatment, technical support and customer service, Spectrum has become one of the leaders in the U.S. allergy market. Spectrum enjoys a proprietary portfolio of tests and treatments offering both subcutaneous and sublingual personalized medicine from its USDA-certified laboratory. In addition to its successful North American business reaching every state in the USA and province in Canada, Spectrum has a strong export business reaching 5 continents across the globe. The business employs 34 staff. Following closing, Mervyn Levin will gradually transition out of the business over the next 12 months and be succeeded by Jonathan Levin (currently serving as Executive Vice President) supported by the management team of Spectrum and the global resources in Nextmune.

"The acquisition of Spectrum represents another key building block on our journey to create a champion in specialty companion animal health company," says Magnus Kjellberg, CEO of Nextmune group. "The transaction is a perfect match. Nextmune goes from a European #1 to a global leader in allergy with sales in almost 80 countries worldwide. Spectrum represents a compelling platform for entry into the US market and we are committed to taking the business to the next level for the benefit of our patients, pet parents, partners and employees."

"I am very impressed by what Nextmune has built and its vision in specialty veterinary medicine. Through the resources and capabilities across the Nextmune group, there is significant potential to take the business I founded 28 years ago into the future. I am delighted to find a new home in Nextmune," says Mervyn Levin.

The transactions are not subject to any further approvals or clearances.

Nextmune is dedicated to improving quality of life for companion animals. The company's ambition is to be the partner of choice for pet owners and veterinarians in specialized indications. With innovation being at the core of Nextmune, the company will invest in product improvement, supply and sales & marketing initiatives to offer premier treatment for the pet's condition. The company is committed to an entrepreneurial management approach to ensure veterinarians and pet owners are catered to in the best possible way. Key shareholders of Nextmune are Fidelio Capital (www.fideliocapital.se) and Premune (www.premune.com).

If you are a veterinarian and want to know more about how we can help you treat your allergic patients through allergy diagnostics and treatment, please contact us on info@vetallergy.com or tel: (800) 553-1391, info@artuvet.com or tel: +31 320-783100 and info@alergovet.com or tel: +34 914-134472.

For further inquiries, please contact:

Jon Levin Executive Vice President, Spectrum Veterinary LLC 480.464.8971

Magnus Kjellberg CEO of Nextmune +46 768 837 884, magnus.kjellberg@nextmune.com

Related Files

Nextmune creates a leading global player in allergy for companion animals 5 July 2017.pdf

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nextmune-creates-spectrum-veterinary-llc-a-leading-global-player-in-allergy-for-companion-animals-300484177.html

SOURCE Spectrum Veterinary, LLC

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Nextmune Creates Spectrum Veterinary LLC, a Leading Global Player in Allergy for Companion Animals - PR Newswire (press release)

By Charlie Powell, WSU College of Veterinary Medicine

PULLMAN, Wash. Temperatures nearing or surpassing the century mark in the Inland Northwest this week prompts the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine to issue a hot pavement advisory for pets.

Rarely do dog owners in the Inland Northwest need to be concerned about walking their pets on hot asphalt, explains Dr. Raelynn Farnsworth, head of the WSU veterinary teaching hospitals Community Practice Service. But even in relatively mild temperatures, burns to a pets pads can result if forced to walk on the hot surface.

86 degrees becomes 135 on asphalt

In the absence of any wind and in direct sunlight, asphalt surfaces can reach 125 degrees, when the air temperature is only 77 degrees, according to Dr. James Berens work on thermal contact burns published in 1970 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. At 86 degrees, the asphalt temperature jumps to 135 degrees and at 87 degrees, only one degree more, the asphalt temperature rises to 143 degrees.

Hot enough to fry an egg? Weve all heard the old adage but what temperature does it take to actually fry an egg in say 5 minutes? The answer is, an egg will fry on a 131 degree surface in only five minutes. And human skin destruction can occur in only 60 seconds on black pavement at a mere 125 degrees.

One thing pet owners can do is to press the back of their hand against pavement, explained Farnsworth. If you cant hold it there for a full seven seconds its too hot for a pets paws.

Burns in 35 seconds

First responders in human medicine can see thermal burns resulting from contact with hot pavement and they are trained to protect patients from the hazard. Work published in 1995 by physicians and first responders in Maricopa County, Ariz., noted that pavement there in the summer months typically was hot enough 9 a.m.-7 p.m. to burn flesh. The study also noted that second-degree burns could result on most days, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., within 35 seconds of pavement contact.

The good news is, unless incapacitated or restrained in some way so they cannot escape high surface temperatures, most pets pain response will not let them stay on a hot surface, said Farnsworth. So the key to not getting a pets paws burned is application of good common sense and situational awareness.

Avoid tethering and truck beds

In addition, pets should never be tethered on hot pavement or in the back of a pickup truck where the metal surface can burn. Let the pet find shade and walk on grassy surfaces; follow their lead.

If its not convenient to walk a pet on grass or soil, consider changing the walking time to early morning or late in the evening. And never walk a pet on any surface where hot tar may cling to their paws.

Pets with pad burns will typically limp or flat out refuse to walk and it takes time after the burn for the lesions to develop, said Farnsworth. The top layer of the skin will look like it is blistering and wanting to peel off, or it might already be absent entirely. And pets with burned pads will often lick their paws incessantly which can make the problem worse.

Farnsworth suggests that pets with suspected burns should always be seen by your family veterinarian as soon as possible. Care will usually involve supportive care including pain medication and cleaning and dressing wounds, plus an Elizabethan collar to suppress any licking.

Media Contact:

Charlie Powell, WSU College of Veterinary Medicine, public information officer, call or text 509-595-2017, or cpowell@vetmed.wsu.edu

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Protect your pet's feet from heat, burns - WSU News

Eli Lilly and Co. plans to give Purdue University up to $52 million over five years to find better ways to inject medicines and to develop new models for clinical drug tests that can better predict the outcome of new medications in humans.

The two institutions announced the strategic research collaboration Thursday morning, calling it the largest agreement of its kind between Purdue and a single company.

The announcement comes as Purdue, based in West Lafayette, is spending $250 million over five years to bulk up its work in the life sciences sector, hiring more than 60 faculty members in life-sciences related fields and purchasing new research equipment.

Our investment on campus in the life sciences, announced in 2016, is leading to just the types of impact we had hoped to effect, Purdue President Mitch Daniels said in a written statement.

For Lilly, the agreement is the latest in a long string of collaborations with universities and research-based pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

The Indianapolis-based drugmaker traditionally spends about half of its research and development budget on outside partnerships, although it maintains a large in-house R&D workforce. Last year, Lilly had 9,300 employees in research and development, including several thousand in Indianapolis. Its total R&D budget last year was $5.24 billion, or about 25 percent of sales.

Lilly spokeswoman Lauren Zierke said the partnership wasn't expected to replace in-house research.

"This is not an outsourcing agreement, but rather a strategic collaboration for Lilly and Purdue to conduct additional research together using the expertise from both institutions," she said in an email to IBJ. "We anticipate no reduction to our headcount in Research and Development as we create this framework for a lasting collaboration. Instead, we view this agreement as an opportunity to reinforce a positive ecosystem for scientists in Indiana and further the work that has been done to create a life science hub in our state."

Lilly CEO David Ricks said the partnerships with Purdue and others were vital in helping to discover and develop the latest technology.

The biomedical revolution is upon us, but harnessing its full potential will require strong collaboration between academic research centers and industry partners, he said in a written statement.

The initial research between Purdue and Lilly will focus on two areas. The first will be to develop improved ways to inject medicines, with the goal of reducing pain, decreasing the number of injections and thus getting patients to comply with medical orders and improve their health.

The second area is to develop new models for clinical tests that will better predict how humans will respond to new medicines. The overall success rate for new drugs is just 9.6 percent, from early clinical testing to government approval, according to BIO, a huge biotech trade association, based on data from 2006 to 2015. That means nine out of every 10 drugs that go into clinical testing are scrapped along the way.

Purdue researchers from the natural and physical sciences, engineering and veterinary medicine will work on the projects with Lilly researchers. The collaboration could be expanded to other areas, the two institutions said.

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Lilly, Purdue seek medical advancements in new $52M collaboration - Indianapolis Business Journal

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CROWN POINT Lake County police officers have opened their homes to puppies the department seized last month from a Center Township man awaiting trial on criminal charges.

Dan Murchek, assistant county police chief and department spokesman, said recently the sheriff is allowing officers to take home French bulldog puppies among other dogs to relieve overcrowding in the Lake County Sheriff's Animal Adoption & Control Center.

"Officers are helping taking them home, playing with them, socializing them. They are not getting paid for this," he said.

County police said they discovered 68 maltreated dogs last monthin a poorly ventilated garage in the 5900 block of West 125th Avenue.

The prosecutor's office has charged Steve Rajcinoski, 26, of Crown Point, with 11 felony counts of animal mutilation and more than 80 misdemeanor allegations of cruelty to an animal, practicing veterinary medicine without a license and failure to register as a commercial breeder in connection with the raid.

Rajcinoski is free on bond, and his lawyers have requested the court return the seized animals.

Police are keeping custody of the dogs until the Lake Superior Court issues a ruling.

The case has been on hold since Judge Julie Cantrell recused herself from it in the wake of public anger over the case. The judge said people tried to pressure her through telephone calls and social media to punish the defendant.

Before leaving the case, the judge slapped a gag order on all parties in the case at the request of Rajcinoski's attorney.

Murchek said the animal shelter's resources have been stretched in the meantime.

"When I last checked, there were 92 dogs. And that doesn't include all the cats. That is just overwhelming for us," Murchek said.

"It is expensive when you get this many dogs especially those with health care needs. These particular dogs had some medical issues, so our officers are helping, taking them to the veterinarian."

Murchek said the department is keeping the foster care arrangement within the department, and it is not offered to the general public.

"Our people are vetted. We know who they are. We have had officers in the past who have helped out when we have been overcrowded to take dogs home temporarily," he said.

Murchek insisted this foster home arrangement also is only temporary. "This guy could get all the dogs back," he said.

If the court forfeits dogs to the county, they would go up for normal adoption to the public. "Nobody has dibs on the dogs," he said.

He said the public may still make donations to the shelter to assist during this period.

"If they want to bring in items other than cash, they can call the animal shelter to find out what they are short of. We are a no-kill center. We have had dogs that have been in the shelter for months, who people don't adopt," he said.

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Stem cells have long been used to treat blood cancers and some immune diseases. But some doctors are offering stem cell treatments for diseases still under clinical trial. Photograph: Mauricio Lima/AFP/Getty Images

Medical and legal experts from around the world have united to call for more stringent regulation of stem cell therapies to prevent people pursuing unproven and potentially deadly treatments overseas.

In a perspective piece for the US journal Science Translational Medicine, 15 experts from countries including the UK, the US, Canada, Belgium, Italy and Japan wrote that national efforts alone would not be enough to counter an industry offering unproven treatments to vulnerable patients.

Stem cell-based interventions are classified under diverse and potentially incompatible national regulatory frameworks, the authors wrote.

Approaches for international regulation not only need to develop consistent rules over the commercialisation of medical practices and products but also need to give them teeth by developing cross-border partnerships for compliance.

Stem cells found in bone marrow and umbilical cord blood have long been used to successfully treat blood cancers including leukaemia and some immune diseases. But those are among the few proven treatments. Legitimate and ethics-approved clinical trials by academic centres are also occurring, exploring the potential of stem cells to treat a wider range of diseases.

But some doctors are directly offering to the general public stem cell treatments for diseases still under clinical trial or for which no evidence exists and for which the safety and efficacy is as yet unproven.

Deaths as a result of stem cell treatments have already occurred. In 2013 Sheila Drysdale died in a New South Wales nursing home after undergoing an unproven liposuction stem-cell therapy at a western Sydney clinic. Following Drysldales death, her doctor, Ralph Bright, gave a statement to police in which he claimed that stem-cell treatment could improve comorbidities and that stem cells could move from joints to other parts of the body to improve disease in distant sites including lungs and brain, vision, mentation and pain.

In his report into Drysdales death, the coroner Hugh Dillon wrote that he could not say what motivated Dr Bright to perform this unproven, dubious procedure on Sheila Drysdale.

But regardless of his motivation, Dr Brights performance as a medical practitioner was, for the reasons outlined above, poor and resulted in Sheila Drysdales death.

The Medical Council of NSW investigated Bright and placed a number of restrictions on his right to practice. Bright is still authorised to practise stem cell therapy for patients with osteoarthritis or who are taking part in research studies approved by an ethics committee. He is also still allowed to treat patients returning for remaining injections of stored cells.

In 2013 a Queensland woman, Kellie van Meurs, died when she travelled to Russia to undergo stem-cell treatment for a rare neurological disorder. She died of a heart attack as a result.

Australias drug regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, last year sought feedback on the regulation of autologous stem-cell therapies but is yet to publish those submissions. A TGA spokeswoman said the Administration was still examining the options for changes to the legislation to reflect public and industry views. The TGA currently considers autologous treatments, which involve treating someone with their own tissue or cells, to be a therapeutic good and, therefore, does not regulate them. Stem cells used for medical practice and therapeutic purposes are covered by different regulatory frameworks.

Associate Professor Megan Munsie, a University of Melbourne stem cell scientist and a co-author of the paper, said: The idea that stem cells are magical holds court in the community, along with this idea the advances in treatment are being held up by red tape.

Unethical health practitioners exploited this, she said, along with the vulnerability of patients with difficult-to-treat or incurable conditions.

There is a precedent for international regulation of this industry because regulations already exist around drugs the way they are manufactured, she said.

This could be extended to the regulation to the stem cell and tissue-based therapies. This international stance would then force or encourage stronger local regulations.

There have been successful efforts by scientists to push back against unscrupulous doctors. In Italy scientists and regulators highlighted the unproven yet government-subsidised treatments being offered by the entrepreneur Davide Vannoni and fought to stop him. He was convicted of criminal charges but the sentence was later suspended.

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Stem cell therapies: medical experts call for strict international rules - The Guardian

STEM CELL THERAPIES BREAKING BARRIERSPhysicians all over the world are increasingly employing stem cell therapies for the treatment of chronic diseases including hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, neurological disorders, asthma, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal cord injuries, female and male sexual dysfunction, joint pain and autoimmune disease. INSET is Dr. David Ikudayisi, of the Glory Wellness and Regenerative Centre PHOTO CREDIT: http://theconversation.com

Technology offers groundbreaking new treatment option for chronic diseases to patients Physicians all over the world are increasingly employing stem cell therapies for the treatment of chronic diseases including hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, neurological disorders, asthma, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal cord injuries, female and male sexual dysfunction, joint pain and autoimmune disease.

A study published last week in the FASEB Journal showed that a new therapy developed through stem cell technology holds promise as a treatment for chronic asthma.

Also, researchers have successfully patched up damaged hearts to treat heart failure, using the patients own muscle stem cells but another study published last week in journal Circulation found that the treatment could be more harmful than helpful if cardiac stem cells are involved.

In another study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, 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.

Using new gene-editing technology, researchers have rewired mouse stem cells to fight inflammation caused by arthritis and other chronic conditions. According to the study published in the journal Stem Cell Reports, such stem cells, known as SMART cells (Stem cells Modified for Autonomous Regenerative Therapy), develop into cartilage cells that produce a biologic anti-inflammatory drug that, ideally, will replace arthritic cartilage and simultaneously protect joints and other tissues from damage that occurs with chronic inflammation.

Scientists have for the first time created a special type of neuron from human stem cells that could potentially repair spinal cord injuries. The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Also, early results of a clinical trial suggest that stem cell therapy may be a promising treatment for erectile dysfunction, after the procedure was found to restore sexual function in men with the condition.

Meanwhile, the ANOVA IRM Stem Cell Centre has opened its doors in Frankfurt, Germany offering a groundbreaking new treatment option to patients worldwide.

One of the pioneers of stem cell therapy in Nigeria, Dr. David Ikudayisi, of the Glory Wellness and Regenerative Centre, with clinics in Abuja and Lagos, told The Guardian that there are several thousand clinical trials based on autologous (patients own) Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs). He said these type of stem cells are relatively easy to obtain from a patient via bone marrow blood or fat tissue and have been shown to hold vast healing potential.

Ikudayisi is a United States (U.S.) Board Certified Internist with a strong passion for regenerative aesthetic and cosmetic medicine.

Ikudayisi said ASCT and Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRPT) are under a new specialty of medicine known as regenerative medicine, which is a specialist segment of medicine that helps people to naturally regenerate and rejuvenate their bodies from the different conditions they may be suffering from without using chemicals or the orthodox medicine we are used to.

ASCT may hold answers to many questions and problems that we doctors believed had no solutions, especially neurological disorders. Adult stem cell therapy with or without PRPT revitalizes and regenerates the body organs and systems; it also reverses and repairs many pending subclinical medical problems before they become apparent, including the diseases that are age-related, Ikudayisi said.

He said that ASCT and PRPT are safe as shown by many published research reports and clinical trials done already. He, however, said this does not guarantee that adverse effects cannot occur if physicians that are not properly trained do the treatment.

The US-trained said ASCT has helped a lot of people all over the world to regain their lives back from debilitating ailments and Nigerians are not left behind. He said there are real people in Nigeria that were either wheelchair bound but now walking freely with occasional use of a cane or using a cane before but now walking without one; diabetes patients are able to have restoration of vision in their eyes, and some feel and look younger.

He said ASCT has helped chronic kidney disease patients in Nigeria that are on haemodialysis to either reduce the frequency of haemodialysis per week or like in a patient that was recommended to have kidney transplant a year ago is now off haemodialysis and off diabetic medications, and remain stable for the last six months.

Ikudayisi said men with erectile dysfunction are now feeling like young men again. He further explained: I would be remiss to mention that the type of treatment protocol, the dosage of stem cells used also play a role in the efficacy of the treatment, and not everyone will respond in the same manner. Most of the patients showed improvements after the first treatment, and the few that needed second treatment went on to see great results after more treatments were done; needless to say that they were elated with the results.

The only groups of patients that will always need more than a couple of transplantation sessions are patients with the neurological disorders. The latest researches and evidence-based studies show the number of treatment session needed to get significant clinical results can decreased by adding Exosomes to the treatment sessions.

Ikudayisi said there are some diseases that conventional treatments have no cure for, but ASCT can reverse the symptoms of those diseases, repair, and regenerate the damaged tissues or organs involved. He explained: In some cases, it significantly slows down the progression of the disorder. For example, it can regenerate the bony joints in arthritis, repair and strengthen partial Rotator cuff tears and avascular necrosis of the hip without surgery, revitalize the sexual organs in men and women, regenerate renal cells in kidney diseases, modulate immune system without use of medications that have very serious side effects in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, Crohns disease, etc. Another advantage is its application in neurological disorders like Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal cord injury.

Ikudayisi said ASCT can gradually lower diabetic medications dosage and eventually may get the patients off diabetic medications. This is evidenced by stem cells in a hyperglycemic medium differentiating into pancreatic cells; therefore leading to increased development of new blood vessels, secretion of various products of the immune system, and up-regulation of pancreatic transcription factors and vascular growth factor. This aids the pancreas to regenerate and boost its ability to produce insulin. In stroke patients, stem cells activate cells around the suffering brain tissue to catalyze rapid healing and to improve brain function, thereby restoring motor function. Until recently, it was believed that damage to the brain tissue was permanent. This is being challenged by the evidences of re-growth of brain cells and improvements of neurological function documented with the use of adult stem cells, he said.

Ikudayisi said a procedure called P-Shot for Men uses PRPT to resolve challenges relating to erectile dysfunction by regenerating the damaged tissues. It gives treated men the possibility of saving their relationships by increasing stamina, enjoying bigger and harder genitals, and eventually increasing the length and girth. Orgasm-Shot for Women, the regenerative medicine procedure for womens sexual function, leads to increased ability to have orgasm, better arousal from clitoris stimulation, decreased pain during intercourse, tighter vaginal opening, increased sexual desire and natural lubrication, and increased arousal from G-spot stimulation. In addition, because of the O-Shot rejuvenation capabilities, there is help available for women suffering from urinary stress incontinence without the need for invasive surgery, he said.

Ikudayisi said since the stem cells used are autologous, there is no risk of rejection of the stem cell transplant, but as with any procedure, there is a risk of infection, which can be very minimal or non-existent if done under the right conditions. He said adult stem cells transplantation can also be considered by people looking for alternative treatments especially in the areas of diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, female and male sexual dysfunction, joint pain, neurological disorder and autoimmune disease.

The regenerative medicine expert, however, said: Currently, the cost of treatment varies, and it is not for everyone. However, you cant place a price tag on life just as the saying goes that Health is wealth.

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Stem cell therapies breaking barriers - Guardian (blog)

July 6, 2017 Material design empowered by protein sequence space. Credit: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, HKUST

Hydrogels, noted for their biomimetic properties, are the leading materials for biomedical applications, such as drug delivery and stem cell therapy. Traditional hydrogels made up of either synthetic polymers or natural biomolecules often serve as passive scaffolds for molecular or cellular species, which render these materials unable to fully recapitulate the dynamic signaling involved in biological processes, such as cell/tissue development.

Photo-responsive hydrogels are of particular interest to material scientists, because light is regarded as an ideal tool to control molecules or cell behavior with high spatiotemporal precision and little invasiveness. The major challenge for scientist is how to assemble these complex globular proteins into supramolecular architectures efficiently while preserving their function.

In a recent research, a group of scientists from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology created a B12-dependent light-sensing hydrogel by covalently stitching together the photoreceptor C-terminal adenosylcobalamin binding domain (CarHC) proteins under mild conditions. This direct assembly of stimuli-responsive proteins into hydrogels represents a versatile solution for designing "smart" materials and opens up enormous opportunities for future material biology.

The findings were published in the journal PNAS on June 6, 2017.

"In our research, we were able to create an entirely recombinant protein-based light-sensitive hydrogels by covalently assembling the CarHC photoreceptor proteins using genetically encoded SpyTag-SpyCatcher chemistry," said Fei Sun, author of the paper and assistant professor at HKUST's department of chemical and biomolecular engineering. "The AdoB12-dependent CarHC tetramerization has been shown to be essential for the formation of an elastic hydrogel in the dark, which can undergo a rapid gel-sol transition caused by light-induced CarHC disassembly."

"The resulting hydrogel composed of physically self-assembled CarHC polymers exhibited a rapid gel-sol transition on light exposure, which enabled the facile release/recovery of 3T3 fibroblasts and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) from 3D cultures while maintaining their viability." Sun added. "Given the growing demand for creating stimuli-responsive "smart" hydrogels, the direct assembly of stimuli-responsive proteins into hydrogels represents a versatile strategy for designing dynamically tunable materials."

Explore further: Investigating folding stability and dynamics of proteins

More information: Ri Wang et al, B12-dependent photoresponsive protein hydrogels for controlled stem cell/protein release, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2017). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1621350114

Journal reference: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Provided by: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Hydrogels are polymer materials that can absorb a large amount of water, making them flexible like human tissue. They are used in a number of medical applications, including contact lenses, wound dressings, and facial reconstruction.

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Photo-responsive protein hydrogels as agent for controlled stem cell/protein release - Phys.Org

Bareilly: Dog owners from across the country, including Delhi and Gujarat, are turning up with their paralytic pets at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) here for stem cell therapy. Scientists treat a paralyzed dog by transplanting stem cells from healthy dogs. IVRI is the second institute in the country to offer this treatment, after Madras Veterinary College, Chennai.

According to scientists, no research has been conducted to determine the number of dogs who suffer from paralysis every year in India. However, the institute receives at least four cases every week of spinal trauma which causes paralysis in dogs. IVRI recorded 143 cases of posterior paralysis in 2016. These were treated with stem cell therapy and medicines.

If dogs are treated only with medicines, recovery is witnessed only in a few cases, said Amarpal (who goes by his first name), head and principal scientist, division of surgery, IVRI. On an average, 17% recovery rate was noted among dogs administered only medicines.

However, the best response was recorded among severely affected dogs when they were treated using stem cells, where almost all the patients responded to treatment to variable extent, said the scientist. Though we have cases where recovery was 100%, the average recovery rate is about 50%. The experiment proved the efficacy of stem cell therapy in cases of paralysis due to spinal trauma, said Amarpal.

The paralytic dog is first administered anesthesia before the stem cells are injected into its spinal cord. It takes only one session for a dog to undergo the therapy and it is discharged the same day.. After this, the owner has to bring his pet for check-ups for two or more times so that vets can monitor how the animal is responding to the treatment and if it is suffering from any reaction, said Amarpal.

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Stem cell therapy to treat paralytic dogs draws pet owners from ... - Times of India

Having an exceptionally keen sense of smell would seem to be an unmitigated blessing: It can provide early warning of dangers, detect the presence of an attractive mate, and enhance the gustatory delight of a delicious meal.

But when youre a mouse (or, perhaps, a human) and fattening food is all around, a new study finds that those with little or no ability to detect odors may have a key advantage. While mice with an intact sense of smell grow obese on a steady diet of high-fat chow, their littermates who have had their sense of smell expunged can eat the same food yet remain trim.

If youre thinking this is a cautionary tale about the effect of enhancing gustatory delight on portion control, youre on the wrong track.

In fact, the mice with an impaired sense of smell did not eat less of the high-fat chow than did their peers with normal olfaction. Nor did they move around more in their cages, or expel more of their food before extracting its nutrients.

Instead, a report published Wednesday in the journal Cell Metabolism underscores that our sense of smell is lashed together with a broad range of seemingly unrelated basic functions, including metabolism and stress response.

Mice stripped of their sense of smell burn fat differently more intensively than do mice whose olfaction is normal, the new study found. They typically have higher levels of adrenaline the go signal in the bodys fight-or-flight system than do mice with an intact sense of smell. And even when all they eat is high-fat chow, they dont appear as likely as capable smellers to develop such afflictions as fatty liver or the kind of dangerous fat deposits that settle around the midsection.

In one of three experiments reported in the paper, researchers disabled the specialized olfactory brain cells of mice who were made fat on a diet of high-fat chow. The effect was rapid and robust: Those mice lost roughly a third of their body weight. And the weight they lost was virtually all from fat.

I was shocked the effect was so robust, said UC Berkeley stem cell biologist and geneticist Andrew Dillin, the studys senior author. I was convinced they were just eating less. When it became clear they werent, I thought, Wow, this is incredibly interesting.

In another experiment, researchers created super-smellers mice with an exceptionally acute sense of smell by disabling a specialized receptor in the brains olfactory system. Even when the smells the mice were tested on were social, such as the scent of an unknown member of the opposite sex, the champion smellers were at greater risk for weight gain and impaired metabolism than were mice with normal or low olfactory acuity.

Indeed, all kinds of hormonal signals, including many that play a role in appetite and fat storage, get dialed differently in mice with an impaired sense of smell, the researchers found.

Adrenaline, for instance, plays a role in an animals response not only to threats but to stresses such as cold. In mice with low-functioning olfactory neurons, higher adrenaline levels appeared to activate special stores of energy-intensive brown fat to burn white fat as fuel, and to convert some white fat stores to brown fat.

The collective effect of those differing signals was consistently to protect the smell-impaired mouse from the unhealthy effects of overconsumption, the researchers discovered.

The new study is a far cry from establishing that all the same dynamics are at play in humans. But while mice probably rely on their sense of smell more than humans, they can tell us a lot about human obesity, Dillin said. And these findings do suggest an intriguing way to help those with obesity lose some weight and improve their metabolic function without having to change what, or how much, they eat, he added.

Researchers know that when people lose their sense of smell an effect seen in certain strokes, brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases their appetites wane, they eat less, and (no surprise) they lose weight. Its also well known that the acuity of our sense of smell rises and falls depending on circumstance: Its at its zenith when we havent eaten in several hours, and plummets just after weve had a meal.

The first observation suggests that smell piques or sustains interest in eating directly. The second suggests that smell may set off a host of signals about the bodys energy needs that work indirectly to affect metabolic function. That side of the equation is a lot less obvious, and has been studied far less.

The new research suggests that reducing olfactory cues might do more than help overweight people shed pounds. It may also right some of the metabolic and hormonal signals that get pushed out of whack as a person accumulates too much fat.

The potential of modulating olfactory signals in the context of the metabolic syndrome or diabetes is attractive, write the authors of the new study. Even relatively short-term loss of smell improves metabolic health and weight loss, despite the negative consequences of being on a high-fat diet.

Dillin said there are a number of directions in which this research could be taken next. Researchers could look at broad populations of people, testing the acuity of their olfactory sense and, over time, measuring how that tracks with their propensity toward weight gain or metabolic abnormality.

As for human trials of impaired olfaction, Dillin said a clothes pin on the nose wont work: Our mouths also admit olfactory information. But some chemical agents, including one currently used as a pesticide, are known to knock out humans sense of smell temporarily. If such compounds could be used safely on humans, it might be possible to gauge how weight and metabolism are affected when olfaction is altered.

In the meantime, study first author Celine Riera, a post-doctoral fellow in Dillin's lab, plans to tease out the role that the brains hypothalamus a master regulator of everything from involuntary bodily functions to sleep and emotional response may play in translating smells into fat-burning commands.

Funding for the new research came from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Glenn Center for Research on Aging, and the American Diabetes Assn.

melissa.healy@latimes.com

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Does my sense of smell make me look fat? In mice, the answer seems to be yes - Los Angeles Times

A cell transplantation technique, historically used in human medicine with groundbreaking regenerative capabilities, has been made available to UK vets for the first time to treat a range of canine orthopaedic cases.

Originating in the medical world, the Lipogems technique was invented by Carlo Tremolada, an Italian maxillofacial plastic surgeon searching for a way to create a smoother, more viscous fat graft for filling defects and creating natural volumetric face enhancement.

Unexpectedly, patients given Lipogems experienced a significant decrease in bruising and inflammation normally associated with these procedures and demonstrated substantial regenerative effects on the underlying tissues.

Scientists identified the regenerative characteristics in Lipogems and it received US Food and Drug Administration Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Act) Section 510(k) clearance in 2014. A subsequent review in 2016 saw it amended to include application in orthopaedic surgery settings.

The Lipogems method is carried out in one surgical step via a single-use kit for the lipoaspiration process and deployment of adipose tissue. Micro-fragmenting adipose tissue (harvested from fat) is obtained from lipoaspirates through a non-enzymatic, mechanical process using a closed system and disposable device.

Adipose tissue is harvested using a vacuum syringe around the flank of the dog under general anaesthetic, after the region has been anaesthetised by local infiltration with sterile saline and adrenaline.

Harvested fat tissue using the Lipogems device is washed in saline and gently agitated so the pericytes detach from small vessels and activate. Cells with the stromal vascular structure of adipose tissue then act as a local scaffold to maintain regenerative activity for many months.

Vet Offer Zeira said: To colleagues who ask me, why Lipogems?, I give them this the shortest and most truthful answer whoever deals with regenerative medicine uses stem cells; whoever deals with stem cells should use Lipogems.

Dr Zeira said: The results are amazing. Dogs that suffered severe lameness manage to walk with nearly no lameness within five to six days.

Lipogems Canine chief executive Martin ffrench Blake said the objective of the Lipogems product was to favour the natural regenerative process of tissues and was used in numerous pathologies.

Crown Vet Referrals is the only clinic in the UK and Ireland to have staff trained in the Lipogems Canine technique.

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Novel regeneration therapy available for use in UK dogs - vet times