Regenerative Medicine

The US National Institutes of Health is requesting comments on draft guidelines that will inform the use of embryonic stem cells in medical research. Comments are requested by 26 May 2009 to the NIH.

French researchers have started screening for compounds and RNA interference molecules that could eventually treat myotonic dystrophy, a chronic, slowly progressing disease characterised by wasting of the muscles.

The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be issuing new guidelines on how scientists should conduct research using embryonic stem cells following President Barack Obama’s decision to lift restrictions on federal funding of this research.

Researchers from the UK and Canada have reported a method for reprogramming human skin cells to act like embryonic stem cells without the use of viral vectors.

Stem Cell Sciences Plc, a UK stem-cell engineering company that has been seeking a buyer for some months, has agreed to sell its operating assets and substantially all of its intellectual property to StemCells Inc of the US in a share and debt transaction valued at $4.85 million.

Epistem Plc, a UK-listed biotechnology company, has signed a multi-million dollar research and development agreement with Novartis to identify new drug targets and therapeutics across a range of disease areas.

ReNeuron Group Plc has received approval from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to conduct a first-in-man trial of a stem cell therapy to treat stroke.

Cardio3 BioSciences SA, a privately-owned Belgian company, has raised €13.7 million to finance the clinical development of its second-generation cell therapy for the treatment of heart failure, C-Cure.

Intercytex Group Plc has announced the all-share acquisition of Axordia Ltd, a privately-held UK stem cell company, for £1.68 million. Announced on 22 December 2008, the deal will expand Intercytex’s regenerative medicines’ business into stem cell therapies in addition to its focus on tissue repair.

A long-standing collaboration among Cellartis AB, the Hagedorn Research Institute of Novo Nordisk, and Professor Henrik Semb of Lund University into diabetes has been upgraded with a view to developing a new cell therapy for the treatment of type 1 diabetes.