Scientists at the University of St Andrews and the University of Edinburgh have identified a specific type of cell in the human body which can cause motor neurons to fail using stem cell technology. The joint research, published today (Monday 16 December) in Glia, has shown that glial cells, which normally support neurons throughout the brain and spinal
Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM) are paving the way to the generation of functional and mature biological tissues that closely emulate cellular, biochemical, and mechanical cues. Electrical fields in the human body modulate myriad biological processes, such as synapses, muscle contraction, hearing, and wound healing, which were disregarded in TERM until recently. The human
Human platelet lysate (HPL), rich in growth factors, is an efficient alternative supplement to fetal bovine serum (FBS) for ex vivo propagation of stromal cell-based medicinal products. Since 2014, HPL has been a focus of the Working Party for Cellular Therapies of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT). Currently, as several Good Manufacturing Practice
Researchers at Ohio State University and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center say they have developed a new gene therapy technique by transforming human cells into mass producers of tiny nano-sized particles full of genetic material that has the potential to reverse disease processes. Though the work was intended as a proof of concept,
Advanced therapies are no longer the stuff of science fiction. Martin Banks reports on the regenerative therapies often referred to as “living drugs” and the hurdles currently impeding their availability in Europe. Source The Parliament Magazine The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases in Europe represents a high social and economic burden. Direct healthcare costs soared by
– Approval supported by data from the pivotal Phase 3 SELECT rheumatoid arthritis program evaluating nearly 4,400 patients– In five pivotal Phase 3 studies, RINVOQ™(upadacitinib) met all primary and ranked secondary endpoints across a variety of adult patient populations with moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis– RINVOQ, given alone or with csDMARDs, demonstrated improved rates
Using human blood cells, Brazilian researchers have succeeded in obtaining hepatic organoids (“mini-livers”) that perform all of the liver’s typical functions, such as producing vital proteins, storing vitamins, and secreting bile, among many others. The innovation permits the production of hepatic tissue in the laboratory in only 90 days and may in the future become
A team of researchers from the University of Georgia’s Regenerative Bioscience Center has found that neural exosomes—“cargo” molecules within the nervous system that carry messages to the brain—can minimize or even avert progression of traumatic brain injury when used as part of a new cell-to-cell messaging technology. The finding could result in the first delivery platform and
Neuroscientists at Lund University in Sweden have developed a new technology that engineers the shell of a virus to deliver gene therapy to the exact cell type in the body that needs to be treated. The researchers believe that the new technology can be likened to dramatically accelerating evolution from millions of years to weeks.
The FDA unexpectedly reversed course Thursday, approving the second treatment developed by Sarepta Therapeutics for the rare disease Duchenne muscular dystrophy just a few months after rejecting the drug. Sarepta announced Thursday evening that the agency had approved its second drug, called Vyondys 53. After the drug was originally rejected by the FDA in August due to concerns over the
