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Press Releases from AlphaMed Press

November 25, 2019
Multiple Doses of Stem Cells Show Potential in Treating Severe Asthma

DURHAM, N.C. (November 20, 2019) - A study released today in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine (SCTM) describes how multiple doses of a type of stem cell called mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) might offer a new way to treat people suffering from severe asthma.

An asthma attack is triggered by allergens entering the lungs and causing swelling of the airways. This sets off a domino effect that results in narrowing of the airways from the nose and mouth to the lungs. The most severe cases can lead to death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 13 people have asthma. There is no cure, but it can be managed in most cases with proper prevention and treatment.

September 30, 2019
Gene-Edited, Stem Cell Reporter Line Could Boost Cardiac Research

DURHAM, N.C. (SEPTEMBER 30, 2019) - As human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) move closer to becoming a possible mainstream therapy and an accepted model for studying the development and diseases of the human heart, there is an increasing need for stable stem cell lines that allow electrical or potential activities of the progeny heart muscle cells to be clearly and easily recorded. A study released today in STEM CELLS details the development of one such line, CRISPR-generated ArcLight-hiPSCs.

The UC Davis Health research team that developed the line reported that it incorporates a tracking process that overcomes several drawbacks inherent in other methods for recording how hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) function. This feature makes CRISPR-generated ArcLight-hiPSC a promising tool for studying these cells and utilizing them for drug testing.

September 16, 2019
Study Indicates Early Infusion of Mononuclear Cells Could Aid in Recovery from Stroke

Durham, NC (September 17, 2019) – Results of a clinical trial published today in STEM CELLS are the first to document the safety and feasibility of the early administration of bone marrow cells to treat acute ischemic stroke patients. The information provided by the study could aid in developing new cellular therapies for this most common form of stroke — caused by a blocked artery — which affects over 13 million people each year, according to the World Health Organization. 

September 10, 2019
Study Shows Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Importance of Tissue Origin in Predicting Function

DURHAM, N.C. SEPTEMBER 10, 2019 - A new study released today in STEM CELLS demonstrates that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) expanded from adipose tissue (ASC) outperform those expanded from bone marrow (BM-MSCs). Importantly, while several previous studies have compared the performance of BM-MSCs versus ASCs, this is the first to pair MSCs from the same donor to show that tissue, rather than donor origin, is the functional predictor.

“Numerous clinical trials are evaluating the therapeutic potential of MSCs in degenerative and inflammatory diseases,” said lead investigator Karin Tarte, Pharm D, Ph.D., of the Université de Rennes. "However, the influence of their tissue of origin on their functional properties, including their immunosuppressive activity, remains unsolved.

September 6, 2019
Study Shows Stem Cells May Be Better Choice Than Tissue Transplantation for Treating LSCD

DURHAM, N.C.  SEPTEMBER 05, 2019 - Results of a phase II clinical trial released today in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine (SCTM) indicate that a limbal stem cell (LSC) transplantation is superior to a tissue graft in treating limbal stem cell deficiency syndrome (LSCD).

The study’s lead investigator, Vincent Borderie, M.D., Ph.D.
August 14, 2019
Human amniotic fluid stem cells show promise in treating severest type of spina bifida


DURHAM, N.C. AUGUST 14, 2019 - A study released today in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine provides compelling evidence of how an injection of human amniotic fluid stem cells can be used to protect the spinal cord of a fetus from myelomeningocele (MMC). The finding could lead to a new strategy for treating this debilitating birth defect that affects about 1 out of every 4,000 children born in the United States each year.

The most severe form of spina bifida, myelomeningocele results when the backbone and spinal canal do not close before birth. It can leave a child with many disabilities, including partial or full paralysis, difficulty with bowel and bladder control, hydrocephalus and developmental delay.

August 6, 2019
Computer modeling predicts best stem cell donors and therapies for kids with heart disease

Durham, NC – A study released today in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine (SCTM) identifies a computational modeling system that could have far-reaching implications for personalized medicine, especially when seeking treatments for children with heart failure. The system, called partial least squares regression (PLSR), is able to predict which stem cell donors and manipulation methods might yield the best therapies for these patients.

June 26, 2019
Stem Cell Line Shows Potential in Helping Recover Motor Function After a Stroke


DURHAM, N.C. (JUNE 26, 2019) - Results of a phase 1 clinical trial released today in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine (SCTM) have identified a specific line of human neural stem cells that shows potential for helping recover motor function in those who suffer a hemiparetic stroke (where one side of the body is left weak or paralyzed).

June 25, 2019
Study Reveals How Protein Norrin Helps Activate Hair Growth


DURHAM, N.C. (JUNE 25, 2019) - A study released today in STEM CELLS identifies a possible new way to regrow hair. The research demonstrates how extracellular vesicles (EVs), isolated from stimulated dermal fibroblasts, promote hair growth via their secretion of the protein norrin — and how norrin is a key player in growing hair.

The discovery could lead to numerous therapeutic treatments for alopecia (hair loss), the researchers say.

June 20, 2019
Study reveals a ‘reconditioning’ process that increases stem cells ability to treat ARDS

DURHAM, N.C. ( JUNE 20, 2019 ) - A study released today in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine (SCTM) demonstrates how preconditioning mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) enhances their ability to treat acute respiratory distress disorder (ARDS). This important information could point to a way to developing more effective MSC treatments for clinical application, according to Ben Antebi, Ph.D., who led the team of investigators from the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research and Stanford University.

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