BioInformant

Your Global Leader in Stem Cell Market Research

Home » news » Page 4

Could Google Be the Next Big Force in Regenerative Medicine?

By 1 Comment

Google has been massively (and quietly) increasing its presence in the regenerative medicine sector for several years.

Verily, Google Life Science BusinessIn February 2016, Google’s life sciences business, Verily Life Sciences, announced it was negotiating terms to lease a giant 400,000-square-foot facility formerly occupied by Onyx Pharmaceuticals, a company acquired by Amgen for $9.7 billon in 2013.

The facility in Mountain View, California, is about 30 miles north of Alphabet Inc., the holding company for Google (NASDAQ: GOOG). It could support as many as 1,000 Verily Life Sciences employees. Land is also included in lease, a rarity in the Bay Area, allowing Verily the potential for future expansion.  [Read more…]

What is the Most Predictive Cardiac Cell Model? FDA Publication Confirms COR.4U By Axiogenesis

By Leave a Comment

Two recent peer-reviewed publications underline the predictive value of Axiogenesis Cor.4U iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs).

There was a publication earlier this year by Astra Zeneca researchers that resulted in a somewhat negative perception (mostly by iPS cell skeptics) of iPSC-derived cells. The predictive value of iPSCs was questioned, with the abstract stating, “iCell® cardiomyocytes have limited value as an integrated QT/TdP assay, highlighting the urgent need for improved experimental alternatives that may offer an accurate integrated cardiomyocyte safety model for supporting the development of new drugs without QT/TdP effects.” [Read more…]

RIKEN Resuming World’s First Ever Clinical Study of iPSC-Derived Cells in Humans

By 2 Comments

In major news released today, RIKEN announced that it is resuming its retinal induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) study in partnership with Kyoto University.

2013 was the first time in which clinical research involving transplant of iPSCs into humans was initiated, led by Masayo Takahashi of the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (CDB) in Kobe, Japan. Dr. Takahashi and her team were investigating the safety of iPSC-derived cell sheets in patients with wet-type age-related macular degeneration. [Read more…]

Will Universal Cell’s Gene-Editing Tech Create Universally Compatible Stem Cells?

By Leave a Comment

Universal CellsUniversal Cells Inc. is a private biotechnology company based in Seattle, Washington that is enabling the field of regenerative medicine by creating stem cells that are universally compatible. Its technology is based on intellectual property (IP) in-licensed from the University of Washington and includes methods for genome editing in human stem cells via homologous recombination with recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors, as well as specific HLA-engineering strategies.

I had the honor to interview Gregory Block, VP of Business Development for Universal Cells. Universal Cells is a private biotechnology company based in Seattle, Washington, that is revolutionizing the stem cell field by creating stem cells that are universally compatible.

[*Note: Universal Cells was acquired by Japanese biopharmaceutical giant Astellas Pharma on February 14, 2018, for $102.5 million plus potential milestones.]
[Read more…]

Tisch MSRCNY to Launch Phase II Stem Cell Trial for Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

By 1 Comment

Tisch MS Research Center of New York
Laboratory for the Tisch MS Research Center of New York

Dedicated to identifying the cause of multiple sclerosis (MS), the Tisch MS Research Center of New York was formally launched in 2006. However, it grew out of the MS center at the Neurological Institute of New York of the Columbia University Medical Center, a group which Dr. Saud Sadiq joined in 1992. [Read more…]

BioInformant's World-Class Clients