Category Archives: Gene Therapy

Austrianova and San Raffaele University & Research Hospital initiate a Joint Development Programme to prevent the progression of multiple myeloma

SINGAPORE, 19-May-2023 — /EPR BIOTECH NEWS/ — Multiple myeloma is an incurable neoplasia of plasma cells causing anaemia, hypercalcemia, renal insufficiency, and bone lesions. This is due to malignant plasma cells accumulating in bone marrow — the soft, spongy tissue at the centre of bones — crowding out the normal plasma cells that help fight infection. Multiple myeloma usually presents at an potentially curable, asymptomatic stage (also known as smouldering/indolent). However, around 50% of patients go on to develop symptomatic disease and need treatment within 5 years of initial diagnosis. The gut microbiota modulates progression from smouldering disease to full-blown multiple myeloma, and several clinical and preclinical studies have also highlighted the role of the gut microbiota in patients’ response to current therapies (Brevi et al 2022). In 2022, there were 34,470 new cases of multiple myeloma and 12,640 deaths in the USA alone.

Austrianova and San Raffaele University & Research Hospital, Milan, Italy have just announced the initiation of a Joint Development Programme with the aim of creating a treatment to prevent the progression of multiple myeloma to full blown disease by manipulating the microbiome.

The group of Dr. Matteo Bellone, leader of Cellular immunology Unit at San Raffaele University & Research Hospital, has shown that Prevotella melaninogenica, a commensal bacterium of the human gastrointestinal microbiota, can protect against the progression of relatively benign asymptomatic multiple myeloma to the aggressive form of the disease. Delivery of Prevotella melaninogenica in preclinical animal models prevents this progression (Calcinotto et al., 2018) but large doses of the bacteria are needed since they must survive passage through the strongly acidic environment of the stomach. Austrianova, an Asian biotech company operating in Singapore and Thailand, has developed its unique, patented Bac-in-a-Box® technology specifically to efficiently protect bacteria from stomach acid as well as to allow storage at room temperature without appreciable loss of viability (Gunzburg et al., 2020).

This collaboration builds on San Raffaele Hospital’s dedication to technology transfer, the process of partnering with industry to successfully translate research results into medical benefits.

Dr. Bellone said: “Most patients affected by smouldering myeloma live in anxiety because they know the disease may easily evolve into an untreatable phase, but they are offered no preventive cure. It is unexpected that a treatment as simple as taking a probiotic positively impacts disease progression in animal models and might indeed help these patients. We are eager to test Austrianova technology in our models. This will be the first step to the clinic.”

Prof. Walter H. Gunzburg, Chairman of Austrianova, stated: “The Austrianova team is excited to be working with our colleagues at San Raffaele hospital to progress this strategy for hampering the full progression of this devastating blood cancer. Our Bac-in-a-Box® technology is ideally suited to efficiently store and deliver bacteria to the gastric tract and we look forward to applying it to the delivery of Prevotella melaninogenica to hopefully prevent progression of multiple myeloma in patients.”

References

Brevi A, Cogrossi LL, Lorenzoni M, Mattorre B, Bellone M. The Insider: Impact of the Gut Microbiota on Cancer Immunity and Response to Therapies in Multiple Myeloma. Front Immunol 2022;13:845422.

Calcinotto A, Brevi A, Chesi M, Ferrarese R, Garcia Perez L, Grioni M, et al. Microbiota-driven interleukin-17-producing cells and eosinophils synergize to accelerate multiple myeloma progression. Nat Commun 2018;9:4832.

Walter H GunzburgMyo Myint AungPauline ToaShirelle NgEliot ReadWee Jin TanEva Maria BrandtnerJohn DangerfieldBrian Salmons. Efficient protection of microorganisms for delivery to the intestinal tract by cellulose sulphate encapsulation. Microbial Cell Fact. 2020 Nov 26;19:216. doi: 10.1186/s12934-020-01465-3.

About Austrianova

Austrianova, part of the SG Austria Group, is a biotech company with a global footprint and headquarters in Singapore. Austrianova utilizes a novel and proprietary technology for the encapsulation of living mammalian (Cell-in-a-Box®) and bacterial (Bac-in-a-Box®) cells. Cell-in-a-Box® protects the encapsulated cells from rejection by the immune system, allows cells to be easily transported, stored and implanted at specific sites in patients. The technology, which has been proven safe and efficacious in clinical trials carried out in Europe, allows companies to develop any kind of cells as a one-for-all living pharmaceutical. Bac-in-a-Box® is a similar protective device adapted for encapsulation of probiotic bacteria where it has human food and animal feed applications due to its ability to extend storage under lyophilized conditions and to protect encapsulated bacteria against destruction by stomach acid. Austrianova now also offers GMP4Cells that includes competitively priced Master Cell Bank and Working Cell Bank production as well as “Fill and Finish” services for cell therapy products (such as stem cell therapies, biologics produced from cells e.g. vaccines, antibodies, recombinant proteins etc).

About San Raffaele University and Research Hospital

Ospedale San Raffaele is a clinical-research-university hospital established in 1971 to provide international-level specialised care for the most complex and difficult health conditions. OSR is part of Gruppo San Donato, the leading hospital group in Italy. The hospital is a multi-specialty center with over 60 clinical specialties; it is accredited by the Italian National Health System to provide care to both public and private, national and international patients. Research at OSR focuses on integrating basic, translational and clinical activities to provide the most advanced care to our patients. The institute is recognized as a global authority in molecular medicine and gene therapy and is at the forefront of research in many other fields. Ospedale San Raffaele is a first-class institute which treats many diseases and stands out for the deep interaction between clinical and scientific area. This makes the transfer of scientific results from the laboratories to the patient’s bed easier. Its mission is to improve knowledge of diseases, identify new therapies and encourage young scientists and doctor to grow professionally.

Austrianova Secures Significant Investment from Real Tech Fund

 

SINGAPORE, 2021-Jul-7 — /EPR BIOTECH NEWS/ — Austrianova (the SG Austria group, Austrianova Singapore and Austrianova Thailand) is pleased and honoured to announce that, after extensive due diligence, Real Tech Fund (managed by Real Tech Holdings, Japan) has invested an undisclosed seven figure amount in Austrianova via its Real Tech Global Fund 1 to accelerate Austrianova’s growth. Real Tech Fund is a venture capital firm that invests specifically in innovative deep-technology startups mainly in Japan and Southeast Asia. Austrianova was assisted in this transaction by Square Associates. The financing from Real Tech coincides with, as well as bolsters, the Company’s next stage of growth in production capacity in order to satisfy the strong demand witnessed across the wide variety of applications that its unique protective cell encapsulation technology addresses. It also enhances and facilitates Austrianova’s entry into the Japanese market and specifically partnerships with clients benefiting from Austrianova’s Cell-ina-Box® and Bac-in-a-Box® technologies.

“We are pleased that Real Tech has decided to invest in Austrianova as well as that they are convinced of the value of the Cell-in-a-Box® and Bac-in-a-Box® technologies for solving serious problems faced by the planet and by humanity” stated Walter H Gunzburg, Chairman of Austrianova. “Real Tech already has proven to be a valued partner as well as a significant investor in Austrianova and we look forward to working closely together in the future” added Brian Salmons, CEO of Austrianova.

 

About Austrianova
Austrianova (the SG Austria Group), is a biotech company with a global footprint and operations in Singapore and Thailand. Austrianova utilizes a novel and proprietary technology for the encapsulation of living mammalian (Cell-in-a-Box®) and bacterial (Bac-in-a-Box®) cells. Cell-in-a-Box® protects the encapsulated cells from rejection by the immune system, allows cells to be easily transported, stored and implanted at specific sites in patients. The
technology, which has been proven safe and efficacious in clinical trials carried out in Europe, allows companies to develop any kind of cells as a one-for-all living pharmaceutical. Bac-in-a-Box® is a similar protective device adapted for encapsulation of probiotic bacteria where it has human food and animal feed applications as well as rebalancing the microbiome due to its ability to extend storage under lyophilized conditions and to protect encapsulated bacteria against destruction by stomach acid. Austrianova now also offers GMP4Cells that includes competitively priced Master Cell Bank and Working Cell Bank production as well as “Fill and Finish” services for cell therapy products (such as stem cell therapies, biologics produced from cells e.g. vaccines, antibodies, enzymes, recombinant proteins, exosomes etc).

About Real Tech
Real Tech Holdings / Real Tech Fund is a joint venture fund between euglena Co.,Ltd and Leave a Nest Co., Ltd.  It supports change makers who give their heart and soul to solve societal and environmental challenges. Real Tech Holding’s manages Real Tech Fund, Japan’s leading deep-tech focused venture capital fund.
For more information: https://www.realtech.holdings

Forward-Looking Statements
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Austrianova (the Company) and its respective businesses. Such statements are based on the current expectations of the management of each entity. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release, including completion of the public offering, may not occur and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the Company, including risks affecting the Company, economic factors and the equity markets generally. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Austrianova undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forwardlooking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. This is not an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities.

Financial Information Contact: pierre.faddoul@square-associates.com
Company and Technology Contact: salmons@sgaustria.com
For more information: http://www.austrianova.com

SOURCE Austrianova

Complete protection of probiotics from destruction by stomach acid using Bac-in-a-Box technology

SINGAPORE, 2020-Nov-30 — /EPR BIOTECH NEWS/ — Austrianova announced today that a key publication on the ability of its patented technology, Bac-in-a-Box®, to completely protect probiotics from acidic conditions found in the stomach has been published in the well respected journal “Microbial Cell Factories”
https://rdcu.be/cbn0O.

Stomach acid is nature’s way of ensuring that any microbes in food are killed before they reach the intestines. In the same way, stomach acid is also a formidable barrier to the delivery of beneficial bacteria and yeast such as probiotics to the gut, necessitating the current million times “overdosing” of such bacteria. Even then, only a tiny fraction of probiotics survive transit through the stomach. The currently available protections and coatings are only partially effective and still result in the loss of millions of bacteria and the search is still on for novel protective agents and technologies to improve on this.

The stringently reviewed data presented in Austrianova’s Microbial Cell Factories paper show that Bac-in-a-Box® protects living micro-organisms (including probiotics) from stomach acid and bile, enabling them to reach the intestine in a viable state, thereby resulting in a greater beneficial effect. It also allows the use of ten thousand times lower doses, contributing to cost effectivity. Thus, Bac-in-a-Box® is ideal for enhanced and effective delivery of probiotics as well as of oral living vaccines, and it can even be used for microbial fecal transplantation (FMT or bacteriotherapy) where it provides a more patient friendly and acceptable means of delivering stool microbiota.

Brian Salmons, CEO of Austrianova, said “We are pleased that our publication on acid protection of encapsulated microbes has been published in Microbial Cell Factories, an open access, peer-reviewed journal, published by Springer Nature, that is the world leading, primary research journal fully focusing on Applied Microbiology.”

Elaborating on the significance of the paper, Prof. Walter H. Gunzburg said “The gut microbiota in humans and animals plays a key role in health by aiding digestion as well as regulating the immune system and protecting against disease causing pathogens. In recent years, changes or imbalances in the gut microbiota (dysbiosis) have been linked to many diseases as disparate as irritable bowel syndrome, dementia and diabetes, and evidence is
growing that restoring the balance of the microbiota by delivery of probiotic microorganisms can improve health. Orally delivered micro-organisms must survive transit through lethal, highly acid conditions in the stomach and current methods to protect probiotic microorganisms are still not effective enough. This paper reports that Austrianova’s proprietary encapsulation technology, Bac-in-a-Box®, protects members of the microbiota from stomach acid and bile. A number of probiotic strains were shown to survive low pH in vitro for at least 4 hours without appreciable loss in viability as compared to their respective non-encapsulated counterparts. Moreover, animal studies reveals that once the capsules arrive in the intestine (the site where they are needed to have beneficial effects), the probiotics are released and colonize the intestinal tract. Thus, Bac-in-a-Box® protects bacteria and yeasts from viability losses due to stomach acid, allowing the use of lower oral doses of probiotics and microbiota, whilst ensuring good intestinal delivery and release.”

About Austrianova
Austrianova, part of the SG Austria Group, is a biotech company with a global footprint and headquarters in Singapore. Austrianova utilizes a novel and proprietary technology for the encapsulation of living mammalian (Cell-in-a-Box®) and bacterial (Bac-in-a-Box®) cells. Cell-in-a-Box® protects the encapsulated cells from rejection by the immune system, allows cells to be easily transported, stored and implanted at specific sites in patients. The technology, which has been proven safe and efficacious in clinical trials carried out in Europe, allows companies to develop any kind of cells as a one-for-all living pharmaceutical. Bac-in-a-Box® is a similar protective device adapted for encapsulation of probiotic bacteria where it has human food and animal feed applications due to its ability to extend storage under lyophilized conditions and to protect encapsulated bacteria against destruction by stomach acid. Austrianova now also offers GMP4Cells that includes competitively priced Master Cell Bank and Working Cell Bank production as well as “Fill and Finish” services for cell therapy products (such as stem cell therapies, biologics produced from cells e.g. vaccines, antibodies, recombinant proteins etc).

Logo:

Austrianova logo

Cells for Cells and Austrianova announce publication on novel method to produce stem cell exosomes

SINGAPORE, 2020-May-22 — /EPR BIOTECH NEWS/ — Austrianova and Cells for Cells have just jointly published a ground breaking, peer reviewed, scientific publication on a novel, cost and time-saving method to generate extra-cellular vesicles (EVs) from encapsulated Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs). These EVs are known to mediate many of the therapeutic effects of stem cells. The authors show that Austrianova’s proprietary Cell-in-a-Box encapsulation technology can be used to produce and deliver EVs from encapsulated MSC’s, as demonstrated using Cells for Cells proprietary MSCs.  The publication, which was co-authored with their academic partners, the University of the Andes, Chile and the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria appeared in prestigious international journal “Frontiers in Pharmacology” (Front. Pharmacol., 21 May 2020 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2020.00679   https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2020.00679/full)

Currently, EVs have to be purified from cell culture conditioned media using tedious, costly and time-consuming protocols that are difficult to perform under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) conditions. The Cell-in-a-BoxÒ encapsulation technology allows efficient enrichment of EVs at high concentration since they are released from the encapsulated cells via the semipermeable pores, which selectively enable the release of small particles but not of the MSCs. Moreover, Cell-in-a-BoxÒ provides 3D culture conditions for the MSCs. The technology can be used in cell culture allowing GMP production. Alternatively, the encapsulated cells can be implanted into patients as a retrievable delivery device that shields the cells from clearance, whilst they continuously produce EVs, growth factors, hormones and other small therapeutically relevant molecules. Moreover, the EVs produced after encapsulation can themselves be used as drug-loaded delivery vehicles. This technology will be invaluable for the treatment of regenerative diseases and Inflammatory disease.

Maroun Khoury, CSO of Cells for Cells said “this is a multifaceted project bringing together different expertise  to support the burgeoning field of EV-based therapies. It will be interesting to test in the near future, the continuous  release of EVs in a in vivo context. At a personal level, it was  a great way to stay connected with colleagues that I met while living in Singapore ”.

Brian Salmons, CEO of Austrianova said “we are pleased that these results representing the culmination of a long term project with our colleagues at Cells for Cells are finally publicly available. The encapsulation of stem cells as a means to produce exosomes using our Cell-in-a-BoxÒ is an exciting technological breakthrough that is applicable for all stem cell types.”

About Austrianova

Austrianova, part of the SG Austria Group, is a biotech company with a global footprint and headquarters in Singapore. Austrianova utilizes a novel and proprietary technology for the encapsulation of living mammalian (Cell-in-a-Box®) and bacterial (Bac-in-a-Box®) cells. Cell-in-a-Box® protects the encapsulated cells from rejection by the immune system, allows cells to be easily transported, stored and implanted at specific sites in patients. The technology, which has been proven safe and efficacious in clinical trials carried out in Europe, allows companies to develop any kind of cells as a one-for-all living pharmaceutical. Bac-in-a-Box® is a similar protective device adapted for encapsulation of probiotic bacteria where it has human food and animal feed applications due to its ability to extend storage under lyophilized conditions and to protect encapsulated bacteria against destruction by stomach acid. Austrianova now also offers GMP4Cells that includes competitively priced Master Cell Bank and Working Cell Bank production as well as “Fill and Finish” services for cell therapy products (such as stem cell therapies, biologics produced from cells e.g. vaccines, antibodies, recombinant proteins etc).

About Cells for Cells

Cells for Cells is a Chilean biotechnological company dedicated to the research, development and commercialization of innovative cellular therapies, complying with high standards of scientific, technological and international quality, through manufacturing processes certified under ISO 9001: 2015. Each therapy is produced in our labs with GMP standards, being the first biotech company, with such high-quality standards at Latin American level. Our therapies are applied by duly certified specialists.

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GenQual and R-Pharm collaborate to deliver predictive diagnostics for novel anti-IL-6 antibody for autoimmune diseases

Seattle, WA, San Francisco, CA and Moscow, Russia, 2016-May-25 — /EPR Biotech News/ — R-Pharm and GenQual are pleased to announce a new collaboration focused on the development of novel predictive diagnostic tools in the area of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Autoimmune diseases.

The GenQual proprietary real-time PCR platform, when applied to the genes that are involved in the manifestation of several autoimmune diseases, allows us to detect and assess single nucleotide polymorphisms. Here, allelic determination is used as potential predictor of the treatment response by the novel anti-IL6 antibody, which is currently in development by R-Pharm.

GenQual Founder and CEO Jonathan Mirich said, “This partnership is exciting for GenQual as we advance in our goal to deliver predictive diagnostic tools for the treatment of autoimmune disorders. We are very excited about the possibilities in this space and are thankful to have quality partners in R-Pharm.”

R-Pharm CEO Vasily Ignatiev indicated the importance of the Autoimmune diseases as an area of the development and growth for R-Pharm, as well as the development of novel diagnostic tools aimed to increase the level of predictive response and efficiency of the upcoming treatment paradigm.

About GenQual
GenQual develops proprietary biomarker diagnostics for autoimmune and oncology indications.  Our personalized medicine products are designed to facilitate early disease detection and diagnosis, and to improve treatment approaches at the molecular level.  GenQual is a privately-held corporation based in Seattle, WA area, USA.

About R-Pharm
R-Pharm is a private Russian pharmaceutical company founded in 2001. It employs over 3,500 highly qualified specialists in 60+ branches. R-Pharm operates in Russia and CIS, USA, Germany, Japan, Turkey/MENA.

The company is involved in R&D, manufacturing (finished dosage forms, biotech and chemical APIs), marketing, sales and distribution of innovative pharmaceutical products in hospital/specialty care therapeutic areas.

R-Pharm collaborates with major international pharmaceutical companies and universities in the fields of drug discovery, development, clinical trials, manufacturing and commercialization.  The company operates several  GMP compliant manufacturing sites in Russia and Germany, research, BD/licensing and marketing affiliates in Japan, Germany, Turkey and US.

Marketed portfolio and pipeline features drugs used in oncology, hematology, autoimmune diseases, HIV, HCV, neurology, diabetes, cardiology, as well as antibiotics, contrast media and anesthesia agents.

Contact

R-Pharm
info@rpharm.ru
www.r-pharm.com/en/

 

GenQual

info@genqual.com
206.659.7825
www.genqual.com

 

Via EPR Network
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LC Sciences Launches Online Searchable Knowledgebase

LC Sciences, LLC, a leading provider of microRNA analysis services, today announced the launch of a new online searchable knowledgebase that researchers can use to locate technical information on the company’s website. This announcement comes on the heels of the launch of LC Sciences’ re-designed company website last week. The knowledgebase contains technical information in the form of application notes, technical bulletins, customer publications, presentations, reviews of seminal publications in the field, etc. This documents database contains over one thousand entries and encompasses a wide range of research fields; from plant science to neuroscience. Additionally, all entries have been carefully meta-tagged to improve search results.

“Having served the microRNA research community for the past nine years, we’ve accumulated quite a large library of reference documents such as application notes and related customer publications. This new resource offers the community a simple, user friendly search interface that makes it easier for them to locate the information they’re looking for within that library.” – Chris Hebel (Vice President of Business Development, LC Sciences)

The knowledgebase is freely accessible to all at: http://www.lcsciences.com/Knowledgebase/

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Microtissues® Inc. and Sigma-Aldrich® Sign Worldwide Supply and Distribution Agreement for the 3D Petri Dish®

Microtissues® Inc. announced today the signing of a Supply and Distribution Agreement with Sigma-Aldrich® Corporation (Nasdaq: SIAL) for the worldwide sales and marketing of the 3D Petri Dish®, a new technology for the culture of living cells in three dimensions (3D). Invented at Brown University, the 3D Petri Dish® maximizes cell-to-cell interactions critical for replicating the function of natural tissues and organs. Shown in numerous peer reviewed papers to work with over fifty different cell types, including cell lines, primary cells and stem cells, the 3D Petri Dish® has applications in cancer research, drug discovery, toxicity testing and regenerative medicine.

“Researchers are rapidly recognizing the importance of 3D cell culture and its ability to reliably mimic in vivo function” said Brian Morgan, Director of Business Development, Microtissues® Inc. “The 3D Petri Dish® creates a natural 3D environment without artificial scaffolds and we’re excited that this distribution agreement will bring our unique and innovative line of products to the worldwide research community.”

Unlike the conventional plastic Petri dish where cells are grown as a thin layer on the surface of the dish, the 3D Petri Dish® forms 3D aggregates of cells. Spheroid size is controlled by the number of cells seeded and hundreds of uniform sized spheroids are formed in a single pipetting step. Spheroids are formed in a well ordered array in a stable platform suitable for long term culture. All spheroids are positioned on the same optical plane making them easy to image (phase contrast, fluorescent). Spheroid size is controlled by the number of cells seeded and a mixture of cells forms mixed spheroids, suitable for investigating tumor-stroma interactions. Spheroids can be grown from single cells, applicable to the study of cancer stem cells. For histology, Western blots and RT-PCR, spheroids are harvested by simply inverting the 3D Petri Dish®. No need to dissolve or digest the gel. The 3D Petri Dish® is a new fundamental tool for the world wide industry of life sciences research.

About Sigma-Aldrich®: Sigma-Aldrich® is a leading Life Science and High Technology company whose biochemical, organic chemical products, kits and services are used in scientific research, including genomic and proteomic research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, the diagnosis of disease and as key components in pharmaceutical, diagnostics and high technology manufacturing. Sigma-Aldrich® customers include more than 1.3 million scientists and technologists in life science companies, university and government institutions, hospitals and industry. The Company operates in 38 countries and has nearly 9,000 employees whose objective is to provide excellent service worldwide. Sigma-Aldrich® is committed to accelerating customer success through innovation and leadership in Life Science and High Technology. For more information about Sigma-Aldrich®, please visit its website at www.sigma-aldrich.com.

About Microtissues® Inc: Microtissues® Inc. is a privately held company located in Providence, RI, advancing technologies and applications of 3D cell culture. Microtissues®, Inc.’s products are designed to serve the needs of researchers in a wide range of areas including cancer research, stem cell biology, toxicity testing, developmental biology, drug discovery, regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Microtissues®, Inc. has an exclusive worldwide license from Brown University to US and international patent applications on the 3D Petri Dish®. For more information on Microtissues®, Inc., please visit www.microtissues.com.

Sigma-Aldrich and Sigma are trademarks of Sigma-Aldrich Co. LLC registered in the US and other countries. Microtissues and 3D Petri Dish are registered trademarks of Microtissues, Inc.

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Is it a Moment or an Abuse: the Boom of iPSCs Research after 2012 Medicine Nobel Prize

On Creative Biomart website, we can read a report about the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine regarding the two winners. They bring hope for organ or tissue repair for human or even for rejuvenation, i.e. for long life through induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

Since the first appearance in 2006, iPSCs became the hit and focus. But there are still lots of unknowns waiting for us before achieving the ideal status. Thus, numerous scientists, researchers and businessmen are struggling and investing for that goal. Here are some examples:

On Dec. 5, 2012, Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) and the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) announced today the launch of StemBANCC, a new academic–industry partnership that unites ten pharmaceutical companies and 23 academic institutions. Initiated and coordinated by Roche and managed by Oxford University, StemBANCC aims to use human induced pluripotent stem cells as research tools for drug discovery with the goal of using this ground-breaking new technology to develop human disease models and enhance drug development.

On Oct. 29, 2012, on the PANS Journal there is an article about Cartilage tissue engineering using differentiated and purified induced pluripotent stem cells.

On Oct. 4, 2012, on Cell Stem Cell, there is a report with the title be Genome Sequencing of Mouse Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Reveals Retroelement Stability and Infrequent DNA Rearrangement during Reprogramming.

On Jan. 30, 2012, on the PANS Journal, there is a report about modeling hepatitis C virus infection using human induced pluripotent stem cells, which make the individual and tailor therapy further.

Above are only a small part of such studies. People still wonder does it is the moment or an abuse on the iPSCs research. When someone reviewed one of the winners, Shinya Yamanaka, about his opinion on the challenge of iPSCs research, he said, “I have two research directions, the first is to establish human iPSCs bank that comply with clinical application standards. The second is to study the cell mechanism of iPSCs regenerating. And I think the current threat is still to be the safety problem as good research respects both scientific and ethical standards.”

But no one deny the great potential of iPSCs.

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