More about Stem Cell therapy & Retina Research !!

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

There was a query on modern aspect / advances / pros & cons about Stem

Cell Therapy & RP.......!!

 

Please find one more news to STAY AWAY from the Dr.Sapse's Stem Cell

Pharma Inc. The advice is very simple-DONT TAKE ANY ACTION IN

DESPERATION!

 

 

 

Reliable sources strongly believe that a proper strategies for

treating genetic disorders like RP should arrive in a span of 2-4 years.

 

 

 

We will be also including some recommendations on antioxidants

therapy by Retina South Africa, which you can give a try safely.

 

 

 

I am sending you a forward note of Mr. Gislin, associate professor,

department of ophthalmology, John Hopkins University, USA about Dr.

Alfred T Sapse, Owmer of Stem Cell Pharma Inc. in the following

attachment. This note is self explainatory. Please send the copy of

this forward note to other members.

 

Kind regard

 

Shahin

 

--------Forward note----------

 

Dear xxxx,

 

 

 

The company obtains

 

 

 

stem

 

cells from umbilical cord blood and injects these cells into patients

 

with

 

various diseases including RP.

 

 

 

There is absolutely no evidence, scientific or otherwise, that this

 

provides any

 

benefit to these patients. But they are desperate, and willing to pay.

 

 

 

Dr. Sapse has been given an ultimatum in the US that he has to stop

 

treating

 

people, but apparently he still takes patients to mexico where he

 

treats them

 

in a clinic just across the

 

border.

 

If you want my opinion, I think you should stay as far away from Stem

 

Cell

 

Pharma as you can, and you should warn other patients not to fall into

 

this

 

trap. And you should challenge the company to submit evidence in

 

support

 

of their " beneficial " treatment.

Gislin

 

On 2 Jun 2007 at 11:21, md musfic wrote:

 

> Dear Mr. Gislin,

 

> I have received a news that stem cell

 

pharma inc, a US based company

 

bas formed a joint

 

> venture with an Indian company to start a new RP center in India to

 

treat RP patients by using

 

> stem cell implant on October, 2007 which has been published in the

 

company's

 

> website(www.stemcellpharmainc.com). The company also bas claimed that

 

they are successfully

 

> treating RP patients by using FDA approved clinical procedure and

 

will hire the doctors who are

 

> M.D. from US to conduct clinical trial in India. Please make comment

 

on this issue.

 

> Kind

 

regard

 

> XXX

 

--

 

Gislin Dagnelie, Ph.D.

 

Associate Professor of Ophthalmology

 

 

This section brings out the latest research information related to

Retinal Degeneration.

 

* Potential Cure for Visually Challenged Children Moves into a

Human Study

 

Children born visually challenged, from a devastating retinal

condition called Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) may soon be able to

see thanks to an innovative gene replacement therapy that has just

moved into a clinical trial.

 

The study, funded in part by the Foundation Fighting Blindness, is

being conducted by University College of London and Moorfields Eye

Hospital in London. Two additional Foundation-funded clinical trials

are scheduled to begin soon at the University of Pennsylvania and the

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

 

" This is one of the most important milestones ever reached in retinal

research, because it offers the promise of giving vision to children

who otherwise would never see, " says Bill Schmidt, Chief Executive

Officer, Foundation Fighting Blindness. " We are thrilled to be at this

hopeful juncture. "

 

" Not only does gene replacement hold promise for LCA, the same

approach may be used to treat a variety of other retinal diseases

including retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt disease, Usher syndrome, and

age-related macular degeneration, " says Stephen Rose, Ph.D., Chief

Research Officer, Foundation Fighting Blindness. " The success of these

studies in the U.S. and the U.K. can pave the way for many more

treatments to save and restore vision in millions of people around the

world. "

 

(Source:- Adapted from Article of Ben Shaberman from FFB Webstite)

 

* Human Neural Stem Cells Show Potential for Vision Rescue

 

An FFB-funded research team from the University of Wisconsin and the

University of Utah used human neural stem cells — cells derived from

the brain — to rescue vision in a rodent model of retinal degenerative

disease.

 

A team of investigators including David Gamm, M.D., Ph.D., Ray Lund,

Ph.D., Clive Svendsen, Ph.D., and Shaomei Wang, Ph.D., says that human

neural stem cells offer promise for slowing vision loss in humans

affected by a variety of retinal degenerative diseases including

retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration.

 

Plans are underway to study human neural stem cells for treating

retinal diseases in more rodent models and a larger animal model —

important steps before the treatment approach can be evaluated in a

human trial

 

(Source:- Adapted from Article of Ben Shaberman from FFB Webstite)

 

* Neurotech begins Phase II/III human studies of treatment for

retinitis pigmentosa

 

Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has begun enrollment of participants

in two multicenter Phase II/III human clinical trials for an

innovative treatment to slow the progression of a group of blinding

diseases known as retinitis pigmentosa. Both studies are partially

funded by the Foundation Fighting Blindness.

 

Neurotech's treatment involves implantation of a tiny device known as

Encapsulated Cell Technology (ECT) into the eye. Less than a

quarter-of-an-inch long, the ECT implant contains retinal cells which

provide long-term, sustained delivery of a vision-saving protein known

as ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF).

 

In preclinical studies supported by the Foundation Fighting Blindness,

the treatment exhibited a safe and effective profile. The therapy also

performed well in a Phase I human study conducted at the National Eye

Institute.

 

(Source:- Adapted from Article of Ben Shaberman from FFB Webstite)

 

* Eye Drop Attacks AMD on Three Fronts

 

An eye drop developed by Othera Pharmaceuticals holds potential for

being a uniquely effective treatment for age-related macular

degeneration (AMD), because it is believed to address three factors

that can cause the vision-robbing condition — inflammation, oxidative

stress, and unhealthy blood vessel growth (angiogenesis).

 

Al Reaves, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Clinical Development at

Othera, says that the studies show that OT-551 treatment may be

effective for treating both the dry and wet forms of AMD. He notes

that for dry AMD, it is providing a treatment option where few others

currently exist. For wet AMD, the eye drops may enhance the

effectiveness of other wet AMD therapies.

 

(Source:- Adapted from Article of Ben Shaberman from FFB Website)

 

* Umbilical Cord Tissue Shows Promise as Retinal Disease Treatment

 

The umbilical cord is not only the lifeline for a developing baby, but

it might also save sight for people affected by a variety of retinal

degenerative diseases.

 

Because the umbilical cord is normally discarded after birth, use of

the tissue derived from it doesn't raise ethical concerns.

 

FFB-funded investigator Ray Lund, Ph.D., Oregon Health and Science

University, in collaboration with Centocor, a biomedicine company,

used human umbilical cord tissue (hUTC) to rescue vision in a rodent

model of retinal degenerative disease.

 

In a paper published in the March 1, 2007 issue of Stem Cells, the

investigative team reported that " hUTC may provide utility in treating

patients with retinal degenerations such as retinitis pigmentosa. "

 

The research team also evaluated mesenchymal (bone marrow) and

placental cells for retinal rescue. Mesenchymal cells were somewhat

effective, but Lund says they are more difficult to expand and produce

than hUTC. Placental cells had little effect.

 

(Source:- Adapted from Article of Ben Shaberman from FFB Website)

 

* Tests Begin On Next Generation Of Retinal Implant

 

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- The FDA has approved the next step of a study

that will help people who have lost vision from macular degeneration

or retinitis pigmentosa regain some of their sight.

 

Researchers from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles

are investigating an implanted artificial retina, called the Argus II

Retinal Prosthesis System. It's the second generation of an electronic

retinal implant to treat blindness by replacing photoreceptors.

Photoreceptor cells in the retina process light and are required for

sight. In conditions like retinitis pigmentosa, those photoreceptors

deteriorate.

 

The updated version of the implant contains 60 electrodes, which Dr.

Humayun reports he believes will result in higher resolution images

for the patients. The new implant is also smaller than the original,

which will reduce surgery and recovery time.

 

Dr. Humayun reports the implant will ultimately be used for people

with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). He reports: " Perhaps what

we're most excited about in this next study is, similar to the first

generation ... device, we will be able to test the new device with

patients at their homes, churches, schools and similar locations. The

importance of this work is going to be reflected in how well this

helps them regain some of their lost vision. "

 

(Source: Presented at the American Association for the Advancement of

Science annual meeting in San Francisco, Feb. 15-19, 2007)

 

* Emerging Therapy Knocks Out Disease-Causing Gene in Dominant RP

 

Foundation-funded researchers from the University of Florida have made

an important advancement in the development of gene therapy to treat

people with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (ADRP). The

emerging treatment involves shutting down the disease-causing gene so

it no longer leads to the production of a toxic protein in the retina

that causes photoreceptor death and vision loss. The treatment, known

as ribozyme therapy, was shown to be effective in mice, and

specifically targets ADRP caused by variations in the rhodopsin (RHO)

gene.

 

One of the benefits of this ribozyme therapy is that it could be used

to treat most people with ADRP caused by variations (mutations) in

RHO. Scientists estimate that there are more than 100 different

mutations in RHO that can cause ADRP, so it is a big plus to have a

therapy that can potentially treat them all. Though this emerging

ribozyme treatment is targeted for RHO, the therapy can also be

adapted to treat people whose ADRP is caused by variations in other genes

 

(Source:- Adapted from Article of Ben Shaberman from FFB Website)

 

* DHA to be Studied as Treatment for X-Linked RP

 

An FFB-funded investigative team from the Retina Foundation of the

Southwest is conducting a Phase II clinical trial of docosahexaenoic

acid (DHA) for the treatment of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP).

Some retinal experts believe that DHA supplementation may slow the

progress of XLRP and other forms of retinal degenerative disease

including age-related macular degeneration and the dominant form of

Stargardt disease.

 

DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that is abundant in the retinas of humans

and other mammals, and is important for optimal retinal health. People

can obtain DHA through dietary supplements or the consumption of

coldwater fish such as salmon, tuna, or mackerel.

 

(Source:- Adapted from Article of Ben Shaberman from FFB Website)

 

* Emerging AMD Treatments Bring Promise of Saving and Restoring Sight

 

Years of laboratory research and clinical studies are now resulting in

new drugs that are helping patients with wet age-related macular

degeneration (AMD) save, and in some cases, improve their vision.

 

The FDA's recent approval of Lucentis™ brings another new drug

treatment to millions of people at risk of losing their sight to wet

AMD. Results from a large, two-year study showed that Lucentis halted

vision loss in more than 90 percent of individuals with the wet form

of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The treatment actually

restored vision in 33 percent of those study participants.

 

Lucentis becomes the second alternative in a group of emerging

treatments that slow the growth of vision-robbing blood vessels under

the retina, which is the tragic hallmark of wet AMD. Approved by the

FDA in late 2004, Macugen was the first of these drugs, and studies

have shown that it halts vision loss in about 70 percent of wet AMD

cases.

 

(Source:- Adapted from Article of Ben Shaberman from FFB Website)

 

* British Scientist plan strategy with Stem Cells

 

British scientists plan to use stem cells to cure a common form of

blindness, with the first patients receiving test treatment in five

years. The pioneering project, aims to repair damaged retinas with

cells derived from human embryonic stem cells. Its backers say it

involves simple surgery that could one day become as routine as cataract

 

(Source:- LONDON (Reuters)

 

* Research in Germany related to Retinal Chip brings hope

 

Tübingen Blind people can perceive initial impressions of vision again

with a

 

retinal chip. This is the result of a development by Retina Implant

GmbH, the

 

University Eye Hospital in Tübingen and further project partners. A

tiny microelectronic

 

chip, which has been implanted directly under the retina of initially

 

seven blind patients since autumn 2005, replaces the photoreceptor

cells which

 

have perished and is intended to return part of the patients' vision.

The study results

 

from the patients are now providing statements of the function of

active microelectronic implants in the human eye.

 

(Source:- Retina International)

 

 

With Warm Regards,

 

Dr.Aashish Phadke,Mumbai,India

 

www.ayurvision.com