stem cell

Cells coaxed to produce insulin in diabetes breakthrough

John Carroll — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:41:45 -0400

A team of scientists at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have reprogrammed normal pancreas cells into insulin-producing cells in mice. The team injected proteins into the cells to activate genes, flipping a switch on their genetic transformation. After 10 days the cells were able to help regulate blood sugar. And the scientists say the same approach could work across a range of diseases.

"We were able to flip the cell from one state into another," Doug Melton said, adding that the approach should be useful in treating disorders in "any case where there's a cell type missing and there are neighboring cells that are still healthy."

- read the report from the Los Angeles Times

GSK, Harvard ink stem cell research pact

Maureen Martino — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:30:04 -0400

In another instance of the industry teaming up with academia, GlaxoSmithKline and Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) announced that they have signed a five-year, $25 million pact to research and possibly develop stem cell drugs. GSK will fund HSCI's research in several areas, including neuroscience, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, musculoskeletal diseases and obesity. The company will also fund an annual grant, which supports early stage research in stem cell biology.

Part of the draw for GSK, apparently, is the concentration of skilled biotech workers in the Boston area. "We have carefully chosen the Boston biomedical community to collaborate with on this important venture. It has the highest concentration of leading stem cell scientists, and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute is the epicenter of that community," said Patrick Vallance, GSK's drug discovery chief. The Boston Globe notes that the deal is one of the largest stem cell investments ever made by a Big Pharma company.

- see this GSK release
- read the Boston Globe's report

Canada to team with California on stem cells

John Carroll — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:09:01 -0400

Canada is giving about $98 million to the Canadian Cancer Stem Cell Consortium so that the country's stem cell scientists can work in tandem with the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Canadian scientists will work in collaboration with other researchers taking a multi-disciplinary approach to studying stem cell therapies. And Australia's state of Victoria said that it also plans to arrange collaborative projects with CIRM.

"Through this relationship, CIRM money will continue to be earmarked only for research that takes place within California, but we can expand and coordinate our overall efforts in certain areas through collaborative efforts funded by our colleagues in Australia," said Alan Trounson, president of CIRM, in a statement.

- see this release on the partnership
- read the story from the San Diego Business Journal

Mass. Governor to sign $1B incentives plan

John Carroll — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:16:55 -0400

Thousands of biotech execs flocking to San Diego for the annual BIO meeting are likely to hear an earful from Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, who will be arriving with a freshly approved, $1 billion incentives program to woo biotech companies. Lawmakers had signed off on the legislation late last week, leaving Patrick just enough time to sign the bill today before hopping a flight to the West Coast confab.

The best thing that Massachusetts has going for it is a thriving cluster of life science companies that have created a legion of experienced executives and top scientists--many of whom work among the universities in and around Boston. That kind of cluster effect--added to a new slate of incentives--is likely to make the state much more effective at attracting more companies to the area. It should also help overcome many of the bureaucratic barriers that start-ups faced in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts made FierceBiotech's list of top economic development areas for the industry this year--a first for the state.

- read the story from the Boston Globe

Developer blueprints $1B Cambridge biotech complex

Thu, 22 May 2008 06:59:56 -0400

Alexandria Real Estate Equities is blueprinting a billion-dollar, 1.5 million-square-foot complex of laboratories in Cambridge, MA to cater to the region's bustling life sciences industry. The project envisions six buildings occupying 16 acres between Kendall Square and the CambridgeSide Galleria in Cambridge. Industry observers say it's a positive signal that Massachusetts' biotech hub will continue to thrive for years to come, especially after lawmakers complete a long-awaited $1 billion incentive program to support the industry in Massachusetts.

Rising demand for lab space in the region has already doubled rents as vacancies dwindle and disappear. And Alexandria knows that better than anyone; the company manages 40 properties in Massachusetts.

- read the story in the Boston Globe

Early IPO at Aldagen leaves analysts wondering

Mon, 19 May 2008 06:59:54 -0400

A pair of analysts has taken a cautious attitude toward Aldagen's plans for an $80 million IPO. The stem-cell company has no products on the market, makes no profit and is attempting to pioneer an FDA approval in an emerging field. None of that exactly breeds confidence, especially given the arctic chill that has afflicted biotech IPOs recently.

"These are the worst capital markets for biotech in the last five years," says Steve Brozak, an analyst at WBB Securities. "Their technology is good, but it's a tough equity market."

- read the report from the New York Times

SPOTLIGHT: Invitrogen forms stem cell unit

Fri, 16 May 2008 06:59:53 -0400

Invitrogen has created a new business unit within the company focused on the stem cell market. Release

Elixir drops IPO, Aldagen launches IPO

Mon, 12 May 2008 06:59:55 -0400

Elixir Pharmaceuticals has dropped its bid for an $86 million IPO, saying that market conditions aren't right. At the same time, Aldagen, a small biotech company with 18 employees, is making a bid to raise $80 million in an IPO. Aldagen is developing adult stem cell therapies.

The News & Observer notes that if Aldagen is successful, it will raise new funds for research while setting up an exit for its investors. The developer was set up in 2000 to exploit new research at Duke.

- check out the report on Elixir
- see Aldagen's release and read the story for more

California grants ignite a boom of lab construction

Wed, 07 May 2008 06:59:56 -0400

After four years of litigation and detailed planning, the first $271 million in facilities grants is just about ready to be doled out by the California stem cell institute. And that in turn will trigger more than three-quarters of a billion dollars worth of new construction for the laboratories that are being designed to develop the stem cell therapies of the future.

In the Bay Area alone four projects are vying for funding. If all four win, builders will construct $443 million in new stem cell laboratories.

California's $3 billion stem cell initiative--which was bitterly opposed by conservative groups--has inspired universities in the state to come up with ambitious plans for new research centers, leveraging the bond money with hundreds of millions of dollars of their own money. The state's plans involve stepping in where the federal government has refused to tread for seven years, and they are well on their way to making the state a world leader in the field.

- read the report in the San Francisco Chronicle

CellCyte in 'precarious' shape after shares collapse

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:59:57 -0400

After a brief period as a high-flying stem cell company, CellCyte Genetics' share price has fallen back to earth, wiping out much of the $440 million market valuation achieved last fall and leaving it in "precarious" financial shape. The Seattle Times is reporting that CellCyte has about five months worth of working capital on hand with shares trading at 45 cents each, down from a high of $10.01 hit last year after an intense period of stock promotion. The stem cell company now faces shareholder lawsuits and an investigation by German regulators of its stock promotion work. Documents filed with regulators on Monday say the company has raised $400,000 from investors since the end of the year. CellCyte had discussed plans of starting clinical trials of stem cell therapies this year at a cost of $7 million in 2008.

- read the report in the Seattle Times

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