This week’s headlines include, next potential blockbuster, Gene Therapy developments, Bioheart and Invitrx sign licensing agreement, universal flu vaccine may be here in five years, Cell Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease moves forward, Glaxo tapped by Feds for anthrax vaccine, induction of pluripotency in adult cells.

Cell Culture Events:

Three Great Conferences – All in Cambridge, September 30 – October 1

• Cell Culture World Congress USA
• Stem Cells Regenerative Medicine Conference
• World Cord Blood Congress

Cell Culture World Congress USA is North America’s premier cell culture optimization and development conference, with a focus on upstream processes. This is where biopharma and biotech biomanufacturing and process experts come to debate advances in cell culture optimization and development. Save 15% with promo code ECYB! For more information please go to www.terrapinn.com/CC13CCDish

Introduction to Cell Culture – October 1-4, 2013 and December 10-13, 2013

This 4-day cell culture workshop is designed for those with no or extensive cell culture experience. Topics include an introduction to cell and tissue culture, serum containing and serum-free media, adaptation to serum-free media, cell counting and viability staining, growth curve development, growth of suspension and adherent cells, transfection technologies, cryopreservation methods, cell cloning and primary culture.

Scheduled workshops take place in Baltimore, Maryland. All of our workshops can be conducted at your location if needed.  If you have questions or want more specific course content please contact our website, www.biosciconcepts.com or call us at 410-752-4224.

Headlines:

“Sanofi Cholesterol Drug Touted as Potential $3 bln Blockbuster,” Reuters

“A new cholesterol-lowering drug from Sanofi and Regeneron has the potential to become a $3-billion-dollar-plus blockbuster, according to analysts awaiting imminent late-stage trial results. The drug, dubbed alirocumab, is part of a group of biotech medicines known as PCSK9 inhibitors that offer a new way of fighting the build-up of artery-clogging fatty deposits that put millions of patients worldwide at risk of heart attacks.”

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “Bioprocess International Conference – Tuesday’s Talks”

“Gene Therapy with a Difference,” The New York Times

“Terri Ellsworth is convinced that her 12-year-old son Billy, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, is being helped by an experimental drug that counteracts the genetic mutation causing his disease. His ability to walk has not deteriorated in the two years he has been on the drug, whereas many boys with the disease would be in wheelchairs by his age. Billy opened a Gatorade bottle by himself recently, beaming from ear to ear. He even took off down an uneven dirt path without falling.”

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “Developability: Smart Ways of Avoiding the “Death of the Brave” During Biotherapeutic Development”

“Bioheart, Invitrx Sign Licensing Agreement for Adipose Derived Stem Cells,” Pharmaceutical Business Review

“Bioheart has entered into an agreement with Invitrx Therapeutics to license its adipose derived stem cell products for use in all indications in both human and animal medicine. Invitrx Therapeutics specializes in the culture and engineering of adult stem cells, new products and therapies that are used in aesthetics, wound closure, and healing, as well as plastic and reconstructive surgery”

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “Navigating the Single-use space – How to find the right cell culture bioreactor ”

“Living Cell Implants World’s 1st Patient with Regnerative Cell Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease,” Mass Device.com

“Living Cell Technologies says its patient has “recovered well so far” after surgery to implant the experimental NTCELL regenerative Cell Therapy in treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Living Cell Technologies successfully treated its 1st patient in a clinical trial evaluating a new implantable regenerative therapy for treating Parkinson’s disease. The patient, the 1st enrolled in LCT’s Phase I clinical trial, was said to be recovering well in the days after the surgery.”

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “Moving Your Cell Therapy from Concept to Product – A discussion about navigating funding and grant writing, partnering with organizations and the regulatory process”

“Universal Flu Vaccine May be Available in Five Years Scientists Report,” CBS News

“The key to a universal flu vaccine may have been found in the blood of people who beat the 2009 pandemic without getting sick. British researchers are reporting their discovery may bring us one step closer to one flu shot that protects against every new strain of the disease. “New strains of flu are continuously emerging, some of which are deadly, and so the Holy Grail is to create a universal vaccine that would be effective against all strains of flu,” Professor Ajit Lalvani, chair of infectious diseases at the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London, said in a news release.”

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “Single-Use Stirred Bioreactors – Enabling Flexible Biomanufacturing”

“Glaxo, Feds Team Up to Fight Future Anthrax Outbreak,” Triangle Business News