“Mediatech Expands Corning cellgro Serum-free Offerings with hybriGRO,” American Laboratory

Mediatech Inc., a subsidiary of Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW), announced today the introduction of hybriGRO SF™, which enhances the performance of monoclonal antibody-producing hybridoma cells.  Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) derived from hybridoma cells (cells formed from the fusion of antibody-producing B-cells with myeloma cells) are used extensively in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancers and other diseases.  hybriGRO SF™ is an advanced serum-free (SF) and animal-derived component-free (ADCF) defined medium which provides the consistency demanded of a defined media in commercial mAb production.

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “Serum-free Hybridoma Culture – Key Recommendations”

“ThromboGenics, Roche Eye Drugs Faces FDA Panel Review Thursday,” Fox Business

The Food and Drug Administration said two eye drugs from ThromboGenics NV (THR.BT) and Roche Holdings AG (RHHBY, ROG.VX) met study goals for the treatment of two different eye conditions.  Both drugs, which are injections, will be reviewed Thursday by an FDA advisory panel. ThromboGenics is developing a drug called ocriplasmin to treat a condition called vitreomacular adhesion, a condition currently treated by surgery, while Roche has developed eye drug Lucentis to treat diabetic macular edema, an eye-swelling related to diabeties. Lucentis was first approved in the U.S. in 2006 to treat a form of macular degeneration.

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “Are Perfusion Cell Culture Systems the Future for Cell Culture Based Biomanufacturing”

“Israel Adult Stem Cell Trials – Hope for ALS Patients?” Reuters

A clinical trial of ALS patients conducted by BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics shows its adult stem Cell Therapy is well-tolerated, appears to be safe and does not present undue risk, according to an interim safety review.  Moreover, in some patients signs of stabilization of the disease were detected.

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “Optimizing Media for Clinical Manufacturing of Stem Cells for Therapeutic Use”

“Genetic Aberrations Seen as Path to Stop Colon Cancer,” New York Times

More than 200 researchers investigating colon cancer tumors have found genetic vulnerabilities that could lead to powerful new treatments. The hope is that drugs designed to strike these weak spots will eventually stop a cancer that is now almost inevitably fatal once it has spread.

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “Is Personalized Medicine the Future?  How Genetic Sequencing is Enabling New Treatments”

“Pluristem Applies for U.S. Approval of Bone Marrow Drug,” Reuters

Pluristem Therapeutics Inc will apply to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval of its placenta-based stem cell treatment for aplastic bone marrow as an orphan drug or rare disease treatment, it said on Monday.  Gaining orphan drug status is part of Pluristem’s strategy for penetrating the bone marrow recovery market, starting with treatment of aplastic anaemia, a disease that affects five to 10 people in every million.

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “New Strategies Key to the Clinical Manufacturing of Stem Cells for Therapeutic Use”

“World’s First Dengue Vaccine Beats Three, But Not All Four Virus Strains,” Reuters

Sanofi announced results of its clinical trial of a vaccine against dengue fever. Sanofi stated that the vaccine was not protective against all four serotypes of Dengue Fever, suggesting a future potential roadblock exists for this product. Although Sanofi’s stock price reacted favorably to the news, potential questions remain as it has been a general goal to develop a vaccine protective against all four dengue virus serotypes. Questions remain about whether this data from Thailand will be repeated in other ongoing studies of this vaccine candidate. Sanofi remains positive and said on Wednesday that “proof of efficacy was a key milestone in the 70-year quest to develop a viable dengue shot”, adding “its vaccine candidate could reach the market in 2015”. Other companies developing a vaccine for dengue virus are also targeting full protection against all four serotypes.

If you like this story, please see our blog titled “New Vaccines – Coming Soon to a Doctor’s Office Near You”