Xenotransplantation News and Research

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New immune-suppressing therapy leads to longer survival for cross-species heart transplant

A new immune-suppressing therapy has led to the longest survival yet for a cross-species heart transplant, according to new research conducted in part by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

7 Apr 2016

NTCELL Phase I/IIa clinical study meets primary endpoint in patients with Parkinson’s disease

Living Cell Technologies Limited today announced results from a Phase I/IIa clinical study of NTCELL, an experimental regenerative cell therapy being studied as a disease-modifying agent in Parkinson’s disease. The study, conducted in four patients in New Zealand, met its primary endpoint of safety, showing NTCELL implantation was well tolerated, with no adverse events considered to be related to NTCELL.

15 Jun 2015

Authors review current progress in developing transgenic pig models for human diseases

Genetically engineered pigs, minipigs, and microminipigs are valuable tools for biomedical research, as their lifespan, anatomy, physiology, genetic make-up, and disease mechanisms are more similar to humans than the rodent models typically used in drug discovery research.

24 Nov 2014

ATS Foundation, American Lung Association to co-fund $80,000 grant to support HPS research

The American Thoracic Society Foundation and the American Lung Association announced today that they are co-funding an $80,000 grant that will support important research into the mechanisms underlying Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, a rare inherited disease which affects a number of organs including the lungs.

19 Dec 2013

Inhibition of complement system plays major role in xenograft rejection

Researchers at the Bellvitge Institute of Biomedical Research (IDIBELL) led by Cristina Costa from the New Therapies on Genes and Transplantation group have shown that inhibition of one of the basic components of the complement system protects chondrocytes (cartilage cells) from porcine rejection of xenotransplantation (transplantation between animals of different species).

27 Nov 2013

Scientists successfully transplant insulin-producing cells from one species to another

In the first step toward animal-to-human transplants of insulin-producing cells for people with type 1 diabetes, Northwestern Medicine- scientists have successfully transplanted islets, the cells that produce insulin, from one species to another. And the islets survived without immunosuppressive drugs.

15 Jul 2013

Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute honors Alain Carpentier with Corday Prize

Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute is honoring the physician widely known as the leading pioneer in modern mitral heart valve repair, Alain Carpentier, MD, PhD, with the second annual Eliot Corday, MD, International Prize in Heart Research.

23 May 2013

Donor liver quality: an interview with Dr Eric Orman

Liver transplantation is a surgical procedure in which a liver (or part of a liver) is removed from a donor and placed into a recipient. Although some transplants use a portion of the liver of living donors, the vast majority of donors are deceased.

6 Feb 2013

GigaScience announces publication of whole-genome sequencing and analysis of Wuzhishan Pig

The international open-access journal GigaScience announces the publication of the whole-genome sequencing and analysis of the Wuzhishan Pig, an extensively inbred, miniature pig, which can serve as an excellent model for human medical research.

16 Nov 2012

Mary Ann Liebert releases BioResearch Open Access journal

The inaugural issue of BioResearch Open Access, a new bimonthly peer-reviewed open access journal, was released today by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The Journal provides a new rapid-publication forum for a broad range of scientific topics including but not limited to molecular and cellular biology, tissue engineering and biomaterials, regenerative medicine, stem cells, gene therapy, systems biology, genetics, biochemistry, virology, microbiology, and neuroscience.

17 May 2012

Beta cells from genetically modified pigs can effectively restore pancreas function

Transplantation of a whole pancreas or isolated insulin-producing beta cells are the only therapy to cure type 1 diabetes. However, the shortage of organ donors limits this approach to only few patients. LMU researchers have now shown that beta cells from genetically modified pigs can effectively restore pancreas function and can protect porcine beta cells from immune rejection in animal models.

23 Apr 2012

NK cells play an important role in rejection of porcine chondrocytes transplantation

Researchers from the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) have studied for the first time the response of human NK cells (Natural Killer) against porcine chondrocytes (cartilage cells).

23 Feb 2012

Living Cell Technologies xenoimplants first patients in Argentina trial

Living Cell Technologies Limited has implanted the first two patients taking part in a Phase II DIABECELL® clinical trial in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

22 Aug 2011

Genetically engineered pigs may help overcome donor organ shortage

A sizzling genetic discovery by Chinese scientists may one day allow pig tissue to be transplanted successfully into humans. Their research presented in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology (http://www.jleukbio.org) represents a major step forward toward filling the shortage of vital organs for human transplantation.

1 Jul 2011

Leading foundations support Australian diabetes treatment

Two international charitable foundations, New Zealand-based Cure Kids and U.S.-based Children with Diabetes Foundation, have each pledged to provide US$140,000 to fund the final two patients in a Phase II clinical trial in New Zealand that has the potential to transform the treatment of Type 1 diabetes.

15 Feb 2011

Researchers report breakthrough studies in liver cell transplantation

Two research teams from the Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine (Okayama, Japan) have reported breakthrough studies in liver cell transplantation.

19 Oct 2010

Cognizant Communication launches 'Cell Medicine' open access journal

A new and unique journal on cell transplantation aimed at helping translate laboratory findings into clinical applications is being launched by Cognizant Communication Corporation as a companion journal to Cell Transplantation. Cell Medicine, an online-only, open access journal, publishes research papers that promise to have direct clinical relevance. The journal is freely accessible at: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/cm.

30 Aug 2010

Positive preclinical results of VB-201 for treatment of psoriasis presented at 2010 SID Annual Meeting

VBL Therapeutics today announced positive preclinical results evaluating VB-201 for the treatment of psoriasis. VB-201 is a first-in-class, orally administered immune response modifier expected to reduce inflammation by targeting key pro-inflammatory cytokines. Today's data suggest that VB-201 has significant anti-inflammatory properties that are active against psoriasis; an ongoing Phase 2 efficacy and safety study is currently evaluating VB-201 for the treatment of patients with psoriasis.

7 May 2010

Phase II clinical trial to test safety and efficacy of transplanted encapsulated islets

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation announced today that it is partnering with Living Cell Technologies, a New Zealand-based biotechnology company focused on developing cell based therapeutics, in a Phase II clinical trial to study the safety and effectiveness of transplanting encapsulated insulin-producing cells from pigs as a treatment for type 1 diabetes with significant hypoglycemia unawareness.

28 Apr 2010

Transposagen Biopharmaceuticals announces new TGEM Rat Model product line

Transposagen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., based in Lexington, KY, has announced today that it has added 170 genetically modified rats and related biomaterials to its database of laboratory rats with a genetic modification that can mimic a human disease. These animals are used by academic, pharmaceutical, and biotech scientists for drug discovery and development research and will be sold under Transposagen's new TGEM(TM) Rat Models brand.

23 Apr 2010