Proteoglycan News and Research

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Intervertebral disc repair phase 2 trial update from Mesoblast

Global regenerative medicine company Mesoblast Limited (ASX:MSB) has announced that its Phase 2 clinical trial investigating the use of allogeneic, or off-the-shelf, Mesenchymal Precursor Cells (MPCs) for non-surgical restoration of degenerated intervertebral discs and treatment of low back pain has enrolled 50% of the total study patients. This rapid rate of enrolment attests to the major unmet medical need and to the relative simplicity of Mesoblast’s non-surgical procedure. Mesoblast expects to complete full enrolment by early third quarter.

17 Apr 2012

Cartilage quality can be assessed using diffusion weighted imaging

A team at the MedUni Vienna, headed by Sebastian Apprich of the University Department of Radiodiagnostics at the High-Field Magnetic Resonance Centre of Excellence, has now discovered in collaboration with the University Department of Orthopaedics that the quality of cartilage tissue can also be determined without an invasive procedure: with the assistance of diffusion weighted imaging in a 3-Tesla scanner cartilage quality can be assessed in a much less invasive way.

5 Apr 2012

Scientists determine structure of GAG proteoglycan

If genes provide the blueprint for life and proteins are the machines that do much of the work for cells, then carbohydrates that are linked to proteins are among the tools that enable cells to communicate with the outside world and each other. But until now, scientists have been unable to determine the structure of a biologically important so-called GAG proteoglycan-or even to agree whether these remarkably complex molecules have well-defined structures.

19 Oct 2011

Short-term glucocorticoid treatment may prevent osteoarthritis after joint injury

Joint injury can result in irreversible damage of cartilage which, despite treatment and surgery, often eventually leads to osteoarthritis (OA) in later life. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Arthritis Research & Therapy demonstrates that short term treatment of damaged cartilage with glucocorticoids can reduce long term degenerative changes and may provide hope for prevention of OA after injury.

2 Sep 2011

Research validates SpinalCyte's core technology to regrow the spinal disc

SpinalCyte, LLC, a spinal technology company focused on autologous regrowth of the spinal disc nucleus using human dermal fibroblasts, announced today the publication of its research completed with Rice University, titled, "Chondrogenic Differentiation of Neonatal Human Dermal Fibroblasts Encapsulated in Alginate Beads with Hydrostatic Compression Under Hypoxic Conditions in the Presence of Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2".

11 Jul 2011

Goji berries' components are available in fruits and vegetables

A University of Granada professor specialist in Nutrition explained that the species Lycium Barbarum -currently imported from China- comes from the Mediterranean regions and grows in other mild regions of the world. Also, he stated that "Goji berries will not have any positive effect on people that do not follow a balanced diet".

17 Dec 2010

ERA-Net NEURON names winners of 2009 Excellent Paper in Neuroscience award for young scientists

ERA-Net NEURON, an initiative of the European Commission aimed at advancing transnational European research in the field of disease-related neuroscience, announced today the winners of the Excellent Paper in Neuroscience award for young scientists for the year 2009.

6 Jul 2010

Hawthorn announces licensing deal with University of Pittsburgh for novel monoclonal antibodies for cancer

Hawthorn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced a global licensing deal with the University of Pittsburgh covering a series of novel monoclonal antibodies for cancer. The antibody portfolio targets a variety of cancers through the cell surface chondrotin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4), which plays an important role in signaling pathways regulating tumor cell survival, growth, and motility.

17 May 2010

Emisphere Technologies first-quarter net loss increases to $18.5 million

Emisphere Technologies, Inc. today announced its financial results for the first quarter 2010.

17 May 2010

Momenta Pharmaceuticals presents preclinical data of M402 at AACR 2010

Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company specializing in the characterization and engineering of complex mixture drugs, today announced presentation of results from a preclinical study of its novel oncology drug candidate, M402, in a murine pancreatic cancer model.

20 Apr 2010

Momenta Pharmaceuticals to present data on M402 drug candidate at 101st AACR meeting

Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company specializing in the characterization and engineering of complex mixture drugs, today announced that preclinical data for its novel drug candidate, M402, will be presented at the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). The meeting will be held April 17-21, 2010 in Washington, DC.

15 Apr 2010

Genetic variation associated with lower risk of sudden cardiac arrest:Study

Physician-scientists at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute have found that a genetic variation is associated with lower risk of sudden cardiac arrest, a disorder that gives little warning and is fatal in about 95 percent of cases. Findings will be published tomorrow by the Public Library of Science (PloS One).

25 Mar 2010

Stimulating effect of bioactive collagen peptides in cell experiments demonstrated

Working in collaboration with Kiel University, researchers at the Kiel- based Collagen Research Institute (CRI) have demonstrated the stimulating effect of special bioactive collagen peptides (FORTIGEL(R)) in the context of cell experiments. Last weekend the CRI presented its research findings at the congress of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) in Montreal.

15 Sep 2009

Discovery of key gene for bone development that when mutated lead to dwarfism

Scientists have just discovered the gene behind Recessive Omodysplasia, a rare skeletal disease characterised by short-limbed dwarfism and craniofacial anomalies.

9 Jul 2009

Mouse experiments shed light on age effects in arthritis

Older mice are more susceptible to proteoglycan-induced arthritis (PGIA). Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Immunity & Ageing have shown, for the first time, that young mice are completely resistant, but become fully susceptible to the disease with age.

10 Jun 2009

Protein sulfatase 2 a possible treatment target for liver cancer recurrence and survival

Deadly and difficult to treat, liver cancer has long resisted attempts by researchers to develop ways to prolong life and prevent recurrence.

11 Apr 2008

Emerging cancer therapies and novel targets

What are the cancer drugs of tomorrow and how will they be developed? At the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, researchers will present some answers to these and other pressing questions regarding emerging cancer therapeutics.

25 Oct 2007

Researchers discover mechanism that may help to explain how angiogenesis inhibitors work on normal, blood vessel-forming endothelial cells

Northwestern University researchers have discovered a mechanism that may help to explain how angiogenesis inhibitors work on normal, blood vessel-forming endothelial cells, but not on insidious, aggressive melanoma cells that masquerade as endothelial-like cells by forming their own vascular networks, called "vasculogenic mimicry."

8 Oct 2004

Vitamin C can increase the severity of spontaneous knee osteoarthritis

High doses of vitamin C increase the severity of spontaneous knee osteoarthritis in an animal model of the disease, according to a new study by Duke University Medical Center researchers.

5 Jun 2004