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Steven Jones

AdultStemCell.com (Webmaster)

Yes, this is a true story. An English priest has extracted his own adult stem cells for fighting his Multiple Sclerosis.

Here’s the story:

An English priest living in Baghdad, Iraq has had his own Adult Stem Cells used to treat his Multiple Sclerosis. Canon Andrew White, the vicar of St. George’s Church in Baghdad was the recipient of this stem cell therapy to treat MS.

No Ethical Issues to Use His Own Stem Cells for Multiple Sclerosis

Andrew has a medical background and had helped establish the Bone Marrow Transplant Centre in Baghdad in 2001. He was good friends with Dr. Majid, the director of the center who saw that Andrew was suffering from the effects of his Multiple Sclerosis and approached him about using his own Adult Stem Cells for treatment.  Andrew had no objections or ethical issues about using his own stem cells and agreed to the stem cell therapy.

Process of Using Andrew’s Own Adult Stem Cells

1. Both  his arms were cannulised
2. He was connected to the Blood Cell Separator
3. Blood was taken from one arm and the stem cells were removed and then the blood was returned through his other arm (took 2 hours)
4. Andrew’s own Adult Stem Cells were injected into his spinal cord via lumbar puncture

Leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies are drawing on Singapore’s integrated network of public-sector and academic institutes to enhance their R&D productivity, leverage academic insights and diversify risks. Located at the heart of Asia with a population base that is representative of key Asian ethnic groups, Singapore provides a home-base of innovation for companies to test and develop new solutions for Asia and beyond.

Recent announcements of public-private partnerships (PPP) include GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals committing US$1.3 million in vaccine and process development with Singapore’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI); Lilly Singapore Centre for Drug Discovery (LSCDD) teaming up with Singapore’s National Neuroscience Institute (NNI), and the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS) to advance drug discovery using adult brain tumor stem cells.

AstraZeneca announced its collaboration with the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and the National University Hospital (NUH) in pre-clinical and clinical development activities of anti-cancer compounds to build up AstraZeneca’s drug development capabilities in Asia; Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN) partnered European biotechs – Humalys SAS and Cytos Biotechnology Ltd – to develop antibodies for combating and managing viruses prevalent in Asia including hand, foot and mouth disease.

Massachusetts-based biotech, FORMA Therapeutics, has also set up its first overseas lab in Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU). An emerging biotech company, Forma seeks to integrate important new advances in biology and chemistry to unlock the best targets and pathways that genomic medicine has revealed. FORMA will be collaborating with the Experimental Therapeutics Centre of Singapore (ETC) to co-discover novel therapeutics.

“There is no doubt Asia will soon be the next centre of gravity for the global pharma industry. While the diverse Asian market presents tremendous opportunities, it remains challenging to navigate the region’s complexities and harness its opportunities. Singapore provides one of the best locations in Asia, which would enable us to conduct our targeted research, collaborate with public institutions and tap into regional capabilities to supplement our activities,” said Dr Steven Tregay, Chief Executive Officer, FORMA Therapeutics.

Public-Sector Resources Allow for End-to-End Research Activities

As companies worldwide seek to develop new therapies and diagnostics to expand their pipeline of innovative products, PPPs represent an effective way for companies to enhance their R&D productivity and accelerate commercialisation efforts.

Singapore’s advanced research infrastructure, base of more than 2,800 public sector researchers and business-friendly economic policies are fuelling the rapid growth of PPPs in biomedical sciences. Companies may leverage on Singapore’s extensive resources and cross-institutional capabilities to handle complex bench-to-bed and bed-to-bench translational projects. These resources include dedicated clinical bio-imaging research, bio-safety, and early-phase trial facilities. Companies can also tap into the preclinical predictive disease models and platform technologies in genomics and bio-imaging available in Singapore.

Mr. Yeoh Keat Chuan, Executive Director, Biomedical Sciences, Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) said: “The EDB provides a one-stop shop to link companies to our integrated network of public-sector research and medical institutes. Singapore is also strategically located at the heart of Asia, which makes us an ideal control tower to oversee R&D activities across the heterogeneous landscape in Asia, especially in translational medicine and Asian diseases. Coupled with our pro-business policies and focused efforts to be future-ready, Singapore is well-positioned to be a strategic research partner for the industry and a home-base for innovation in Asia.”

Singapore’s Biopolis: Asian Home-Base for R&D

The Biopolis, a 2.4 million square-foot research campus, is the icon of Singapore’s success in biomedical sciences. Co-locating global companies’ research operations with publicly funded research institutes, the Biopolis is imbued with a campus spirit to advance science and human healthcare via cross- disciplinary, public-private collaborations.

In recognition of this significant advantage, numerous companies have chosen to set up their Asian R&D operations at the Biopolis. Emerging biotech companies such as PharmaLogicals and SGAUSTRIA (formerly Austrianova) are located alongside leading pharmaceutical companies. A 400,000 square-foot Phase 2 expansion of the Biopolis launched in 2006 is already fully subscribed. Another 440,000 square feet of research space is being added and will be ready by 2010.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – A total of $5.5 million from the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust will be given for adult stem cell research.

The trust board voted yesterday to make the contributions after hearing presentations about such research that is ongoing in Oklahoma.

Under the plan, the board will give $500,000 for a yearlong planning phase to determine how the money should be distributed, then award $1 million in grants each year for five years.

Dr. Stephen Prescott, the president of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, says adult stem cells have the potential to treat ailments including cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

He says OMRF scientists are researching how to “back up” progression of adult cells, so that the cells can be reprogrammed for specific uses.

Adult stem cells are not taken from embryos.

Information from: The Oklahoman, http://www.newsok.com