Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ:CELG) announced that human placenta-derived stem cells that are "pluripotent", or have the ability to become different types of tissue, can be isolated with a proprietary perfusion technology from placentas so they are available for potential treatment applications, according to an oral presentation yesterday at the International Conference on Stem Cells Research and Therapeutics in San Diego by Qian Ye, PhD, Senior Scientist, at Celgene Cellular Therapeutics.
"This study contributes to a growing body of evidence that the placenta is an important and novel source of stem cells that can potentially be used for the repair of damaged or diseased tissue," said Robert Hariri, President of LifebankUSA and Celgene Cellular Therapeutics.
The objective of the study was to use a proprietary perfusion method to recover pluripotent stem cells from human placenta after birth, culture them, and characterize the cells from a surface marker and differentiation perspective. The study used human placentas that were donated to LifebankUSA following the birth of normal, full-term pregnancies. Through a unique proprietary process that anatomically perfuses the placenta, mononucleated cells were obtained, purified, and cultured. Fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis was used for cell surface marker characterization, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for gene expression analysis.
Within two to four weeks, adherent cells with fibroblast-like morphology could be grown from the placenta perfusate culture. Morphologic examination and quantitative gene analysis showed that these cells express morphologic features and a gene transcript that are the hallmark of primitive stem cells. Under certain culture conditions, these cells were transformed into cartilage- like and fat-like tissue.
Celgene Cellular Therapeutics first reported that it had isolated placental stem cells and turned them into nerve, blood, cartilage, skin and muscle cells in 2001. Since that time, other studies have confirmed that pluripotent and multipotent placental and cord blood stem cells can be isolated. The study presented yesterday employed a proprietary placenta perfusion method to recover the cells from placentas after birth.
"Demonstrating the full potential of the stem cells recovered by this novel method provides Celgene scientists with another opportunity to further stem cell research and the stem cell therapy development process," said Dr. Hariri.
About Potential of Cellular Therapies
There are many disorders and diseases that are caused by the destruction of human tissue or the disruption of cellular function. Although donated tissues and organs can be used to replace the tissue in some diseases, the need far exceeds the number of organs available. Stem cell therapy has the potential to treat and cure conditions such as heart disease, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, burns, autoimmune disorders, diabetes and arthritis. Human embryos were once thought to be the only source of stem cells that could give rise to all types of tissue, but several studies have shown that stem cells derived from the placenta following birth may have similar regenerative abilities.
About Celgene Cellular Therapeutics
Celgene Cellular Therapeutics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Celgene Corporation, is a biotherapeutics company pioneering the development of stem cell therapies and biomaterials derived from human placental tissue. CCT has developed proprietary technology for collecting, processing and storing placental stem cells with potentially broad therapeutic applications in cancer, as well as autoimmune, cardiovascular, neurological, and degenerative diseases.
About LifebankUSA
LifebankUSA, a business unit of Celgene Cellular Therapeutics, is one of the world's top private umbilical cord blood banks, providing services for thousands of families worldwide since 1998. The number of units stored at its cryobanking facilities, which are located in Cedar Knolls, New Jersey, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is approaching 20,000. It is the only private bank with two fully-equipped facilities that are both ISO certified and accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks, and its comprehensive research operation is one of the largest in the cord blood banking industry. For more information, please visit the LifebankUSA website at www.lifebankusa.com/.
About Celgene
Celgene Corporation, headquartered in Summit, New Jersey, is an integrated global biopharmaceutical company engaged primarily in the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases through gene and protein regulation. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.celgene.com/. |
