Message #63 From:
NewsBot Date: January 11, 2008 06:49:01 AM
Advanced Cell Technology Claims Safer Use of Embryos For Stem Cell Lines
-New process Improves Efficiency to Levels Reported in
the Conventional Stem Cell Derivation Techniques-
Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: ACTCStock Message Boards) together with
colleagues announced today the development of five human embryonic stem
cell (hESC) lines without the destruction of embryos. These new results
have the potential to end the ethical debate surrounding the use of
embryos to derive stem cells. In fact, the NIH report to the President
refers to this technology as one of the viable alternatives to the
destruction of embryos.
The new method will be published today in the journal Cell Stem Cells,
published by Cell Press. The peer-reviewed technique was initially
carried out by ACT scientists under the direction of Robert Lanza, M.D.,
and then independently replicated by scientists on the West Coast.
Single cells were removed from the embryos using a technique similar to
preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). The biopsied embryos continued
to develop normally and were then frozen. The cells that were removed
were cultured utilizing a proprietary methodology that recreates the
optimal developmental environment, which substantially improved the
efficiency of deriving stem cells to rates comparable to using the
traditional approach of deriving stem cells from the inner cell mass of
a whole blastocyst stage embryo. The stem cells were genetically normal
and differentiated into cell types of all three germ layers of the body,
including blood cells, neurons, heart cells, cartilage, and other cell
types of potentially therapeutic significance.
“This is a working technology that exists here
and now,” said Robert Lanza, M.D., Chief
Scientific Officer at Advanced Cell Technology and senior author of the
paper. “It could be used to increase the
number of stem cell lines available to federal researchers immediately.
We could send these cells out to researchers tomorrow. If the White
House approves this new methodology, researchers could effectively
double or triple the number of stem cell lines available within a few
months. Too many needless deaths continue to occur while this research
is being held up. I hope the President will act now and approve these
stem cell lines quickly.”
The paper published today also addresses several other important issues.
First, the stem cells were derived without culturing multiple cells from
each embryo together, and at efficiency levels similar to that reported
for conventional stem cell derivation techniques using blastocysts.
Second, it addresses ethical objections that the derivation system
required co-culture with hESCs from other embryos that were destroyed.
The current study demonstrates that hESC co-culture is not an essential
part of the derivation procedure. The stem cell lines generated in the
present study appear to have the same characteristics as other hESC
lines, including expression of the same markers of pluripotency,
self-renewing capacity, genetic stability, and ability to differentiate
into derivatives of all three germ layers of the body.
“We are excited that our new method for
generating human embryonic stem cell lines without the destruction of
embryos has been accepted for inclusion by such a prestigious
publication,” said William M. Caldwell IV,
Chairman and CEO of Advanced Cell Technology. “This
new approach addresses the President Bush’s
ethical concerns. We are hopeful that the NIH will consider this new
approach for federal funding. We believe that such consideration
reflects the desire of the American people to bring therapies derived
from stem cell research to patients with few or no alternatives.”
Other contributors to the study and publication include Young Chung and
Irina Klimanskaya, Sandy Becker, Tong Li, Marc Maserati, and Shi-Jiang
Lu of Advanced Cell Technology; Tamara Zdravkovic, Olga Genbacev, and
Susan Fisher of the University of California, San Francisco; and Dusko
Ilic and Ana Krtolica of StemLifeLine.
Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. is a biotechnology company applying stem
cell technology in the emerging field of regenerative medicine. The
company operates facilities in Alameda, California and Worcester,
Massachusetts. For more information about the company, please visit http://www.advancedcell.com.
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Media: Chad Griffin Consulting, Inc. Jordan Markwith,
310-888-3523 or Investors: CEOcast, Inc. Andrew
Hellman, 212-732-4300 or Cell Stem Cells: Cell Press Cathleen
Genova, 617-397-2802
