ALS

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Hail Mary with FDA on Nurown for ALS

MSF-NTF cells, NurOwn

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics is developing Nurown, an investigational therapy intended for treating ALS. I recently posted about BrainStorm and its prospects for providing real hope on stem cells for ALS. I see it as a long shot. The ALS community needs real hope, but one challenge is determining how good clinical data have to be to …

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Hail Mary with FDA on Nurown for ALS Read More »

Weekly reads: stem cells for ALS, cell wrinkles, editors quit

Clive Svendsen, ALS researcher

I’ve been writing The Niche now for more than 13 years and the idea of stem cells for ALS has been around that whole time. Unfortunately, it has been slow going on this front, but there are still reasons for hope. Probably now much more than ever before. I’ll start with news on one path …

Weekly reads: stem cells for ALS, cell wrinkles, editors quit Read More »

Does NurOwn from BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics still provide hope for ALS?

Chaim Lebovits, CEO of BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics.

What is the cell therapy for ALS called NurOwn? How strong is its potential as a treatment for ALS? I’ve been following the biotech BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics for many years. Patients keep asking me about NurOwn ALS prospects. They’re looking for hope. Today’s post is a close look at NurOwn and at BrainStorm as a …

Does NurOwn from BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics still provide hope for ALS? Read More »

Weekend recommended reads: Athersys, ALS, COVID-19, Fibroblasts, Zoom brain

Fibroblasts-regeneration

What are you reading these days and does it include topics like cell therapies for COVID-19, ALS, regenerative potential of fibroblasts, and why Zoom meetings are so tiring for the brain? I cover those topics and more below with recommended reads including papers and media items. Here’s last week’s recommended reads. Here’s to fibroblasts, which …

Weekend recommended reads: Athersys, ALS, COVID-19, Fibroblasts, Zoom brain Read More »

Right To Try law has a big loophole that’s an opening for bad actors

piggyback-ride-right-to-try-1

There appears to be a big, risky loophole in the relatively new national Right To Try law. Some folks apparently anticipated this problem long ago, but I think most of us weren’t aware of it. Update: More specifically, some law and policy experts were writing about this and other potential loopholes in 2018. I recommend …

Right To Try law has a big loophole that’s an opening for bad actors Read More »

Stem cell news July 2018: RMATs, RTT, MiMedx mess, clinic family ties & more

MiMedx

The year of 2018 has already been a wild one for stem cell news. There are many developments on a variety of fronts. Here are some of the most notable news bites of the last month or so. RMATs RMAT Wave. The FDA continues its warp-speed issuance of Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designations with …

Stem cell news July 2018: RMATs, RTT, MiMedx mess, clinic family ties & more Read More »

ACT’s Bob Lanza Does the #IceBucketChallenge

Dr. Robert Lanza

Before I did the #icebucketchallenge, I challenged the leader of Advanced Cell Technology (ACT), Dr. Bob Lanza, to do the Ice Bucket Challenge. He did it and leading up to it he provided a quite articulate message for context (see video below). Bob is one very cool guy even without ice water. The purpose of the …

ACT’s Bob Lanza Does the #IceBucketChallenge Read More »

Interview with Ted Harada Part 2: Right To Try, Neuralstem, and How He’s Doing

Harada-Family-e1479769086296

This is Part 2 of my interview with ALS and stem cell advocate, Ted Harada. You can read Part 1 of my talk with Ted on where things stand today with ALS, the FDA, and the Ice Bucket Challenge. What’s your opinion of the “Right To Try” law in Colorado and the concept more generally? …

Interview with Ted Harada Part 2: Right To Try, Neuralstem, and How He’s Doing Read More »

Ted Harada Interview Part 1: Stem Cells for ALS, More

Harada-Family-e1479769086296

Ted Harada is a wonderful patient advocate for the stem cell field and for the development of safe and effective stem cell products to treat ALS. Ted has ALS and received stem cell-based treatments for it with surprising, very encouraging results. The Harada family is pictured at left with Ted, his wife Michelle as well as …

Ted Harada Interview Part 1: Stem Cells for ALS, More Read More »