America Stem Cell Inc., of Helotes, Texas, reported that the FDA has granted orphan drug status to its ASC-101 to improve homing to bone marrow in patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Curasan AG, of Kleinostheim, Germany, received European approval for Osseolive, a synthetic bone regeneration material designed for the treatment of large defects, in combination with bone growth-supporting substances, such as bone marrow aspirate, stem cells and bone morphogenetic proteins

Curasan AG, of Kleinostheim, Germany, received European approval for Osseolive, a synthetic bone regeneration material designed for the treatment of large defects, in combination with bone growth-supporting substances, such as bone marrow aspirate, stem cells and bone morphogenetic proteins

The Committee for Orphaned Medicinal Products of the European Medicines Agency issued a positive opinion for a human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cell product by Advanced Cell Technology Inc., of Marlborough, Mass., for designation as an orphan medicinal product...Proteonomix Inc., of Mountainside, N.J., entered an exclusive license agreement with an unnamed partner to develop technology for the mobilization of bone marrow stem cells

International Stem Cell Corp., of Oceanside, Calif., received approval from an independent stem cell research oversight committee to obtain human oocytes in California

Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp., of Calgary, Alberta, said its Phase II multiple sclerosis trial is proceeding with funding from the Stem Cell Network in Ottawa

Cellular Dynamics International, of Madison, Wis., published research in the March 1, 2011, issue of PLoS One demonstrating an efficient and scalable method of creating DNA integration-free induced pluripotent stem cells under a feeder-free condition using chemically defined media

THOR Biopharma will seek to develop therapeutic biological agents capable of enhancing stem cell therapies to provide lifesaving clinical treatment

OncoMed Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Redwood City, Calif., said preclinical data demonstrated its lead candidate, OMP-21M18, inhibits tumor growth and reduces cancer stem cell frequency when administered alone or in combination with chemotherapy in human colorectal cancer tumors with or without KRAS mutations

Geron Corp., of Menlo Park, Calif., reported preclinical study data showing positive effects of GRNCM1, the company's cardiomyocyte product derived from human embryonic stem cells, in a small animal model of acute heart damage

Results of the study appeared in the online edition of the journal Stem Cell Reviews and Reports...Stemline Therapeutics Inc., of New York, reported it now holds a license from the University of Pittsburgh (UP) for the exclusive worldwide rights to a clinically active oncology vaccine directed to multiple defined targets on tumor bulk and cancer stem cells

International Stem Cell Corp., of Oceanside, Calif., announced the successful derivation from its human parthenogenetic stem cells of enriched cultures of definitive endoderm, which can be further developed into pancreas or liver cells

Glycosan develops biocompatible hydrogels that have demonstrated ability to support the growth and directed differentiation of stem cells and are designed as implantable, resorbable matrices for tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and for research applications involving the laboratory culture of human cells...BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc., of New York, announced that the FDA granted orphan drug designation to the company's NurOwn autologous adult stem cell product candidate for the

Neuralstem Inc., of Rockville, Md., announced the FDA granted orphan drug designation for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to its human spinal cord-derived neural stem cells, NSI-566RSC, currently in a Phase I study to evaluate the safety of the product and the surgical route of administration in a wide range of ALS patients

entered a series of intellectual property agreements creating a unified, worldwide patent estate covering induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology

stem cell specialist Pathfinder Cell Therapy, of Cambridge, Mass., to provide pre-GMP services for its cell therapy product

International Stem Cell Corp. (ISCO), of Oceanside, Calif., published data in PLoS ONE suggesting that human parthenogenetic stem cells and human embryonic stem cells are similar in their undifferentiated state and capable of differentiating into neural lineages such as functional retinal pigment epithelial cells, which have the potential to treat retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration

Osiris Therapeutics Inc., of Columbia, Md., said Health Canada requested additional information for approval of Prochymal, a stem cell therapy, in graft-vs.-host disease

The company will apply the $1.7 million award to its VSEL (very small embryonic-like) technology, which uses the unique stem cell population found in adult bone marrow to treat osteoporosis