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Nottingham biosciences million pound injection
July 30, 2007Nottingham's strength as a UK Science City is further underlined today, with news that the Wellcome Trust, the UK's largest medical research charity, has awarded almost £1 million to an innovative biosciences company.
The investment, under the Translation Award programme, will help Nottingham-based RegenTec Ltd to develop commercial products in the rapidly-developing field of regenerative medicine. The company has perfected techniques which could greatly enhance the repair of bone defects and fractures.
RegenTec Ltd was created to build on the world-changing research carried out by scientists at The University of Nottingham, Britain's 'University of the Year'. With support from the East Midlands Development Agency, the company has invented a unique material that works with stem cells and biopharmaceuticals to stimulate the regeneration of tissue in patients.
When injected into the body the material forms a highly porous scaffold structure, which encourages new tissues to form.
The unique scaffold mechanism also assists the delivery of stem cells and drugs without compromising their effectiveness. This offers a substantial opportunity to deliver a cure to patients with bone, liver, heart or nerve tissue defects.
Professor Kevin Shakesheff, Chief Scientific Officer at RegenTec, and Director of The Centre for Biomolecular Sciences at The University of Nottingham, said: "The ability to inject these scaffold materials could significantly reduce the need for invasive surgery in tissue repair.
"It will mean that operation and rehabilitation times could come down significantly. After injection, the porous material we use gradually degrades, leaving behind only newly formed bone tissue."
RegenTec has developed an extensive portfolio of patents and hopes that its injectable technology can reach clinics within three years. Its first product - Injectabone - will be used as a replacement for bone grafting, which can be beset by problems which include a short supply of host bone, chronic post-operative pain, and an increased risk of infection. Injectabone will be launched in the US and European markets for use by orthopaedic surgeons.
The material will then be adapted to help in treatment of many other diseases.
Dr Robin Quirk, Managing Director, said: "Regenerative medicine is a hugely exciting worldwide industry that promises to radically improve many aspects of clinical practice. We have a world-first technology that has a remarkable range of future uses.
"The Wellcome Trust Award is a substantial step forward in ensuring that the UK plays a major role in the commercial and clinical development of regenerative medicine."
Dr Susan Huxtable, Director of Intellectual Property and Commercialisation at The University of Nottingham, said: "The Wellcome Trust Award is recognition of the hard work and creativity of a large team of scientists who have worked at the University of Nottingham and within Regentec over the past five years.
"They are pioneers in terms of their science, but also in ensuring that the expertise and knowledge honed in a research-intensive university can be translated into commercial enterprise, and make a dynamic contribution to well-being and economic growth. We have enjoyed a record year in attracting third party investment to our portfolio of spin-out companies."
The University of Nottingham
When injected into the body the material forms a highly porous scaffold structure, which encourages new tissues to form.
The unique scaffold mechanism also assists the delivery of stem cells and drugs without compromising their effectiveness. This offers a substantial opportunity to deliver a cure to patients with bone, liver, heart or nerve tissue defects.
Professor Kevin Shakesheff, Chief Scientific Officer at RegenTec, and Director of The Centre for Biomolecular Sciences at The University of Nottingham, said: "The ability to inject these scaffold materials could significantly reduce the need for invasive surgery in tissue repair.
"It will mean that operation and rehabilitation times could come down significantly. After injection, the porous material we use gradually degrades, leaving behind only newly formed bone tissue."
RegenTec has developed an extensive portfolio of patents and hopes that its injectable technology can reach clinics within three years. Its first product - Injectabone - will be used as a replacement for bone grafting, which can be beset by problems which include a short supply of host bone, chronic post-operative pain, and an increased risk of infection. Injectabone will be launched in the US and European markets for use by orthopaedic surgeons.
The material will then be adapted to help in treatment of many other diseases.
Dr Robin Quirk, Managing Director, said: "Regenerative medicine is a hugely exciting worldwide industry that promises to radically improve many aspects of clinical practice. We have a world-first technology that has a remarkable range of future uses.
"The Wellcome Trust Award is a substantial step forward in ensuring that the UK plays a major role in the commercial and clinical development of regenerative medicine."
Dr Susan Huxtable, Director of Intellectual Property and Commercialisation at The University of Nottingham, said: "The Wellcome Trust Award is recognition of the hard work and creativity of a large team of scientists who have worked at the University of Nottingham and within Regentec over the past five years.
"They are pioneers in terms of their science, but also in ensuring that the expertise and knowledge honed in a research-intensive university can be translated into commercial enterprise, and make a dynamic contribution to well-being and economic growth. We have enjoyed a record year in attracting third party investment to our portfolio of spin-out companies."
The University of Nottingham
Stem Cells Current Events and Stem Cells News RSSNew discovery about the formation of new brain cells
The generation of new nerve cells in the brain is regulated by a peptide known as C3a, which directly affects the stem cells' maturation into nerve cells and is also important for the migration of new nerve cells through the brain tissue, reveals new research from the Sahlgrenska Academy published in the journal Stem Cells.
Umbilical cord blood stem cell transplant may help lung, heart disorders
Two separate studies published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (18:8), - now freely available on-line have shown that transplanted human-derived umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cells transplanted in an animal model had positive therapeutic effects on specific lung and heart disorders the animal models.
Gene mismatch influences success of bone marrow transplants
A commonly inherited gene deletion can increase the likelihood of immune complications following bone marrow transplantation, an international team of researchers reports in the November 22 advance online issue of Nature Genetics.
New research shows versatility of amniotic fluid stem cells
For the first time, scientists have demonstrated that stem cells found in amniotic fluid meet an important test of potential to become specialized cell types, which suggests they may be useful for treating a wider array of diseases and conditions than scientists originally thought.
First reconstitution of an epidermis from human embryonic stem cells
Stem cell research is making great strides. This is yet again illustrated by a study carried out by the I-STEM* Institute (I-STEM/ Inserm UEVE U861/AFM), published in the Lancet on 21 November 2009. The I-STEM team, directed by Marc Peschanski has just succeeded in recreating a whole epidermis from human embryonic stem cells.
Bone Implant Offers Hope for Skull Deformities
A synthetic bone matrix offers hope for babies born with craniosynostosis, a condition that causes the plates in the skull to fuse too soon.
Your Own Stem Cells Can Treat Heart Disease
The largest national stem cell study for heart disease showed the first evidence that transplanting a potent form of adult stem cells into the heart muscle of subjects with severe angina results in less pain and an improved ability to walk. The transplant subjects also experienced fewer deaths than those who didn't receive stem cells.
Is hepatic differentiation of embryonic stem cells induced by valproic acid and cytokines?
Embryonic stem (ES) cells, known for their capacity to proliferate indefinitely and differentiate into almost all types of cells including hepatocytes, have raised the hope of cellular replacement therapy for liver failure.
Paradoxical protein might prevent cancer
One difficulty with fighting cancer cells is that they are similar in many respects to the body's stem cells. By focusing on the differences, researchers at Karolinska Institutet have found a new way of tackling colon cancer. The study is presented in the prestigious journal Cell.
U of M researchers find 2 units of umbilical cord blood reduce risk of leukemia recurrence
A new study from the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota shows that patients who have acute leukemia and are transplanted with two units of umbilical cord blood (UCB) have significantly reduced risk of the disease returning.
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