Dr. Karin Gaensler. Photo credit: Steve Babuljak/UCSF Adult acute myelogenous leukemia—also known as acute myeloid leukemia (AML)—is a blood cancer in which the bone marrow makes a large number of abnormal blood cells. About 20,000 new AML cases are diagnosed each year in the U.S., with a five‑year survival rate of about 29%. In 2022, … Continue reading Funding development of a vaccine for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)
leukemia
Man with HIV in remission after blood stem cell transplant
News that a stem cell transplant at City of Hope helped a man with HIV achieve long‑term remission made headlines worldwide—and rightly so. It’s a major achievement, especially because the 66‑year‑old patient had lived with HIV since 1988. What wasn’t highlighted is that the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine supported the work that made this … Continue reading Man with HIV in remission after blood stem cell transplant
CIRM-supported therapy for blood cancers gets FDA fast track
People often point out how long it takes to turn a scientific discovery into an approved therapy—and they’re right. It can take years, even decades. But for Immune‑Onc Therapeutics, that path may have just shortened. In April 2021, CIRM approved a $6 million investment in Immune‑Onc to run a clinical trial for patients with acute … Continue reading CIRM-supported therapy for blood cancers gets FDA fast track
Paving the Way in Treating Myelodysplastic Syndromes
CIRM just helped reach a major milestone in treating myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), a rare disorder that affects red blood cell production. Positive early results Jasper Therapeutics announced new data from their Phase 1 clinical trial treating people with MDS. This group of disorders involves abnormal, immature blood‑forming cells in the bone marrow, leading to low … Continue reading Paving the Way in Treating Myelodysplastic Syndromes
CIRM Board Approves Clinical Trials for Blood Cancer and Pediatric Brain Tumors
Today the governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) awarded $14.4 million for two new clinical trials for blood cancer and pediatric brain tumors. These awards bring the total number of CIRM-funded clinical trials to 70. $6.0 million was awarded to Immune-Onc Therapeutics to conduct a clinical trial for patients with acute … Continue reading CIRM Board Approves Clinical Trials for Blood Cancer and Pediatric Brain Tumors
Destressing stem cells
Dr. John Cashman The cells in our body are constantly signaling with each other; this critical process lets cells communicate not only with other cells but also with elements within themselves. One of the most important signaling pathways is called Wnt. This plays a key role in early embryonic and later development. But when Wnt … Continue reading Destressing stem cells
Remembering a stem cell pioneer in the fight against HIV/AIDS
Timothy Ray Brown. Photo courtesy Seattle Times Timothy Ray Brown, a man who was the first person to be cured of HIV, giving hope to millions of people around the world, died at his home in Palm Springs this week. He was just 54 years old. For years Brown was known simply as “the Berlin … Continue reading Remembering a stem cell pioneer in the fight against HIV/AIDS
CIRM-funded treatment for cancer granted FDA breakthrough therapy designation
Mark Chao, M.D., Ph.D., cofounder of Forty Seven, Inc. and current VP of oncology clinical research at Gilead Sciences An antibody therapeutic, magrolimab, being tested for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a group of cancers in which the bone marrow does not produce enough healthy blood cells, was granted breakthrough therapy designation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). … Continue reading CIRM-funded treatment for cancer granted FDA breakthrough therapy designation
COVID therapy developed with CIRM-supported clinical trial
Dr. Joshua Rhein, Assistant Professor of Medicine in the University of Minnesota Medical School's Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine Image Credit: University of Minnesota As doctors continue to better understand how to treat some of the most severe cases of COVID-19, researchers are reviewing their scientific "toolkit" to see whether therapies for other diseases … Continue reading COVID therapy developed with CIRM-supported clinical trial
Super charging killer cells to fight leukemia
Colorized scanning electron micrograph of a natural killer cell.Photo credit: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Racing car drivers are forever tinkering with their cars, trying to streamline them and soup up their engines because while fast is good, faster is better. Researchers do the same things with potential anti-cancer therapies, tinkering with them … Continue reading Super charging killer cells to fight leukemia