{"id":11444,"date":"2012-09-28T12:51:26","date_gmt":"2012-09-28T16:51:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sciencebusiness.technewslit.com\/?p=11444"},"modified":"2012-09-28T12:51:26","modified_gmt":"2012-09-28T16:51:26","slug":"contract-awarded-for-stem-cell-derived-burn-therapy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/technewslit.com\/sciencebusiness\/?p=11444","title":{"rendered":"Contract Awarded for Stem Cell Derived Burn Therapy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Stem<\/a>
Stem cells derived from body fat extracted during liposuction (Cytori Therapeutics)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cytori Therapeutics<\/a> in San Diego received a contract from Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) for development of a cell therapy to treat thermal burns combined with radiation injury. The contract from BARDA<\/a>, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has a value of up to $106 million over a maximum of five years.<\/p>\n

Under the contract, Cytori will create a new countermeasure to treat thermal burns following a mass-casualty event. Cytori’s cell therapy technology is based on stem and regenerative cells derived from an individual’s own body fat.\u00a0 The company’s process<\/a> extracts stem and regenerative cells from body fat, often available as a result of liposuction.<\/p>\n

The company says adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells can be used to treat a variety of conditions including cardiovascular disease and soft tissue defects as well as wound healing. Cytori cites a 2006 study<\/a> showing greater quantities of stem and regenerative cells from adipose than from bone marrow.<\/p>\n

Cytori says the contract’s first phase ($4.7 million) covers preclinical research and further development of the company’s cell processing system. Successful achievement of specified milestones will allow BARDA to exercise options in the contract valued at up to $101 million in additional funding. The contract continuations will enable Cytori to bring the technology for thermal burns through the FDA pre-market approval process.<\/p>\n

The contract is expected to meet a need identified in a February 2012 Government Accountability Office<\/a> report prepared for Senators Joseph Lieberman and Susan Collins — chair and ranking member respectively of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs — citing the need to address thermal burns from mass casualties inflicted by conventional explosives, radiological dirty bombs, and nuclear weapons. “Medical care for thermal burns in a mass casualty incident,” says the report, “would require the ready availability of large quantities of medical countermeasures, such as pain medications, wound dressings, and intravenous fluids, both on-site and in emergency treatment facilities.”<\/p>\n

Read more:<\/p>\n