Osteosarcoma Derived from Donor Stem Cells Carryingthe Norrie’s Disease Gene Dec 4, 2008
A 23-month-old boy with -thalassemia received a bone marrow transplant from his HLA-identical 11-year-old brother in September 1989. Norrie's disease had been diagnosed in the donor at 12 months of age, after enucleation of the right eye was performed because a bilateral retinoblastoma was suspected. (New England Journal of Medicine)
World AIDS Day commemorated worldwide Dec 1, 2008
Members of Thalassemia and AIDS prevention society, a non-government organisation, take part in a candlelight rally on the eve of World AIDS Day in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata November 30, 2008. Official figures show that more than 10 percent of intravenous drug users in India are infected with HIV, a higher prevalence than among prostitutes. (Xinhuanet, China)
Blood tests may show fetal inherited diseases Nov 27, 2008
HONG KONG Doctors may soon be able to diagnose inherited diseases such as cystic fibrosis, thalassemia and sickle-cell anemia in fetuses by simply testing a blood sample taken from the mother ... Thalassemia is a blood-related genetic disease that can result in reduced fertility or even infertility. (Globe and Mail)
Questions and answers about blood donation Nov 27, 2008
Accident victims, people undergoing surgery and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or other diseases, such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia, all utilize blood. More than 23 million units of blood components are transfused every year. (Keokuk Daily Gate City, IO)
UAE to make medical tests mandatory for school students Nov 12, 2008
The ministry's decision to make the tests mandatory firstly in public schools results from the fact that diseases such as anaemia, diabetes and thalassemia go undetected for years until they become full-blown cases, Fawzia Al Jaziri, a senior official with the ministry, was quoted as saying. The official added that "the tests will be conducted during the time of admission among children of kindergarten 1, again when the child enters grade 5 and finally in grade 9.". (Xinhuanet, China)
Classification of Anemia Nov 9, 2008
Defects in hemoglobin, either with altered structure (such as with sickle cell disease) or with portions of its structure missing (thalassemia), can also produce fragile RBCs. Other causes of RBC destruction include but are not limited to hyperactive destruction of RBCs by the spleen (hypersplenism) and antibodies against RBCs. (Suite101.com)
New method may cure sickle cell Nov 8, 2008
" Eventually, though, he was weaned off the immunosuppressants, just as the other patients in the study were, and his new, hybrid immune system kicked into gear. The only patient whose transplant didn't work, Dr. Krishnamurti said, stopped taking her immunosuppressants too soon, and even though she recovered, her sickle cell anemia returned. An outside expert who was not part of the study agreed that the less-intense procedure might pave the way for more bone marrow transplants in sickle cell... (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
New Study Shows that PEGASYS(R) Regimen Provides Higher Sustained Virological Response Rates for Hepatitis C Patients Nov 2, 2008
PEGASYS and COPEGUS therapy is additionally contraindicated in patients with a hypersensitivity to COPEGUS or any of its components, in women who are pregnant, men whose female partners are pregnant, and patients with hemoglobinopathies (eg, thalassemia major, sickle-cell anemia). COPEGUS THERAPY SHOULD NOT BE STARTED UNLESS A REPORT OF A NEGATIVE PREGNANCY TEST HAS BEEN OBTAINED IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO INITIATION OF THERAPY. Women of childbearing potential and men must use two forms of effective... (PR Newswire)
WEHI spin-out MuriGen restructures G-CSF antagonist program with CSL Oct 29, 2008
MuriGen is building a portfolio of novel drugs for unmet medical needs across a number of therapeutic areas including arthritis, thrombocytopenia, inflammation, epilepsy and thalassemia. By leveraging its proprietary drug discovery platform, MuriGen Therapeutics is working towards the validation of novel drug targets that have the potential to provide significant benefits for researchers, health care practitioners, and patients. (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
* Stem cell test to begin at Taichung university hospital Sep 11, 2008
Wu Kang-hsi (d), a CMUH physician who will supervise the testing, said the project would determine whether mesenchymal stem cells can help transplanted umbilical blood stem cells treat diseases related to malfunctioning hematopoietic stem cells, such as leukemia and thalassemia. Mesenchymal stem cells are a type of multipotent stem cell that can differentiate into various cells, including pancreatic islet cells and neuronal cells. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Gioia & New York Blood Center Call for City Aid in Expansion of Mobile Blood Donor Coach Program Aug 12, 2008
The wildly successful program allows New York Blood Center to reach communities in the five New York City boroughs with historically low donation rates, but whose blood is critically needed to help those suffering from a variety of health conditions, including sickle cell anemia, thalassemia and leukemia. Statistics show an increase not only in the number of blood drives with the use of the donor coaches but also in the units of blood collected by donor coaches over the last five years. (PR Newswire)
Gambled for child's life & lost Aug 10, 2008
Tests later, doctors found that the newborn was a thalassemia major and would need regular transfusions to stay alive ... The Mhatres couldn't donate their bone marrow for their daughter as they both were thalassemia minor ... The West, has used cord blood cells - even from unrelated donors - in a couple of thousand cases to cure thalassemia as well as a host of other other disorders. (India Times, India)
Five thalassemic kids get AIDS after blood transfusion Jul 16, 2008
AHMEDABAD: Mitesh is just 12, but he has to undergo at least 20 blood transfusions in a year for thalassemia ... Mitesh is not the only one, at least five cases of thalassemia and AIDS among children, have been detected in Ahmedabad alone ... Mitesh was just six-months-old when doctors told his father that his child suffered from thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder. (Times of India)
An overload of iron can have an effect on health in several ways Jul 15, 2008
The secondary form is caused by diseases such as thalassemia, according to Medline Plus. Marks said the genetic disease extends far beyond the intermediate family, and he recommends the entire family tree - including brothers, sisters, children, parents, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews - be checked for the disease if it has affected at least one family member. (Florida Times-Union)
* Taiwan News Quick Take Jun 14, 2008
Thalassemia is an inherited form of anemia found chiefly among people of Mediterranean descent. The patient must receive blood transfusions intermittently. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Avoiding Spleen Removal For Cooley's Anemia Sufferers May 29, 2008
ScienceDaily (May 29, 2008) Researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College may have discovered the precise role of a gene in one of the world's most common blood disorders, beta-thalassemia, commonly known as Cooley's anemia ... Mutations in the beta globin gene can lead to thalassemia or sickle-cell anemia ... Thalassemia and sickle-cell anemia are quite common, not only in Mediterranean, but also in African, African-American, and Asian populations; however, specific sets of mutations are... (Science Daily)
Vitamin D in brain function Apr 21, 2008
These include providing cures for blood diseases, developing new vaccines for infectious diseases and discovering new treatment protocols for previously fatal or debilitating conditions such as cancers, sickle cell disease and thalassemia, diabetes, asthma, HIV/AIDS, pediatric obesity, nutritional deficiencies, birth defects, hemophilia and cystic fibrosis. . (EurekAlert!)
Blood Disease Protects Against Malaria In An Unexpected Way, Study Shows Mar 20, 2008
19, 2008) Children with an inherited blood disorder called alpha thalassemia make unusually small red blood cells that mostly cause a mild form of anemia ... The new research shows how children with a mild form of alpha thalassemia are protected against life-threatening malarial anemia ... Malaria is endemic in Papua New Guinea and 68 percent of children living there have alpha thalassemia. (Science Daily)
My baby, right or wrong Mar 10, 2008
Today, prenatal screening for foetal anomalies, neural tube defects, Down's syndrome, sickle cell and thalassemia disorders are offered as standard. While the idea of choosing the colour of your baby's eyes, gender or personality traits is still largely abhorrent, allowing parents greater choices in the ability of their unborn child, as opposed to any potential disability, seems logical to most. (Guardian Unlimited)
* Pre-selected sibling may cure brother of disease Feb 21, 2008
The nation's first baby conceived with the help of embryonic pre-selection could help cure her older brother of the hereditary blood disease thalassemia, National Taiwan University Hospital doctors said yesterday. Like many parents of children suffering from thalassemia, the boy's father and mother, whose names have not been released, decided to conceive another child in a bid to help their son overcome the debilitating disease ... However, an exact donor match is needed to help a sufferer of... (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Free health care along walk for the poor Feb 21, 2008
"We have run out of money to bring her back to the hospital after several visits with no adequate diagnosis. A doctor in a local hospital said she might be suffering thalassemia.". While Soni was holding her daughter, Nur's father, Asep Safrudin, was fighting the crowd and struggling to receive approval for a set of seven documents which would prove them a poor family and eligible for assistance. (Jakarta Post, Indonesia -- City)
How Red Blood Cells Nuke Their Nuclei Feb 13, 2008
5, 2008) Beta-thalassemia is a potentially life-threatening disease that affects red blood cells. Scientists have found a genetic variant that can explain why some people with beta thalassemia seem to be. (Science Daily)
Patients to go for stem cell therapy annually in India Feb 2, 2008
These centres will offer therapy to treat 75 diseases such as blood disorders, thalassemia, leukaemia, certain metabolic disorders and cancer with a 90% success rate. While we will start with stem cell transplantation, concurrent pilot stage trials will go on for other therapies, Cryobanks CEO C V Nerikar said. (Economic Times)
America's Blood Centers Thanks Donors During Celebration of National Blood Donor Month Dec 29, 2007
"If it weren't for the generosity of millions of American blood donors, people with disorders such as Thalassemia and Sickle Cell would not live a productive life," states Donald Doddridge, President of America's Blood Centers. "Many more are alive today because there was blood on the shelf when they needed it after an accident or emergency surgical procedure. ABC would like to thank those who have continued to support the cause, and ask those who have not previously donated, to start a new... (PR Newswire)
Spit and make a difference! Dec 12, 2007
If stem cell bankers in India have their way, volunteers would be asked to spit and help patients suffering from life-threatening diseases including leukemia, thalassemia, diabetes et al.. Going beyond private umbilical cord blood banking, stem cell bankers are now seeking volunteers to create public cord blood banks in the country by tissue matching. (India Times)
Research Provides Critical Insight into Improving Therapy for Difficult-to-Treat Blood Cancers Dec 10, 2007
In addition to hematologic malignancies, four additional press briefings will take place at the annual meeting focusing on blood clotting and bleeding disorders, leukemias, sickle cell disease and thalassemia, and transplantation. For the complete annual meeting schedule and additional information, please visit. (PR Newswire)
Pharmion Presents Clinical Data Demonstrating Significant Survival Advantage of Vidaza(R) in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) Dec 10, 2007
Date / Time / Location: December 10, 2007; 1:30-3:00 p.m., Rooms B216- B217, Georgia World Congress Center Session: Thalassemia: Pre-Clinical and Clinical Advances: -- Oral Session 1:45 p.m.: Neither DNA Hypomethylation or Changes in the Kinetics of Erythroid Differentiation Account for 5-Azacytidine's Ability To Induce Human Fetal Hemoglobin (Abstract 572). Date / Time / Location: December 10, 2007; 1:30 -3:00 p.m., Rooms A411- A412, Georgia World Congress Center Session: Acute Myeloid... (PR Newswire)
Research Identifies Need for Improved Understanding of Sickle Cell Disease in Adulthood Dec 9, 2007
- Additional Data Show the Standard Treatment for Sickle Cell Disease is Widely Under-Prescribed in Some Populations - ATLANTA, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New research to be presented at the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology in Atlanta, GA, will provide important insight into the treatment and management of sickle cell disease and thalassemia, both disorders of the red blood cells ... -- Sequential deferiprone-deferoxamine superior to deferiprone monotherapy, the... (PR Newswire)
New stem cell method used to cure mice with sickle cell anemia Dec 7, 2007
The strategy should work to treat hemophilia, thalassemia, and severe combined immunodeficiency disease, the "bubble boy" disease, according to researchers, and might also apply to disorders linked to mutations in a single gene, such as muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis. Scientists hope to use a similar approach to create cardiac cells to treat heart attack patients or nerve cells that could cure spinal cord injuries. (Boston Globe)
PEGINTRON(TM) and REBETOL(R) Approved in European Union for Retreating Hepatitis C Patients Who Failed Previous Pegylated or Non-Pegylated Interferon Therapy Nov 15, 2007
g., thalassemia major, sickle-cell anemia), and patients with creatinine clearance less than 50 mL/min. Avoid Pregnancy REBETOL therapy should not be started until a report of a negative pregnancy test has been obtained immediately prior to planned initiation of therapy. (PR Newswire)
Scientists discover novel way to remove iron from ferritin Nov 3, 2007
The results of this study may help scientists develop new medications that dramatically improve the removal of excess iron in patients diagnosed with blood diseases such as B-Thalassemia (Cooley's anemia) or Sickle Cell Disease ... These include providing cures for blood diseases, developing new vaccines for infectious diseases and discovering new treatment protocols for previously fatal or debilitating conditions such as cancers, sickle cell disease and thalassemia, diabetes, asthma, HIV/AIDS,... (EurekAlert!)
Gene therapy sees early success for neurodegenerative disease Oct 31, 2007
This early success potentially opens the door to better treatments for many other diseases involving the bone marrow and blood cells, such as leukaemia, thalassemia and sickle-cell disease, the researchers say. The results, from two 7-year-old Spanish children with ALD, were announced on Sunday 28 October at the fifteenth Congress of the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. (Nature News Service)
Company to sell blood-iron overload treatment in China Oct 20, 2007
Ferriprox "treats iron overload in the bloodstream which is often associated with thalassemia, a disease that can lead to organ damage and heart failure," Beijing said. "Thalassemia is particularly prevalent in humid environments, like in southern China, where it is estimated that 7-8 percent of the population needs treatment for the disease.". (Philadelphia Business Journal, PA)
Nobel prize for scientist who gave the world the knockout mouse Oct 10, 2007
Prof Smithies has used gene targeting to produce mouse models for a number of common human conditions, including high blood pressure and the blood disease thalassemia. Prof Capecchi has uncovered the roles of genes involved in mammalian body development, and shed light on the causes of several human birth defects. (Guardian Unlimited)
Nobel Prize For Medicine Goes To Scientists Working In UK And US Oct 9, 2007
Smithies has also developed mouse models of human diseases, including one for the inherited blood disease, thalassemia and others for hypertension and atherosclerosis. The Nobel Prize press release summarized the contribution and impact of the three 2007 Laureates as. (Medical News Today)
Mouse Model Pioneers Win Nobel Prize For Discoveries In Embryonic Stem Cells And DNA Recombination Oct 9, 2007
Smithies also used gene targeting to develop mouse models for inherited diseases such as cystic fibrosis and the blood disease thalassemia. He has also developed numerous mouse models for common human diseases such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. (Science Daily)
Researchers in stem cell science awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine Oct 9, 2007
Smithies, 82, born in Britain, also used gene targeting to develop mouse models for inherited diseases like cystic fibrosis and thalassemia, a blood disease, as well as other diseases such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. In 2001 the three were awarded the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research, which is often dubbed "America's Nobel" and has figured prominently in Nobel speculation in recent years. (International Herald Tribune)
Trio shares 2007 Nobel Medicine Prize Oct 9, 2007
And Smithies, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, also used gene targeting to develop mouse models for inherited diseases including cystic fibrosis and the blood disease thalassemia. The award committee praised their work for having helped expand the knowledge of "numerous genes in embryonic development, adult physiology, aging and disease.". (Xinhuanet, China)
Novel Cause Of Iron Overload In Thalassemia Disorders Discovered Sep 1, 2007
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have discovered a novel cause of iron overload in patients with thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder that causes anemia. According to the study, thalassemia patients overproduce a protein called GDF15, which suppresses the production of a liver protein, hepcidin, which in turn leads to an increase in the uptake of dietary iron in the gut ... This finding has implications for iron metabolism in other diseases, including cancer, and may... (Science Daily)
Children's Hospital Oakland has growth spurt Aug 14, 2007
For example, Lubin wants to set up or pilot a sibling cord blood program in India -- similar to CHORI's nationally recognized U.S. program -- to combat sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, leukemia and other disorders. "We're looking for things that will give us the brand of some unique areas of global health," Lubin said. (San Francisco Business Times, CA)
Pathway That Eliminates Genetic Defects In Red Blood Cells Discovered Aug 3, 2007
Knowing how this specific surveillance system works can help researchers better understand hereditary diseases, in this case, thalassemia, a form of anemia, which is the most common genetic disorder worldwide ... The form of thalassemia studied by the Penn group is caused by a mutation that allows the cell s ribosome to read too far, making a protein that is too long. Thalassemias result from an underproduction of hemoglobin proteins the oxygen carrying molecule in blood hence the anemia. (Science Daily)
Knights plan benefit to aid suffering child Jun 3, 2007
James Cichowski, co-chairman of the Knights of Columbus in New Britain and a member of its Mary With Her Knights in Action Committee, knew he wanted to help after friends told him of Lucas and his struggle with the disease, called thalassemia ... Lucas suffers from an intermediate-to-severe form of thalassemia, or Cooley's anemia, which involves abnormalities in red blood cells slowing the dispersion of oxygen throughout the body ... "It's all in God's hands." According to the March of Dimes Web... (New Britain Herald, CT)
Fundraiser to help boy fight for his life May 18, 2007
Lucas was diagnosed with thalassemia, a form of anemia that affects production of hemoglobin in red blood cells ... And it hasn't come easy for the 17-month-old, who suffers from a rare and sometimes deadly disease called thalassemia, a form of anemia that affects production of hemoglobin in red cells ... "But he rolls with the punches. He's a happy baby and he loves life." Lucas suffers from the intermediate-severe form of thalassemia or Cooley's anemia, that involves abnormalities in red blood... (New Britain Herald, CT)
Morrisville's Ercole teams up again with Oregon biotech May 3, 2007
-based AVI to develop treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, or DMD, and beta thalassemia. AVI will lead the companies' DMD program and Ercole will lead the thalassemia program, though the agreement gives each company the ability to co-fund the other's program and split the profits from any resulting products ... Beta thalassemia is a genetic disorder that leads to bone deformities, anemia and early death. (Triangle Business Journal)
Schering-Plough Addresses Major Milestones and Challenges in Treatment of Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C Apr 11, 2007
g., thalassemia major, sickle-cell anemia). The following serious or clinically significant adverse events have been reported at a frequency less than 1 percent with PEGINTRON or interferon alpha: severe decreases in neutrophil or platelet counts, hypothyroidism, hyperglycemia, hypotension, arrhythmia, ulcerative and hemorrhagic colitis, development or exacerbation of autoimmune disorders including thyroiditis, RA, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, pulmonary disorders (dyspnea, pulmonary... (PR Newswire)
Living with pain Feb 17, 2007
Earma Johnson of Durham has sickle beta-zero thalassemia. She stayed at her government job longer than she may have simply because of the health insurance coverage. (Herald Sun)
How to Build a Better Mouse Model of Human Disease Jan 12, 2007
For example, the blood disorder -thalassemia had resisted attempts to model it by deleting part of the mouse gene for hemoglobin, a form of the oxygen-carrying blood protein ... Sure enough, although the genetic exchange happened rarely, when the resulting transgenic mice were again altered to mimic -thalassemia they had the same changes in hemoglobin gene expression and red blood cell shape as people with the human disorder, the group reports. (Scientific American)
BCCL acquires stake in Life Cell Jan 7, 2007
Stem cell therapy has become a standard therapy for diseases like leukaemia, thalassemia, anaemia and many other blood disorders. In fact for conditions like thalassemia which is widely prevalent in the Middle East, Stem cell therapy is the only possible permanent solution ... So banking of cord blood stem cells at the time of the baby's birth can cure a number of people of thalassemia. (Khaleej Times)
