Latest news with #MSC
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Haryana: Water supply cut, told to leave hostels: Hisar agri varsity students
Jun 27, 2025 10:06 AM IST Tensions escalated at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, on Thursday as protesting students and varsity authorities remained at loggerheads. The authorities reportedly cut water supplies and asked students to vacate their hostels after the semester exams ended. The students of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University protest on a road in Hisar on Thursday. (HT Photo) Female postgraduate students claimed they were denied food and told to leave. Additional warden Nidhi Kamboj posted on WhatsApp, 'Postgraduate students who have permission for staying in summer break are allowed to stay otherwise no one will be allowed.' Undergraduates were directed to fetch luggage tonight. The mess remains closed, with nightpass requests directed to the warden. Agitated students began cooking at the protest site and vowed a long-haul sit-in 'until the government gives us written acceptance of our eight demands,' said BSc student Deepanshu. They threatened to shut down the varsity from July 2 if their demands—negotiated with a government panel—aren't formally accepted. MSC girls additionally alleged they were marked as failed online, despite assurances from the panel that exams would be reconducted after three weeks. 'The government is using various tactics to suppress our voices,' they claimed. Student leader Rohit Dalal alleged VC Prof B R Kamboj refused to honour minister Mahipal Dhanda's commitment and blamed students for the ongoing stalemate. Meanwhile, a varsity spokesperson maintained that vacating hostels after semester-end was a routine practice.
West Australian
a day ago
- Health
- West Australian
New dawn for NeuroScientific with stem cell acquisition
Stem cell therapies have long promised to press the body's reset button - potentially reversing injuries and damage from disease, regenerating tissue and reshaping modern medicine. For ASX-listed NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals, that promise starts now thanks to its $5.1 million acquisition of unlisted Perth-based stem cell therapy company Isopogen. The deal will hand NeuroScientific the keys to Isopogen's patented 'StemSmart' technology, which innovatively prepares a specific type of stem cell, mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), for use as an intravenous infusion. MSC are universal donor cells, meaning that there is no need for matching between a donor and recipient. The are effectively an 'off-the shelf' cell therapy. Over the past 20 years, haematology medical scientist Dr Marian Sturm, NeuroScientific's incoming chief scientific officer, pioneered the development of MSCs in her former role as facility director of Royal Perth Hospital's Cell and Tissue Therapies centre. The cells have so far been used in many patients, including as a last-line treatment for critically ill patients suffering severe immune complications from bone marrow transplantation and in kidney and lung transplant rejection, through early phase clinical trials and studies and on compassionate grounds, with promising results. The MSC technology has also been employed to treat patients with severe Crohn's disease, an inflammatory autoimmune condition that affects the gut. The disease can develop into very difficult-to-manage and treat forms, including refractory Crohn's, in which patients experience persistent uncontrolled flare-ups, and fistulising Crohn's, in which patients develop an open wound from a gut flare-up out to the skin. In a phase two trial targeting refractory Crohn's disease, a condition that no longer responds to standard treatments, of 18 patients treated with StemSmart MSC, 78 per cent of patients experienced clinical improvement and 44 per cent achieved full remission. That level of efficacy is considered impressive in the MSC field, particularly for refractory Crohn's. With the global market for refractory Crohn's treatment alone estimated to be worth about US$7.5 billion, it's no wonder StemSmart's new owner quickly hailed the system as a potential game-changer. StemSmart technology offers a step up from traditional MSC manufacturing in that the cells are grown in a special media, becoming activated in the process. The platform technology was developed at Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) and manufactured using RPH's processes. Notably, the manufacturing methodology can yield more than 200 cryopreserved clinical doses from just 10 millilitres of precious donated bone marrow, giving it both clinical flexibility and manufacturing scale. Based on the early results in Crohn's disease and in other conditions, Sturm now sees hope in employing MSCs to treat other autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, possibly including lupus, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. As the cells can grow into skin, bone, fat and other tissue cells, they also offer potential applications for tissue repair, such as bone repair for skull or long bone injuries, for example. The clinical development of MSC stretches back to 2002, when a Swedish paediatric haematologist used MSCs for the first time to treat a child gravely ill with complications from the treatment of leukaemia. The cells were isolated and grown in the doctor's laboratory from bone marrow donated by the child's mother. The child's clinical response to the cells was striking. No doubt, the successful experimental treatment would have caught the attention of immunology and haematology researchers and clinicians worldwide, including Sturm, an expert in blood, cell and tissue transplant manufacturing for clinical applications, who was the then-director of RPH's cutting-edge Cell and Tissue Therapy facility. At the time, Sturm was particularly focused on delivering MSCs as safely as possible into healthcare areas of unmet need. She began experimenting with ways to process the cells into a safe infusion that could be used to treat diseases and transplant complications where there were few or no existing clinical options. In 2007, Dr Sturm was approached by her clinical colleagues, who wanted to use the MSC product on compassionate grounds to treat a critically ill man with complications of bone marrow transplant to treat blood cancer. At the time, about 60 per cent of bone marrow transplant patients, who received donor marrow, developed a serious complication, known as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), where the new blood system created by the bone marrow transplant rejects the recipient's body. It usually presents with symptoms that affect the gut, skin and liver, and is treated with steroids. With recent advancements in transplant practices, the incidence of acute GVHD has fallen to now occurring in about 25-30 per cent of cases. However, these medicines fail in about 30 per cent of acute GVHD cases – and most of this group die. After receiving MSC treatment, the man quickly recovered, spurring Sturm to keep working to develop a scalable, commercial-grade MSC product and patenting the manufacturing process. After an agreement was reached between Isopogen and the State Government's East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS) giving Isopogen control of the MSC technology, NeuroScientific struck a deal with Isopogen to progress StemSmart. The all-scrip acquisition sees Isopogen shareholders receive 85.7 million NeuroScientific shares and 57.1 million performance shares tied to future clinical and commercial milestones. The market welcomed the move, with NeuroScientific's share price surging 97 per cent on the day of the announcement. A $3.5 million capital raise led by Perth corporate advisor Westar Capital, after existing funds, creates a war chest of about $7.5 million. This will support further development, including for a special access program or bigger phase 2/3 trials for patients with refractory and fistulising Crohn's, and will enable regulatory engagement with Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration with a long-term goal of partial or full registration for StemSmart MSC, first up as a Crohn's treatment. The company is also eyeing the United States, where inflammatory bowel disease is forecast to grow into a lucrative US$13.8 billion market by 2026. About 30 per cent of Crohn's patients fail to respond to current gold-standard treatments, such as biologics, making them prime candidates for a new approach, such as StemSmart. The takeover signals a bold pivot for NeuroScientific, which previously focused on peptide-based drugs for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. Those drugs showed promise, but the timelines to market were long. By contrast, StemSmart's progress and results over decades of development position the product closer to near-term commercialisation, helped along by NeuroScientific's healthy bank balance. Nor will NeuroScientific be walking away from its roots completely. Two current directors will remain on the company's revamped board, and management will explore crossover applications for StemSmart, particularly to tackle the neuroinflammation that is a hallmark of inflammatory diseases such as Alzheimer's. That convergence could open a dual-front therapeutic pipeline, leveraging both peptide and cellular approaches. While competition in the stem cell space is fierce, the upside is enormous. Importantly, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the first mesenchymal stromal cell therapy by ASX-listed, regenerative medicine company Mesoblast. While MSC products have been approved in other jurisdictions, the FDA approval of an allogeneic, bone marrow-derived MSC product for paediatric, steroid-refractory, acute graft-versus-host disease is momentous. According to NeuroScientific, StemSmart is differentiated by its purity, potency and consistency. In preclinical and early human data, the platform has shown enhanced potency over conventional MSCs. The recent regulatory FDA approval of MSC also tilt the momentum in StemSmart's favour, suggesting regulators are warming to well-characterised stem cell platforms with rigorous clinical data. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact:
The Age
a day ago
- Health
- The Age
New dawn for NeuroScientific with stem cell acquisition
Stem cell therapies have long promised to press the body's reset button - potentially reversing injuries and damage from disease, regenerating tissue and reshaping modern medicine. For ASX-listed NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals, that promise starts now thanks to its $5.1 million acquisition of unlisted Perth-based stem cell therapy company Isopogen. The deal will hand NeuroScientific the keys to Isopogen's patented 'StemSmart' technology, which innovatively prepares a specific type of stem cell, mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), for use as an intravenous infusion. MSC are universal donor cells, meaning that there is no need for matching between a donor and recipient. They are effectively an 'off-the shelf' cell therapy. Over the past 20 years, haematology medical scientist Dr Marian Sturm, NeuroScientific's incoming chief scientific officer, pioneered the development of MSCs in her former role as facility director of Royal Perth Hospital's Cell and Tissue Therapies centre. The cells have so far been used in many patients, including as a last-line treatment for critically ill patients suffering severe immune complications from bone marrow transplantation and in kidney and lung transplant rejection, through early phase clinical trials and studies and on compassionate grounds, with promising results. The MSC technology has also been employed to treat patients with severe Crohn's disease, an inflammatory autoimmune condition that affects the gut. The disease can develop into very difficult-to-manage and treat forms, including refractory Crohn's, in which patients experience persistent uncontrolled flare-ups, and fistulising Crohn's, in which patients develop an open wound from a gut flare-up out to the skin. 'NSB's acquisition of Isopogen will allow our StemSmart technology to be progressed for the benefit of vulnerable patients with limited treatment options.' NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals incoming chairman Robert McKenzie In a phase two trial targeting refractory Crohn's disease, a condition that no longer responds to standard treatments, of 18 patients treated with StemSmart MSC, 78 per cent of patients experienced clinical improvement and 44 per cent achieved full remission. That level of efficacy is considered impressive in the MSC field, particularly for refractory Crohn's. With the global market for refractory Crohn's treatment alone estimated to be worth about US$7.5 billion, it's no wonder StemSmart's new owner quickly hailed the system as a potential game-changer. StemSmart technology offers a step up from traditional MSC manufacturing in that the cells are grown in a special media, becoming activated in the process. The platform technology was developed at Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) and manufactured using RPH's processes.
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
New dawn for NeuroScientific with stem cell acquisition
Stem cell therapies have long promised to press the body's reset button - potentially reversing injuries and damage from disease, regenerating tissue and reshaping modern medicine. For ASX-listed NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals, that promise starts now thanks to its $5.1 million acquisition of unlisted Perth-based stem cell therapy company Isopogen. The deal will hand NeuroScientific the keys to Isopogen's patented 'StemSmart' technology, which innovatively prepares a specific type of stem cell, mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), for use as an intravenous infusion. MSC are universal donor cells, meaning that there is no need for matching between a donor and recipient. They are effectively an 'off-the shelf' cell therapy. Over the past 20 years, haematology medical scientist Dr Marian Sturm, NeuroScientific's incoming chief scientific officer, pioneered the development of MSCs in her former role as facility director of Royal Perth Hospital's Cell and Tissue Therapies centre. The cells have so far been used in many patients, including as a last-line treatment for critically ill patients suffering severe immune complications from bone marrow transplantation and in kidney and lung transplant rejection, through early phase clinical trials and studies and on compassionate grounds, with promising results. The MSC technology has also been employed to treat patients with severe Crohn's disease, an inflammatory autoimmune condition that affects the gut. The disease can develop into very difficult-to-manage and treat forms, including refractory Crohn's, in which patients experience persistent uncontrolled flare-ups, and fistulising Crohn's, in which patients develop an open wound from a gut flare-up out to the skin. 'NSB's acquisition of Isopogen will allow our StemSmart technology to be progressed for the benefit of vulnerable patients with limited treatment options.' NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals incoming chairman Robert McKenzie In a phase two trial targeting refractory Crohn's disease, a condition that no longer responds to standard treatments, of 18 patients treated with StemSmart MSC, 78 per cent of patients experienced clinical improvement and 44 per cent achieved full remission. That level of efficacy is considered impressive in the MSC field, particularly for refractory Crohn's. With the global market for refractory Crohn's treatment alone estimated to be worth about US$7.5 billion, it's no wonder StemSmart's new owner quickly hailed the system as a potential game-changer. StemSmart technology offers a step up from traditional MSC manufacturing in that the cells are grown in a special media, becoming activated in the process. The platform technology was developed at Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) and manufactured using RPH's processes.
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
MSC Cruises plans to take key title back from Royal Caribbean
MSC Cruises hasn't tried to hide the fact that it's trying to lure Royal Caribbean cruisers to try out its unique style of family cruising. A dominant cruise line in Europe, MSC Cruises is relatively new to North America, but determined to quickly establish itself as a cruise line of choice for Americans. Related: Cruise lines face new passenger fee; MSC Cruises brings new thrill The Switzerland-based global cruise line is propelling forward with a major initiative to establish a strong U.S. footprint, and Royal Caribbean cruisers are a key target audience. If that wasn't already clear, this year's launch of MSC World America proved it. MSC World America is MSC's answer to Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship. Both megaships sail seven-night Caribbean cruises from Miami featuring huge thrills and an emphasis on spaces and experiences for kids and families. While Royal Caribbean remains a top choice among U.S. cruisers, MSC Cruises is winning over many by offering cruises at a lower price point than most cruises on Icon of the Seas and newer Royal Caribbean ships. But lower prices aren't the only tactic MSC is using to attract Royal Caribbean cruisers. As MSC Cruises has made moves to compete directly with the cruise lines best known for offering thrilling vacation experiences, it's fueled a growing war of cruise ship thrill rides. That war includes an ongoing battle between Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises for one key title when it comes to cruise ship thrills: world's longest dry slide at sea. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. In late 2022, MSC Cruises claimed the world's longest dry slide at sea title from Royal Caribbean as it launched its first World Class ship, MSC World Europa, sister ship to MSC World America. MSC World Europa's 250-foot Venom Drop slide surpassed the 10-story Ultimate Abyss dry slide featured on most of Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships. Royal Caribbean didn't appreciate being one-upped and took the title back by introducing a taller, 259-foot Ultimate Abyss slide on Utopia of the Seas when it launched in 2024. Now, MSC Cruises wants the title back. Related: MSC Cruises bets on a new kind of entertainment The cruise line has revealed that its next World Class ship, MSC World Asia, which launches in the Mediterranean in late 2026, will be the next ship to claim the title of longest dry slide at sea. MSC World Asia's dry slide, Tree of Life @The Spiral, will surpass all those designed before it at 266.7 feet and spanning 12 decks. Inspired by the trees in Singapore's famous Gardens by the Bay, the slide will also be a striking architectural feature of the ship's World Promenade - an open-air space at the heart of the ship featuring dining venues and entertainment options paired with ocean views. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. The recently launched MSC World America also features a dry slide - the 11-deck-high Jaw Drop - as well as standout thrill ride Cliffhanger, the only over-water swing ride at sea. MSC Cruises' innovative cruise ship thrill rides also include Robotron, the first robotic arm ride at sea, featured on MSC Seascape. The ride offers a roller coaster-like experience that flips and spins riders as they soar nearly 175 feet above the sea. MSC will soon bring the unique thrill ride to a new U.S. market as MSC Seascape begins sailing from Galveston, Texas, for the first time in November. Related: MSC Cruises is coming for Royal Caribbean's title Like Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises has a robust new ship pipeline, and more thrills are sure to come as the cruise line continues to rapidly grow its fleet. In May, the cruise line signed an order for two more World Class ships to complement the four already delivered or under construction. With the addition of these new ships, the MSC Cruises fleet will expand to 27 ships by 2030. Those plans include a new ship that will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida, beginning in 2027, alongside Royal Caribbean's upcoming Icon Class ship, Star of the Seas. In addition to expanding its World Class, MSC Cruises is expected to soon reveal plans for a new and even bigger class of ships that will claim the world's largest cruise ship title from Royal Caribbean's Icon Class. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
