ALS Therapy Development Institute and California Stem Cell Announce Long-Term Scientific Collaboration
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ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) and California Stem Cell, Inc. (CSC) announced a new collaboration aimed at advancing any potential application of stem cells in treating ALS - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's diseases.
The new set of experiments will begin in August 2008 and continue through the end of 2009. This effort is the latest in the two groups' on-going partnership to understand how stem cells, and their derivatives, may be used as part of a therapeutic strategy to treat or cure the fatal neurodegenerative disease.
"It is no mystery to us in the ALS community that stem cells ought to be looked at and considered by researchers. The work we are doing together with California Stem Cell will help to make sure that we are leaving no stone unturned in our mission to discover and develop an effective treatment that will slow or stop ALS," said Sean Scott, president of ALS TDI.
"ALS TDI is a natural partner. Their expertise in preclinical research focused on ALS is unparalleled. With ALS TDI we have access to a dedicated and passionate group of experts that can help to fully understand how stem cell derived products may play a role in a potential therapeutic for this horrible disease," said Chris Airriess, chief operating officer for California Stem Cell, Inc.
California Stem Cell recently presented the findings from the two groups' previous collaboration during the International Society for Stem Cell Research annual meeting June 11th in Philadelphia.
In that experiment, the two groups worked together to design and execute experiments aimed at transplanting high purity motor neurons developed and manufactured by CSC, into the spinal cords of mice with neuronal loss at ALS TDI.
The collaborations between ALS TDI and CSC are funded in part through a major, three-year, $18 million funding and scientific partnership ALS TDI entered into at the beginning of 2007 with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and its Augie's Quest Initiative.
