A Pop Quiz

Remember when you were in the 3rd grade and the teacher would announce "CLOSE YOUR BOOKS, WE ARE HAVING A POP QUIZ," and the whole class would moan and groan. Well, we at Theravitae like to follow up on our former patients and give them a pop quiz too. Although we hope our patients don't moan and groan too much (it's bad for their healing hearts).

This pop quiz was given to idiopathic cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure patient Jim, a 35 year old from Arkansas. Thank you very much Jim for taking the time to fill out our "pop quiz." Stem Cell Guy sends you his best wishes and hopes you get even better in the near future.

With no further ado, here is the quiz with Jim's unedited answers--


1) It's been 1 year since you've received stem cells. Has your quality of life improved since then? How?

Yes I quality of life has improved tremendously in many ways. I can take long walks without having to sit down to rest, I can go all day long now without having to take a nap, and I can actually exercise now without experiencing shortness of breath.

2) Have any of your test results such as echo, mibi, etc. shown improvement?

Yes. My last echo showed an improvement from 20% EF to 30% EF and should continue to rise with exercise plan.

3) What has your cardiologist said about your progress?

My cardiologist is very impressed and has asked for Theravitae's phone number to learn more about the procedure.

4) Would you recommend this procedure to someone with a condition similar to yours?

Absolutely. If the person can make the trip to Thailand then he/she should do whatever it takes to make the trip. The people are very friendly and the treatment is top notch.

5) Do you think that the US government should allow patients such as
yourself to have access to experimental therapies like VesCell before
they
are FDA approved - as long as the patient has been given all available information?

Absolutely! I know this may sound horrible but I truly believe that it is not in the best interest of our government, FDA, or health care professionals that people get and stay healthy. If heart disease, cancer, and the many other life threatening, handicapping, diseases became a thing of the past then millions of people would be out of work.
Scary when you think about it.


UPDATE- Stem Cell Guy was doing his daily brainstorming and thought "hey, wouldn't it be great if the faithful readers of this blog can hear the story directly from the patient?" Shortly thereafter (because Stem Cell Guy doesn't waste time), SCG contacted Jim and Jim has graciously provided his phone number so that YOU can call him and give him your own pop quiz. He says he would be happy to share his stem cell experience with you. Jim's phone number is 479-925-7269.

Stem Cell Guy Hacked Boss's Computer

And look what Stem Cell Guy found...a letter from a Theravitae patient!! This ray of sunshine comes from Robin Maura, wife of Tim. (I can't believe I typed "ray of sunshine." It is rare when my poetic side comes out, but after reading this letter, I couldn't help it)


Dear Don,

Just wanted to send a quick e-mail and let you know how thankful I am that my husband Tim was given the chance to be a patient in Thailand for stem cell therapy. It is now almost a year since Tim had had his procedure - as of now he is free from chest pain - he only has some discomfort when he exerts himself such as (mowing the lawn etc.) this to me is great improvment since a year ago Tim could not even make it down the street and would have to take a nitro to return home. Tim had a cath. in August and the doctor reported that he had blood supply to the right side of his heart where in the past there was none he said "he could only find one reason for this and it had to be the stem cells".

That sure was good news for us.
There are truly is not enough thanks for what Theravitae is doing. My hope is that some time in the near future the U.S. too can see how much
good stem cells could be doing for so many others. You and all of the
people in Thailand are truly my angels and have given me the chance to grow old with my husband since I am only 45 years old and Tim is only 50 years old. I thank you all for the bottom of my heart, please let me know if there is anything I can do you any of you.

With warm regards and thanks
Robin Maura

We are thrilled to hear the good news. Thank you Robin.

Ps- To all of you grammarians out there....should the title read Boss' computer or Boss's computer? Stem Cell Guy wasn't sure because grammar isn't his forte.

Update- If you want to write to Stem Cell Guy's boss too, you may email him at coo@theravitae.com and he will be happy to respond to you.

Theravitae Featured Again!

Stem Cell Guy was surfing the web and stumbled upon an "Update on Vescell and Theravitae" post on the indispensable Fight Aging website. For all the thousands of you who visit this blog daily, Stem Cell Guy wholeheartedly (pardon the bad pun) recommends reading this website regularly. The Fight Aging website features up to date articles about cures, discoveries, new vaccines and just about anything regarding anti-aging. In fact, Stem Cell Guy follows all the tips on the website about how to slow the aging process. How else do you think Stem Cell Guy keeps his Brad Pitt like looks after all of these years?

If we permit socialism and regulation to continue to destroy the incentives for investment, research and quality in the US, we'll see far more examples of the best new development happening elsewhere. Alongside far more examples of folk in denial of that truth, no doubt.
Researchers will develop - are already in the process of developing - far better and more effective medical technologies than VesCell. But it's hard to commercialize and deploy better medicine with the weight of the FDA resting on your neck.

Read the whole thing

More "Competition" for TheraVitae

This is good news for all of you heart patients out there. There is yet another copycat of Theravitae--

CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Arteriocyte, Inc., a clinical stage research and development company focused on creating stem cell therapies for the treatment of vascular diseases, announced today that it has reached the three month patient follow-up point for its SEACOAST Phase I clinical trial. The study is evaluating the safety of ACY001, Arteriocyte’s lead cellular therapy product. ACY001 is an adult stem cell therapy harvested from bone marrow to treat chronic ischemia, a serious form of heart disease.
The company also announced that an update on the clinical trial will be presented at the TCT2006 meeting in Washington, D.C. on October 27.


Just for the record, Theravitae presented an "update" on our clinical trial at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in November, 2005 -- almost one year ago.


Read the whole thing

Embryonic Stem Cell Research Nowhere Close to Helping Patients

Stem Cell Guy was turned down by MIT when applying to study there. However, SCG has forgiven them and is now proud to present this article about an MIT professor who is not a big fan of embryonic stem cell research. Stem Cell Guy and his colleagues here at Theravitae often are asked by our patients "why don't you use embryonic stem cells?" I'll let Dr. James Sherley of MIT answer that question.

Sherley said that embryonic stem cells cause tumors and cancers when injected into human tissue and, as a result, they can't be used to treat patients with various diseases. He said the tumors form because embryonic stem cells have the potential to turn into various other kinds of tissues -- including the wrong ones.

“When you put them in an environment where they can grow and develop, they make lots of different kind of tissues,” Sherley said, according to a Courier Mail newspaper report.
Sherley said that the "tumor formation property is an inherent feature of the cells" and warned that the possibility of overcoming it is likely very far into the future.

"And although some might say we can solve the tumor problem down the road, that's equivalent to saying we can solve the cancer problem and we may, but that's a long time coming," he explained.

Read the whole thing

Stem Cell Clinic Shut Down (No, Not Theravitae)

Although the following article may show stem cells in a bad light, Stem Cell Guy would like to make a public service announcement and point out to the thousands of readers of this blog that not all stem cell companies are "miracles." There are some companies out there that will give stem cells to a patient, no matter their condition or disease, as long as the patient has money. The source of these stem cells are questionable (they are not the patient's own) and the efficacy of the stem cell therapies are dubious at best. These companies prey on the desperation of patients who have nowhere else to turn. Stem Cell Guy would like to remind all of you out there that if you turn to one of these companies, please check them out thoroughly. Ask lots of questions and make sure you know what you are getting into.

Here is a little excerpt--



A programme broadcast on 4 September showed that the cells, "were not intended for use in humans" according to the accompanying certificates.
"You stated during our telephone conversation that you had voluntarily stopped using cells from ACT and were now obtaining stem cells from Pakistan.
"At no time whatsoever did you show any concern about the fate of the patients you had already treated with cells from ACT or AllCells.
"For stem cell treatment you are required to demonstrate that the preparation you administer to your patients is suitable and safe for the intended purpose.
"If this care is not provided responsibly, it poses an immediate threat to patients' lives.
"You use stem cells to treat patients even though you are unable to demonstrate their origin, suitability and safety. Therefore, the serious situation regarding your centre's performance of this therapy makes it necessary for the Inspectorate to take immediate measures.

Read the whole thing

Jim Burns- Making a Comeback

This newspaper article is about Oregon native Jim Burns, a TheraVitae patient, who was treated in August, 2006. Stem Cell Guy is sorry he can't provide a link, as he doesn't have a spare $10.67 per month on a subscription to the East Oregonian newspaper. However, the ingenious Stem Cell Guy was able to copy the article before they hid it in their archives.

Update: October 5, 2006- Stem Cell Guy broke open his piggy bank and was able to scrape up enough change together for the article. Here is the link.


WESTON - Jim Burns was frustrated.

A heart attack at age 44 left him often fatigued and short of breath. Over the 23 years that followed, doctors performed quadruple bypass surgery, did angioplasty and inserted stents, but his condition gradually worsened.
Burns' options appeared to be dwindling.

"I had probably 50 heart attacks," he said. "Your heart dies a little at a time."

Then, one day, he saw a public television program about something called stem cell therapy. Some English researchers testing the procedure on a group of patients, saw incredible improvement, Burns remembered.

He searched the Internet for more information about the therapy and found a biotechnology company in Thailand that specializes in stem cell therapy for heart patients. The company, TheraVitae, uses VesCell stem cell treatments on patients with coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure. The company's Web site claimed an 80 percent success rate after treating over 130 patients.

In stem cell therapy, doctors take stem cells from the patient's own blood, multiply them in a lab and, later, reinject them into the damaged heart.

The more Burns learned, the more excited he got. Many telephone calls and blood tests later, Burns was winging his way to Thailand with his wife, Melva, with high hopes the procedure would help his weakened heart.

On July 20, doctors withdrew blood from Burns. Five days later, he sat on a steel table in a hospital operating room, watching a monitor as doctors worked.

"It took about 40 minutes," Burns said. "They put 28 million stem cells into me."

The monitor magnified the stem cells, so Burns could see clouds of them, he said.

It didn't take him long to notice a difference, though doctors told him it might be a month or two before his heart started pumping more effectively.

"Heart function has increased 12 percent," Burns said.

An added bonus, he said, was the therapy's effect on his diabetes. His blood sugar stays lower and he cut his insulin use in half.

"My diabetes is better - it's a phenomenal side effect," Burns said.

Burns' medical tourism adventure cost him around $35,000, including airline tickets and hotel. He hopes it will be easier for Americans to have stem cell therapy in-country in the future and that insurance companies will pay for it. He is eager to broadcast the procedure's potential.

"Stem cells have the ability to cure every illness and injury in the world,"
he said. "They are capable of rebuilding every part of your body."

The Weston man said he is on a mission to let people know that embryonic stem cells are not the only game in town. He accused drug companies of quashing interest in this type of stem cell therapy.

"Drug manufacturers don't want you to know," Burns said. "It is the miracle drug that's not for sale - it's your own blood cells, so drug companies can't make money off of them."

Burns may get his wish sooner rather than later if scientists at the Oregon Stem Cell Center have their way. Researchers at the center, part of the Oregon Health & Science University, are studying cell and gene therapy as an alternative to organ transplantation. The center's focus is adult stem cells.

Dr. Richard Maziarz is the director of OHSU's Adult Bone Marrow Transplant Center and is associated with the stem cell center.

Since bone marrow transplants are a form of stem cell therapy, the topic is intensely interesting to him. He foresees a time when adult stem cell therapy is commonplace and routine. In the future, injured emergency room patients may receive injections of stem cells as a matter of course.

Since it takes four or five days to multiply a person's own cells, universal stem cell banks could collect stem cell donations in much the same way blood is collected now.

While scientists know stem cell therapy strengthens tissue, the mechanics of why it works is not crystal clear.

"There's a big debate - this is a new field," Maziarz said.

In heart repair, scientists don't know if the cells actually become cardiac muscle cells or if they simply stimulate injured cells.

Stem cells, scientists suspect, have the ability to travel to where they are needed most.

"You shoot them into the forearm and they migrate to the heart," he said.
"They traffic to the site of the injury."

In the meantime, Burns continues to marvel at the scientific advances that helped him

"I have more energy," he said, smiling. "I feel good."