On September 20th, 2007, Medistem (an adult stem cell company) made a presentation at the Wall Street Analyst Forum. While making their presentation about their company- CFO Steve Rivers mentions Vescell. Stem Cell Guy is blushing...a rival company mentions us as being "close to" a global dominant brand.While Stem Cell Guy thinks that Vescell stem cell therapy IS a global dominant brand, I am flattered nonetheless.
Here is the part of the transcript in which it seems Mr. Rivers is going through a slide show and then he gets to Slide 16- the part about Vescell stem cell treatment-- Slide 16: as we look to the competitive landscape in the stem cell industry. There is not one global dominant brand; probably the closest one is VesCell, which is seemed to be public company on the Canadian markets. They operate clinical operations or licensing operations in Israel, Thailand and China, but, however the visual on this for those of you in the room, its not as intended, I'm not sure why the visual hasn’t come out.
The visual on Vescell didn't come out? Who is responsible for this outrage? Another Karl Rove conspiracy? Stem Cell Guy is demanding a lengthy investigation!
This post was sponsored by OJ who is still looking for the real killers and the "9/11 was an inside job" looni.. oops..open minded free thinkers.
Aloha Stem Cell fans. Welcome to Stem Cell Guy's little blog island. Stem Cell Guy is going surfin' bra. Dude, look at those killer waves.
Sorry, Stem Cell Guy will stop acting like an idiot and give you some good stuff:
This week Stem Cell Guy would like to present Dr. George Smith from Hawaii. Dr. Smith was suffering from coronary artery disease as well as congestive heart failure. Some doctors may call it ischemic cardiomyopathy.
Note to prospective patients...although Dr. Smith may have wanted/needed two different stem cell treatments, most of our patients are very satisfied with one or only need one. Two is not the norm.
Anyway, here is the teaser: Doctor George Smith, MD, from Hawaii, derived such benefit from his first adult stem cell treatment in Bangkok eighteen months ago that he returned recently for another procedure. The first trip gave Dr. Smith, age 80, a stronger heart muscle. The second he believes will help increase blood flow throughout his body. Dr. Smith is believed to be one of the first patients in the world to receive two different treatments of adult stem cells. "I don't think there are too many people going to the other side of the world to get stem cell treatment once, much less twice." he said with a grin. OH PLEASE STEM CELL GUY!! GIVE US MORE!
Memo to Green Valley News-- Yesterday, I promised my loyal readers of my blog that I would post Part II of your story -- "GV resident bets on stem-cell therapy for failing heart/" And now I can't find it online. We were all waiting for the scoop on how adult stem cell recipient Buck Brumble was doing now (4 months after coming to Bangkok for his stem cell treatment.
Where is it????? Are you too busy planning for the Mini Baja 100 thing again? I would appreciate it very much if you stopped your planning for the Baja Mini 100 thing, and posted Part II online. We are all waiting.-- Stem Cell Guy :)
Stem Cell Guy has another success story for you today. Last week you may remember we received a couple of emails from Ann Bonarelli, who received her adult stem cells about four months ago. Well, from those emails, we sort of made a new press release out of it. It may give all of you stem cell fans a clearer picture of Ann and her wonderful story. Without further ado, Stem Cell Guy is proud to present Ann Bonarelli, heart disease patient and now adult stem cell recipient---
Don Margolis, the founder of our company, continues his online barrage of the embryonic stem cell supporters. This time, he is actually cheering George Bush's veto of the stem cell research bill. The stem cell bill, which would have appropriated millions of taxpayer dollars to embryonic stem cell research, was turned down once again by President Bush. Don makes his case for adult stem cell research in this article. Here is a teaser-- “I just want to be shown one example where embryonic stem cells have helped somebody, just one. And if you can’t show me a human, at least show me one positive result.” Margolis states nobody has been able to present any affirmative results yet. “I spend an hour a day reading the latest stem cell research….Nada.” he says. Oh Please Stem Cell Guy, GIVE US MORE!
This will be the first post that has nothing to do with stem cells, adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells, stem cell research, stem cell therapy, heart disease, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, or congestive heart failure.
Stem Cell Guy simply found this story amusing The founder of an antiviolence group called No Guns pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal weapons charges.
A founder of a "No Gun" group being caught selling guns???? That would be like the founder of Theravitae, Don Margolis getting caught promoting embryonic stem cell research. (see below post)
Yes! You heard it here first from the Stem Cell Guy. We won an award from the Frost and Sullivan "Growth Consulting Company" Theravitae was called the "Drug Discovery Emerging Company of the Year" and if Stem Cell Guy read that wrong in the press release, then I apologize in advance. Doesn't that award have a nice ring to it? It is definitely music to Stem Cell Guy's ears. Stem Cell Guy will put this award up on his mantle next to his picture with Miss Thailand kissing him as well as his World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer trophy.
Where do they come up with these award names? Drug Discovery Emerging Company of the Year? World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer award? Stem Cell Guy thinks they must spend a fortune on the engravings for these awards if the engravers charge per letter. But that is just Stem Cell Guy's two cents. Stem Cell Guy is more concerned with his adult stem cell therapy for heart disease stuff.
I'll try to put up some better stuff later this week. Thanks for stopping by.
UPDATE: Sorry, we have been partying hard over here after winning this award, so Stem Cell Guy hasn't posted for a couple of days. Stem Cell Guy made a mistake. Yes, Stem Cell Guy knows what you are thinking before you do...you are thinking "Stem Cell Guy is perfect, how can he make a mistake?" Well, my answer to you folks is Stem Cell Guy puts his pants on one leg at a time, just like you folks. Theravitae actually won the award for Biotechnology Company of the Year (Thailand). Please go check out this press release. It is much easier to read than the above one. So, we won Biotech Company of the Year rather than Drug Discovery Emerging Company of the year...you say tomato, I say tomaato, but we still will continue our party. Take care, a wonderful weekend to you.
Some of you old timers (sorry, old timers of this blog, not your age), may remember Bob Grinstead. Bob was the main character in the Time Magazine feature storyon our Vescell adult stem cell therapy for heart disease. Bob was the first patient to travel overseas to receive his adult stem cell therapy just over 2 years ago and things haven't been the same since--- because he has improved tremendously and is still going strong.
Stem Cell Guy would like to offer his best to Bob Grinstead and wishes that he continues to be well- Rock on Bob.
Here we go- keep reading!
Adult stem cell therapy gives Georgia man two more years and counting
SUMMARY: A series of heart attacks, bypasses, stents and heaps of nitro tablets is more than enough to put most people to rest in their rocking chair. Not so for Bob Grinstead who has just celebrated two years after receiving adult stem cell therapy in Thailand. He is now doing what he wants when he wants to.
BANGKOK, Thailand, 30 May 2007 – Seventeen years ago Bob Grinstead, now 71, from Roswell, Georgia, had his first massive heart attack. After a series of grafts he continued working as a salesman for five years until told to retire as he was in and out of hospital having stents inserted – and then having to have them cleaned out.
In 2003 he had another bypass, this time with three grafts and a short while later he needed three medicated stents. After all this he still went on the next year to have four more heart attacks and yet another bypass was proposed. His specialist at Emory University, not surprisingly, told him his heart was not strong enough to undergo further surgery, so he investigated a laser procedure that would have cut away a part of his heart. Declining this offer his family searched for some real help.
A son read about a man who had had his own adult stem cells injected and was now active, so Bob searched to see if he could get on a clinical trial. His fear that if accepted he might end up in a placebo group sent his family scuttling back to the internet and eventually they found Theravitae, an Israeli-Thai company at the forefront of research and development into adult stem cells for heart failure, ischemic heart disease and cardiomyopathy. Bob read about patients’ successful outcomes and came to believe that adult stem cell therapy represented his best chance.
By the end of 2004 Bob was taking a daily tablet of nitro and gobbling up more every time he exerted himself. The least activity proved painful, and to travel, as he did in December of that year, entailed a wheelchair at every airport. In March 2005 he went to Bangkok, still needing an airport wheelchair and entered Chao Phaya Hospital under the care of renowned cardiologist Dr. Suphachai. After a simple blood draw which was flown to Israel to the laboratory for harvesting of the stem cells he needed, he had to wait a few days until the enriched supply of millions of his adult stem cells were reintroduced into his heart by catheter. His experience of the hospital and care on Bangkok was simply, “Fantastic. The hospital was spotless and I received the most thorough physical examination I had ever had. The nurses, too, were just wonderful.”
Returning home Bob continued with his nitro tablets the first week but despite being more active, walking further and feeling better within four weeks he was experiencing no chest pain at all, so dispensed with his nitro. He continues to improve to this day and notes that his EF (a measure of the heart’s effectiveness at pumping blood) has risen from 30 to 46.
Two years later Bob is feeling great. He does what he wants to do. He can walk for half an hour and use a treadmill. Living without chest pain alone has been fantastic enough for him to volunteer his time to talk to people contemplating receiving adult stem cell therapy and to share his story.
Bob could have sat on his decking and read a book until he died but instead he and his wife have been to London (where they walked everywhere), the British Virgin Islands and he has skippered a 47-foot catamaran for a week. He is so busy traveling around catching up with his family that in the last year he has spent only six months at home.
The cost? “Not a waste for two years of life. I reckon it was a pretty good buy. It’s a far better option than a bypass,” he said.
Theravitae has now helped over 200 end-stage heart patients. Their clinical trial results have demonstrated that over 75 percent of heart failure, ischemic heart disease and cardiomyopathy patients can expect to regain a far better quality of life, be more active and pain free. Further clinical trails are planned and recently the company received Thailand’s Board of Investment approval. The future looks bright for being able to claim that most patients not only gain a better quality of life, but a considerably longer life than they might have expected.
Too bad Stem Cell Guy is stuck in Bangkok here. Otherwise, he would have had a good chance to be on television. As things stand now, Stem Cell Guy dwells here in relative obscurity waiting for his big chance to shine. However, Dr. Grekos is still getting his time. Yesterday, Stem Cell Guy showed you Dr. Grekos' newspaper coverage. Today, SCG is going to link to an NBC news story about Theravitae's Vescell Adult Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Disease . The story today is titled "Patients Rave About Illegal Stem Cell Procedure". Stem Cell Guy likes it when heart disease patients rave. Let me rave goodbye for now. But be sure to check back soon for more adult stem cell therapy stories.
Patients rave about illegal stem cell procedure
NBC2 News Last updated on: 5/21/2007 6:16:21 PM
COLLIER COUNTY: A doctor from Thailand is in Southwest Florida checking up on some of his local patients - people who traveled thousands of miles for a controversial lifesaving stem cell treatment that is illegal in the U.S.
The patients could not stop raving about the procedure's results.
"Two days I have been walking and I don't feel any pain at all," said Antonio Briceno, adult stem cell patient.
So far 10 men from Southwest Florida have traveled to Thailand to be treated by Dr. Fuphachai. All of them had been told by doctors in the U.S. that they were going to die and were out of options.
"My heart was screwed up, basically, in every possible way," said David Foege, adult stem cell patient.
He had the adult stem cell procedure 90 days ago. Before it, he could barely take ten steps, now he can walk for 30 minutes or more.
For all you faithful readers of Stem Cell Guy's blog, you may remember.....Theravitae Hits a Homerun With Homeier where oil baron John Homeier started running sprints after he came to Bangkok for his Vescell- Stem Cell Therapy for his heart disease. This time....we treated not one, but two of John's brothers truly making our stem cell treatment a family affair.
Christian Homeier recently wrote a little blurb for Stem Cell Guy...here it is--
MY BROTHERS AND ADULT STEM CELLS
Both of my younger brothers, John, age 60, (JOHN CLAIMS TO BE 70) and Walter, age 57, developed massive heart problems resulting in the implanting of a defibrillator (Computer) to assist the ability to stay alive.The average healthy heart EJECTION FRACTION (LVIF) is fifty-five (55).
My brother John’s heart EJECTION FRACTION (was very low at sixteen (16).My brother Walter’s heart rhythm was low at fifteen (15).Both brothers had major difficulties in working, walking and doing everyday activities.
In 2005 and 2006, John started researching the internet for any medical help to improve his heart problem.Everything researched lead John to Stem Cell research.What is a Stem Cell?Stem cells are “master cells” found in humans.These cells can divide to produce other cells either identical to themselves, or differentiate into specific cell lineages.With these properties, they play important roles in the processes of normal development, regeneration and repair of damaged tissues or organs.
Currently, the main sources for stem cells are: embryonic and fetal tissues, umbilical cord blood and adult stem cells.Embryonic stem cells are totipotent, which means that they can differentiate into all cell types, however their proliferation and differentiation is difficult to control.They have been linked to the formation of cancers, and they are subject to ethical controversy.Umbilical cord blood stem cells are capable of significant differentiation; however their small numbers, storage conditions and potential immunological reactions if implanted non-autonomously (into other people), limit their potential use in clinical applications.
By contrast, adult stem cells are free of ethical controversy, capable of differentiating into a variety of cells types, and have no immunological rejection upon implantation.After many days and hours, John discovered a small foreign company name THERA VITAE (pronounced Ther-ah-VEE-tay). which incorporated the knowledge of several Israel scientists who had discovered the complex healing use of Adult Stem Cell technology.The patient provides a blood donation of about a half-pint.From this blood Thera Vitae researchers isolate and remove specific types of stem cells normally found in the patient.They grow and multiply these cells in vitro, from roughly 20,000 to 20 million in five (5) days.The cells are selected for specific qualities and grouped relating to their ability to regenerate heart muscle and blood vessels.They are then transplanted back into the same patient and go to work repairing the heart muscle or vascular tissue.Over seventy-five percent (75%) of patients show substantial improvement. How did this process work for my brothers?With my limited medical knowledge, I will try to explain this very remarkable process as related to my brothers.
"OH Stem Cell Guy....please give us more!"
Sorry people....I'll save the explanation for Monday. Until then....have a great weekend and don't go overboard on the Sunday brunch.
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