Additionally, Pharmafrontier will present data about their proprietary adult human stem cell program in the development of peripheral blood monocyte-derived stem cells and their differentiation to beta islet cell clusters for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes.

Pharmafrontier hopes to further develop the T-cell technology in order to characterize T-cell vaccination products suitable for human clinical trials.

Already, PharmaFrontiers has developed a commercial process for the production of peripheral blood derived autologous T-cell vaccine for multiple sclerosis. The current technology targetting T-cell vaccination for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, Tovaxin, is composed of myelin reactive T-cells (MRTC) against the three major proteins of the human myelin sheath.

Two Phase I/II clinical trials of Tovaxin focused on multiple sclerosis have already demostrated a reduction in relapse rate, as well as lessening symptoms in patients. Additionally, there have been no significant side effects and prolonged remission has been achieved and, in some cases, partial neurological and physiological recovery.

The adult stem cell technology Pharmafrontier is developing is hoped to be a commercially feasible process for the dedifferentiation of peripheral blood monocytes to a multipotent stem cell. The primary focus in with this technology is for potential application in autologous cell therapy ... specifically for patients suffereing from diseases such as diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease.

Read this article .. its a good one, and quite a lot of news buried between the lines: PharmaFrontiers to Present Data on Adult Human T-Cell and Stem Cell Technologies at the International Society for Cellular Therapy Annual Meeting