Advanced Cell Technology
Encyclopedia
Advanced Cell Technology, Incorporated , is a biotechnology
company located in Marlborough, Massachusetts
, USA. The company
specializes in the development and commercialization of cell therapies for the treatment of a variety of diseases. ACT is primarily developing stem cell
-based technologies, both adult and human embryonic, and other methods and treatments in the area of regenerative medicine
.
Formed in 1994, the company was led from 2005 to late 2010 by William M. Caldwell IV, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
. Upon Mr. Caldwell's death on December 13, 2010, Gary Rabin, a member of ACT's board of directors with experience in investment and capital raising, took over as interim Chairman and CEO.
ACT's Chief Scientific Officer is Robert Lanza
, MD
, who is also Adjunct Professor at Wake Forest University
School of Medicine.
On August 23, 2006, the online edition of the science journal Nature
published a paper by Dr. Lanza and others stating that his team had found a way to extract embryonic stem cells without destroying the actual embryo, deriving a stem cell line using a process similar to preimplantation genetic diagnosis
, in which a single blastomere
is extracted from a blastocyst
. This technical achievement would potentially enable scientists to work with new lines of embryonic stem cells derived using public funding.
On November 22, 2010, the company announced that it had received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) to initiate the first-ever human clinical trial
using embryonic stem cells to treat retinal disease
application with the U.S. FDA for the first clinical trial
using embryonic stem cells to treat Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration
(Dry AMD). Dry AMD is the most common form of macular degeneration
and represents a market size of $25–30 Billion in the U.S. and Europe
.
for degenerative retinal disease. The company was approved on November 22, 2010 by the U.S. FDA to proceed with a Phase I/II human clinical trial
to use its RPE cells to treat Stargardt disease, a form of inherited juvenile macular degeneration
.
platform for the treatment of blood
and cardiovascular diseases. This program is in the pre-clinical development
phase.
, and ischemia
. This program has been approved by the FDA for Phase II clinical trials.
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
company located in Marlborough, Massachusetts
Marlborough, Massachusetts
Marlborough is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 38,499 at the 2010 census. Marlborough became a prosperous industrial town in the 19th century and made the transition to high technology industry in the late 20th century after the construction of the...
, USA. The company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
specializes in the development and commercialization of cell therapies for the treatment of a variety of diseases. ACT is primarily developing stem cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
-based technologies, both adult and human embryonic, and other methods and treatments in the area of regenerative medicine
Regenerative medicine
Regenerative medicine is the "process of replacing or regenerating human cells, tissues or organs to restore orestablish normal function". This field holds the promise of regenerating damaged tissues and organs in the body by replacing damaged tissue and/or by stimulating the body's own repair...
.
Formed in 1994, the company was led from 2005 to late 2010 by William M. Caldwell IV, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
. Upon Mr. Caldwell's death on December 13, 2010, Gary Rabin, a member of ACT's board of directors with experience in investment and capital raising, took over as interim Chairman and CEO.
ACT's Chief Scientific Officer is Robert Lanza
Robert Lanza
Robert Paul Lanza is an American Doctor of Medicine, scientist, Chief Scientific Officer of Advanced Cell Technology and Adjunct Professor at the Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine....
, MD
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
, who is also Adjunct Professor at Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
School of Medicine.
On August 23, 2006, the online edition of the science journal Nature
Nature (journal)
Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
published a paper by Dr. Lanza and others stating that his team had found a way to extract embryonic stem cells without destroying the actual embryo, deriving a stem cell line using a process similar to preimplantation genetic diagnosis
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis
In medicine and genetics pre-implantation genetic diagnosis refers to procedures that are performed on embryos prior to implantation, sometimes even on oocytes prior to fertilization. PGD is considered another way to prenatal diagnosis...
, in which a single blastomere
Blastomere
A blastomere is a type of cell produced by division of the egg after fertilization.- References :* "Blastomere." Stedman's Medical Dictionary, 27th ed. . ISBN 0-683-40007-X...
is extracted from a blastocyst
Blastocyst
The blastocyst is a structure formed in the early embryogenesis of mammals, after the formation of the morula. It is a specifically mammalian example of a blastula. It possesses an inner cell mass , or embryoblast, which subsequently forms the embryo, and an outer layer of cells, or trophoblast,...
. This technical achievement would potentially enable scientists to work with new lines of embryonic stem cells derived using public funding.
On November 22, 2010, the company announced that it had received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
(FDA) to initiate the first-ever human clinical trial
Clinical trial
Clinical trials are a set of procedures in medical research and drug development that are conducted to allow safety and efficacy data to be collected for health interventions...
using embryonic stem cells to treat retinal disease
AMD program using RPE cells
On November 30, 2010, ACT filed an Investigational New DrugInvestigational New Drug
The United States Food and Drug Administration's Investigational New Drug program is the means by which a pharmaceutical company obtains permission to ship an experimental drug across state lines before a marketing application for the drug has been approved...
application with the U.S. FDA for the first clinical trial
Clinical trial
Clinical trials are a set of procedures in medical research and drug development that are conducted to allow safety and efficacy data to be collected for health interventions...
using embryonic stem cells to treat Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration is a medical condition which usually affects older adults and results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field because of damage to the retina. It occurs in “dry” and “wet” forms. It is a major cause of blindness and visual impairment in older adults...
(Dry AMD). Dry AMD is the most common form of macular degeneration
Macular degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration is a medical condition which usually affects older adults and results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field because of damage to the retina. It occurs in “dry” and “wet” forms. It is a major cause of blindness and visual impairment in older adults...
and represents a market size of $25–30 Billion in the U.S. and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Stargardt's Disease program using RPE cells
ACT is focused on commercializing its Retinal Pigment Epithelium therapy (RPE)for degenerative retinal disease. The company was approved on November 22, 2010 by the U.S. FDA to proceed with a Phase I/II human clinical trial
Clinical trial
Clinical trials are a set of procedures in medical research and drug development that are conducted to allow safety and efficacy data to be collected for health interventions...
to use its RPE cells to treat Stargardt disease, a form of inherited juvenile macular degeneration
Macular degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration is a medical condition which usually affects older adults and results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field because of damage to the retina. It occurs in “dry” and “wet” forms. It is a major cause of blindness and visual impairment in older adults...
.
Hemangioblast platform
The company is developing its HemangioblastHemangioblast
Hemangioblast is a multipotent cell, common precursor to hematopoietic and endothelial cells. Hemangioblast was first hypothesized in 1900 by W. His....
platform for the treatment of blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
and cardiovascular diseases. This program is in the pre-clinical development
Pre-clinical development
In drug development, pre-clinical development is a stage of research that begins before clinical trials can begin, and during which important feasibility, iterative testing and drug safety data is collected....
phase.
Myoblast program
ACT is developing its Myoblast program, a stem cell therapy for the treatment of chronic heart failure, advanced cardiac disease, myocardial infarctionMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
, and ischemia
Ischemia
In medicine, ischemia is a restriction in blood supply, generally due to factors in the blood vessels, with resultant damage or dysfunction of tissue. It may also be spelled ischaemia or ischæmia...
. This program has been approved by the FDA for Phase II clinical trials.
See also
- Key stem cell research events
- Somatic cell nuclear transferSomatic cell nuclear transferIn genetics and developmental biology, somatic-cell nuclear transfer is a laboratory technique for creating a clonal embryo, using an ovum with a donor nucleus . It can be used in embryonic stem cell research, or, potentially, in regenerative medicine where it is sometimes referred to as...
- Stem cells without embryonic destruction