The business side of research and development in regenerative medicine is in growth mode these days, with young companies starting up and expanding even in more highly regulated areas of the world - which should tell you just how great the potential benefits (and therefore financial rewards) are. A couple of articles on British companies caught my eye today:

Stem cell firm on growth fast-track:

Stem cell specialist NovaThera is pursuing a strategy of ‘organic growth,’ with plans to double its Cambridge workforce, build a new manufacturing plant and raise a sizable venture capital round

...

The field of tissue engineering brings together the scientific disciplines of biology, materials science and biomedical engineering directed towards the long term repair and replacement of failing human tissues and organs.

Most obviously the ability to repair or replace tissue that has degenerated addresses directly a wide range of ailments and diseases associated with the aging process from hair loss to renewed joint replacements and even damage to the lungs, an area in which NovThera specialises.

ReNeuron seeks to begin stem cell stroke trials:

ReNeuron Group PLC unveiled narrower interim losses and confirmed it has asked for permission to begin clinical trials of its experimental treatment for chronic disability caused by stroke, the first time the therapy will be studied in humans.

The filing, with US regulators the Food and Drug Administration, is a key step for the AIM-listed company, and will be the first therapy developed by ReNeuron to reach the clinic.

The British company believes the trials will be the world's first application of a neural stem cell treatment for a major neurological disorder.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, and what fell out of the search engines today. Tens of thousands of scientists and medical engineers are working away at the medicine of the 2010s as you are reading this, developing ways to manipulate your body into replacing tissues damaged by aging, disease and accident.

Technorati tags: business, regenerative medicine

Posted by Reason at December 7, 2006 7:48 PM | TrackBack (1)