ReNeuron boosted by study findings

Shares in stem cell developer ReNeuron were wanted after the company drew attention to the publication of new research using the company's ReNcell neural stem cell products.Researchers based in California have developed a safe strategy for reprogramming cells to a pluripotent (capable of affecting more than one organ or tissue) state without the use of the potentially harmful viral delivery mechanisms or genomic insertions that were necessary in earlier cell reprogramming studies conducted elsewhere. 'In this study, the ReNcell VM cell line was proven to be efficient in generating stable iPS [induced pluripotent stem] cells at a significantly higher frequency than that obtained using human primary fibroblasts,' said Dr. John Sinden, chief scientific officer of ReNeuron.'Furthermore, the study showed for the first time that the iPS cells generated carried a transcriptional 'signature' of the original ReNcell donor cells, raising interesting questions as to what effects, if any, this 'memory retention' might have,' Dr. Sinden added.