CIRM Completes Briefing Visit to Stemedica Cell Technologies

CIRM Completes Briefing Visit to Stemedica Cell Technologies

Leadership of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine ("CIRM") completed a two part visit to Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc. ("Stemedica") to tour its manufacturing facility, R&D lab and corporate headquarters.

San Diego, Calif. (PRWEB) March 2, 2009 -- Leadership of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine ("CIRM") completed a two part visit to Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc. ("Stemedica") to tour its manufacturing facility, R&D lab and corporate headquarters.

"I was glad to have the opportunity to visit Stemedica and get to know more about its leadership, plans for the future and to see first hand the assets and potential they represent to the stem cell movement in California", said Dr. Alan Trounson, President of CIRM. "We want to have strong working relationships with all sectors of California's stem cell industry, including for-profit companies like Stemedica."

Prior to Dr. Trounson's visit, Dr. Marie Csete, CIRM's Chief Scientific Officer had the opportunity to visit Stemedica's manufacturing facility and R&D laboratory. "We're delighted to see Stemedica make the effort to secure a clinical grade manufacturing license from the State of California. We believe this capability will aid numerous organizations in California and around the world in their efforts to manufacture stem cell products for clinical application", said Dr. Csete.

"We were pleased to have Dr. Trounson and Dr. Marie Csete visit our facilities and receive a briefing from our leadership", said Dr. Maynard Howe, Stemedica's Vice Chairman & CEO. "We continue to play a pivotal role in the evolution of the stem cell industry in California and believe a supportive working relationship with CIRM is an essential part of this process.

Stuart Lipton, M.D., Ph.D., Scientific Director and Senior Vice President of the Del E. Webb Center for Neuroscience, Aging and Stem Cell Research at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, San Diego, CA, joined Dr. Trounson during his visit to Stemedica's manufacturing facility. "I was impressed with the progress that Stemedica has made on the licensing process for clinical grade allogeneic stem cell manufacturing and am excited about expanding our research relationship with the Stemedica team. Having a manufacturing resource like this in California will be a great asset to our entire research community. I anticipate that many CIRM-funded stem cell research institutions will take advantage of Stemedica's manufacturing facility that will soon become FDB (Food & Drug Board) cGMP licensed."

Dr. Nikolai Tankovich, Stemedica's President and Chief Medical Officer organized the visits for Dr. Trounson, Dr. Csete and Dr. Lipton. "We're delighted that these outstanding leaders within California's stem cell movement took the time to find out more about Stemedica and our plans to lead this industry from a manufacturing standpoint. We will continue to seek the wise counsel of CIRM in an effort to align our efforts with theirs. In addition, we are expanding our collaborative research efforts with the Burnham Institute for Medical Research and several other California stem cell research institutions", said Dr. Tankovich.

About Stemedica Technologies, Inc.:

Stemedica Cell Technologies Inc. (http://www.stemedica.com (http://www.stemedica.com)) is a specialty biopharmaceutical company that is committed to the development and manufacture of best-in-class adult stem cells for use by approved research institutions and hospitals for pre-clinical and clinical studies. Within the United States, the Company is currently developing regulatory pathways for stroke, traumatic brain injury and wound repair. Outside the United States, Stemedica provides its adult stem cells to hospitals and research centers that are conducting studies under protocols approved by the appropriate regulatory agencies. These studies are focused on the treatment of neurodegenerative disease, sight restoration and wound repair. Stemedica is based in San Diego, California.

About CIRM:

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) was established in 2005 with the passage of Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Act. The statewide ballot measure, which provided $3 billion in funding for stem cell research at California universities and research institutions, was overwhelmingly approved by voters, and called for the establishment of an entity to make grants and provide loans for stem cell research, research facilities, and other vital research opportunities. To date, the CIRM governing board has approved 229 research and facility grants totaling more than $614 million, making CIRM the largest source of funding for human stem cell research in the world. For more information, please visit http://www.cirm.ca.gov (http://www.cirm.ca.gov/).

Media Contact for Stemedica: Dave McGuigan at dmcguigan (at) stemedica.com.

# # #

Contact Information Dave McGuigan

Stemedica Cell Technologies Inc

http://www.stemedica.com

+1 858 658 0910

Stemedica Medical Team Cautions Patients About Stem Cell Therapy & Comments on PLoS Medicine Article

Stemedica Medical Team Cautions Patients About Stem Cell Therapy & Comments on PLoS Medicine Article

Stemedica provides its observations and comments to the media regarding the PLoS Medicine article published online February 17, 2009. The PLoS Medicine article describes a patient who developed "brain tumors" (glioneuronal neoplasms) after undergoing repeated transplants of "fetal neural stem cells" in Russia starting in 2001.

San Diego, California (PRWEB) February 27, 2009 -- Stemedica Cell Technologies (http://www.stemedica.com), Inc. ("Stemedica") provided its observations and comments to the media regarding the PLoS Medicine article published online February 17, 2009. The PLoS Medicine article describes a patient who developed "brain tumors" (glioneuronal neoplasms) after undergoing repeated transplants of "fetal neural stem cells" in Russia starting in 2001.

"All of us at Stemedica would like to extend our condolences to the young patient involved in this situation and our hope is for a speedy and positive outcome to this unfortunate experience. Never before have we or any of our Principal Investigators ever encountered such an occurrence either in our own research or in any of the published research", said Dr. David Howe, Stemedica's Vice President and Medical Director.

"We want to use this unfortunate incident to warn those seeking stem cell therapy abroad," warns Dr. Nikolai Tankovich, President & Chief Medical Officer of Stemedica, "to make certain that the manufacturer of the stem cells used in transplantation comply with the rigid standards that have been established by the FDA and other Internationally-recognized regulatory agencies. The future of this industry and the safety of all future patients depend on such adherence." FDA Compliance and Surveillance Standards can be referenced by visiting www.fda.gov/cber/compliance.htm (http://www.fda.gov/cber/compliance.htm).

The report in PLoS, Donor-Derived Brain Tumor Following Neural Stem Cell Transplantation in an Ataxia Telangiectasia Patient (http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.1000029), describes the development of multifocal glioneuronal neoplasms along the spinal nerves and brain stem in a 13-year-old patient who underwent repeated transplantation procedures in an attempt to treat ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T). A-T is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder known to have an increased risk of developing cancer.

Malignancy and neoplasia are common in A-T secondary to deficient cellular and humoral immunity. This immune deficiency is a contra-indication to stem cell transplant therapy. In addition, the mutations associated with A-T in the A-T mutation gene lead to mutations in nuclear protein, which normally repairs DNA. This loss of DNA repair combined with immune deficiency in A-T increases risk of neoplasia with and without cellular transplant therapy in A-T.

"Due to age, children and adolescents have significantly increased quantities of growth factors. Adding stem cells, known for their growth factor production capabilities, to a child with this presenting condition may have been a contributing factor. As in the administration of pharmaceuticals, many of which are not recommended for use in children and adolescents in the same way as in treating adults, great care must be taken in using stem cell therapy with this population of patients", said Dr. Michael Bayer, Stemedica's Director of Medical Services.

Based on the facts and references cited within the PLoS Medicine article, researchers have discovered that some of the cells were female and had two copies of the gene that causes A-T. Karyotype testing was reported in this case which confirms inadequate testing of the stem cells prior to transplantation. "The stem cell preparation protocol provided to the parents by the treatment team was reviewed and found to be inadequate by our standards", said Dr. Howe. "No cell characteristics, cell markers or bio-safety data was present. Mechanical desegregation in the 8-12 week age fetus is not recommended. Enzymatic separation is preferred, a process that also removes any dead cells that may be present. There is also a significant lack of detail on the number of cell passages as well as the dispersion of the neurospheres", Dr. Howe went on to say.

Dr. Alex Kharazi, Stemedica's Vice President for Manufacturing & Research observed, "Limited cell culturing in only 12-16 days as described in their protocol is like using a crude primary culture of cells. There are numerous risks associated with using crude cell preparations that have not been subjected to rigid manufacturing and testing protocols such as purity, identity and potency. In addition, the antibiotics used to manufacture the stem cells, are potentially neurotoxic." Dr. Kharazi went on to say, "Overall the description provided for the manufacturing protocol was vague and a poor example of what a well thought out manufacturing and safety-driven process should be. For example, there was no data provided relating to tumorgenicity, toxicity, or bio-distribution testing of the manufactured cells in nude mice which is a mandatory requirement as a first and critical step to assessing cell safety."

"Stemedica is committed to a manufacturing process that puts safety first at all times. Our stem cell product lines go through extensive testing during several stages of the manufacturing process and are also subjected to in-depth pre-clinical studies before filing with the FDA and other regulatory agencies for clinical trials", continued Dr. Kharazi. "Nothing is more important than the welfare of the patient and there is no explanation that can justify any deviance from compliance to FDA guidelines for the manufacturing and testing of stem cells prior to administration. These are the guidelines we follow and any patient considering stem cell therapy, at any location worldwide, should confirm that the manufacturer is in full compliance before they decide to undergo stem cell transplantation." warns Dr. Kharazi.

About Stemedica Technologies, Inc.

Stemedica Cell Technologies Inc. (http://www.stemedica.com (http://www.stemedica.com)) is a specialty biopharmaceutical company that is committed to the development and manufacture of best-in-class adult stem cells for use by approved research institutions and hospitals for pre-clinical and clinical studies. Stemdedica complies with the standards and guidelines established by the FDA and the FDB (Food and Drug Board) in the manufacturing and testing of its stem cells. Within the United States, the Company is currently developing regulatory pathways for stroke, traumatic brain injury and wound repair. Outside the United States, Stemedica provides its adult stem cells to hospitals and research centers that are conducting studies under protocols approved by the appropriate regulatory agencies. These studies are focused on the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, sight restoration and wound repair. Stemedica is based in San Diego, California.

Media Contact for Stemedica: Dave McGuigan at dmcguigan (at) stemedica.com.

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Contact Information Dave McGuigan

Stemedica Cell Technologies Inc

http://www.stemedica.com

+1 858 658 0910

Stemedica Advances its Certification to Become a Licensed Manufacturer of Adult Stem Cells for U.S. Based Clinical Trials

Stemedica Advances its Certification to Become a Licensed Manufacturer of Adult Stem Cells for U.S. Based Clinical Trials

Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc. announced today that it has filed with the Food and Drug Branch of the State of California's Department of Public Health for certification as a licensed manufacturer of adult stem cells for U.S.-based Phase I and Phase II Clinical Trials.

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) February 25, 2009 -- Stemedica Cell Technologies (http://www.stemedica.com), Inc. ("Stemedica") announced today that it has filed with the Food and Drug Branch of the State of California's Department of Public Health for certification as a licensed manufacturer of adult stem cells for U.S.-based Phase I and Phase II Clinical Trials. Readiness for manufacture includes obtaining a California Drug Manufacturing License for the Stemedica facility in San Diego, California.

"Completion of this certification will allow us to manufacture stem cells under contract for clinical trials for Stemedica as well as for other companies and research centers in California and across the United States. This marks a significant milestone along the journey toward the future availability of stem cell treatment for patients who so urgently need it," said Dr. Maynard Howe, Vice Chairman and CEO at Stemedica.

To prepare for inspection, Stemedica fully reconstructed its facility according to FDA requirements, which had previously focused on research and development. Stemedica's manufacturing facility now includes a fully compliant manufacturing wing with entry-level gowning rooms, two ISO class 8 sterile gowning suites, an ISO Class 7 Manufacturing Clean Room, an ISO Class 7 Processing Clean Room, a Good Manufacturing Process compliant materials warehouse and a controlled-access Quality Control testing laboratory.

"As soon as Stemedica secures its license from the State of California's Department of Public Health, we plan on filing for one or more IND's (Investigative New Drug) for specific indications with the FDA using our proprietary technology. The final major step by the Food and Drug Branch within the Department of Public Health is an in-depth, in-person inspection by their personnel. We're particularly proud of the fact that we are ready for, and capable of, seeking licensing in California, which has exceptionally stringent standards," said Dr. Alex Kharazi, Vice President, Research & Manufacturing at Stemedica.

"Becoming a Licensed Manufacturer of clinical grade adult stem cells is a significant scientific and medical step forward for the Company," said Dr. Nikolai Tankovich, Stemedica's President and Chief Medical Officer. "Securing this status will allow us to become a primary CMO (Contract Manufacturing Organization) for other for-profit companies and the many research organizations interested in advancing stem cell research through clinical application. Additionally, achieving this regulatory status within the manufacturing world will provide Stemedica with the foundation to advance its own Phase I and Phase II Clinical Studies once approved by the FDA."

About Stemedica Technologies, Inc.

Stemedica Cell Technologies Inc. (www.stemedica.com (http://www.stemedica.com)) is a specialty biopharmaceutical company that is committed to the development and manufacture of best-in-class adult stem cells for use by approved research institutions and hospitals for pre-clinical and clinical studies. Within the United States, the Company is currently developing regulatory pathways for stroke, traumatic brain injury and wound repair. Outside the United States, Stemedica provides its adult stem cells to hospitals and research centers that are conducting studies under protocols approved by the appropriate regulatory agencies. These studies are focused on the treatment of neurodegenerative disease, sight restoration and wound repair. Stemedica is based in San Diego, California.

Media Contact for Stemedica: Dave McGuigan -- dmcguigan (at) stemedica.com.

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Contact Information Dave McGuigan

Stemedica Cell Technologies Inc

http://www.stemedica.com

+1 858 658 0910

UCSF Gallo Study Finds Hormone Disorder Drug Could Help Drinkers Stay Sober

UCSF Gallo Study Finds Hormone Disorder Drug Could Help Drinkers Stay Sober

A drug prescribed for male and female infertility and menstrual disorders could hold the key to a more effective treatment for alcoholism, according to a study by researchers at the UCSF-affiliated Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center (www.galloresearch.org).

(Vocus) February 24, 2009 -- A drug prescribed for male and female infertility and menstrual disorders could hold the key to a more effective treatment for alcoholism, according to a study by researchers at the UCSF-affiliated Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center (www.galloresearch.org).

The study showed that "alcoholic" rodents, when injected with the drug cabergoline, decreased their alcohol consumption and alcohol-seeking behavior and were less likely to relapse.

Cabergoline, which is marketed under the trade name Dostinex, is approved by the Food and Drug Administration in pill form to treat conditions caused by excess of the hormone prolactin.

The study, led by Dorit Ron, PhD, a principal investigator at the Gallo Center and associate professor of neurology at UCSF, is now on line (February 20, 2009), in the journal "Biological Psychiatry." (See end of news release for link to paper.)

Notably, cabergoline did not impact the rats' consumption of sucrose and, in a subgroup of binge-drinking mice, the drug did not appear to significantly affect intake of water or saccharin.

"This is encouraging," says Ron, "because it demonstrates that cabergoline is specific for alcohol, but does not affect general reward or pleasure. One of the problems with some existing drugs to treat alcoholism is a side effect that decreases pleasure, making compliance an obstacle to sobriety."

The research builds on an earlier, provocative finding by Ron and her colleagues regarding the protein GDNF (glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor), which they had injected into rats' VTA (ventral tegmental area) brain region, associated with drug-seeking behavior.

In this earlier study, the scientists had trained rats to consume alcohol. Some, like humans, drank in moderation, while others binged. But when GDNF was administered, both heavy and light drinkers lost at least some of their craving for alcohol. This effect became apparent within 10 minutes and lasted at least 24 hours, the scientists discovered. Importantly, administration of GDNF into the brain prevented the rats from relapsing after a period of abstinence.

While the discovery broke new ground, the scientists knew that GDNF could not be used to treat alcoholic humans because its molecule is too large to cross the blood-brain barrier. So, in the present study, Ron and her colleagues looked at cabergoline, a compound that has been shown in cells to increase the expression of GDNF.

After establishing that cabergoline treatment resulted in an increase of the level of GDNF and activation of the GDNF pathway in the rats' VTA, the researchers sought to test its impact on rodents' drinking habits.

Rats underwent a two-month training program in which they learned to press a lever to obtain alcohol. Researchers found that when rats were injected with cabergoline, they were less likely to press the lever. The higher the dose of cabergoline, the lower the number of lever presses reported. The researchers also found that binge-drinking mice consumed less alcohol after cabergoline administration.

In further study, the researchers found that cabergoline was effective in reducing both craving for alcohol and relapse to drinking. Relapse is a critical issue for alcoholic patients trying to stay abstinent.

As further evidence of the interplay between cabergoline and GDNF, alcohol intake was tested on mice that had been genetically engineered to have a single copy of the GDNF gene, and therefore less GDNF in the brain. As expected, the scientists found that the drinking habits of these genetically modified mice were not affected by cabergoline.

Although the results of the study offer fresh hope to problem drinkers, Ron cautions that human clinical trials are needed before cabergoline can be safely prescribed. Higher doses of cabergoline have been used to treat Parkinson's disease and have been linked to heart valve problems.

"However," notes Ron, "we show that in mice and rats, a low dose of the drug is enough to reduce excessive alcohol consumption, alcohol seeking and relapse. The dose is similar to what is given to humans for the treatment of hyperprolactinemia."

Cabergoline may eventually be prescribed for other addictions. A pilot study conducted on cocaine addicts, cited in Ron's paper, reported a substantial reduction in cocaine use.

In the United States, 17.6 million people -- approximately one in every 12 adults -- abuses alcohol or is alcohol-dependent, according to the National Institutes of Health. But there are just three medications approved to treat alcohol dependence -- disulfiram (Antabuse), naltrexone (Depade, ReVia), and acamprosate (Campral).

Lead author of the study is Sebastien Carnicella, PhD, postdoctoral fellow at the Gallo Center. Co-authors are Dao-Yao He, PhD, senior research scientist; Patricia Janak, PhD, associate professor of neurology at UCSF; Selena Bartlett, PhD, director of the center's preclinical development group; Carsten Nielsen, PhD, associate research scientist; and Somayeh Ahmadiantehrani, graduate student.

Research was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the State of California for medical research on alcohol and substance abuse through UCSF.

The Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at UCSF is one of the world's preeminent academic centers for the study of the biological basis of alcohol and substance use disorders. It is the only center studying alcoholism in the United States that is based in a department of neurology. Gallo Center discoveries of potential molecular targets for the development of therapeutic medications are extended through preclinical and proof-of-concept clinical studies.

UCSF is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions and excellence in patient care.

Link to paper: http://tinyurl.com/dh6dnk

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Contact Information Jennifer O’Brien

http://www.ucsf.edu

415-476-2557

Stroke Vaccine Shows Promise

Stroke Vaccine Shows Promise

JN International Medical Corporation in Omaha, Nebraska has developed a vaccine against Stroke. While the repeated animal studies suggest the vaccine works in pigs and their anatomy is closer to human. Strokes begin when inflammation occurs on a molecular level in blood vessels as part of a response by the immune system. During a 5 year long study, the pigs that received treatment with the vaccine had fewer strokes caused by blood clots than those that received Placebo. None of the pigs that had treatment suffered from a hemorrhagic stroke, in which blood vessels rupture and memory loss. Much more study will be needed before the vaccine can be tested in humans. During suggests that the first patients to test should be those with an exceptionally high risk of brain damage from a stroke because they have inoperable brain aneurysms -- small blood vessels that balloon out and threaten to burst. Full scale Phase-1 study is proposed to be conducted in 2009-2010 in the United States. The vaccine technology is filed for patent with United States Patent Office and in 136 PCT countries. The stroke vaccine development technology can be read from web page of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?WO=2008121146

Omaha, Nebraska -- JN's Stroke vaccine could offer a "new dimension" in stroke prevention. The vaccine would most likely be targeted to people who are susceptible to strokes. Epilepsy, stroke, Parkinson's disease, Huntington, chronic pain, depression -- all might one day be treated and/or prevented with a new vaccine said Dr. Jeeri R. Reddy, the President and Scientific Director of the corporation.

Impact of Stroke:

Strokes occur in one of two ways; a blood clot forms and then cuts off circulation to part of the brain or a blood vessel ruptures and leaks blood into the brain. In both cases, a stroke can lead to permanent disability or death.

Stroke is the third leading killer in the United States, resulting in the following statistics annually: •750,000+ victims;

•160,000 deaths (3rd leading cause of death);

•266,000 survivors with permanent disabilities;

•30,000 new permanent admissions to nursing homes;

•Over 4 million living survivors of stroke;

•Every 45 seconds in the USA, someone has a stroke;

•Huge economic impact with costs of $40-$70 billion per year.

"Vaccines have always been an integral part of JN's business and our contribution to public health and saving lives and the startup of this new facility in Omaha intends to provide quality vaccines that prevent diseases and enhance health care for millions around the world. Vaccination prevents millions of deaths per year, and yet millions more are dying due to the lack of vaccines. Stringent regulatory hurdles and the perception of moderate returns on investment have not encouraged companies like us to enter the markets faster. Prevention is better than cure --innovation of new vaccines for healthcare make a real difference for the world. To realize this goal, we recognize that JN resources and capabilities are necessary, but not sufficient--we just can't do it alone. Successful, productive partnerships are essential for JN's ongoing pursuit of innovation and excellence," said Dr. Reddy.

JN-International Medical Corporation:

JN-International Medical Corporation is a U.S. based biopharmaceutical corporation which since 1998 has been focused on developing vaccines and diagnostics for infectious disease for developing countries. An Inc 5000 corporation, making it the 95th ranking company in the United States and the 3rd biopharmaceutical global corporation, it produces Meningitis vaccine for which it holds the international intellectual property rights (IPR).

JN boasts a decade of achievements including prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in South East Asia, development of inexpensive vaccine for Meningococcal meningitis serogroups A, C, Y&W-135 and lately the discovery of a new generation preventive and therapeutic vaccine for Stroke and neurological disorders. The R&D division of JN-International is currently researching and developing vaccines for the prevention and cure of Hepatitis C, Herpes, Tuberculosis and a preventive and therapeutic vaccine for major Neurological disorders. JN-International Medical Corporation (JNI), based in Omaha, Nebraska, USA.

For more information:

Contact:

Peter Grotzinger, director of public relations

JN-International Medical Corporation

402-884-3477

http://www.jn-vaccines.org

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Contact Information Peter Grotzinger

JN-International Medical Corporation

http://www.jn-vaccines.org

402-884-3477

GLOtoSLEEP™ Delivers Relief to Hollywood, The Town That Never Sleeps, But Wants to, in Pre OSCAR� Event

GLOtoSLEEP™ Delivers Relief to Hollywood, The Town That Never Sleeps, But Wants to, in Pre OSCAR® Event

Santa Cruz Holistics provides hundreds of GLOtoSLEEP™ visors; the life changing alternative to sleeping pills, to Hollywood's celebrities and media at the pre-OSCAR® event. With sleeping pills injuring hundreds of thousands of Americans a year, the GLOtoSLEEP™ is the ultimate non-drug sleeping solution and is the preferred mask of doctors, nurses, police officers and firefighters.

Santa Cruz, CA (PRWEB) February 19, 2009 -- Santa Cruz Holistics (http://www.glotosleep.us), the exclusive US importer of the GLOtoSLEEP™ sleep visor, affirmed its continued support of celebrities and those behind the scenes, by distributing GLOtoSLEEP™ visors at the Pre-OSCAR® Event at La Boheme in Santa Monica last week. Known as the 'viable alternative to prescription sleeping pills', GLOtoSLEEP™ was considered by many to be the 'star' of the show, because sleep, or lack of, continues to be a 'crucial' issue in 'the town that never sleeps, but wants to.'

GLOtoSLEEP non-invasive technology:

The GLOtoSLEEP™ is the ultimate sleep mask for hotels, spas, hospitals and recovery centers, because it's non-invasive technology (http://www.glotosleep.us/how_to_use.html) induces sleep. Inside the recessed eye pieces are four rows of photoluminescent bars that glow a beautiful blue when charged with a light bulb, and when the wearer gazes up at them, the blue color clears the subconscious, and, the act of 'looking up,' an Eastern relaxation technique, converts the brain's active Beta waves to calming Alpha waves, so sleep can follow. The GLOtoSLEEP™ is made in a medical-grade facility in Los Angeles of hypoallergenic materials and is so soft and lightweight it can be worn comfortably all night. GLOtoSLEEP™ is also perfect for power naps and flights - Samuel L. Jackson uses his on the plane.

The must-have sleep solution:

"GLOtoSLEEP™ has become the 'must visit' table at our celebrity events," said Lisa Foster, a spokesperson for Santa Cruz Holistics. Continuing, "And we often have celebrities coming back to us with stories of how GLOtoSLEEP™ has literally changed their lives (http://www.glotosleep.us/testamonials.html)." The hundreds of sleep deprived celebrities and media who were glad to receive their natural and healthy alternative to sleeping pills last Tuesday included: James Avery, Robert Davi, Christian de la Fuente, NAACP Image Award winner Menyone DeVeaux, Hector Elizondo (http://glotosleep.us/celebrities/e_Hector_Elizondo_Shyla_RiveraI_JPG.html), Greg Grunberg, Nia Long, Ted McGinley, Sofia Melos, Catherine Oxenberg, Carrie Preston of "Vicki Christina Barcelona," William Shatner, and Glynn Thurman, to name a few.

Horror stories:

"Hollywood is a hectic place, and the problem almost everyone speaks to is not being able to turn their mind off at night, and when a new work day isn't far behind, it becomes even more attractive to turn to prescription pills, so it becomes a 'vicious' cycle, in more ways than one," explains Peter Mackeonis, spokesperson for GLOtoSLEEP™. Foster adds, "It's amazing to me how almost every other person we speak to at these events has a horror story about Ambien™." "GLOtoSLEEP™ often hears tales concerning a sleeping pill related accident or even a death," Foster continues. People just don't know what else to use to get a good night's rest, and this is where the GLOtoSLEEP™ comes in.

Sleep is such a huge problem:

Santa Cruz Holistics understands that their product has a wide appeal because sleep is a major issue in today's society. "Celebrities aren't the only ones who benefit from the GLOtoSLEEP™ mask," commented Foster, "Our client list includes police officers, firefighters, doctors, nurses, media people and even clinical hypnotherapists. "The producer at ABC Eyewitness News asked for masks for her station's news anchors after her team reviewed the mask in a recent segment," Commented Foster for Santa Cruz Holistics. And, GLOtoSLEEP masks are not just for adults: parents are buying them for their children because their minds are buzzing too. Melanie Griffith picked up a mask for she and her husband, Antonio Banderas and a third one for their daughter, and Rumer Willis (http://glotosleep.us/celebrities/w_Rumer_Willis_Micah_Alberti_JPG.html) dropped by to get two; one for herself and her sister." (see our celebrities at www.glotosleep.us/celebrities)

GLOtoSLEEP™ is no stranger to the OSCARS®; it made its American debut in 2008 in the gift bags of the non-winning nominees. It appeared last spring at the George Lopez and Samuel L. Jackson National Kidney Foundation of Southern California Charity event and later at the Daytime Emmy gift suite in Beverly Hills and more recently in the gift bags of all the Superbowl XLIII players and their wives at the "Taste of the NFL."

Availability:

GLOtoSLEEP™visors are currently available through quality online retailers, including drugstore.com (http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=205114&aid=338072), toolsforwellness.com (http://www.toolsforwellness.com/82007.html), livescience.com (http://livesciencestore.com/58256.html) and amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Sleep-Sleeping-Mask-Calm-Relax/dp/B0014LZ162/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1225324103&sr=8-1), Santa Cruz Holistics is seeking individuals interested in spreading the message of drug-free sleep, to become freelance sales agents. GLOtoSLEEP™ visors are made in California from hypoallergenic lightweight materials - they weigh under an ounce - and the suggested retail price is $49.95. Those interested should email either lisa (at) glotosleep (dot) us or peter (at) glotosleep (dot) us, or call 831-840-3729.

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Contact Information PETER MACKEONIS

Santa Cruz Holistics

http://www.glotosleep.us

831-840-3729

Unrelenting Awareness Campaign Promised

Unrelenting Awareness Campaign Promised

Billboards raising awareness about the dangers of chiropractic dot the landscape of Connecticut and other states.

Wethersfield, CT (PRWEB) February 18, 2009 -- The Chiropractic Stroke Awareness Group (CSAG) is flooding the State of Connecticut with outdoor advertisements. Billboards asking the questions, "Have you been injured by a chiropractic adjustment?" and "Are you aware that a chiropractic adjustment can cause a stroke?" are being erected in all geographic regions of the state, some along major interstates such as I-84 and I-95.

The goal is to ensure that survivors of chiropractic stroke know there is a place to turn for support, as well as to alert the general public to the potentially life altering risks of chiropractic treatment.

"Otherwise healthy people are having strokes just because no one told them of the risks so that they could make informed health care choices," said Britt Harwe the Founder of CSAG. "Chiropractors need to step up, be responsible and just say to their patients, 'we know that that there is a possibility a spinal adjustment can cause a stroke, but now you should know it too'".

It is the objective of CSAG supporters, who have committed resources for advertisements for at least the next four years, to ensure that by the time they are through every citizen in Connecticut will be aware of the risks of chiropractic adjustment.

"It is vitally important for people to understand that along with the benefits of chiropractic come risks," said Amanda Thompson of CSAG. "These risks include stroke, permanent disability, or even death."

The outdoor advertising campaign extends to Denver, Dallas, Seattle, southern California and New York City, where CSAG has placed a huge building-side billboard at the corner of West 57th Street and 11th Avenue.

CSAG represents hundreds of people across the country who have been injured by chiropractic treatment.

Contact Information

Telephone: 860-529-8826

URL: www.chiropracticstroke.com

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Contact Information Britt Harwe

Chiropractic Stroke Awareness Group

http://www.chiropracticstroke.com

860-529-8826