Mesenchymal stem cells
Apceth, a leader in the development of stem cell treatments, has won approval for a Phase I/II multicenter clinical trial evaluating an autologous mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy for gastrointestinal cancer. The treatment involves the utilization of the patient’s own stem cells to combat and destroy cancerous cells and is designed to enable highly localized treatments.
The Mayo Clinic recently announced the first stem cell based clinical trial for treating pediatric congenital heart disease in the US. The stem cell therapy seeks to treat hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a rare defect in which the left side of the heart is critically underdeveloped. The treatment utilizes patient’s own [autologous] stem cells taken from the child’s umbilical cord blood.
Knee cartilage
Cartilage injuries can range from small lesions, such as those of athletes, to chronic injuries, such as cartilage degradation. Cartilage injuries, which are difficult to repair and have limited options for surgery, and usually results in a drastic affect on quality of life of afflicted individuals. In addition, the health, number and vitality of cartilage cells diminish with age.
Millions of individuals around the world suffer from type-1 diabetes, three million in the US alone. Researchers at the University of Missouri, led by Dr. Habib Zaghouani, have developed a two pronged approach to curing the disease: they modulate the immune system with a drug that stops it from attacking the pancreas and use stem cells to regenerate and rebuild the insulin producing pancreatic beta cells.
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a type of adult stem cell that can be expanded in-vitro [outside the body] and differentiated into a multitude of tissue types; such as bone, muscle, connective tissue, neurons, and insulin producing pancreatic beta cells. This is often referred to as ‘multipotency’. Because of the unique properties of MSCs, researchers from around the globe are utilizing them in the development of treatments and regenerative therapies to address a wide variety of disease, trauma and injury. For this reason, mesenchymal stem cell research is the fastest growing area of stem cell research.
Researchers at Mayo Clinic have introduced a new therapy using cardiogenically-instructed stem cells that can improve heart health. This is the first clinical study for the targeted regeneration of a failing organ. The Mayo Clinic study represents what we believe to be the gold standard in regenerative treatments – utilizing the patient’s own stem cells for the therapy. As a result of the use of autologous [the patient’s own] stem cells, there were no complications in any of the patients. Every patient in the stem cell treatment group improved. “The benefit to patients who received cardiopoietic stem cell therapy was significant,” said Dr. Terzic – the senior author of the study, with improvements in heart pumping function, physical performance (such as walking distance) and overall quality of life.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed an advanced gene delivery methodology; increasing efficiency and providing researchers with greater control over the way stem cells react. “We’ve been exploring using this concept for reprogramming of adult cells, as well as controlling differentiation of stem cell types,” Dr. William Murphy, the professor who developed this method, says. The advance will facilitate acceleration in the development and application of tissue engineering and stem cell therapies for many debilitating diseases, trauma and other injuries.
The future of Regenerative Medicine is now. Watch Dr. Anthony Atala discuss advances in regenerative medicine at a recent TED conference. Learn about organ regeneration and printing tissue and organs using 3D printing technology and a patient’s own stem cells. To learn more about stem cells and the opportunity to bank your own valuable stem cells for use in futureregenerative therapies, visit www.stemsave.com or call 877-783-6728 (877-StemSave) today.
In November 2008, a little boy suffered from cardiac arrest resulting in severe brain damage and a persistent vegetative state with his body paralyzed. These symptoms represent what is known as ‘infantile’ cerebral palsy, which has no known treatment. Despite the bleak prognosis, the boy’s parents found a way to drastically change their son’s life; through a transplant using his own stem cells that they chose to bank when he was born.