Hearty news for stem cells
Mesoblast sees heart muscle recovery in Newcastle pilot trial.
Staff Writers 10/08/2007 12:06:35
Adult stem cell pioneer Mesoblast has announced further good results,
this time in a pilot trial for heart patients.
Mesoblast has been running the trial at the John Hunter Hospital in
Newcastle in association with its US-based sister company, Angioblast
Systems.
The trial involved six patients suffering from severe coronary artery
disease and heart muscle damage who were implanted with their own, or
autologous, cultured cells.
Principal investigator Dr Suku Thambar, an interventional
cardiologist at John Hunter Hospital and medical researcher with the
Hunter Medical Research Institute, said that no cell-related adverse
events were seen in any of the six patients followed for up to six
months, and that all six had shown improvement in either symptoms of
heart failure or in heart function.
"We are extremely encouraged by the degree of improvement in heart
function and clinical symptoms in these very ill patients," Thambar
said.
Heart muscle recovery was seen in all six patients within three
months of cell implantation, and four of the six patients were
assessed as having a reduced class of heart failure symptoms, as
defined by the New York Heart Association (NYHA) scale for congestive
heart failure, Mesoblast reported.
Five of the six patients had reduction in anginal symptoms and use of
anti-anginal medications.
The trial also involved device manufacturers Cordis Corporation and
Biosense Webster, who provided their latest cardiac catheter
technology to deliver the proprietary cultured cells to damaged heart
muscle. .
Mesoblast founder, Professor Silviu Itescu, said that both companies
were very pleased with the relationship with Cordis Corporation, a
subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, and Biosense Webster, who provided
their latest cardiac catheter technology to deliver the proprietary
cultured cells to damaged heart muscle.
Mesoblast's founder and chief scientific officer, Professor Silviu
Itescu, said all future clinical trials of the technology will focus
on allogeneic, or 'off the shelf', stem cell products.
More about Pioneer, WEBSTER, The Hunter Medical Research Institute
http://www.biotechn
More http://www.mesoblas
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StemCells subscribers may also be interested in these sites:
Children's Neurobiological Solutions
http://www.CNSfoundation.org/
Cord Blood Registry
http://www.CordBlood.com/at.cgi?a=150123
The CNS Healing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CNS_Healing
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