Stem cell trial to treat stroke approved for start
January 21, 2009 by Raquel
Filed under HEART AND STROKE
This is the first clinical trial of its kind. And everybody is hopeful that the trial will mark a new era in stroke treatment.
British clinical researchers have just received regulatory approval and will soon be able start the first ever clinical investigation that will use brain-derived stem cells in the treatment of stroke. The treatment will involve grafting
“different doses of cultured human neural stem cells grafted into the brains of patients who have had a stroke.” It is hoped that the stem cell transplant can repair or regenerate brain cells damaged during a stroke.
The Phase I trial will initially investigate the safety of the treatment, which is normal for the different steps of conducting clinical trials. Only when the treatment has been proven to be safe, can its efficacy for the indication involved be investigated. Previous studies using stem cells didn’t have any promising results. Previously, stem cells transplants used were derived from an embryonic tumor, which raised concerns about induction of tumor development in the human brain.
The currently tested treatment uses “expanded neural stem cells” developed by the UK biotech company ReNeuron. The ReN00a stem cell therapy has been developed specifically for transplant. The cells have been isolated from human embryonic cells, and then modified by the addition of a gene that promotes cell growth. This helps them to divide in culture in the lab so they can be grown up into the vast numbers required for the trial.
According the ReNeuron:
The trial will be conducted at the Institute of Neurological Sciences, Southern General Hospital in Glasgow and will be coordinated by the neurologist Dr. Keith Muir of the University of Glasgow. Twelve stroke patients will be the first to be enrolled in the study.
According to Dr. Muir:
We are definitely crossing our fingers.
Photo credit: wikipedia
