Europe Gives Mesoblast Approval for Clinical Trials of “Off the Shelf” Stem Cell Treatments for Major Heart Attack Victims

To treat heart failure, Mesoblast’s Revascor treatment uses stem-cell technology to rebuild blood vessels and heart muscles. Mesoblast is located in Australia and the stem cell treatment does not use embryonic stem cells. Revascor is based on stem cells in bone marrow and the miraculous finding here is that it does not set off any immune responses. 225 patients in Europe will be enrolled who have suffered severe heart attacks. There have already been some other clinical trial results reported back in January.

Mesoblast's Heart Stem Cell Treatment to Rebuild Blood Vessels and Heart Muscles Has Positive Results–Regenerative Medicine

In addition there are US FDA trials for treating chronic back pain

Mesoblast Gets FDA Approval to Begin Advanced Clinical Trials Using Stem Cells to Treat Chronic Lower Back Pain

“MPCs from unrelated donors have the unique ability of not stimulating an immune reaction when introduced into the patient. MPCs from donors can be grown in large numbers and made available for treatment in much the same way as a drug. Mesoblast’s MPCs have a strong safety profile with no cell-related adverse events to date.

This look very exciting for those who have had a major heart attack for sure. In addition the company is also working on stem cell solutions for cancer. BD

An “off-the-shelf” stem cell treatment for heart attacks is now a step closer, following the go-ahead for an early-stage clinical trial in Europe, writes Jonathan Wood.

Many proposed treatments using stem cells to help repair the damaged heart are hampered by the need to use the patient’s own cells to avoid any immune reaction. Such an individual approach can be time-consuming, involving the growing of the patient’s cells, and multiple visits to the doctor.

But Australian company Mesoblast is developing adult stem cell therapies that are ready to use when needed for any patient, much as a standard drug. (It does not use embryonic stem cells, which are more controversial.)

Its Revascor product is based on a particular type of stem cell in bone marrow that does not set off an immune response. The “mesenchymal precursor cells” can be isolated from bone marrow donated by a healthy adult and grown to provide treatments for many patients without fear of rejection.

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/0cd62b6c-de79-11e0-a2c0-00144feabdc0.html