Lifesaving application of human placenta-derived stem cells
September 8th, 2008 by admin
Celgene Cellular Therapeutics (CCT), a branch of Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ: CELG), announced recently the development of a clinical application of stem cells derived from human placenta (HPDSCs) for use in hematopoietic reconstitution therapies. This important hallmark in the road to achieve therapeutic use of human plancenta stem cells occurred at the LSU Health Sciences Center Children’s Hospital (LSU) on March 28, 2008. The transplant was scheduled to treat a pediatric patient with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). This is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood. When the patient’s sibling was born in December 2007, human placental stem cells, along with cord blood, were collected and cryo-preserved and both products were used in the transplant.
CCT employs proprietary technologies for collecting, processing, and storing human plancenta-derived stem cells. This versatile kind of stem cells have a strong potential for developing therapeutic applications in, for example, leukemia and other hematological malignancies, solid tumor cancers, and autoimmune diseases. The company is also conducting research on other types of stem cells derived from the placenta that are obtained via additional proprietary methodologies.
The transplant, which is part of a multicenter clinical trial being conducted at LSU, together with other institutions, is using stem cells from placenta for patients with certain disorders including cancers and non-malignancies. The primary goal of theis study is to assess the safety of transplantation of umbilical cord blood boosted with placental stem cells from the same donor, There is also a secondary objective, which is assessing potential restoration of normal hematopoiesis and immune function with this combination of cells. The plan of the trial includes careful monitoring post-transplant for up to 24 months to monitor safety outcomes, engraftment, and survival.
“The patient is doing extremely well and, in fact, was discharged from the hospital one-to-two weeks earlier compared to traditional cord blood transplants,” said Lolie C. Yu, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics, Division Chief of the Pediatric Heme-Onc Program, Director of the BMT Program at LSUHSC/Children’s Hospital. “Neutrophil engraftment occurred earlier than anticipated in this proof-of-principle study further raising our hopes regarding the benefits of this treatment.”
Numerous professionals agree that there is considerable anticipation around the potential of placental stem cells. Another study by researchers from UCLA published earlier this year declared that blood-forming stem cells originate in the placenta in laboratory animals.
“We are excited to advance our study of the placenta as a source of stem cells that have the ability to effectively treat patients worldwide,” said
“For the first time, we are transplanting human placenta-derived stem cells to treat patients with a variety of cancers and non-malignant diseases,” said Mitchell Cairo, M.D., who leads the clinical trial at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center, and is Chief of the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation Division at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian and Professor of Pediatrics, Medicine and Pathology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. “Our hope is that HPDSCs, in conjunction with cord blood stem cells, will expedite engraftment and improve treatment for patients.”
Expectant parents can now cryo-preserve HPDSCs for future use through Celgene’s cord blood bank, LifebankUSA. For more information, vivsit: LifebankUSA Placental and Cord Blood Banking
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