Experimental Therapies
Stempeutics is collaborating with few hospitals in conducting experimental stem cell therapies as a proof of concept using bone marrow derived Mesenchymal stem cells in patients suffering from various diseases which as of now are difficult to cure or have no cure.
At regular intervals, these patients will undergo followed-up to assess the effect of the stem cells. These experimental therapies are for the following diseases:
Hospitals collaborating with Stempeutics takes IC- SCRT and IEC approval before starting the
experimental therapies as per ICMR guidelines.
Parkinsons Disease
Parkinsons disease is a neurodegenerative disorder, symptomatized by tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia etc. There is selective degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain region of the brain. Our hypothesis is that the transplanted stem cells will home to the above said region based on the internal mileu and differentiate into dopaminergic neurons, thus alleviating the symptoms.
Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injury is one of the major neurological disabilities often encountered in clinical scenario. Unfortunately most traumas to spinal cord are irreversible and cause permanent disability having no option for further recovery.
The Spinal cord injury patients will receive adult mesenchymal Stem Cell therapy, along with standard of care and Neuro-rehabilitation. Our hypothesis is that the injected mesenchymal stem cells having neuro regeneration potential migrate to the site of injury and replace the damaged nervous tissue with healthy functional cells, improving neurological function and quality of life.
Critical Limb Ischemia
Critical limb ischemia patients have severe pain in the affected leg at rest, ulcers or gangrene, as a result of atherosclerosis or vasculitis in leg arteries. Prognosis of the diseases is poor especially in patients who are not amenable for revascularization procedures like angioplasty or bypass procedures, have no option other than undergoing Amputation of the affected leg. Transplantation of bone marrow derived stem cells or mesenchymal stem cells having Neoangiogenic and myogenic potential is a possible treatment option for treating CLI.
Avascular Necrosis
Avascular necrosis or osteonecrosis or aseptic (bone) necrosis or ischemic bone necrosis, is a disease resulting from the temporary or permanent loss of the blood supply to the bones. Due to lack of blood supply, the bone tissue dies and causes the bone to collapse. If the process involves the bone near to a joint, it often leads to collapse of the joint surface. A variety of methods are now used to treat Avascular necrosis, the most common being the total hip replacement (THR). However, THRs have a number of downsides including a long recovery time and short life span of the replacements. Hence Adult Mesenchymal Stem cells by its Angiogenic and Osteogenic properties, have a great therapeutic potential in these ailments which are difficult to treat with existing modalities of treatment.
Motor Neuron Disease
Motor Neuron disease is one of the progressive degenerative neurological disorders having no effective treatment. It dramatically reduces the life span and the quality of life of the patient. Hence the ideal curative treatment in these cases would be the replacement of degenerated or lost cells. The transplanted Adult mesenchymal stem cells have the potential to differentiate into functional neural cell types, thereby facilitating a possible cure.
End Stage Liver Disease
The prevalence of end stage liver disease has increased alarmingly over the last few years. It is rapidly fatal and the current treatment involves a complicated process of liver transplantation. The usage of stem cell therapy is successfully being tried all over the world in end stage liver disease. The idea behind the therapy is that the cells would home into the damaged/degenerated liver and stop the disease process. Subsequently we can hope to see the injected cells regenerate / differentiate into new functional liver cells thereby reviving metabolically the most important organ in the body needed for survival.
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is considered an autoimmune disorder in which there is overproduction of skin resulting from an immune dysfunction. Mesenchymal stem cells have been found to have Immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive properties. Administration of mesenchymal stem cells in a patient with psoriasis will correct the aberrant immune system of his/her body and reduce progression of disease. If successful, this can significantly improve the quality of life of a patient with psoriasis.
Vitiligo
The goal of therapy in vitiligo is to regenerate the damaged colour producing cells of the skin (melanocytes) and to correct the aberrant immune system. Normally, in vitiligo, the body’s own immune system attacks and damages the colour producing cells of skin, hence it is considered as an autoimmune disease. Mesenchymal stem cells have been found to have Immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive properties. Administration of mesenchymal stem cells in vitiligo will prevent further damage to melanocytes and reduce progression of disease. In unstable vitiligo, if stabilization can be achieved other therapies like surgery can be used for further management.
Myocardial Infarction
Myocardial infarction is the single largest killer world over. One of the Contributing factor is the irreversible loss of the cardiomyocytes after myocardial infarction. This combined with the absence of an adequate endogenous repair mechanism the injured myocardium usually is replaced by a fibrous scar tissue which complicates into progressive heart failure. The standard protocols of care for acute myocardial Infarction can only alleviate the symptoms but do not have the capacity of myocardial regeneration. The mesenchymal stem cells having potential of myocardial regeneration and angiogenesis can replace the damaged myocardium with functional tissue, thereby preventing eventual complication of heart failure in Myocardial infarction.
Related Links
- Register
for experimental stem cell therapy
- Volunteer for clinical trials or be a donor for stem cells
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