March 7, 2016
In
what appears to be a first for Parkinson's disease therapy, patients are now
being recruited for an Australian clinical trial of a stem-cell based therapy
from Carlsbad's International Stem Cell Corp.
The
Phase I trial, conducted by the company's Cyto Therapeutics
subsidiary, seeks signs of safety and early evidence of efficacy. Announced
Monday, it aims to relieve the movement disorders of Parkinson's by replacing
the kind of brain cells destroyed in the disease. These cells produce the
neurotransmitter dopamine, which enables normal movement.
The
trial also represents a milestone for International Stem Cell, which for
years has been developing its own kind of stem cells. These are created from
parthenogenetic, or unfertilized human egg cells, and are engineered to make
them less likely to cause an immune reaction. But while ISCO has made research
progress with these cells, they have not been placed into therapeutic use until
now.
Another
trial using a different stem cell approach is in the planning stage by
a San Diego-based coalition of researchers and patients called Summit for
Stem Cell. This one is to use artificial embryonic stem cells as a source of
the replacement brain cells. Called induced pluripotent stem cells, these can
be grown from skin cells. Another trial using IPS cells is being readied
in Japan.
ISCO
says parthenogenetic stem cells act much like embryonic stem cells, but their
use avoids the moral objections of those opposed to the use of those cells.
Since they are derived from human embryos killed to get the cells, many of
those opposed to abortion say their use is wrong.
To avoid taking human life, the embryo-like
structure created through parthenogenesis should be given the benefit of the
doubt and considered a human being, Pacholczyk said. By this standard, the use
of parthenogenetic cells to help someone else would be morally wrong. However,
the church has not unambiguously condemned the use of these cells to the same
degree as it has with embryonic stem cells.
http://health.einnews.com/article/315383290/EsPA4RdHTZPsR5ta
The
Phase I trial, conducted by the company's Cyto Therapeutics
subsidiary, seeks signs of safety and early evidence of efficacy. Announced
Monday, it aims to relieve the movement disorders of Parkinson's by replacing
the kind of brain cells destroyed in the disease. These cells produce the
neurotransmitter dopamine, which enables normal movement.
The
stem cell trial appears to be the first to begin recruiting clinical subjects
for Parkinson's treatment, said Kevin McCormack, a spokesman for
the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the state's stem cell
agency. Similar studies were performed decades ago using fetal brain cells, but
these ended with mixed results.
For
more information, visit j.mp/iscostudy.
The
trial also represents a milestone for International Stem Cell, which for
years has been developing its own kind of stem cells. These are created from
parthenogenetic, or unfertilized human egg cells, and are engineered to make
them less likely to cause an immune reaction. But while ISCO has made research
progress with these cells, they have not been placed into therapeutic use until
now.
Another
trial using a different stem cell approach is in the planning stage by
a San Diego-based coalition of researchers and patients called Summit for
Stem Cell. This one is to use artificial embryonic stem cells as a source of
the replacement brain cells. Called induced pluripotent stem cells, these can
be grown from skin cells. Another trial using IPS cells is being readied
in Japan.
Under
the ISCO study, 12 people with moderate to severe Parkinson's disease will be
treated at Royal Melbourne Hospital in Melbourne. They will be
given one of three doses of cells, from 30 million to 70 million. They will be
monitored for 12 months to evaluate the safety and activity of these cells.
The
patients will be assessed before receiving the treatment under standards such
as the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, and will be reassessed at
intervals.
ISCO
says parthenogenetic stem cells act much like embryonic stem cells, but their
use avoids the moral objections of those opposed to the use of those cells.
Since they are derived from human embryos killed to get the cells, many of
those opposed to abortion say their use is wrong.
The Roman
Catholic Church is skeptical of parthenogenetic stem cell research. The
moral status of the cells is unclear and might be equivalent to a human embryo,
Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Director of Education for The National Catholic
Bioethics Center, said by email Monday.
To avoid taking human life, the embryo-like
structure created through parthenogenesis should be given the benefit of the
doubt and considered a human being, Pacholczyk said. By this standard, the use
of parthenogenetic cells to help someone else would be morally wrong. However,
the church has not unambiguously condemned the use of these cells to the same
degree as it has with embryonic stem cells.
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