July 22, 2016
Scientists at The
Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) and Scripps Clinic have received a grant of
nearly $2.4 million from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
(CIRM) to support safety and quality tests of a potential stem cell therapy for
Parkinson's disease.
The new two-year
project will be led by Jeanne Loring, professor of developmental neurobiology
at TSRI. Loring will be partnering with Melissa Houser, M.D., neurologist and
medical director of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center at
Scripps Clinic.
"The goal is to restore the quality
of life for Parkinson's patients," said Loring. "The methods we're
using will raise the bar for quality considerably—for all kinds of cell
therapy."
"What sets our
study apart from many others is that it's patient-specific," said Dr.
Houser. "Our hope is that this grant will help to begin a new era of
long-term treatment for Parkinson's disease."
Parkinson's disease
strikes when specialized neurons in the brain begin dying. These neurons
produce dopamine, a chemical messenger that maintains normal nerve-firing
patterns. Without dopamine, patients suffer from tremors, a lack of balance and
even speech difficulties.
For the study, the
Loring lab will investigate induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which are
derived from adult subjects and can differentiate into any kind of cell in the
body. In this case, iPSCs derived from cells donated by 10 Scripps Clinic
Parkinson's patients were developed into dopamine-producing neurons—the same
kind that die during Parkinson's.
The new grant will
allow the researchers to advance these cells through U.S. Food and Drug
Administration preclinical testing requirements, with the hope of moving closer
to clinical trials.
Source:
Scripps Research Institute
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20160722/Scientists-receive-2424-million-grant-to-advance-stem-cell-therapy-for-Parkinsons-disease.aspx
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