I returned from a heart conference in Bangkok last weekend organized jointly by the Bangkok Heart Hospital and a company providing stem cell therapeutic services in Thailand to American patients known as Theravitae.
There were several interesting presentations, from Thai doctors in academic institutions and also several renowned doctors who were also associated in some form with private enterprises. One of the companies presenting their work was BioHeart. The speaker Kristin Comella gave a talk on how it was their company's belief that Myoblasts (ie muscle stem cells, obtained from the thigh) were the way forward in treating heart disease.
They presented a lot of animal data, which look very convincing, except that the company was asked to stop their trials in the US after several of their patients required the surgical insertion of a pacemaker after the procedure. I admit that their theory sounds attractive, take 10 grams of muscle from the thigh (not that I would want a scar on my thigh), culture the cells and place it in the heart by way of an angioplasty or direct intra-myocardial injection.
Interestingly, Bioheart revealed that they are in the process of manufacturing a machine which separates stem cells from fat. I stood up to ask if it was the same as what Cytori Therapeutics offers and Ms. Comella said YES. I suppose myoblasts from thighs are taking too long to get into commercial application and it would be easier to work with plastic surgeons instead.
I'll review a few other presentations in later entries of the blog as I'm a little tired tonight. Going to catch some sleep... zzz.
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4 comments:
Hi thanks for the post. I also recall you asked Theravitae, effectively an Israeli company, why they did not offer their services in Israel and their representative was not prepared to respond. Did you by any chance subsequently hear from them why this is the case?
14-Jan-07/ KL
To: StemLife founder Sharon Low
Re: Stem Cell Liver Therapy
Dear Ms Sharon Low,
Saw yr interview, Starbiz, 18-Dec-06; also your blog (3-Jan-07). Both were v.
interesting and informative. Unfortunately didn't see much on Liver repair. I do a
query on the latter.
Old friend in Thailand (58 yrs) is Hepatitis 'carrier' w/ Liver Cirrhosis, probably
due to alcohol (Beer) aggravation over the yrs. Treatment once a month in BKK
(some chemical fluid injection to Liver) over couple months brought lesion down
to half (maybe 6 cm). He's also taking some local Monk's liver-cure herb solution
(another expensive concoction claimed to cure liver in 3 months! Hope it not
interact w/ current hospital treatment.)
From my Net research, I read that regardless of such treatments, average lifespan
is quite low. Wonder if StemCell treatment can cure. Recent news seem to imply
so. Moreover, as you've also pointed out in your blog, a Research/Treatment
Center exists in BKK (and also Israel, S. Korea, Sing, Brazil, India, at last count).
Some encouraging articles on BBC News also (Univ of Edinburgh; Peppers kill
cancer cells; etc.).
Did lot of data mining on Net recently. Not fully reviewed yet. A Russian website I
found was of some interest. Altho' beyond my friend's current means (still trying
to get a small but promising business off the ground) & since there's always
hope, I'm curious as to whether the advert is genuine - and whether Cyrrhosis
is, in fact, curable; short of a liver transplant...
Should be able find this via Google:
"Liver Cure Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, Cirrhosis Stem Cell RegenCo.htm"
(also: http://www.stemcellregenco.com)
Below are extracts from the site:
Damaged Liver Restoration, Hepatitis B & C and Cirrhosis
Embryonic Stem Cell Regeneration
Stem Cell RegenCo
Stem Cell RegenCo’s clinically proven stem cell treatment for patients with
Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Cirrhosis is a life saving option to dangerous and
invasive liver transplants. Our partnership with IIBM, one of the world's top
stem cell research groups, enables us to offer patients embryonic stem cell
transplant treatments that regenerate the damage caused by liver disease.
This non-invasive stem cell regeneration procedure developed exclusively
by IIBM, restores a liver damaged by Cirrhosis and Hepatitis B & C without
immunosuppression drugs or the possibility of rejection.
IIBM Russia is headed by Prof. Gennady T. Sukhikh, Phd., M.D., corresponding
member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, and since 1986, head
of the Laboratory of Clinical Immunology, Russian Ministry of Health. Dr.
Sukhikh’s breakthrough work in embryonic stem cell research and treatments
has resulted in this clinically proven procedure for patients whose livers have
been damaged by disease. This procedure is now being offered to the Western
world exclusively through Stem Cell RegenCo. Treatments will be administered
at the Kremlin Hospital in Moscow, Russia’s equivalent to the Mayo Clinic in
Rochester, Minnesota, USA. (FAQ’s)...
...
Contact Information:
Stem Cell RegenCo toll-free number: 1.866.795.4876 or e-mail: mailto:patientinfo@stemcellregenco.com
To be evaluated by our medical staff and determine if you qualify for, and will
benefit from, our newly developed Stem Cell Liver Transplant Procedure, click
here, to download a confidential medical info form. E-mail or FAX to Stem Cell
RegenCo and you will have your answer shortly.
------------------------------
The writeup is v enlightening and sounds encouraging, tho' the 1st portion has
its share of spelling & grammatical errors (understandable, in part - but still
suspicious for a purportedly prestigious institution). There appears to be yet
another center in Novosibirsk:
Novosibirsk Stem Cell Therapy And Immunotherapy Center, Russia.
------------------------------
Being a non-medical type (retired Electronics Tech - tho' w/ some medical equip't
repair experience), am not really qualified nor in position to verify the above info.
Hoping you might be able to shed some light on it and perhaps discuss in your
blog for benefit of others interested in this issue. As you are directly involved in
the field, perhaps you could also suggest some other local centers where such
successful treatments have been carried out. Am just looking for a way to help
an old friend.
Appreciate,
Jed...
Dear Jed,
Thank you for your comment and sharing the reasons for your interest in stem cell therapy. Unfortunately, liver treatment is not yet very well established in published medical journals- which means that there hasn't been a consistent method employed for the study of the treatment outcome.
The liver does have amazing abilities of tissue regeneration and with lifestyle alterations, perhaps give it a better chance for recovery in addition to the herbal and medical supplementation.
I can't comment much on Regenco's work because there isn't sufficient scientific information to support the use of embryonic stem cells at this time. In fact, embryonic stem cells usually come with more questions than answers, especially since documented molecular work on embryonic stem cells only began in 1998.
Questions such as:
1) Source of embryonic stem cells
2) Safety record (infection status)
3) Tumor forming activity (cancer promotion)
Hence, our work focusses largely on adult patient-derived stem cells which has a much longer history of use and safety data (since 1960's).
I did point out in an earlier posting that clinical trials with adult stem cells for liver cirrhosis is on-going in the UK. The research group hasn't published their results on the 5 patients treated yet, but I am hopeful that they'll come up with something soon. At least some evidence of quality of life improvment, if not physical evidence of tissue repair.
But knowing that you're personally interested in this area and reading this blog, I'll be glad to keep a look out and keep you updated.
Yours sincerely,
Sharon
Stem cells are the life givers of human body. Their use in the right direction will lead to cure of many diseases. I think more support should be given for stem cell research across the globe.
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