Phase I and II clinical trials of stem cell-based Alzheimer’s treatment begin recruiting

Developer Nature Cell has announced that it will be trialling ‘ASTROSTEM’, a treatment that it hopes could not only slow down but reverse some symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

Phase I and II clinical trials for ‘ASTROSTEM’, a stem-cell based treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, have been given the go ahead to start recruiting patients in the US. ASTROSTEM was developed at the Biostar Stem Cell Research Institute (Seoul, Korea), which is operated jointly by Nature Cell and R Bio (both Seoul, Korea).

Jeong-chan Ra, the director of Biostar Stem Cell Research Institute and leader of the clinical trials, said, “Autologous stem cells are very different in terms of their effects and safety, according to the culturing technology. We expect that ASTROSTEM, which was manufactured with the new and innovative stem cell technology developed in 2015, will demonstrate safety and effects for Alzheimer’s disease treatment.”

ASTROSTEM consists of stem cells derived from autologous adipose tissue that are used to treat Alzheimer’s disease by administering stem cells intravenously ten times (200 million cells/1 time). The hope is that they will move to the affected area of the body to either directly differentiate or have a therapeutic trophic or paracrine effect on the tissue.

The clinical trials will be conducted at Syrentis Clinical Research and ATP Clinical Research (both CA, USA). An as yet unnamed hospital in Hawaii will also conduct trials.

Source: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170310005275/en