Clinical Trial in Chicago

Clinical Trial in Chicago

The Rush Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory in Chicago is one of 15 facilities in the country taking part in an Osiris Therapeutics trial using mesenchymal stem cells for patients who have had heart attacks. The cells are derived from the bone marrow of a healthy donor and administered intravenously, according to the press release. It is believed that the cells are in an early enough stage of development that they do not trigger an immune system response from the recipient and can be administered without donor matching. If the study works as hoped, the injected cells will migrate to the site of damage and begin to grow new heart muscle tissue. It is a double blind Phase I study in which two thirds of the patients will receive the stem cells and one third a placebo; to qualify, patients must have had a heart attack within the last seven days.

The Chicago television station CBS2 also had a story about the study. The patients will be monitored constantly; it is expected that it will take at least a month for new heart muscle cells to grow.

It’s going to be interesting to see the results of this one. If it works, that will add another event to the apparent successes off other stem cells treatments for heart failure. If it does not work, researchers will have to study if there was failure to migrate, successful migration but failure to produce new cells, or some other issue. In any case, there will be important data gathered for future experiments.

Another Opinion Piece

Another Opinion Piece

This time, it’s an op-ed column in the Boston Globe by a stem cell researcher and a bioethicists. It discusses the recent study showing that American researchers are falling behind their international counterparts, and it describes how lack of funding affects research—and, ultimately, therapies—and leads to a drying up of the field. Probably nothing new here if you’re following stem cell issues, but it’s a succinct and well-written statement of the issues.

Editorial on Florida Issues

Editorial on Florida Issues

The Tallahassee Democrat ran an opinion piece today about stem cell research politics in Florida. Opposing ballot initiative regarding embryonic stem cell research recently faired to gain enough signatures to go on a ballot. There is currently a bill in the state Houses that would provide $30 million for Alzheimer's and cancer research; proposed amendments regarding embryonic stem cell research have already failed. According to the paper, the amendments would have banned human cloning (it’s unclear from the article if this is all human cloning or just cloning for reproductive purposes), prohibit the sale and purchase of embryos, and allow research only on left-over embryos from in vitro fertilization procedures. The paper says that conservatives voted against the amendments because of fear that regulating would be seen as supporting, and that liberals voted against them because of the baggage of the rest of the bill.

The editorial goes on to discuss the lack of open dialogue about stem cell research in Florida. It points out that Gov. Jeb Bush is negotiating to bring biotech business to Florida but will not permit state money to be used on embryonic stem cell research.

The editorial calls for “an honest and searching discussion” about stem cell research, not election year dancing around. I agree.