Along with potential use to treat osteoarthritis, other studies are looking at the potential use of stem cells to treat other degenerative disease conditions. Dr. Jorgensen described the results of a pilot study that looked of the feasibility and safety of treating 10 patients with chronic back pain diagnosed with lumbar disc degeneration with mesenchymal stem cells.3 The study found that 70% of patients responded to treatment and maintained a response at one year. “The results of this phase I trial already show that you can improve pain and function in these patients,” said Dr. Jorgensen.
Dr. Jorgensen emphasized that the current clinical data are encouraging and confirm positive results, but that more work remains to be done. This work includes improving a potency assay that will follow the potency of the cells after injection, and improving how cells are produced to help reduce the cost. And of course, more long-term randomized controlled trials are needed.
References
- Kubo S, Cooper GM, Matsumoto T, et al. Blocking vascular endothelial growth factor with soluble Flt-1 improves the chondrogenic potential of mouse skeletal muscle-derived stem cells. Arthritis Rheum. 2009;60(1):155–165.
- Pers YM, Rackwitz L, Ferreira R, et al. Adipose mesenchymal stromal cell-based therapy for severe osteoarthritis of the knee: A phase I dose-escalation trial. Stem Cells Trans Med. 2016;5(12):2015–2045..
- Orozco L, Soler R, Morera C, et al. Intervertebral disc repair by autologous mesenchymal bone marrow cells: A pilot study. Transplantation. 2011;92(7):822–828.
