MS Speaks

StemGenex in LaJolla, CA, has announced a study involving adipose stem cells for treating MS. StemGenex is located in California and Florida. The cost of the treatment, which the patient pays, is $14,900.

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What about stem cell therapy?

Stem cell therapy is an intervention strategy that targets or uses stem cells to treat disease or injury. Stem cells are unprogrammed cells in the human body that have the ability to change or differentiate into other types of specialized cells. Stem cells also have the ability to self-renew and give rise to subsequent generations of stem cells. These differentiation and self-renewal abilities offers significant potential for tissue generation that can potentially replace diseased and damaged areas in the body.

Generally, research has focused on two types of stem cells to treat disease – embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. In contrast to embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells – collected from postnatal tissues such as adipose (aka fat) or bone marrow – are seen as an ethical and alternative source for mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) or MSC-like cells, such as processed lipoaspirate cells (PLAs). MSCs and PLAs have the ability to differentiate into bone, fat, cartilage, and other tissues, and to mobilize to areas of tissue injury.

Adult stem cells collected from adipose, in particular, have captured the interest of researchers. Compared with bone marrow-derived stem cells (where MSCs were first detected), adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have a similar but more potent capability to modify the body’s immune response, and can be more easily collected from the body and grown in a culture dish.  Moreover, a greater yield of adult stem cells can be collected from adipose tissue than from bone marrow.

The Safety and Efficacy of Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Therapy for MS

Favorable findings in studies of adult stem cell therapy on accepted animal models of MS have prompted researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of stem cells in clinical trials involving human patients.

StemGenex® Multiple Sclerosis – Studies

An oft-cited study evaluated the effect of ADSCs on 3 patients with relapsing-remitting MS, the most common form of the disease. The study patients, who had not responded to traditional treatments, were infused with stem cells collected from the fat tissue of their own bodies. The researchers found that the study patients experienced significant improvement in symptoms post-treatment – including, among others, improved gait and coordination plus increased energy levels.

In both of these studies, the adult stem cells were derived from the patient’s own fat tissue – and re-administered [with?] no serious side effects. This should not come as a surprise, as numerous studies have safely transplanted tissue derived directly patients’ own bodies, with minimal or no serious complications. Also, despite concerns that stem cells can become cancerous, the research indicates that there is no detectable risk of tumor formation from adult stem cell therapy.

While these studies provide favorable findings, researchers agree that additional, controlled clinical trials are needed to determine the long-term efficacy and safety of stem cell therapy for MS.

The StemGenex® Process

StemGenex seeks to contribute to the ongoing research on stem cell therapies through its Multiple Sclerosis Stem Cell Clinical Studies.*

Over the past 7 years, StemGenex has developed a proprietary treatment process using ADSCs. The collection and transplantation of ADSCs involves a 3-step, outpatient procedure that typically takes no more than 5 hours.

Step 1:

Harvesting Adipose Tissue

Patients are treated with local anesthesia prior to the collection of their own fat tissue via a mini-liposuction procedure. Approximately 100-200 cc of fat tissue is harvested from the patient – a procedure that typically takes about one hour. (Remember, adipose, or fat, tissue contains a high yield of adult stem cells.)

Once the tissue is harvested, standard techniques are used to extract the dormant ADSCs from the adipose.

Step 2:

Activating the Stem Cells

StemGenex uses a 2-step protocol to activate the harvested stem cells.

First, the isolated ADSCs are suspended in the patient’s own platelet rich plasma (PRP). PRP contains growth factors, natural substances that regulate cell processes. Growth factors have been found to play an important role in stimulating cellular growth, proliferation, and differentiation.

Second, a specialized low laser light is used to further stimulate the ADSCs. Both preclinical and clinical studies suggest that low level laser therapy has a direct effect on stem cells and can, among other things, induce production of growth factors and inhibit inflammation.

Step 3:

Re-administering ADSCs

The Multiple Sclerosis Stem Cell Clinical Studies* is evaluating multiple ways to administer ADSCs, including:

• Intravenously – ADSCs are delivered via a vein for distribution throughout the body

• Intranasally – ADSCs are delivered via the highly vascular pathway of the nose. This delivery pathway improves the likelihood that the re-administered stem cells are able to cross the blood-brain barrier, which normally prevents substances from entering the brain via the bloodstream. Note, too, that intranasal infusion is a non-invasive and safe delivery system, and has been shown to be effective in the delivery of a number of drugs, including steroids and insulin

• Direct site injections – ADSCs are delivered to sites that need repair, such as
• The muscles or tendons
• The bladder, to help alleviate issues of incontinence
• The base of the spine, to target spinal lesions

For more information about the Multiple Sclerosis Stem Cell Clinical Studies*, visit the StemGenex® website at http://www.StemGenex.com or call 800-609-7795.
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*The stem cell studies described here have been designed by StemGenex® to be overseen by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) in full compliance with all applicable regulations and standards. Patients should consult with their Physician before following any of the suggestions or making any conclusions this information.

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