Study Validates Use of Stem Cells from Cord Blood

A study has demonstrated that umbilical-cord blood (UCB) from unrelated donors is a feasible alternative source of hematopoietic stem cells for use in adults, to treat certain diseases such as hematologic cancer and other nonmalignant diseases. The study was published in the June 14, 2001, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine (www.nejm.org).
The study data showed that 90% of the adult patients undergoing UCB stem cell trasnplantation achieved engraftment of HLA-mismatched donor cells and reconstitution of their hematopoietic system. Moreover, the incidence and severity of graft-versus-host disease were low, despite the HLA mismatching.

One problem in using cord blood as a stem cell source is having an adequate therapeutic dose of stem cells to treat a large patient. Scientists are exploring various means of increasing the numbers of stem cells in a quantity of blood. A company called ViaCell, for example, has developed a patented technology called Selective Amplification that produces an increased number of transplantable cord blood cells highly enriched in hematopoietic stem cells. ViaCell (Boston, MA, USA) plans to enter Selective Amplification in clinical trials later this year.

"This study makes a major contribution to our understanding of stem cell therapy,” said Dr. Harvey G. Klein, chief, department of transfusion medicine at the U.S. National Institutes of Health. "Umbilical-cord blood stem cells have been shown effective in the treatment of nearly 40 medical conditions in children, including certain cancers, such as leukemias, and genetic and immune system disorders. These observations have now been extended to adults.”




Related Links:
ViaCell
NEJM