Transluminal application of adult stem cells for body organ tissue repair
Patent Number: 7,452,532
Stem cell therapy for treatment of myocardial infarctions has demonstrated some benefit, including in double blind trials. Although the exact mechanism of action is unknown, some groups suggest that bone marrow stem cells can differentiate directly into new cardiomyocytes, whereas others believe the injected stem cells release angiogenic factors that are beneficial to the injured heart.
The current patent covers a means of administering stem cells into an injured heart. Specifically, it's first independent claim is "A method for repairing tissue in a patient's heart, comprising: delivering adult stem cells that have the capability to replace tissue of a failing heart to the site of the tissue to be repaired, by an intraluminal application through a blood vessel of said site; and occluding said blood vessel proximal to the location of cell entry therein via said intraluminal application during at least a portion of the duration of said cell delivery to increase the concentration of cells delivered by the blood vessel, and wherein said blood vessel leads to the site of the heart tissue to be repaired"
From reading this, it appears that the adult stem cell being administered has to have the ability to "replace tissue", so we would imagine if the stem cell is acting through stimulation of angiogenesis but it itself is not replacing tissue, the claim may not cover it. The other important point is what the invention is covering, which appears to be the administration of the stem cell population intraluminally, and that the blood vessel has to be temporarily occluded so that stem cells can accumulate. It is our understanding that such temporary occlusion is used in clinical trials of post infarct stem cell administration in which the temporary occlusion is performed by balloon catheter.
The second independent claim is "A method of delivering adult multipotent cells to a patient's heart through a balloon catheter placed in a vessel supporting said heart by occluding said vessel at least partially and temporarily during cell delivery proximal to the site of cell delivery for enhanced engraftment of the cells applied to the heart, and wherein the vessel leads to the site of cell delivery."
Independent claims include the use of various adult stem cell populations such as bone marrow, adipose, and lipoaspirate derived cells.
Since to our knowledge this techique is commonly used, it will be interesting to follow this patent and see if it is enforced as clinical trials for cardiac infarction proceed. We will not name specific companies and institutions using this procedure, but they are pretty easy to find from our site or pubmed.
View this patent on the USPTO website.
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2 Comments | Add Comment
StemCellPatents.com said...
The chances are very good. Go to www.pubmed.com and see the great progress that has been occuring in "regenerative nephrology"
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sohail said...
What are the chances of the same technique being used to repair not only the heart but other organs namely th e kidneys.