Methods for use of MPL ligands with primitive human stem cells

Patent Number: 7,416,887

Thrombopoietin, otherwise known as the mpl ligand, is a potent stimulator of platelet production.  Several companies are working on clinically implimenting this agent for patients with chemotherapy associated thrombocytopenia.  For example, Ligand Pharmaceuticals has a patent on a thrombopoietic mimetic.

The current patent teaches how to used thrombopoietin in vitro to expand hematopoietic stem cells.  CD34, CD34 CD38-, and a wide variety of phenotypes are covered in this patent.  In vitro expansion of hematopoietic stem cells is important not only as a research reagent but also for various ex vivo manipulation/purging of patient stem cells.

View this patent on the USPTO website.