Treatment of muscular dystrophy with cord blood cells

Patent Number: 7,452,529

Cord blood stem cells are currently approved only for hematopoietic reconstitution, however numerous experimental uses are being reported.  Given that cord blood stem cells have been reported to possess pluripotent characteristics, a wide variety of new indications are being developed.  For example, a clinical trial is currently being performed using autologous cord blood stem cells for type 1 diabetes, also positive results have been reported with retinitis pigmentosa and autism.   

The current patent covers the use of cord blood for the treatment of muscular dystrophy.  Supporting data is from an animal study in which cord blood stem cells were injected into an animal model of muscular dystrophy and expression of dystrophin was observed.

The one independent claim of the patent is "A method for treating a patient suffering from Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, said method comprising the step of administering to said patient's blood stream human umbilical cord blood (UCB) cells, wherein the administration of said UCB cells results in engraftment of UCB-derived muscle cells that express dystrophin, thereby treating said patient by regenerating muscle mass".

View this patent on the USPTO website.