Coronavirus: Stem Cells Offer a Ray of Hope in Battle Against Covid-19

Coronavirus: Stem cells offer a ray of hope in battle against covid-19

A new candidate has emerged in the race to find a cure for covid-19—stem-cells.

The therapeutic approach involves intravenous injection of mesenchymal stem-cells (MSC) from a human placenta into a covid-19 patient to boost the body’s immune response against the infection.

Key scientific groups worldwide, including those in China and the US, have been working to test the treatment. Some have reported promising results.

An Israeli pharmaceutical company, Pluristem Therapeutics, has tested it in seven critical hospitalized patients and found positive results. The company is now seeking approval to begin clinical trials.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already approved clinical trials to study covid-19 patients who have been administered MSC derived from the placenta to prevent inflammation of lungs.

One 24-patient trial is set to begin soon in the US, the worst affected country with more than 780,000 coronavirus cases. The FDA has also shared a clinical protocol.

Indian scientists, too, are examining the effectiveness of the treatment and looking at the preliminary results from the trials abroad.

“There is indeed potential. However, unless we do some trials, we cannot how effective it is. It may be successful in some cases and not in others, but we have to see. As there is no established treatment for covid-19 yet, this approach may be worth trying," said senior cell-biologist Dr Mohan Wani, from the National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) in Pune.

Stem-cells have been successful in treating degenerative diseases, especially Alzheimer’s, as well as Type-1 diabetes.

“The advantage that stem-cells have is that they have strong anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, which can help strengthen our immune system. This is important in case of covid-19, where they could reduce inflammation of the lungs, which are the most affected," said Wani.

Stem-cell therapy could help build up regenerative cells in the lungs, which could protect the epithelial cells of the lungs, prevent lung damage and help patients recover, according to some scientists.

However, as the therapeutic approach is in its preliminary stages, it could be months before it is given approval for treatment.

There are also tight regulations in place to ensure that this approach does not pose any risk, because of the relative newness of stem-cell treatment.

Comments

The Dawn Of A New Era Of Regenerative Medicine: Tissue Engineering Comes Of Age

The Dawn Of A New Era Of Regenerative Medicine: Tissue Engineering Comes Of Age The field of regenerative medicine reached a remarkable milestone recently when four women regained full sexual function after the successful implantation of lab-grown vaginas created from their own cells. The women, aged thirteen to eighteen, were born with a rare medical condition called Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome (MRKHS) which left them with an abnormal or missing vagina. Each woman underwent a newly engineered procedure that involved taking samples of the patient's own cells and growing them into tissue. This tissue was then placed on a scaffold that was hand-sewn with collagen-like fibers and uniquely shaped to fit each woman’s vaginal cavity. Once the organ fully matured, it was implanted into a canal in each woman’s pelvis, along with the hand-sewn scaffolding. Within six months, the biodegradable scaffolding dissolved and, in each of the four women, the lab-grown vaginas began fun...

Black fungus detected in Covid-19 survivors, 8 lose eyesight in Surat | MUCORMYCOSIS

Black fungus detected in Covid-19 survivors, 8 lose eyesight in Surat | MUCORMYCOSIS At least 40 cases of mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, have been reported from Surat in Gujarat among those who have recovered from Covid-19. Of the 40, eight have lost their eyesight. What is this infection and who is more vulnerable? Cases of mucormycosis, commonly known as black fungus, have been reported from Gujarat among those who have recovered from Covid-19. The number of such cases has increased as Gujarat sees an exponential rise in coronavirus infections. At least eight persons were reported to have lost their eyesight in Surat due to mucormycosis (MM) after recovering from Covid-19. They had to be admitted to hospitals for the sudden loss of vision. In the past 15 days, Surat has reported at least 40 cases of mucormycosis or black fungus including eight who have lost their eyesight. The infection, triggered by Covid-19, is treatable but if left untreated or if the treatment is ...

US Moves to Shut Down 2 Big Stem Cell Therapy Clinics

Federal authorities Wednesday moved to shut down two of the country’s most prominent for-profit providers of stem cell therapy, one of them a network of clinics with more than 100 offices in the United States, including several in the Bay Area. The Food and Drug Administration filed two complaints in federal court requesting permanent injunctions that would stop Florida-based U.S. Stem Cell Clinic and the California Stem Cell Treatment Center from marketing therapies. Both companies have previously been called out by the FDA for providing unproven, unapproved therapies that could put patients at risk. The injunction requests are an aggressive move by the FDA to patrol the consumer stem cell market. The agency has come under mounting pressure by scientists and patient advocates to increase oversight of the growing consumer market, which has been allowed to flourish for years. “In the two cases filed today, the clinics and their leadership have continued to disregard th...

Stem Cells Therapy in India

Search This Blog