A first: Stem cell therapy cures HIV patient in Germany

By Philip C. Tubeza Philippine Daily Inquirer

Stem cell therapy might provide a remedy for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) after it was used on an HIV patient in Germany, the first person known to have been cured of the disease, a Department of Health (DOH) official said Tuesday.

Dr. Gerald Belimac, program manager of the DOH National AIDS/Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention and Control Program, said American Timothy R. Brown, the so-called Berlin Patient who had been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, was cured after getting stem cells in 2007 from a donor who was genetically resistant to the virus that caused AIDS.

However, he said that this procedure was very complex and was still under study.

It takes the right person, the right recipient, the right donor, for a stem cell transplantation particularly on HIV to be successful, Belimac said.

If it comes from other donors, there is really a high chance that the recipient would reject it, she added.

Brown was infected with HIV in 1995 and was later diagnosed with leukemia, or cancer of the blood.

He underwent a transplant of stem cells for the leukemia and it turned out that those stem cells had genes that were resistant to HIV, Belimac said.

Medical research has shown that almost 5 percent of Caucasians are genetically resistant to HIV, he said, but there are still no studies showing Filipinos having similar genes.

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A first: Stem cell therapy cures HIV patient in Germany

Cardiovascular and Chronic Liver Disease Cell Therapy Clinical Studies Approved in Japan

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Cytori Therapeutics (CYTX) today announced two independent investigator-sponsored and funded cell therapy clinical studies in Japan have been approved by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare under the Guidelines on Clinical Research Using Human Stem Cells. One study will investigate the use of Cytoris cell therapy as a treatment for ischemic heart failure and the other as a treatment for cirrhosis of the liver. The studies will be performed by Shuichi Kaneko, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Chairman of Departments of Gastroenterology, and Disease Control and Hemostasis, Graduate School of Medicine at Kanazawa University Hospital School of Medicine.

In each study, patients will receive an injection of Cytoris cell therapy, which consists of their own adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells (ADRCs) processed at the point-of-care using the Cytoris proprietary and automated Celution System. The ischemic heart failure study will enroll patients with low left ventricular function due to a prior heart attack and the ADRCs will be delivered through the coronary artery. In the study of patients with cirrhosis of the liver, the ADRCs will be delivered through the hepatic artery.

About Cytori

Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. is developing cell therapies based on autologous adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) to treat cardiovascular disease and repair soft tissue defects. Our scientific data suggest ADRCs improve blood flow, moderate the immune response and keep tissue at risk of dying alive. As a result, we believe these cells can be applied across multiple "ischemic" conditions. These therapies are made available to the physician and patient at the point-of-care by Cytori's proprietary technologies and products, including the Celution system product family. http://www.cytori.com

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Cardiovascular and Chronic Liver Disease Cell Therapy Clinical Studies Approved in Japan

Doctors don't promise cure with stem cell therapy

MANILA, Philippines Amid the recent warning issued by the Department of Health (DOH) regarding stem cell therapy, doctors who are offering the treatment in the Philippines clarified that they are not promising a cure.

We are very careful about claiming cure. These days ang dami nagsasalita, nawala ang sakit. All of a sudden siya (stem cell therapy) na yung magic bullet ng buong mundo, like if you get stem cell, you get cured, said Dr. Michelle de Vera, deputy director of the Institute of Personalized Molecular Medicine at The Medical City.

Kapag may narinig na ganyan dapat lalo silang mag-ingat. Cure is zero evidence of disease or kung genetic yung disease dapat napalitan yung genes mo. Hindi mangyayari yun at this point," he stressed.

De Vera, an allergologist and immunologist, does stem cell therapy on her patients at The Medical City but he said he believes that the DOH is right in warning patients on stem cell therapy.

Tama naman na magbigay sila ng warning,I think what their trying to do is regulate stem cell therapy, the doctor said.

Public advisory

The DOH recently came out with a public advisory on stem cell therapies saying that there is an "observed proliferation of centers offering stem cell treatments for medical and aesthetic purpose, and although this technology holds promise, stem cell therapy is not yet part of the standard of care and is considered an investigative procedure for compassionate use."

The DOH further stated that "applications of stem cells for the treatment of malignancies, blood disorders, degenerative diseases (e.g. Alzhimer's), metaboloc diseases (eg diabetes), and immune cell therapy are still under clinical evaluation and study."

I did not say it doesn't work but it takes a while, a lot of experiments and clinical studies before it is considered a standard of care in medicine, clarified Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona.

Ona also added in his statement that "the public is strongly advised to avoid stem cell therapies which use the following as sources for stem cells: embryonic stem cells, aborted fetuses, genetically-altered and animal fresh cells." Not from animals

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Doctors don't promise cure with stem cell therapy