Category Archives: Stem Cell Treatment


ASCO: New CAR T Therapy Shortens Treatment Time for Leukemia – Mirage News

, 6507

Researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center presented positive clinical results from two studies today at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. The findings highlight strong remission and response rates and offer insights into improving treatment options for relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in older or chemotherapy-ineligible patients. Information on all ASCO Annual Meeting content from MD Anderson can be found at MDAnderson.org/ASCO.

Novel CAR T cell therapy obe-cel yields strong remission rates in adults with relapsed or refractory B-ALL (Abstract 6504)

The novel anti-CD19 autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy obecabtagene autoleucel (obe-cel) achieved durable remissions in 40% of patients with relapsed or refractory B-ALL without a subsequent stem cell transplant (SCT), according to results from the Phase Ib/II FELIX clinical trial presented today by Elias Jabbour, M.D., professor of Leukemia.

At a median follow-up of 21.5 months, these patients were in ongoing remission without SCT or other therapies. The 12-month event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 49.5% and 61%, respectively.

Eighteen percent of patients, all with no measurable residual disease, went on to receive a SCT after obe-cel infusion. Of these patients, 55% had persistent CAR T cells present prior to transplant. The median time to SCT was 101 days after treatment.

The median EFS and 12-month EFS rate were identical between those who did and did not receive a SCT, and similar findings were observed when researchers assessed for OS. These results suggest that SCTs did not offer additional value for these patients and that obe-cel could be considered as a standalone treatment, Jabbour explained.

"We observed that persistence of CAR T cells and B-cell aplasia both were associated with improved event-free survival in patients treated with obe-cel," Jabbour said. "These outcomes demonstrate a potential of a long-term plateau in the survival curve, which supports this therapy being considered as a standard-of-care for adults with relapsed or refractory B-ALL who currently have limited treatment options." B-cell aplasia occurs when anti-CD19 CAR T cells kill CD19-expressing B-lymphocytes causing a patient to have an extremely low B-cell count.

The open-label, multi-center, single-arm trial treated 127 adult patients with relapsed or refractory B-ALL with obe-cel. Trial participants had lymphodepletion, an important step that kills existing T-cells to create a blank slate for CAR T cell therapy, followed by obe-cel infusion in split doses on days one and 10. Side effects were consistent with previous studies, and no new adverse effects were identified.

The study was funded by Autolus Therapeutics. A complete list of collaborating authors and their disclosures can be found with the abstract here.

Shorter durations of venetoclax yields similar response rates in AML (Abstract 6507)

When combined with azacitidine, a 7-day course of venetoclax demonstrated similar remission rates and was more tolerable compared to the standard 28-day course for older or chemotherapy-ineligible patients with newly diagnosed AML. Results from the retrospective multi-center analysis were presented today by Alexandre Bazinet, M.D., assistant professor of Leukemia.

Both groups had a composite complete remission rate of 72%, and the median OS for the shorter duration cohort was 11.2 months compared with 10.1 months for the longer duration cohort. Interestingly, OS with standard dosing was longer in patients without high-risk mutations, suggesting these patients have a more "sensitive" leukemia that responds well to more venetoclax exposure. Additionally, the 8-week mortality rate was significantly higher in the 28-day treatment group compared to the 7-day group at 16% vs 6%, respectively.

"Our findings suggest shorter courses of venetoclax for the treatment of AML may help reduce side effects and improve patients' tolerability of treatment without compromising response rates," Bazinet said. "Older patients tend to experience more side effects and often have additional medical issues which increases the risk of serious complications. It's important to identify treatment options that can produce similar rates of remission and survival for these patients."

In a retrospective analysis, researchers compared data from 82 patients treated with the shorter 7-day venetoclax course to that of 166 patients treated with the current recommended 28-day course. Responses were slower with the 7-day course compared to the standard course, often requiring more than one cycle to achieve the first response. However, most patients eventually responded with added cycles, resulting in an equal composite complete remission rate between the cohorts.

Researchers observed a significantly lower need for platelet transfusions and lower early mortality in patients receiving the 7-day course, suggesting the shorter course was more tolerable.

The study supports use of shorter courses of venetoclax in triplet regimens such as those being developed by MD Anderson researchers to treat older or chemotherapy-ineligible patients.

A complete list of collaborating authors and their disclosures can be found with the abstract here.

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ASCO: New CAR T Therapy Shortens Treatment Time for Leukemia - Mirage News

WWE Star Set To Undergo Stem Cell Treatments on Back Injury – ComicBook.com

Shotzi, who has been rehabbing an ACL injury, is now set to undergo stem cell treatments.

Back in February, WWE superstar Shotzi was injured in an NXT title match against Lyra Valkyria at an NXT taping. The match was stopped so she could be attended to and it was later revealed that she ended up tearing her ACL. The injury will keep her on the shelf for nine months, but in the meantime, she's taking the time to heal nagging injuries that have bothered her for years.

"I tore my ACL which means I will be out of action for about 9 months," she wrote in a statement. "Thank you to everyone who has checked up on me. I am so sorry if I haven't responded. I am just extremely devastated and angry. Some of you know, I have been through a lot the last few years and it has been so hard to keep up with what I think is expected of me and honestly my mental health had been at an all time low."

This week, Shotzi took to her Instagram account to reveal that she will be getting stem cells in her back for an injury she says she suffered two and a half years ago. "In Mexico to finally get the stem cells I have been wanting since I hurt my back 2 and 1/2 years ago! Realizing that my knee injury is giving me the opportunity to finally heal my back has been a huge silver lining," she wrote. "Thank you @rejuvstem Thank you Universe. I am forever grateful. Here is to wrestling pain free when I come back! But first coconuts and cenotes!"

Back in December Shotzi and her partner tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Las Vegas ahead of a WWE live event. After their ceremony, Shotzi realized that she had to be at the show to wrestle but because she didn't have her gear she wrestled in her wedding dress instead. Prior to her injury, it seemed like former NXT Women's Tag Team Champion was finally beginning to regain some momentum in the women's division.

In 2022 she earned a title shot for the women's champion held by Ronda Rousey at the time but after her loss at Survivor Series that November, she was relatively absent from television. That was of course until she briefly paired up with Charlotte Flair on SmackDown before her unfortunate injury, joining forces with Flair, Bianca Belair and Becky Lynch for WarGames, which Lynch's team won.

Comicbook continues to wish Shotzi well in her recovery.

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WWE Star Set To Undergo Stem Cell Treatments on Back Injury - ComicBook.com

Aspen wins grant to advance stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease – Parkinson’s News Today

Aspen Neuroscience has been awarded an $8 million grant to advance the clinical development of ANPD001, its investigational stem cell therapy thats designed to replace dopamine-producing nerve cells lost in Parkinsons disease.

The grant, funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), will support the ongoing Phase 1/2a clinical trial thats evaluating the treatment in people with Parkinsons disease. The trial is assessing the use of patients own cells.

Providing patients in this study with dopamine neurons made from their own cells is a huge leap forward for personalized medicine, and has the potential to impact the entire field of neurodegenerative disorders, Damien McDevitt, PhD, Aspens president and CEO, said in a company press release.

This clinical award represents a significant step forward in the treatment landscape of Parkinsons disease by advancing individualized therapy, which has the potential to restore motor function in patients impacted by this devastating condition, said Abla Creasey, PhD, vice president of therapeutics development at CIRM.

Parkinsons is caused by the progressive dysfunction and death of neurons that produce dopamine, a major brain chemical messenger, in the nigrostriatal pathway, which includes the substantia nigra and the dorsal striatum, brain regions involved in motor control.

By the time of diagnosis, it is common for people with Parkinsons to have lost the majority of dopaminergic (DA) neurons, leading to progressive loss of motor and neurological function, said Edward Wirth III, MD, PhD, chief medical officer at Aspen.

ANPD001 uses induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), a type of stem cell that can generate nearly all types of cells in the body, including dopamine-producing neurons. The process involves collecting skin cells from a patient and reprogramming them in the lab as iPSCs.

After iPSCs differentiate into dopamine neuronal precursor cells using specific chemical or biological molecules, they are transplanted back to the patient, where they eventually mature into dopamine-producing neurons.

The main goal of the Phase 1/2a ASPIRO trial (NCT06344026) is to evaluate the long-term safety and tolerability of ANPD001 when transplanted at two escalating doses in people with moderate to severe Parkinsons, ages 50-70.

Secondary goals include increased on time, that is, periods when patients symptoms are well controlled by medication, reduced motor symptoms, and improvement in patients quality of life. Cell survival after the transplant will also be assessed, using imaging brain scans.

The study has completed enrollment, with the patients having been invited by the researchers in advance. The first patient was transplanted last month at the Banner-University Medical Center Tucson and patients will continue to be dosed this year, Wirth said.

The primary follow-up of the trial a year after the transplant should be completed next year and the treatments effects will be assessed for five years after the transplant. Long-term safety data will be evaluated annually for 10 more years via phone call.

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Aspen wins grant to advance stem cell therapy for Parkinson's disease - Parkinson's News Today

MVP Says He’s Getting Stem Cell Therapy, Wants To Wrestle ‘A Bit More’ Before He Retires – Yahoo Entertainment

MVP provides an update on his status and says he wants to wrestle a bit more before he retires.

In a post on Instagram, MVP revealed that he will be getting stem cell therapy in Mexico. He stated that he wanted to wrestle a bit more before he retires.

Im getting ready for my stem cell therapy trip to Mexico, MVP said. Getting my body ready. I want to wrestle a bit more before I hang them up for good!

In a video in the post, MVP said that he was two weeks out from making the trip. He noted that he was beat up, but he was looking forward to what would happen on the other side. The veteran stated that he had not officially retired yet, and he felt like he needed a few more matches before he hung up his boots.

MVP, a former WWE United States Champion, has not wrestled since 2022. He has mostly worked as a manager in recent years.

WrestleZone will provide more information as it becomes available.

RELATED: MVP Confirms He Hasnt Retired Yet

The post MVP Says Hes Getting Stem Cell Therapy, Wants To Wrestle A Bit More Before He Retires appeared first on Wrestlezone.

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MVP Says He's Getting Stem Cell Therapy, Wants To Wrestle 'A Bit More' Before He Retires - Yahoo Entertainment

Sketchy stem-cell treatments in Mexico led to drug-resistant infections – Livescience.com

Three people who traveled to Mexico for stem-cell injections that are not approved in the U.S. contracted difficult-to-treat, drug-resistant infections, a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Thursday (May 9).

The infections were caused by Mycobacterium abscessus, a bacterium that's distantly related to the ones behind tuberculosis and leprosy. The microbe commonly lurks in soil, water and dust, and it's known to sometimes contaminate medications and medical devices and thus cause infections in health care settings.

Symptoms can include boils and pus-filled bubbles, in the case of skin infections, as well as fever, chills and muscle aches, when soft-tissue infections occur. Sometimes, the bacteria can invade the bloodstream. Treating the infection involves removing infected tissues and draining pus from the body, as well as giving antibiotics for a prolonged period.

For a given patient, doctors may have to test different drugs against samples of bacteria from their body, in order to find the most lethal combination against the drug-resistant bug.

All three patients who got stem-cell injections in Mexico underwent the procedures in 2022, and as of March 2024, they were still being treated for M. abscessus infection in U.S. hospitals, according to the MMWR.

Related: Dangerous 'superbugs' are a growing threat, and antibiotics can't stop their rise. What can?

"Providers and public health agencies need to be aware of the risk for M. abscessus infections from stem cell treatments for indications not approved by the Food and Drug Administration and maintain vigilance for similar cases," the report's authors wrote. "They also are advised to provide guidance for persons considering medical tourism."

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The only stem-cell products currently approved in the U.S. contain precursors to different cells in the blood, and they're cleared to treat disorders that affect the production of blood.

The first of the three cases involved a Colorado woman in her 30s, who in October 2022 had traveled to Baja California to get stem-cell injections in the tissues that surround the brain and spinal cord.

The injections were reportedly intended to treat the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis, for which there are no approved stem-cell treatments in the U.S. After the injections, she developed headaches and fever, and at a hospital in the U.S., the fluid around her brain and spinal cord tested positive for M. abscessus. This indicated she had a serious infection called bacterial meningitis.

Two similar cases involved men in their 60s one from Arizona and one from Colorado. The Arizona man had developed an infection in his elbow after traveling to Baja California for treatment of psoriatic arthritis. He was treated at a different clinic than the Colorado woman was, and the clinics were 167 miles (269 kilometers) apart.

The Colorado man, meanwhile, had traveled to Guadalajara, Mexico, for treatment of osteoarthritis in his knees and then developed infections in both knees. The use of stem-cell injections for multiple sclerosis and arthritis are unproven, as potential stem-cell therapies for these conditions are still being investigated.

While treating the patients, a U.S. hospital obtained samples of the M. abscessus bacteria from the Colorado woman and Arizona man; samples from the Colorado man still need to be closely assessed, but they've been confirmed to be M. abscessus.

Genetic analyses revealed that the two patients' samples were a near-perfect match. Therefore, the investigators "suspect a common infected source" for these two patients, meaning the same products or equipment may have been contaminated in both cases.

However, authorities "attempted to contact clinics that performed the stem cell injections, but received no response," the MMWR notes, and "attempts to identify the product or gather details about its administration have been unsuccessful to date." Authorities in the U.S. and Mexico are continuing to investigate the three known cases and are looking for additional ones.

Medical tourism has been tied to M. abscessus infections in the past. For example, a Canadian man who underwent a hair transplant in Panama developed such an infection on his scalp. So these superbug infections can arise after both cosmetic procedures and therapies intended to treat disease.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.

Ever wonder why some people build muscle more easily than others or why freckles come out in the sun? Send us your questions about how the human body works to community@livescience.com with the subject line "Health Desk Q," and you may see your question answered on the website!

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Sketchy stem-cell treatments in Mexico led to drug-resistant infections - Livescience.com

Mikkael Lamoca receives Fulbright scholarship to complete cutting-edge STEM cell research – Rochester Institute of Technology

Conducting hands-on research was a hallmark of the time Mikkael Lamoca 24 (biomedical engineering), 24 MS (science, technology, and public policy) spent at RIT. A Fulbright award presents him a new opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research at one of the top universities in Asia.

Lamocas award will fund a 10-month research experience in the BioIonic Currents Electromagnetic Pulsing Systems (BICEPS) Laboratory at the National University of Singapore. He is one of a record six Fulbright U.S. Student awardees this year from RIT.

His research focuses on age-related neurodegeneration, which can be seen in Alzheimers disease, dementia, and other conditions. There is previous research regarding how STEM cell injections can help with these conditions, but, according to Lamoca, there is contradicting information and evidence which indicates this method may not be the best approach.

Instead, Lamoca will explore how magnetic stimulation can induce secretome production to achieve therapeutic neuroprotective effects.

One of the biggest reasons I wanted to work with this lab is that I would be the first person there to do this type of research on neuroprotection, and that I would have access to work with the labs patented technology. This lab established all of the processes for magnetically induced secretome production, so Im going to use their methods to see if it can be applied to neuroprotection efforts, said Lamoca.

When looking for co-op opportunities during his second year at RIT, Lamoca, from Santa Clara, Calif., was introduced to RITs Tissue Regeneration and Mechanobiology Laboratory, led by Professor Karin Wuertz-Kozak. His friend, Iskender Mambertkadyrov 24 (biomedical engineering), 24 MS (science, technology, and public policy), recommended that he inquire about available opportunities in the lab and Lamoca flourished from there.

Coming into my first year, I didnt know much about research. My co-op with Professor Wuertz-Kozak was the first time I really started to dive into it. She was my first mentor. Working in her lab is where my love of research started, and Ive been interested in doing more ever since, said Lamoca.

After completing his 10-month tenure at the BICEPS laboratory in Singapore, Lamoca hopes to continue his graduate education by earning a Doctorate of Medicine and of Philosophy (MD-Ph.D.) so can practice medicine while conducting research.

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Mikkael Lamoca receives Fulbright scholarship to complete cutting-edge STEM cell research - Rochester Institute of Technology

How Exosome Therapy Gave Me the Skin of My Younger Self – Vogue

I never received compliments on my skin until beginning exosome therapy last fall. A few months prior, at the recommendation of Chioma Nnadiformer editor of Vogue.com and current head of editorial content at British VogueI took a consultation visit with practitioner Dr. Akis Ntonos, FNP, ND.

At the time, tackling hyperpigmentation was my main concern, so Ntonos emphasized that our course of action would include alleviating breakouts, balancing my skin's oil production, and reducing pore size. It all started with an in-office chemical peel, then a stem cell microneedling treatment. A few days after our first visit, he called to check in and ask a question: Would I like to participate in an exclusive skin study on skincare's next big ingredient, exosomes?

I didn't really know what exosomes were or how it could help me achieve my skin goals. I had so many questions. Exosomes, Ntonos tells me, are small vehicles released by all cells, including stem cells. In simple terms, exosomes are messengers that carry essential information and factors from one cell to another. By delivering these nanoparticles directly to the skin, one could receive better results. Per Ntonos, exosomes are preferred over actual stem cell applications because they are less contentious as they do not involve whole cells, mitigating the concerns of potential rejection or other complications.

Ntonos explains that exosomes are desirable in the aesthetic would because they enhance the skin's regenerative processes, which results in a more youthful appearance and better outcomes post-treatment. This improves skin quality and appearance, making them ideal for anti-aging and skin rejuvenation treatments. Wrinkles, skin laxity, uneven skin tone, and textural irregularities are all concerns exosomes target; it may also help prevent scarring, improve the appearance of old scars, and potentially treat inflammatory skin conditions. There are even ongoing studies that exosomes can improve hair restoration.

In 2020, Resilille discovered how to harvest many exosomes from a single umbilical cord per batch. Or Age Zero exosomes, as they call them, are derived from Wharton Jelly stem cells which are known for their therapeutic qualities; and, thus primed to achieve an improvement in skin texture, firmness, pore size, and radiance per Resilille CEO Erin Crowley. This innovation helps the ingredients be readily available for aesthetic treatments.

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How Exosome Therapy Gave Me the Skin of My Younger Self - Vogue

Novel technology positions ‘off-the-shelf’ cancer immunotherapy for the clinic – UCLA Newsroom

Immunotherapies have revolutionized cancer treatment by harnessing the bodys own immune system to attack cancer cells and halt tumor growth. However, these therapies often need to be tailored to each individual patient, slowing down the treatment process and resulting in a hefty price tag that could soar well into the hundreds of thousands of dollars per patient.

To tackle these limitations, UCLA researchers have developed a new, clinically guided method to engineer more powerful immune cells called invariant natural killer T cells, or iNKT cells, that can be used for an off-the-shelf cancer immunotherapy in which immune cells from a single cord-blood donor can be used to treat multiple patients.

This novel technology, described in a study published by Nature Biotechnology, marks a major step toward enabling the mass production of cell therapies like CAR-T cell therapy, making these life-saving treatments more affordable and accessible to a broader range of patients.

The studys senior author,Lili Yang, a professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics and a member of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA and of theUCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, breaks down why this new system is poised to finally help a universal cell product advance to a clinical trial.

What are the key developments of this paper?

In 2021, our team reported amethod for producing large numbers of iNKT cellsusing blood stem cells. That system required the use of three-dimensional thymic organoids and supportive cells, which posed both a manufacturing and regulatory challenge that prevented that method from ever reaching clinical application.

Now, weve developed a technology that can produce large quantities of iNKT cells from blood stem cells in a feeder-free and serum-free manner. This update to the method eliminates the previous hurdles, bringing us closer than ever to delivering an off-the-shelf cancer immunotherapy to patients.

How did you reach these findings?

UCLA

Clockwise from top left: Senior author Lili Yang and co-first authors Yan-Ruide Li, Jiaji Yu and Yang Zhou.

Our team isolated the blood stem cells, which can self-replicate and produce all kinds of blood and immune cells, from 15 donor cord-blood samples representing diverse genetic backgrounds. We then genetically engineered each of those cells to develop into useful iNKT cells and estimate that one cord-blood donation can produce between 1,000 to 10,000 doses of a therapy making the system really well suited to create an off-the-shelf immunotherapy.

Next, our team equipped the iNKT cells with chimeric antigen receptors, or CARs, molecules that enable immune cells to recognize and kill a specific type of cancer, to target seven cancers that included both blood cancers and solid tumors. The CAR-iNKT cells showed a robust anti-tumor efficacy against all seven cancers, indicating their promising potential for treating a wide spectrum of cancers. Then in a multiple myeloma model, we demonstrated the CAR-iNKT cells ability to halt tumor growth without causing complications that can sometimes occur when donor cells are transplanted into a patient.

Why are iNKT cells so special?

We consider invariant natural killer T cells to be the special forces of the immune cells because theyre stronger and faster than conventional T cells and can attack tumors using multiple weapons. Its ideal to use iNKT cells as an off-the-self cancer immunotherapy because they dont carry the risk of graft-versus-host disease, a condition in which transplanted cells attack the recipients body and the reason most cell-based immunotherapies have to be created on a patient-specific basis.

What excites you about these developments?

No off-the-shelf cell therapy has ever been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. With this new technology, not only have we shown a high output of iNKT cells, but weve also proven that the CAR-equipped iNKT cells dont lose their tumor-fighting efficacy after being frozen and thawed, which is a key requirement for the widespread distribution of a universal cell product.

While CAR-T cell therapies have been a transformative treatment for certain blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, it has been challenging to develop a cancer immunotherapy for solid tumors. This is in part because solid tumors have an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, meaning the immune cell function is impaired in the environment. iNKT cells can change the tumor microenvironment by selectively and effectively depleting the most immunosuppressive cells in its surroundings giving them the unique opportunity to attack solid tumors. Were extremely excited that this technology has a potential broad application to target a range of blood cancers, solid tumors and other conditions such as autoimmune diseases.

Whats the biggest bottleneck in cancer immunotherapy?

The biggest bottleneck right now for immunotherapies, particularly cell therapies, is manufacturing. As of 2023, the FDA has approved six autologous CAR-T cell therapies with an average cost of around $300,000 per patient, per treatment. Using this novel technology to scale up iNKT cell production, theres a real possibility that the price per dose of immunotherapy can drop significantly to $5,000. By definition, an off-the-shelf product would be readily on hand in clinical settings, so my hope is that this new system will result in a reality where all patients who need the treatment will be able to receive it immediately.

What are the next steps in the study?

Our team is advancing this multiple myeloma model project into an IND-enabling study this year, which would result in a Phase 1, first-in-human clinical trial of this technology.

Since this flexible platform allows us to switch the CARs to target different cancers, our team has since adapted this same system to target ovarian cancer, one of the deadliest gynecologic cancers. This represents a big leap from targeting blood cancers to solid tumors, but were hopeful to bring this project to a clinical trial over the next couple of years.

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Novel technology positions 'off-the-shelf' cancer immunotherapy for the clinic - UCLA Newsroom

Colorado patients among those infected after stem-cell treatments in Mexico – 9News.com KUSA

The treatments were given at clinics in the Mexico border state of Baja California, according to the CDC report issued Thursday.

MEXICO CITY, Mexico The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventionissued a report Thursday about three cases of infections two of them in Colorado patients apparently linked to stem-cell treatments American patients received in Mexico.

The CDC issued the report Thursday on infections of Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM), which it described as difficult-to-treat and intrinsically drug-resistant and rapidly growing.

All three patients, two of them from Colorado, remain in treatment. The infections were apparently acquired during stem-cell injections carried out at two clinics in the Mexican border state of Baja California, located 167 miles apart.

In the past, Americans and Mexicans have been infected apparently because some doctors in Mexico were taking multiple doses of anesthetics from a single vial due to shortages or other problems, though it was not clear whether that was a possible cause in the most recent outbreak reported Thursday.

The first case was reported in late 2022, in a woman who had embryonic stem-cell treatment in October 2022 for multiple sclerosis. The woman from Colorado was in her 30s, and experienced headaches and fevers consistent with meningitis.

In spring 2023, two male patients in their 60s one from Colorado and one from Arizona were found to have infections in their joints after receiving stem-cell treatments in Baja California for forms of arthritis. The Colorado man developed knee infections after receiving stem-cell injections in both knees in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The CDC report said vigilance for similar cases and guidance for persons considering medical tourism are advised.

In the past, local problems with the availability of morphine and fentanyl led some anesthesiologists in Mexico to acquire their own supplies, carry the vials around with them and administer multiple doses from a single vial to conserve their supply.

In 2022, anesthetics contaminated by those practices caused a meningitis outbreak in the northern state of Durango that killed about three dozen people, many of whom were pregnant women given epidurals. Several Americans died because of a similar outbreak after having surgery at clinics in the Mexican border city of Matamoros in 2023.

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Colorado patients among those infected after stem-cell treatments in Mexico - 9News.com KUSA

Advances and challenges of the cell-based therapies among diabetic patients – Journal of Translational Medicine – Journal of Translational Medicine

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Advances and challenges of the cell-based therapies among diabetic patients - Journal of Translational Medicine - Journal of Translational Medicine