Human clinical trials could begin as early as next year
A team of researchers at the University of Georgia’s Regenerative Bioscience Center and ArunA Biomedical, a UGA startup company, have developed a new treatment for stroke that reduces brain damage and accelerates the brain’s natural healing tendencies in animal models. They published their findings in the journal Translational Stroke Research.
The research team led by UGA professor Steven Stice and Nasrul Hoda of Augusta University created a treatment called AB126 using extracellular vesicles (EV), fluid-filled structures known as exosomes, which are generated from human neural stem cells.
Fully able to cloak itself within the bloodstream, this type of regenerative EV therapy appears to be the most promising in overcoming the limitations of many cell therapies—with the ability for exosomes to carry and deliver multiple doses—as well as the ability to store and administer treatment. Small in size, the tiny tubular shape of an exosome allows EV therapy to cross barriers that cells cannot.
“This is truly exciting evidence, because exosomes provide a stealth-like characteristic, invisible even to the body’s own defenses,” said Stice, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and D.W. Brooks Distinguished Professor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “When packaged with therapeutics, these treatments can actually change cell progression and improve functional recovery.”
Following the administration of AB126, the researchers used MRI scans to measure brain atrophy rates in preclinical, age-matched stroke models, which showed an approximately 35 percent decrease in the size of injury and 50 percent reduction in brain tissue loss—something not observed acutely in previous studies of exosome treatment for stroke.
Outside of rodents, the results were replicated by Franklin West, associate professor of animal and dairy science, and fellow RBC members using a porcine model of stroke—the only one of its kind in the U.S.
Based on these pre-clinical results, ArunA Biomedical plans to begin human studies in 2019, said Stice, who is also chief scientific officer of ArunA Biomedical.
“Until now, we had very little evidence specific to neural exosome treatment and the ability to improve motor function,” said Stice. “Just days after stroke, we saw better mobility, improved balance and measurable behavioral benefits in treated animal models.”
Named as part of the ‘stroke belt’ region, Georgia continues to exceed the national average in stroke deaths, which is the third leading cause of death in the U.S., with more than 140,000 Americans dying each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
ArunA recently unveiled advances to the company’s proprietary neural cell platform for the production of exosome manufacturing. Today, ArunA’s manufacturing process positions the company to produce AB126 exosomes at a scale to meet early clinical demand. The company has plans to expand this initiative beyond stroke for preclinical studies in epilepsy, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries later this year.
Learn more: Stem-cell based stroke treatment repairs brain tissue
The Latest on: Stroke treatment
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Stroke treatment” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Stroke treatment
- DC Council Member Vincent Gray in Recovery After Second Stroke, Not Seeking Reelectionon May 18, 2024 at 10:14 am
Vincent Gray suffers a second stroke, forgoing reelection, yet maintains his DC Council duties as Ward 7 candidates gear up for his seat.
- Fit and Well: Stroke Awareness Monthon May 17, 2024 at 3:28 pm
The month of May is Stroke Awareness Month, a time to stress the importance of stroke recognition and immediate treatment.
- Ward 7 D.C. Council member Vincent Gray had another stroke, his office sayson May 17, 2024 at 1:33 pm
D.C. Council member Vince Gray (D-Ward 7) experienced another stroke in late April and has since remained in inpatient physical therapy, according to his office. The council member and former mayor is ...
- Ambulance blood pressure treatment benefits hemorrhagic stroke patients, study findson May 17, 2024 at 11:24 am
Early identification of stroke type could be key to harnessing the benefits of very early in-ambulance blood pressure lowering treatment in patients with suspected acute stroke, according to new ...
- New Data to Change Practice on BP Control in Acute Stroke: INTERACT4on May 17, 2024 at 7:50 am
The INTERACT4 trial showed that early reduction of blood pressure is beneficial in patients with hemorrhagic stroke but detrimental in those with ischemic stroke.
- Rapid stroke diagnostic could revolutionize outcomeson May 16, 2024 at 5:00 pm
A new diagnostic method could dramatically reduce the time to treatment for LVO stroke patients. Recent research led by a team at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (MA, USA) has developed a new diagnostic ...
- Stroke survivor helps other patients get through treatmenton May 16, 2024 at 5:54 am
Baske is also a stroke survivor who understands how terrifying getting an MRI or CT scan for the first time can be. "It's kind of nice to hold peoples' hands through the process," he said. Johnson ...
- It’s World Stroke Thrombectomy Day, A Neurologist Explains What That Meanson May 15, 2024 at 8:55 pm
May 15, 2024 is Stroke Thrombectomy Awareness Day. getty. World Stroke Thrombectomy Day raises awareness of a game-changing treatment, mechanical Thrombectomy, that saves lives an ...
- Very early blood pressure control confers both benefits and harms in acute strokeon May 15, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Early identification of stroke type could be key to harnessing the benefits of very early in-ambulance blood pressure lowering treatment in patients with suspected acute stroke, according to new ...
- New Study Shows Brainomix 360 AI Transforms Stroke Treatment in Englandon May 15, 2024 at 6:46 am
Results from the largest prospective study of stroke AI software were presented today at the European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC) in Basel, showing that the implementation of Brainomix 360 ...
via Bing News