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Adult Stem Cells via Endoscopic Injections Can be Used to Treat Heart Failure
Nov 21, 2005 - 12:05:00 AM, Reviewed by: Dr. Rashmi Yadav
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�VesCell is also much easier to harvest because it only requires drawing a small amount of blood from the patient. It does not require a surgical procedure like bone marrow or muscle tissue.�
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By TheraVitae ,
Two leading cardiac surgeons in adult stem cell therapy for heart disease presented the use of adult stem cells via endoscopic injection to treat heart failure patients during their talks at the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Fall Education Meeting: �Synergy: Mechanical and Biological Cardiac Support - Recovery, Replacement, and Repair with Cellular Therapy.�
At the afternoon session on clinical cell therapies, Dr. Amit N. Patel, Director of Cardiac Stem Cell Therapies at The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), described the endoscopic injection procedure that is used to inject stem cells directly into the heart muscle. Dr. Kitipan V. Arom, Chief Cardiac Surgeon at Bangkok Heart Hospital, collaborated with Dr. Patel on the minimally invasive technique.
Dr. Arom followed up by presenting encouraging clinical results from a number of patients treated at Bangkok Heart Hospital using this procedure and VesCell� from TheraVitae�. VesCell is comprised of adult stem cells called Angiogenic Cell Precursors and is harvested from a small amount of the patient�s own blood.
Dr. Patel recently received approval from the US FDA to initiate clinical trials using adult stem cells derived from bone marrow to treat heart patients at UPMC. However, in Thailand, he has observed several of the procedures performed by Dr. Arom using VesCell. Dr. Patel believes that VesCell is as safe as cells taken directly from the patient�s bone marrow � and safer than cells derived from muscle tissue.
�The results are very promising and we don�t see the complications that we see with other cell types,� said Dr. Patel.
�VesCell is also much easier to harvest because it only requires drawing a small amount of blood from the patient. It does not require a surgical procedure like bone marrow or muscle tissue,� added Dr. Arom.
In the morning sessions on pre-clinical cell therapies, Ren-Ke Li, M.D., Professor of Surgery in the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the University of Toronto, discussed positive initial results from a myocardial ischemia model in rats performed with cells from TheraVitae.
About VesCell�
VesCell� uses a patient�s own adult stem cells to treat Heart Disease and is a viable alternative for patients who either cannot undergo or choose not to undergo standard treatments such as Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG).
VesCell� uses adult stem cells harvested from approximately � pint of the patients own blood to treat several heart conditions. Once harvested, the cells are differentiated and expanded in vitro into Angiogenic Cell Precursors at TheraVitae�s Labs in Israel. They are ready for implantation in about one week. 
- The findings were discussed at the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Fall Education Meeting: �Synergy: Mechanical and Biological Cardiac Support - Recovery, Replacement, and Repair with Cellular Therapy.�
http://www.vescell.com
Web Site: http://www.vescell.com
Blog: http://www.stem-cell-therapy.vescell.com
About TheraVitae
TheraVitae is a private, multinational company focused on using stem cells from the patient's own blood in order to treat a variety of disorders, especially cardiovascular diseases. The company has developed a proprietary stem cell technology called VesCell� that is currently being used by hospitals in Thailand to treat patients with heart disease. TheraVitae is based in Bangkok, Thailand, Kiryat Weizmann, Israel, and Hong Kong.
http://www.theravitae.com
About Bangkok Heart Hospital
Bangkok Heart Hospital (BHH) � the first private heart hospital in Thailand � is a leading institution in the treatment of cardiac-related disease using adult stem cells. The hospital is currently using TheraVitae�s VesCell� adult stem cell product to treat cardiomyopathy in no-option heart patients. Additionally, BHH has initiated a clinical trial using VesCell� in conjunction with Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABG) to treat congestive heart failure.
BHH is comprised of experienced adult & pediatric cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, cardiac anesthesiologists, cardiac rehabilitation physicians and radiologists who have trained and worked overseas in countries such as the United States, Australia and Japan. Their well-trained and experienced nurses, technicians and paramedical personnel provide 24-hour care for all cardiac conditions.
http://www.bangkokheart.com
TheraVitae Thailand
36/72 PS Tower, 21/Fl., Sukhumvit 21, Klongtoey Nua, Bangkok 10110
Phone: +662-664-4290/3
Fax: +662-664-42-89
Theravitae Israel
7 Pinhas Sapir Street P.O. Box 4049, Ness Ziona 74140, Israel
Phone: +972-8-9409170
Fax: +972-8-9409167
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