Hadassah University Hospital and Hadasit, the technology transfer company of
Hadassah Medical Organization, announced that scientists at Hadassah University
Hospital have discovered a new application for human embryonic stem cells. They
have demonstrated for the first time that transplanted neural cells derived from
human embryonic stem cells can reduce the clinical symptoms in animals with a
form of multiple sclerosis.
The findings of the study are published in
an article titled "Neuroprotective Effect of Transplanted Human Embryonic Stem
Cell-Derived Neural Precursors in an Animal Model of Multiple Sclerosis" in the
Scientific Journal of PLoS One
, a new, high-impact, peer-reviewed,
open-access, online publication. Click here to access the article.
presented in the report are the result of a long-term collaboration between
Professor Tamir Ben Hur, director of the Neurological Department at Hadassah
Hospital and Professor Benjamin Reubinoff, director of the Human Embryonic Stem
Cell Research Center at Hadassah Hospital. Ms. Michal Aharonowiz and Dr. Ofira
Einstein both from Hadassah, as well as Professor Hans Lassmann from the
University of Vienna also contributed.
"Human embryonic stem
cell-derived neural precursors were transplanted into the brains of mice with an
experimental form of MS. The grafted human cells integrated in the mice brains
and migrated towards the sites of inflammation. They suppressed the inflammatory
process in the brain, and consequently protected the animals from demyelination
and nerve cell extension (axonal) injury, which are the pathological hallmarks
of MS," said Professor Benjamin Reubinoff.
Multiple sclerosis, the most
common cause of neurological disabilities in young adults, is caused by an
inflammatory reaction of the patient's own immune system against the myelin
sheath that envelops the nerve processes. The destruction of myelin leads to the
degeneration and loss of nerve cells and permanent neurological disabilities. MS
affects 2.5 million people worldwide.
"We believe that the encouraging
therapeutic effects in the rodent model of MS justify moving ahead to clinical
studies. We also anticipate that the anti-inflammatory effect demonstrated in
the pre-clinical study may be combined in the future with the use of other human
embryonic stem cell derived neural cells to repair the myelin in the brain,"
said Professor Reubinoff.
Cell Cure Neurosciences, a Hadasit BioHoldings
Ltd (TASE:HDST) company focused on the development of cells derived from human
embryonic stem cells for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, has
started a translational research program that will lead to clinical trials in MS
patients. The study will take place at the new Clinical Research Center at
Hadassah and is anticipated to start recruiting patients for baseline studies
within the next year.
Cell Cure Neurosciences CEO Charles Irving, PhD,
will be making a presentation on stem cell research in Israel at the upcoming
2008 World Stem Cell Summit in Madison, Wisconsin at the Alliant Energy Center
on September 22nd at 11 a.m. About Hadasit BioHoldings Ltd. and
Hadasit BioHoldings is the publicly traded subsidiary of
Hadasit, the Technology Transfer Company of Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO)
in Jerusalem, Israel, which promotes and commercializes HMO's continuously
generated intellectual property (IP) and R&D capabilities. IP generated by
HMO has already gained global recognition due to Hadasit's successful
enterprising of Hadassah's biomedical technology, including novel therapeutics,
diagnostics and devices. Hadasit BioHoldings Ltd.