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Public release date: 23-Aug-2011[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: George Stamatis
george.stamatis@uhhospitals.org
216-844-3667
University Hospitals Case Medical Center
New study is the first North American clinical trial to test adult mesenchymal stem cell transplantation as a new therapy for MS
A team of researchers at three landmark Cleveland institutions have come together to launch a new clinical trial of an experimental treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, and Case Western Reserve University are collaborating on a ground-breaking study that will test the feasibility and safety of using the body's own stem cells to treat MS.
In patients with MS, the immune system abnormally attacks the central nervous system, causing damage to the nerve cells and their protective myelin sheath. The body has mechanisms that attempt to repair this damage; however, in MS, the repair cannot keep pace with the ongoing damage.
The Phase 1 trial involves harvesting a patient's mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are primitive cells in the bone marrow, culturing them in a laboratory, and then injecting the MSCs intravenously back into the patient to see if the procedure is safe, decreases disease activity, and leads to improved repair.
The research team is headed up by Jeffrey Cohen, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic's Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research, and is funded by a $2.75 million, four-year grant from the United States Department of Defense and a $1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Cohen is Director of the Mellen Center's Experimental Therapeutics Program and Professor of Medicine (Neurology) in the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He has taken a lead role in a large number of MS clinical trials, including a Phase 3 trial that led to the recent approval of the first oral therapy for MS.
"Currently, there are eight medications approved to treat MS. They slow the disease but none of them reverses it. The hope is that mesenchymal stem cells will lessen ongoing damage caused by MS and promote repair," said Dr. Cohen. "We're taking a cautious approach, carefully monitoring for any unexpected side effects, as we look to see if MSC have the abilities that we anticipate."
MSCs have a wide range of effects that decrease the activity of immune cells while encouraging tissue repair, both of which may be beneficial in MS. In addition, in numerous laboratory studies, MSCs were able to migrate from the blood into areas of inflammation or injury in the nervous system and reduce damage probably by creating a tissue environment that encourages the body's intrinsic repair processes.
Study participants will be monitored very closely for six months after they receive the MSC transplantation, including physical exams, blood work, and other testing to determine whether the procedure is safe and well-tolerated. The research team will also monitor their disease status through quantitative neurologic exam, vision testing, advanced MRI, and optical coherence tomography of the retina prior to and for six months after MSC administration to evaluate whether the procedure impacts the activity or severity of each participant's MS. Finally, in collaboration with investigators at the Montreal Neurological Institute, the immunologic effects of MSCs will be comprehensively assessed, both in culture and in the patients.
Cleveland is one of only a handful of locations in the country where a research endeavor like this could be conducted because it is home to a "dream team" of clinical and research experts with strong collegial relationships; located less than two miles from each other:
They include:
- Cleveland Clinic's Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research, part of the Neurological Institute;
- University Hospitals (UH) Seidman Cancer Center Coleman Clinical Research Suite;
- Cellular Therapy Laboratory (CTL) based in the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine National Center for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM), a multi-institutional program comprised of investigators from Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, UH Case Medical Center, Athersys, Inc., and the Ohio State University.
The research process will involve:
- Baseline testing, including general and neurologic exams, vision testing, MRI, and optical coherence tomography, conducted at Cleveland Clinic's Mellen Center.
- Participants have their bone marrow aspirated from their hip in the Coleman Clinical Research Suite at UH Case Medical Center.
- The stem cells will be culture-expanded in the CTL in the NCRM then frozen.
- Participants then have their stem cells infused in the Mellen Center.
- Follow-up monitoring and testing will be done at the Mellen Center.
Dr. Cohen's study utilizes the CTL based in the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine NCRM, which is the only academic cleanroom facility for cellular therapy procedures in Northeast Ohio. The role of the CTL is to culture expand or "manufacture" the human MSCs for reinfusion into study subjects.
This study requires a specialized Class 10,000 cleanroom environment and uniquely qualified personnel because the study subject's marrow cells need to be grown ex vivo (outside of the body) for approximately a month to achieve an adequate number of MSCs. Once the desired dose is obtained, the cells are tested extensively to confirm they are viable and not contaminated to ensure safety, then cryopreserved. At a later date, they are transported to Mellen Center, carefully thawed, and infused intravenously. This type of cell manipulation is performed under the authority of the US Food and Drug Administration and must follow strict procedures, documentation, environmental and equipment monitoring, and quality assurance that is not feasible in a typical research lab.
The bone marrow harvesting is performed by physicians in the Coleman Clinical Research Suite in the UH Seidman Cancer Center (formerly known as the UH Ireland Cancer Center). UH Seidman Cancer Center is widely regarded as a pioneer in the field of hematopoietic (non-embryonic) stem cell transplantation, particularly in the development of MSCs to treat blood cancers. The first in-human trial of MSCs was published in 1995 by researchers from Case Western Reserve University and UH Seidman Cancer Center. Subsequently, UH Seidman Cancer Center conducted the first-in-humans trial of MSCs in autologous hematopoietic cell (blood/marrow) transplant (2000) and the first-in-humans trial of MSCs in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (2005).
Arnold Caplan, professor of biology at Case Western Reserve University who was involved in the first in-human trials of MSCs, and Robert Miller, a professor of neurology and associate dean for research at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, laid the groundwork for the current clinical trial. They discovered that in mice that have a form of MS, human MSCs promote healing of damage and protect against an autoimmune response. Drs. Caplan and Miller are members of the clinical trial's advisory committee.
Dr. Stanton Gerson, M.D., director of the UH Seidman Cancer Center and director of the National Center for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM), said, "This trial in MS is one of the most innovative trials of MSCs as it truly investigates both the clinical aspects as well as the science of what these cells do and how they may confer therapeutic benefit to recipients."
Dr. Gerson also added, "This trial is real joint venture. We have the experience of collecting, expanding, and infusing MSCs. Cleveland Clinic has extensive expertise in MS clinical trials using ultra-sophisticated imaging and other techniques. All three centers (Case Western Reserve, UH Case Medical Center, and Cleveland Clinic) have great basic neurologic science to understand what is happening with the cells and the patients."
The Phase 1 study, which will take two to three years to complete, will involve 24 patients with relapsing-remitting or progressive MS who have moderate to severe disability. If this trial demonstrates that MSC transplantation is safe, future studies will more definitively assess the efficacy of this therapy in MS. The study has already enrolled 4 patients, and the team expects to begin to report their initial findings over the next 1-2 years. More information on the study is available at www.clinicaltrials.gov.
###
About Cleveland Clinic
Celebrating its 90th anniversary, Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. It was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation's best hospitals in its annual "America's Best Hospitals" survey. About 2,800 full-time salaried physicians and researchers and 11,000 nurses represent 120 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic Health System includes a main campus near downtown Cleveland, nine community hospitals and 15 Family Health Centers in Northeast Ohio, Cleveland Clinic Florida, the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, Cleveland Clinic Canada, and opening in 2013, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. In 2010, there were 4 million visits throughout the Cleveland Clinic health system and 155,000 hospital admissions. Patients came for treatment from every state and from more than 100 countries. Visit us at www.clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at www.twitter.com/ClevelandClinic.
Cleveland Clinic News Service is available to provide video interviews and B-roll.
About University Hospitals
University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of hospitals, outpatient centers and primary care physicians. At the core of our health system is University Hospitals Case Medical Center. The primary affiliate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, University Hospitals Case Medical Center is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research centers of excellence in the nation and the world, including cancer, pediatrics, women's health, orthopedics and spine, radiology and radiation oncology, neurosurgery and neuroscience, cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, organ transplantation and human genetics. Its main campus includes the internationally celebrated UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, ranked among the top children's hospitals in the nation; UH MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women; and UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. For more information, go to www.uhhospitals.org.
About Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Founded in 1843, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine is the largest medical research institution in Ohio and is among the nation's top medical schools for research funding from the National Institutes of Health. The School of Medicine is recognized throughout the international medical community for outstanding achievements in teaching. The School's innovative and pioneering Western Reserve2 curriculum interweaves four themes--research and scholarship, clinical mastery, leadership, and civic professionalism--to prepare students for the practice of evidencebased medicine in the rapidly changing health care environment of the 21st century. Eleven Nobel Laureates have been affiliated with the school. Annually, the School of Medicine trains more than 800 M.D. and M.D./Ph.D. students and ranks in the top 25 among U.S. research-oriented medical schools as designated by U.S. News & World Report "Guide to Graduate Education."
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Public release date: 23-Aug-2011[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: George Stamatis
george.stamatis@uhhospitals.org
216-844-3667
University Hospitals Case Medical Center
New study is the first North American clinical trial to test adult mesenchymal stem cell transplantation as a new therapy for MS
A team of researchers at three landmark Cleveland institutions have come together to launch a new clinical trial of an experimental treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, and Case Western Reserve University are collaborating on a ground-breaking study that will test the feasibility and safety of using the body's own stem cells to treat MS.
In patients with MS, the immune system abnormally attacks the central nervous system, causing damage to the nerve cells and their protective myelin sheath. The body has mechanisms that attempt to repair this damage; however, in MS, the repair cannot keep pace with the ongoing damage.
The Phase 1 trial involves harvesting a patient's mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are primitive cells in the bone marrow, culturing them in a laboratory, and then injecting the MSCs intravenously back into the patient to see if the procedure is safe, decreases disease activity, and leads to improved repair.
The research team is headed up by Jeffrey Cohen, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic's Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research, and is funded by a $2.75 million, four-year grant from the United States Department of Defense and a $1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Cohen is Director of the Mellen Center's Experimental Therapeutics Program and Professor of Medicine (Neurology) in the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He has taken a lead role in a large number of MS clinical trials, including a Phase 3 trial that led to the recent approval of the first oral therapy for MS.
"Currently, there are eight medications approved to treat MS. They slow the disease but none of them reverses it. The hope is that mesenchymal stem cells will lessen ongoing damage caused by MS and promote repair," said Dr. Cohen. "We're taking a cautious approach, carefully monitoring for any unexpected side effects, as we look to see if MSC have the abilities that we anticipate."
MSCs have a wide range of effects that decrease the activity of immune cells while encouraging tissue repair, both of which may be beneficial in MS. In addition, in numerous laboratory studies, MSCs were able to migrate from the blood into areas of inflammation or injury in the nervous system and reduce damage probably by creating a tissue environment that encourages the body's intrinsic repair processes.
Study participants will be monitored very closely for six months after they receive the MSC transplantation, including physical exams, blood work, and other testing to determine whether the procedure is safe and well-tolerated. The research team will also monitor their disease status through quantitative neurologic exam, vision testing, advanced MRI, and optical coherence tomography of the retina prior to and for six months after MSC administration to evaluate whether the procedure impacts the activity or severity of each participant's MS. Finally, in collaboration with investigators at the Montreal Neurological Institute, the immunologic effects of MSCs will be comprehensively assessed, both in culture and in the patients.
Cleveland is one of only a handful of locations in the country where a research endeavor like this could be conducted because it is home to a "dream team" of clinical and research experts with strong collegial relationships; located less than two miles from each other:
They include:
- Cleveland Clinic's Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research, part of the Neurological Institute;
- University Hospitals (UH) Seidman Cancer Center Coleman Clinical Research Suite;
- Cellular Therapy Laboratory (CTL) based in the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine National Center for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM), a multi-institutional program comprised of investigators from Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, UH Case Medical Center, Athersys, Inc., and the Ohio State University.
The research process will involve:
- Baseline testing, including general and neurologic exams, vision testing, MRI, and optical coherence tomography, conducted at Cleveland Clinic's Mellen Center.
- Participants have their bone marrow aspirated from their hip in the Coleman Clinical Research Suite at UH Case Medical Center.
- The stem cells will be culture-expanded in the CTL in the NCRM then frozen.
- Participants then have their stem cells infused in the Mellen Center.
- Follow-up monitoring and testing will be done at the Mellen Center.
Dr. Cohen's study utilizes the CTL based in the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine NCRM, which is the only academic cleanroom facility for cellular therapy procedures in Northeast Ohio. The role of the CTL is to culture expand or "manufacture" the human MSCs for reinfusion into study subjects.
This study requires a specialized Class 10,000 cleanroom environment and uniquely qualified personnel because the study subject's marrow cells need to be grown ex vivo (outside of the body) for approximately a month to achieve an adequate number of MSCs. Once the desired dose is obtained, the cells are tested extensively to confirm they are viable and not contaminated to ensure safety, then cryopreserved. At a later date, they are transported to Mellen Center, carefully thawed, and infused intravenously. This type of cell manipulation is performed under the authority of the US Food and Drug Administration and must follow strict procedures, documentation, environmental and equipment monitoring, and quality assurance that is not feasible in a typical research lab.
The bone marrow harvesting is performed by physicians in the Coleman Clinical Research Suite in the UH Seidman Cancer Center (formerly known as the UH Ireland Cancer Center). UH Seidman Cancer Center is widely regarded as a pioneer in the field of hematopoietic (non-embryonic) stem cell transplantation, particularly in the development of MSCs to treat blood cancers. The first in-human trial of MSCs was published in 1995 by researchers from Case Western Reserve University and UH Seidman Cancer Center. Subsequently, UH Seidman Cancer Center conducted the first-in-humans trial of MSCs in autologous hematopoietic cell (blood/marrow) transplant (2000) and the first-in-humans trial of MSCs in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (2005).
Arnold Caplan, professor of biology at Case Western Reserve University who was involved in the first in-human trials of MSCs, and Robert Miller, a professor of neurology and associate dean for research at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, laid the groundwork for the current clinical trial. They discovered that in mice that have a form of MS, human MSCs promote healing of damage and protect against an autoimmune response. Drs. Caplan and Miller are members of the clinical trial's advisory committee.
Dr. Stanton Gerson, M.D., director of the UH Seidman Cancer Center and director of the National Center for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM), said, "This trial in MS is one of the most innovative trials of MSCs as it truly investigates both the clinical aspects as well as the science of what these cells do and how they may confer therapeutic benefit to recipients."
Dr. Gerson also added, "This trial is real joint venture. We have the experience of collecting, expanding, and infusing MSCs. Cleveland Clinic has extensive expertise in MS clinical trials using ultra-sophisticated imaging and other techniques. All three centers (Case Western Reserve, UH Case Medical Center, and Cleveland Clinic) have great basic neurologic science to understand what is happening with the cells and the patients."
The Phase 1 study, which will take two to three years to complete, will involve 24 patients with relapsing-remitting or progressive MS who have moderate to severe disability. If this trial demonstrates that MSC transplantation is safe, future studies will more definitively assess the efficacy of this therapy in MS. The study has already enrolled 4 patients, and the team expects to begin to report their initial findings over the next 1-2 years. More information on the study is available at www.clinicaltrials.gov.
###
About Cleveland Clinic
Celebrating its 90th anniversary, Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. It was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation's best hospitals in its annual "America's Best Hospitals" survey. About 2,800 full-time salaried physicians and researchers and 11,000 nurses represent 120 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic Health System includes a main campus near downtown Cleveland, nine community hospitals and 15 Family Health Centers in Northeast Ohio, Cleveland Clinic Florida, the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, Cleveland Clinic Canada, and opening in 2013, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. In 2010, there were 4 million visits throughout the Cleveland Clinic health system and 155,000 hospital admissions. Patients came for treatment from every state and from more than 100 countries. Visit us at www.clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at www.twitter.com/ClevelandClinic.
Cleveland Clinic News Service is available to provide video interviews and B-roll.
About University Hospitals
University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of hospitals, outpatient centers and primary care physicians. At the core of our health system is University Hospitals Case Medical Center. The primary affiliate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, University Hospitals Case Medical Center is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research centers of excellence in the nation and the world, including cancer, pediatrics, women's health, orthopedics and spine, radiology and radiation oncology, neurosurgery and neuroscience, cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, organ transplantation and human genetics. Its main campus includes the internationally celebrated UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, ranked among the top children's hospitals in the nation; UH MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women; and UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. For more information, go to www.uhhospitals.org.
About Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Founded in 1843, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine is the largest medical research institution in Ohio and is among the nation's top medical schools for research funding from the National Institutes of Health. The School of Medicine is recognized throughout the international medical community for outstanding achievements in teaching. The School's innovative and pioneering Western Reserve2 curriculum interweaves four themes--research and scholarship, clinical mastery, leadership, and civic professionalism--to prepare students for the practice of evidencebased medicine in the rapidly changing health care environment of the 21st century. Eleven Nobel Laureates have been affiliated with the school. Annually, the School of Medicine trains more than 800 M.D. and M.D./Ph.D. students and ranks in the top 25 among U.S. research-oriented medical schools as designated by U.S. News & World Report "Guide to Graduate Education."
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-08/uhcm-crc082311.php
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