A pioneering clinical trial to inject foetal stem cells into the brains of patients disabled by stroke has been approved to progress to the next stage after the treatment brought up no safety concerns in the first 3 candidates.

A pioneering clinical trial to inject foetal stem cells into the brains of patients disabled by stroke has been approved to progress to the next stage after the treatment brought up no safety concerns in the first 3 candidates. ReNeuron, the British biotech behind the trial, said the independent Data Safety Monitoring Board had analysed the safety data from its ReN001 stem cell therapy and recommended that the trial progress to a higher dose.

The procedure involves injecting ReNeuron’s neural stem cells into patients’ brains with the aim of repairing areas damaged by stroke, thereby improving physical and mental function. It uses stem cells derived from human fetuses rather than embryos. ReNeuron’s chief executive Michael Hunt said the approval was an important landmark, and the preliminary data also supported the group’s other therapeutic programs using the neural stem cell line upon which the ReN001 stroke treatment was founded. ~ Reuters, Sep 1

Pioneering UK stem cell trial passes safety test
Jared Yee
stem cells
UK