Stem Cell Therapy for Stroke - Business Market Research Reports

Stem Cell Therapy for Stroke

Published Date : January 2010

Pages : 35

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Currently there is no effective therapeutic approach to reverse the brain damage caused by stroke because adult brain cells have limited ability for self-repair and spontaneous axonal regeneration.

At the first glance, the repair of human brain after stroke appears unrealistic as there is a loss of countless number of neurons and glial cells. The functional improvement after stroke requires neuro-restorative process that includes neurogenesis, angiogenesis and synaptic plasticity, or ability of the connection between two neurons to change its strength. Stem cell therapy has the potential to induce all three neuro-restorative processes and to facilitate functional recovery offering a new approach to regenerate damaged brain tissue in stroke patients.

However, in comparison to stem cell-based therapy for other indications, such as cardiac diseases, peripheral arterial disease, diabetes and even spinal cord injury, the number of preclinical research or clinical studies in patients with stroke is very limited. This is the reason that there is still uncertainty in selection of the best type of stem cells for cellular grafts in stroke, or understanding of mechanisms involved in functional recovery and structural reorganization of damaged brain.

When considering stem cell therapy for the treatment of stroke, it is important to remember that brain is a very complex structure containing a maze of various cells, neuronal extensions, electrical signals and chemical transmissions, presenting extremely difficult task for its regeneration and functional recovery.

To be efficient, stem cell-based therapies for stroke are expected to fulfill two goals: they have to provide better circulation in brain through angiogenesis or neoangiogenesis, and to regenerate lost brain tissue.

Stem Cell Therapy for Stroke report shows pipeline that contains only eight R & D products undergoing development by 11 companies. Out of eight products only one product is in Phase III clinical trials and for one product the Investigational New Drug (IND) application is approved. Further analysis reveals that this R & D pipeline is the most conservative when compared to stem cell therapeutic R & D pipelines for the treatment of cardiac diseases, peripheral arterial disease, diabetes and spinal cord injury.

The majority (87%) of stem cells used for the treatment of spinal cord injury are mesenchymal stem cells and mesenchymal-like stem cells, which are undifferentiated in 88% of those products. Autologus stem cells, obtained from patient’s own tissues are used only in 37% of all products and embryonic-derived stem cells were not used in any of products undergoing development for the treatment of stroke

Table of Contents :

1. Introduction.

1.1. Incidence, Prevalence and Healthcare Cost of Stroke

1.2. Brain and Brain Cells

1.2.1. Neurons

1.2.2. Oligodendrocytes, Astrocytes and Ependymal cells.

1.3 Blood Vessels of the Brain and Endothelial Cells

1.4. Brain Injury Caused by Stroke

1.5. Treatment of Brain Damage Caused by Stroke

2. Stem Cells

2. 1. Adult Stem Cells

2.1.1. Origin of Adult Stem Cells

2.1.2. Sources of Adult Stem Cells Used for the Treatment of Stroke

2.1.3. Generation of Neurons and Glial Cells from Adult Stem Cells

2.1.4. Neural Stem Cells

2.1.5. Neural Stem-Like Cells

2.1.6. Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs)

2.1.6.1. Criteria for Definition of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

2.1.7. Mesenchymal-Like Stem Cells

2.1.8. Endothelial Stem Cells

2.1.9. Advantages and Disadvantages of Adult Stem Cells for Therapeutic Applications

2.1.10. Manipulation of Adult Stem Cells Ex Vivo

2.1.10.1. Isolation of Adult Stem Cells

2.1.10.1.1. Isolation of Neural Stem Cells

2.1.10.2. Expansion of Adult Stem Cells in Vitro (Bioreactors)

2.1.10.2.1. Expansion of Adult Neural Stem Cells

2.1.10.3. Adult Stem Cell Differentiation in Vitro (Biochips)

2.1.10.3.1. Adult Neural Stem Cells Differentiation in Vitro

2.1.10.4. Stimulation of Adult Neural Stem Cells Differentiation in Vitro

2.1.10.5. Encapsulation of Adult Stem Cells

2.1.10.5.1. Encapsulation of Adult Neural Stem Cells

2.1.10.6. Cryopreservation of Adult Stem Cells

2.1.10.6.1. Cryopreservation of Adult Neural Stem Cells

2.1.11. Manipulation of Adult Stem Cells in Vivo

2.1.11.1. Activation of Dormant Adult Stem Cells in Vivo

2.1.11.1.1. Activation of Dormant Adult Neural and Ependymal Stem Cells in Vivo

2.1.11.2. Stimulation of Proliferation and Differentiation of Adult Stem Cells in Vivo

2.1.11.2.1. Stimulation of Proliferation and Differentiation of Adult Neural Stem Cells in Vivo

2.1.11.3. Mobilization of Adult Stem Cells in Vivo

2.1.11.3.1. Mobilization of Neural Stem Cells in Vivo

3. Embryonic Stem Cells

3.1. Advantages and Disadvantages of Embryonic Stem Cells for Therapeutic Use

3.2. Growth of Embryonic Stem Cells

3.3. Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells

3.4. Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells into Neurons and Glial Cells

4. Engineered Stem Cells.

4.1. Engineered Neural Stem Cells for the Treatment of Stroke

5. Stem Cell Therapy for Stroke

5.1. Types of Adult Stem Cell Transplantations for the Treatment of Stroke.

5.2. Survival of Stem Cell Transplanted Into Injured Brain After Stroke

5.2.1. Survival of Transplanted Neural Stem Cells

5.3. Treatment of Stroke with Undifferentiated Stem Cells

5.3.1. Undifferentiated Neural Stem Cells

5.3.2. Undifferentiated Mesenchymal Stem Cells

5.3.3. Undifferentiated Mesenchymal-Like Stem Cells

5.4. Treatment of Stroke with Differentiated Stem Cells

5.4.1. Differentiated Neural Stem Cells

5.5. Engineered Stem Cells for the Treatment of Stroke

5.5.1. Engineered Neural Stem Cells

5.5.2. Engineered Mesenchymal Stem Cells

5.6. Treatment of Stroke with Combination Stem Cell Therapies

5.6.1. Co-Transplantation of Neurotrophic Factors and Stem Cells

5.6.2. Co-Transplantation of Stem Cell Therapies

5.7. Types of Delivery of Stem Cells and Stem Cell-Derived Neural Cells for the Treatment of Stroke

5.7.1. Intravenous Infusion of Stem Cells

5.7.2. Direct Injection of Stem Cells into Brain

5.7.3. Local Implantation of Stem Cells via Scaffolds (Neuro-Scaffolds)

5.8. Potential Complications of Neural Stem Cell Transplantation

5.8.1. Tumor Formation

6. Pipeline Analysis

9. Companies and Investors

7. Expectations.

8. Product Profiles
9.1. Company Profiles

10. Conclusion

A. Photos

Photo 1. Oligodendrocyte. Transfected with GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein)

Photo 2. This is an astrocyte, labeled with GFAP (red), Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) green, and nuclear stain To-Pro (blue)

Photo 3. Two neurospheres, compact masses of neuron precursor cells, derived from human embryonic stem cells, as captured by a fluorescent microscope.

B. Illustrations