Latest developments in the field of stem cell research and regenerative medicine compiled from publicly available information and press releases from non-academic institutions in April 2023.
Latest developments in the field of stem cell research and regenerative medicine compiled from publicly available information and press releases from non-academic institutions in April 2023.
New developments in additive manufacturing and regenerative medicine have the potential to radically disrupt the traditional pipelines of therapy development and medical device manufacture. These technologies present a challenge for regulators because traditional regulatory frameworks are designed for mass manufactured therapies, rather than bespoke solutions. 3D bioprinting technologies present another dimension of complexity through the inclusion of living cells in the fabrication process. Herein we overview the challenge of regulating 3D bioprinting in comparison to existing cell therapy products as well as custom-made 3D printed medical devices. We consider a range of specific challenges pertaining to 3D bioprinting in regenerative medicine, including classification, risk, standardization and quality control, as well as technical issues related to the manufacturing process and the incorporated materials and cells.
Aim: This study aimed to identify the elements involved in the transportation of cell therapy products by conducting a comparative analysis of four related international standards for temperature-controlled delivery and good distribution practice (GDP). Methods: An analytical framework was constructed to cover the entire transportation process. The descriptions of each element in the Pharmaceutical Inspection Convention and Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S) GDP, International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 21973, Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy Common Standards for Cellular Therapies and ISO 23412 were compared. Results: The study identified some elements that were present in the PIC/S GDP and other standards but were absent in ISO 21973, and vice versa. These elements are crucial in view of the increasing opportunities to transport allogeneic cells in the future. Conclusion: The study identified the necessary elements that should be included in the development of transport regulations for cell therapy products.
Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM) as an emerging field is a multidisciplinary science and combines basic sciences such as biomaterials science, biology, genetics and medical sciences to achieve functional TERM-based products to regenerate or replace damaged or diseased tissues or organs. Probiotics are useful microorganisms which have multiple effective functions on human health. They have some immunomodulatory and biocompatibility effects and improve wound healing. In this article, we describe the latest findings on probiotics and their pro-healing properties on various body systems that are useable in regenerative medicine. Therefore, this review presents a new perspective on the therapeutic potential of probiotics for TERM.
Aim: Volumetric muscle loss (VML) is a composite loss of skeletal muscle, which heals with fibrosis, minimal muscle regeneration, and incomplete functional recovery. This study investigated whether collagen-glycosaminoglycan scaffolds (CGS) improve functional recovery following VML. Methods: 15 Sprague-Dawley rats underwent either sham injury or bilateral tibialis anterior (TA) VML injury, with or without CGS implantation. Results: In rats with VML injuries treated with CGS, the TA exhibited greater in vivo tetanic forces and in situ twitch and tetanic dorsiflexion forces compared with those in the non-CGS group at 4- and 6-weeks following injury, respectively. Histologically, the VML with CGS group demonstrated reduced fibrosis and increased muscle regeneration. Conclusion: Taken together, CGS implantation has potential augment muscle recovery following VML.
Aim: This study aimed to assess the effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft healing at graft tunnel interface and ACL graft 6 months post-reconstruction. Material & methods: A randomized trial involving 87 patients was conducted, dividing them into PRP and non-PRP groups. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional outcome measures were used to evaluate graft healing. Results: Out of the 87 patients, 80 were analyzed. The PRP group exhibited superior clinical and radiological outcomes compared with the non-PRP group, as indicated by Figueroas score, Lysholm score and knee range of motion. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that PRP can be used as an adjunct therapy for ACL reconstruction, enhancing graft healing and improving patient outcomes. CTRI approval (Reg. No - CTRI/2018/11/016263).
Aim: To explore the effect of miR-125b-5p/nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFAT2)/F2RL2 on myocardial infarction (MI). Method: After establishment of MI mouse model and oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD)-induced cell model, the effects of NFAT2 on the process of MI were observed, the effects of miR-125b-5p/NFAT2/F2RL2 on the cell viability, apoptosis, and inflammatory factors levels were determined. Result: NFAT2 silencing relieved MI and inhibited the inflammation in MI model mice. In OGD-induced human coronary artery endothelial cells and human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells, miR-125b-5p enhanced cell viability, yet repressed cell apoptosis and inflammatory factors and NFAT2 levels. NFAT2 overexpression reversed the effects of miR-125b-5p, while F2RL2 silencing offset the effects of NFAT2 overexpression. Conclusion: MiR-125b-5p alleviates MI injury by inhibiting NFAT2 level to reduce F2RL2 expression.
Latest developments in the field of stem cell research and regenerative medicine compiled from publicly available information and press releases from non-academic institutions in March 2023.
This article discusses the difficulties of establishing whether there exists a proven therapeutic intervention when regenerative experimental treatments are made accessible to patients under conditional approval programs (outside clinical trials). Conditional approvals are often made on the basis of less robust efficacy evidence than otherwise required for the registration of new treatments. Lower quality of evidence affects the ethical justification of using a placebo-control design. The absence of a proven intervention is important in evaluating whether it is ethically justifiable to use such a design in a clinical trial and is present in major ethical guidelines. The main argument in this paper is that conditionally approved therapies, if referred to as 'proven interventions', would make placebo-control design ethically unjustifiable. Conducting rigorous clinical trials after conditional approvals is crucial to establish the efficacy of therapeutic approaches under such approvals. Hindrances to running such trials and generating further efficacy evidence are brought to attention.