A U.S. biotech company will attempt to resurrect 20 brain-dead patients by a combination of novel therapies involving brain stem cells.
Bioquark, a biotechnology company based in Philadelphia, has just received an ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board of the country so it can perform its first proof of concept that humans who are declared dead, at least partly, can be brought back to life.
For the first part of its project called Reanima, the team will head to Anupam Hospital in Rudrapur, India, where they are expected to identify 20 patients who have already been declared as brain dead.
Brain death is actually a pretty complex subject. By definition, it refers to the absence of consciousness and inability to breathe due to the complete loss of function of the brain stem, the lowest section of the brain that regulates breathing, swallowing, blood pressure, and heartbeat.
A brain-dead patient may be connected to a ventilator to keep the body artificially oxygenated, but the loss of brain stem function is considered as permanent and irreversible.
The first stage of the project, which will focus on neuro-animation, aims to challenge that by using a combination of treatments.
"We are combining biologic regenerative medicine tools with other existing medical devices typically used for stimulation of the central nervous system, in patients with other severe disorders of consciousness," said Bioquark CEO Ira Pastor.
After they have obtained official confirmation that the recruits are truly brain dead, received permission from families, and considering there's no other factor such as religion that can affect organ donation, the team will proceed with the treatment administration.
Participants will receive stem cells biweekly, which may help reset brain stem, and peptide cocktails directly inserted into the spinal cord through a pump every day over the course of six weeks. They will also receive nerve stimulation and laser therapies.
For several months, the team will monitor the activity of the central nervous system of the patients, especially the upper region of the spinal cord, which may indicate any sign of life, such as the restoration of the ability to breathe independently. However, they hope to see improvements during the first three months.
The researchers believe the study can shed more light on the nature of brain death in humans.
"It will [also] have important connections to future therapeutic development for other severe disorders of consciousness," said company founder Dr. Sergei Paylian.
