Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that afflicts an estimated 1.5 million adults in the United States, causing swelling in the joints, stiffness and pain.
Efforts to find effective treatment against rheumatoid arthritis are urgent. This long-term disease causes the body to attack its own tissues, which may lead to premature death and increased risk for heart disease.
A new stem cell treatment developed by an Australian biotech company shows promising results in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
If successful, the treatment may change the lives of patients who suffer from the debilitating disease.
Mesoblast Stem Cell Treatment
During the 12-week phase 2 clinical trial, 48 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis received an infusion of the new stem cell treatment developed by Australian biotech Mesoblast.
Researchers found that a single intravenous infusion of the mesenchymal precursor cell or MPC-300-IV treatment is effective against rheumatoid arthritis.
MPC-300-IV alleviated symptoms and improved the physical function and disease activity in patients. It also did not show any serious side effects or infusion-related adverse events.
In order to determine whether the stem cell treatment is efficient, it has to achieve a 20 percent relief of signs and symptoms among patients — a measure that is called ACR20.
Among patients who were treated with at least one biological drug, 55 percent of them achieved the ACR20. These patients received an infusion of 2 million cells per kilogram of body weight. Meanwhile, 33 percent in the placebo group achieved the ACR20.
The higher level of measure, which is called ACR70, takes into account a 70 percent improvement in signs and symptoms. In the end, 36 percent of patients who received one infusion of MPC-300-IV achieved ACR70 compared with no patients at all in the placebo group.
Promising New Treatment
Silviu Itescu, CEO of Mesoblast, believes the findings of the clinical trial support the potential of the allogenic cell therapy to be considered as the first-line treatment option for rheumatoid arthritis patients. He says the treatment is well-positioned to progress through a planned partnership into development.
Dr. Allan Gibofsky, a professor from Weill Cornell Medical College, says the findings of the clinical trial are very encouraging. Indeed, Gibofsky says the cell treatment can potentially fill a major unmet medical need for people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.
Mesoblast, which contains 14.6 percent shares owned by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, is planning to line up a partnership to help move the stem cell treatment into large-scale phase 3 clinical trials, according to Reuters. In order to compete with current treatments, the Mesoblast therapy must address both the progression of the disease and pain.
Photo: Emanuele Longo | Flickr
