| DESCRIPTION |
A number of conditions lead to death of brain cells. Cells may die gradually, as in neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and Alzheimer's disease, or abruptly in conditions such as stroke or cerebral palsy when the supply of oxygen to the brain is inadequate. Although there are billions of cells in the brain the selective loss of even half a million can give rise to serious problems. It seems that the brain has a relatively limited capacity to repair and cannot regenerate the lost cells or restoring the damaged circuits ('re-wiring'). Treatment alternatives for these diseases are limited and none are completely satisfactory. Alternative treatments are being developed to try and prevent brain cell death, to stimulate the growth of existing stem cells in the damaged brain, or, by novel cell-based therapies, to replace dead or diseased cells with cell transplants. Several types of cell are being studied in animals and human clinical trials. The cells used have either been of animal origin (xenografts) or of human origin (allografts). It is not clear which type of cell therapy will prove the best. Co. are developing specific types of cell lines - stem cell lines - from the brain. Stem cells are both able to make more of themselves (to self renew) and also to mature into both neurones and glia (the supporting cells of the brain). Stem cells have attracted a huge amount of scientific interest in the last two years and the discovery of various types of stem cell are considered by many to represent a significant scientific breakthrough with considerable scientific, medical and commercial potential. Evaluation of murine (mouse) brain cells indicates that these brain 'stem' cells, following transplantation into various in vivo models, have the ability to migrate to the site of brain damage, differentiate into both nerve cells (neurones) and the supporting cells of the brain (glia). Most importantly these cell have been shown to repair the functional problems caused by the damage. Co. has developed an understanding of the features of the mouse cells which allow them to repair and is using this knowledge to develop human cell lines. To date Co. has developed more that 100 cell lines from several brain regions and these lines are currently in pre-clinical testing. Co. believes that brain stem cells derived from different areas of the brain will be needed to repair the wide variety of neurological problems and plans to enter clinical trials with a number of human cell based products. |
| STATUS | Development |
| TECHNOLOGY |
Co.'s human brain stem cells are conditionally immortal cell lines. Each cell contains the c-Myc gene which allows the cells to divide indefinitely in the laboratory whilst remaining genetically normal. The activity of the c-Myc gene is switched on by the addition of a chemical to the cell growth medium. When the gene is switched on, the cells divide every 2-3 days to create the large numbers of cells required for transplantation. Removing this chemical stops the cells from dividing further and allows them to mature (differentiate) into the various types of cells normally found in the brain. Several million cells will be transplanted directly into the brain, close to the site of damage which is identified using modern brain-imaging technology. It is probable that the procedure will be performed under local anaesthetic and that major neurosurgery will not be required. Following implantation, the cells will cease to divide, will move into the site of damage and mature into the functional brain cells needed to repair the damage. For neural transplantation to provide a commercially viable cure for diseases of the central nervous system, these issues needed to be overcome. Co.’s approach is to develop stem cell lines in which a small starting sample of human foetal brain is sufficient to develop the huge numbers of cells required to treat hundreds or thousands of patients. The use of the c-Myc gene to immortalise the cells is a proprietary technology to which Co. holds an exclusive world-wide licence |
| UPDATE | 2003 |
| COMPANY | This data is not available for free |
|
Want more information ? Interested in the hidden information ? Click here and do your request. |