| 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. Disorders of the brain and nervous system are the most frequent health problems necessitating medical care in the Western world. More than 100 million people suffer from some disorder of the brain or nervous system. Brain-related disorders account for the majority of the industrialised world's long term care costs and, when combined with psychiatric disorders, account for more hospitalisation and prolonged care than almost all other diseases combined. Few effective treatments exist for central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Injury or disease of the CNS almost always results in some form of mental, physical or behavioural disability, occurring as a result of neuronal death, degeneration or dysfunction. Although there are billions of nerve cells in a human brain, the loss of as few as half a million cells in a critical brain region can lead to devastating symptoms. In most tissues and organs new cells are generated to replace those damaged by injury or disease. In contrast, the majority of neural cells are formed before or soon after birth and the differentiated cells of the adult central nervous system exhibit little or no ability to divide and generate new neural tissue. The permanent loss of neurones as a result of disease or injury results in neurological and psychological deficit manifested by disability. 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. |
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