University of Utah Researchers Begin New Stem Cell Trial

Nov 18, 2008 by KCPW

(KCPW News) University of Utah researchers have begun a clinical trial to study the effects of injecting stem cells into patients to decrease the risk of heart failure. Dr. Amit Patel explains that bone marrow cells are drawn from a patient, grown in a culture, and then injected into the patient's heart.

"This is the first trial in the US where we are treating patients with normal blood vessels, and also patients with blockages, and that is where most of the stem cell trials are focused on. So that is why it is so significant in terms of trial design and the type of patients, and trying to be as less invasive as possible at the same time," Patel said.

Patel says a heart transplant is currently the only option for many people suffering from heart failure, but he hopes this trial will offer another solution. He's very optimistic about the future of stem cells in treating different types of organ failure.

"When we first started doing this 5 years ago, there were very few people who believed in it and now as we come up with better cell types, better delivery techniques there are over 300 patients in the US that have enrolled in different cardiovascular cell therapies," Patel said.

40 patients will participate in five locations nationwide, including the University of Utah. Half will have blockage in their heart vessels, and half will not.

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