ViaCell's stem cells may regenerate damaged heart tissue, animal study shows

By Angela McDaniels

Seattle, March 13 - ViaCell Inc. said preclinical findings found that unrestricted somatic stem cells showed a dose-dependent response and resulted in functional recovery in an animal model of acute myocardial infarction four weeks after transplantation.

"Through our work with ViaCell evaluating their proprietary unrestricted somatic stem cells, we are encouraged about the potential these cells may have to regenerate damaged heart tissue," researcher Takayuki Asahara of the Kobe Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation said in a company news release.

The primary goal of the study was to determine if the stem cells would lead to functional improvement after a heart attack in animals. The stem cells were implanted 20 minutes after an acute myocardial infarction was induced by ligating one of the coronary arteries.

ViaCell said that key research findings showed engraftment of the stem cells in the infarct region and a dose-dependent improvement of heart function conferred, whereas human skin fibroblasts did not induce any improvement.

The findings were presented on Monday by Hiroto Iwasaki of the Kobe Institute of Biomedical Research at the American College of Cardiology 55th Annual Scientific Session being held in Atlanta.

"We are encouraged with these research findings and intend to advance this program further in preclinical testing to determine optimal dosing, delivery and targeting of unrestricted somatic stem cells as a treatment for cardiac disease," Stephan Wnendt, ViaCell's senior vice president of research and development, said in the release.

If the preclinical data support further development, ViaCell said it expects to file an Investigational New Drug application to begin human clinical trials of the stem cells in the cardiac area in late 2006 or early 2007.

Unrestricted somatic stem cells are a pluripotent source of stem cells cultivated from human cord blood mononuclear cells. These cells have the ability to differentiate into many cell types including endothelial cells, fat, bone, cartilage and neuronal cells under specified in vitro culture conditions.

ViaCell is a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Mass., that is developing a pipeline of proprietary stem cell product candidates intended to address cancer, cardiac disease and diabetes.

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