Vass stamcellsforskning

PHI`s amerikanska partner Huntsman Cancer Institute har genomfört en remarkabel stamcellstransplantation tidigare aldrig skådad.

Från en avliden donator togs stamceller som sen ympades in i en cancersjuk människa. Ingen bortstötningsprocess har rapporterats. Blir denna transplantation lyckosam öppnas många dörrar för cancersjuka utan familjedonatorer eller närliggande.

First Successful Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant Using Deceased Donor in Blood Cancer Clinical Trial

For the first time ever, a patient has received an allogeneic stem cell transplant using a deceased donor graft as part of a blood cancer clinical trial at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah (the U).

An allogeneic transplant uses stem cells from a donor—rather than the patient themselves—to replace damaged or diseased bone marrow, offering potential new treatment possibilities for patients with blood cancers and other serious conditions.

In the approach being tested in the trial, stem cells are collected from the vertebral column of deceased individuals who previously consented to organ donation. This clinical trial uses an innovative method that relies on stem cell grafts from a bank of donated frozen stem cells. These pre-banked stem cells could reduce the need for time-consuming donor searches and potentially provide more timely access to transplants for eligible patients.

This investigational approach may streamline how stem cell grafts are obtained, helping to eliminate long waits and uncertainty around donor matching and collection. It offers a potential new option for patients who might otherwise face delays in receiving this treatment.

“We hope we have unlocked a resource that was previously untapped,” Patel adds. “By using the vertebral column’s rich supply of stem cells, we aim to preserve them for future use, improving the chances of finding a compatible match for more patients in need.”

The goal of this research is to find out if stem cell grafts from deceased donors can be a safe and effective option. This could help more patients get a stem cell transplant, especially those who don’t have a matching living donor. Another potential benefit is speed: Using deceased donor grafts might shorten the wait time for a transplant. This is important because some patients with high-risk diseases only stay in remission for a short time, and they need to receive a transplant before the disease comes back.

“We are not just treating disease; we are working to expand access and improve outcomes for patients in need. By removing barriers to stem cell transplants, we can close critical gaps in care, save more lives, and offer hope to those who thought they had none.”

Sagar Patel, MD