Mesoblast MPCs may extend stroke treatment window

A preclinical trial of Mesoblast’s (ASX:MSB) adult stem cells suggests that use of the cells could significantly extend the window for treatment and improve recovery in stroke victims.

Results from the trial have been presented at Neuroscience 2013 in San Diego. They detail the effect of a single intravenous injection of Mesoblast’s proprietary mesenchymal precursor cells (MPCs) in a mouse model of stroke.

During the study, 72 adult male rats underwent permanent right middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) which resulted in focal right cerebral infarction and impairment of the contralateral sensorimotor function.

The rats were then injected with either 1 million MPCs or media alone at either 6, 12, 24 or 48 hours post MCAO or at seven days after the procedure.

Rats treated with MPCs demonstrated increased neuronal activity compared to controls. Those treated within two days all significantly improved forelimb and hindlimb recovery, and even the rats in the seven-day treatment group improved forelimb recovery and body swing compared to controls.

This is significant because the only currently approved treatments for ischemic strokes, thrombolytic agents, must be administered within three hours of the stroke. As a result, only around 3% of US stroke victims receive thrombolytic therapy.

“These exciting results suggest that our proprietary stem cells have the potential to be used within a broad and clinically meaningful therapeutic time window for neuroprotection and tissue repair after an ischemic stroke,” Mesoblast CEO Silviu Itescu explained.

Ischemic strokes are triggered by blood clots blocking the flow of blood to the brain, and thrombolytic agents are approved for lysis of clots.

Mesoblast first revealed last year that it plans to develop MPC-based treatments for stroke and other neurological conditions.

Mesoblast (ASX:MSB) shares were trading 0.16% lower at $6.26 as of around 1.30 pm on Tuesday.