Stem Cells for Heart Disease Featured in Newsweek

The most recent issue of Newsweek featured a cover story on stem cell therapy for heart disease.

The article does a good job summarizing the field.

Cardiologists who have performed the procedure in Europe, South America and Japan using adult human stem cells have reported Lazarus-like improvements in their patients, some of whom have even returned from near-permanent hospitalization to their previous, normal lives. In the last year the therapy has caught on in the United States, too, with similar early results. The Food and Drug Administration, at first wary, has started approving more trials (mostly using stem cells from patients' own bodies rather than controversial embryonic stem cells). In the next few years several hundred American patients who have run out of conventional options will enroll, their hopes renewed.

The author tries to make the issue controversial by saying the fact that there is not a consensus on why the therapy works.

The therapy's biggest boosters now argue that ultimately, it doesn't matter—the cells don't have to become muscle to give the heart another chance. They may reinvigorate old cells, act as beacons for growth factors or serve as midwives to the birth of new blood vessels. "They're probably doing a thousand different things," says Johns Hopkins cardiologist Joshua Hare, one of the field's pioneers.

The article does make one puzzling statement:

All these strategies, of course, rely on using stem cells from the patients themselves. There's a flaw with that approach, though: older patients' stem cells are not as robust and active as younger patients', but it's often the older patients who need the treatment the most.

The author does not cite who thinks this or why. It is certainly not something I have heard of!

Canadian duo dubbed fathers of stem cell research honoured with Lasker Award

Science involves a mixture of theory, creativity, experiment, and accident.
Stem cell research is no exception. Dr. Ernest McCulloch and James Till discovered stem cells nearly 40 years ago and are to receive the 2005 Lasker Award for basic medical research.

"We had switched the focus from what might they look like to what can they do," said Till. "That was, I believe, our major contribution, to say: 'Forget it. Who cares whether they're purple or not. Let's focus on what they can do.' "

"We used the results to make a definition of stem cells," added McCulloch.
"We said a stem cell had to have extensive growth potential - be able to grow through many cell-divisions - and secondly that it must be able to give rise to new stem cells - the process of self-renewal."

As well, these progenitor cells would have to have the power differentiate, giving rise to offspring of varying functions, such as oxygen-carrying red cells and disease-fighting white cells in the blood.

"So that out of the work came a functional definition of stem cells that I think holds true today," McCulloch said in his self-effacing, measured style.

It is wonderful to see McColloch and Till being honored for their work. But we should also remember all those researchers over the last 40 years who have brought us from McColloch and Till to where we are today, including our own research team in Israel.

Is stem cell therapy in Thailand gaining steam?

It was interesting today when reading through the daily on-line articles about stem cell therapy we came across a blog article about us!

The Methuselah Foundation, dedicated to research extending longevity pointed to TheraVitae's promotion of VesCell as great news that stem cell research is turning into treatment. However, we would like readers to note that Dr. Amir Patel has only acted for TheraVitae in a limited supervisory role, passing on techniques he helped develop to Thai cardiologists who work in conjunction with us.

It is interesting to note that TheraVitae is now pushing their VesCell brand of adult stem cell therapy for heart disease - with the procedures performed in Thailand - quite aggressively in the US. They've recruited Amit Patel, a researcher in the field involved in US trials of stem cell heart therapies, and are conducting a slick advertising campaign. This seems to me to be a step forward; private capital is now confident enough in stem cell medicine to be funding and marketing medical tourism to Asia in the US.

Given the choice between trying stem cell therapies overseas or the comparatively crude medical technologies generally available in the US, I know where I'd be heading if I had heart disease.

The Miracle Continues

Jeannine Lewis just got her three month check-up at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Jeannine received VesCell therapy in Bangkok in May 2005 via the direct injection technique pioneered by Dr. Amit Patel. Jeannine's rapid improvement in quality of life allowed her to return to work. So we hired her as a spokeswoman!

As I began to slide into the tomb-like MRI machine, all I could think about was the irony of the situation. My first encounter with the MRI this past May had been a terrifying experience. For someone who is seriously ill, any reminders of the grave can be frightening. I can remember the sense of panic washing over me and taking away my breath as the machine closed in around me. The only thing that saved me was constant, repetitive prayer. “Please, Lord, help me to be strong!”

That same prayer sustained me throughout my journey to health and recovery. I’ve known for twelve years that my heart would eventually wear out because of my Cardiomyopathy. I just never knew how hard it would be when the time came. I never knew how much I wanted to live until I took a serious look at dying.

Since my adult stem cell injection this past May in Bangkok, I have been anxiously awaiting proof to explain how well I’ve been feeling. There was a tiny part of me that feared I was dreaming and would be rudely awakened by reality. But deep down my faith wouldn’t allow me to be anything but positive.

The constant pressure I felt from others began the moment I arrived home. I was instantly bombarded by well-wishers asking, “Do you feel better yet?” I felt I had something to prove to everyone. Since few people really understood how sick I was, it was just as hard for them to comprehend the complexity of my healing process.

As time passed, I felt myself becoming stronger. With each new triumph I grew more confident in my faith and my stem cells. I was blessed with unending support and praise from TheraVitae and UPMC. It is my new friends who give me the courage to forge ahead on this great adventure.

So this brings me to the day of my three month check-up and my second encounter with the infamous MRI. This time I felt much more relaxed. My sense of impending doom had been left behind in Thailand. I was lying inside the machine, excited about receiving my results. I had a lot of time to reflect on my progress and my plans for the future. The future is a wonderful thing to have the privilege of pondering.

As I exited my “tomb” reborn to the world, I had the honor of finally meeting Ray and Jeannie Suiter. Ray had the stem cell injection in Thailand the day after me. However, he had been treated at a different hospital, and we never got the chance to meet.

What a meeting it was. It felt like seeing long-lost friends. Those of us who have been through this procedure seem to have a connection not easily expressed by words. We truly are the children of God, a family of souls related by a life-changing experience.

As Ray and his wife left we exchanged hugs and well wishes. I then had the opportunity to meet the others. I was first greeted by Joyce, a research assistant. Next came Sherrill, a nurse practitioner who was followed in by Lisa and Gwen from UPMC and Ron from the Wall Street Journal. We were finally joined by Guido and Tina, a couple from Los Angeles who are considering having the stem cell procedure.

While we waited for the MRI results, a doctor explained the video of my surgery and the details of the procedure to everyone. He then displayed the MRI pictures from May before showing the current MRI results allowing everyone to visually compare and contrast the images. Everyone was able to see my enlarged heart which had begun to crowd my left lung causing it to diminish in size and capacity.

After what seemed like an eternity, the new images popped up on the screen. What we saw was fascinating. The walls of my heart were now contracting with greater force. As the results came I saw that my Ejection Fraction had increased from 25-30% up to an amazing 41%. I almost started to cry. It was more than I ever imagined. Everyone was misty eyed and smiling. There was an energy in the room that was transcendent. I saw smiles and thumbs up coming from all around me.
I received hugs as I left the room to call my husband at work.

I was practically jumping up and down as I waited while the phone rang. When my husband, Tom, came to the phone I exclaimed, “I love you, my EF is 41%.” His first response was “WOW, that much. That’s great!” We both knew I felt better. We had gone into this hoping for some improvement never imaging we would receive the best case scenario. His next response of course was, “When can we have another baby?” However we have been advised to hold off on the baby making for the first year at least. After that time we can revisit the topic.

The next big moment comes in three months when I have my six month check up. The stem cells generally reach their maximum potential at the six month mark, so there is still room for improvement. I’m just glad I don’t have to get a defibrillator now. Anything else is just icing on the cake.

What an absolutely amazing adventure this has turned out to be. Don Margolis at TheraVitae has been a tremendous blessing to me. I consider him my guardian angel. Thedoctors are some of the most talented and caring I have ever met. It is my pleasure to know them all. I have so many new friends all around the world that I can’t begin to mention them all. My faith in the world has been restored along with my ailing heart. Who could ask for anything more!

No case is typical. You should not expect to experience these results. Jeannine Lewis became a paid employee of TheraVitae after undergoing VesCell treatment.

"Blythe woman’s trip to Bangkok repairs damaged heart"

VesCell Patient Dee Coats was featured in the Palo Verde Valley Times!

Read her story here: http://www.paloverdevalleytimes.com/main.asp?SectionID=24&SubSectionID=36&ArticleID=5579

You may have to "register" to read it, but it is a very short process that doesn't involve waiting for an email.

It sure is nice to see Dee's story get some press attention.

We expect to have another patient update for you this week.