EHSI applauds promising new stem cell treatment for Parkinson's

Feb 10 2011

Emerging Healthcare Solutions, Inc. (PinkSheets:EHSI) applauded a new study today revealing a promising new stem cell treatment for Parkinson's.

The exciting findings, published in the stem cell journal Rejuvenation Research, detailed the successful intranasal delivery of stem cells into the brains of rats with Parkinson's disease. The tests yielded significant improvement in motor function and reversed the characteristic dopamine deficiency of the disease.

The new study highlights the potential for a noninvasive approach to stem cell therapy delivery in Parkinson's, offering the promise of a safer alternative to surgical transplantation of stem cells.

In the study, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) delivered through the nose preferentially migrated to the brain and were able to survive for at least six months. Substantial improvement in motor function—up to 68 percent of normal—was reported in the MSC-treated rat model of Parkinson's disease. Levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine were significantly higher in affected rat brain regions exposed to MSCs compared to the non-treated brain regions.

The study's authors, based in Tübingen, Germany, explained that intranasal delivery of MSCs avoids the tissue trauma and related inflammation and brain swelling associated with surgical implantation of therapeutic stem cells. This new non-invasive delivery method could also make it possible to provide repeated stem cell treatments over time.

Emerging Healthcare Solutions keeps a close eye on stem cell research worldwide. Last month, EHSI acquired CelulasGenetica, a Central American leader in stem-cell technology acquisition and development. In November, Cindy Morrissey, President and CEO of EHSI, established EHSI business offices in Germany and Poland. Those offices will allow the company to maintain long-term relationships with some of the world's foremost stem-cell researchers and entrepreneurs based in Central and Western Europe, such as the authors of the Parkinson's study.

EHSI invests in technology developed to compete in the stem-cell research industry alongside Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NASDAQ:TEVA), Allergan, Inc. (NYSE:AGN), Smith & Nephew (NYSE:SNN) and Forest Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:FRX).