KRİSTİN L GOLTRY, JON A ROWLEY, MARTİN C PETERS, ELMAR R BURCHARDT
Advances in Molecular Medicine - 2007;3(1):5-13
One approach to tissue regeneration involves expansion of a patient‘s own stem and progenitor cells outside of the body to generate a cell product with significantly increased numbers of highly functional early-stage cells. These autologous cell products can then be used for the repair or regeneration of multiple human tissues. Aastrom has developed a proprietary Tissue Repair Cell (TRCs) technology. TRCs are derived from a small amount of bone marrow, taken from a patient and expanded in culture to generate a unique cell mixture containing high doses of stem and progenitor cells. A proprietary cell manufacturing platform has been for TRCs which is closed, automated and GMP compliant. TRC-based products have been used to treat over 240 patients, and are currently in clinical trials for bone regeneration (osteonecrosis of the femoral head and long bone fractures) and vascular regeneration (critical limb ischemia) applications. Due to the high number of stem and progenitor cells contained in a small volume, the product seems particularly suitable for direct injection into remodeled myocardium. The first TRC applications in this setting are expected to start soon.
