The first patient has undergone stem cell transplant treatment in the third cohort of a Phase I clinical study of the experimental treatment ISC-hpNSC for Parkinson’s disease. The full article can be read here, at Globe Newswire.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disease that affects approximately one in 500 people. Common symptoms of the condition are tremors (involuntary shaking), stiff and inflexible muscles, and slow movements. However, people may also experience other symptoms including balance issues, depression, anxiety, sleeping problems, memory problems, and a loss of sense of smell. The condition is caused by a decrease in nerve cells in a region of the brain called the substantia nigra, which leads to a reduction in dopamine levels.

The experimental stem cell treatment ISC-hpNSC, owned by the International Stem Cell Corporation, uses neural stem cells to support neurones linked to dopamine in the brain. It has been tested on non-human animal models of Parkinson’s disease, and the results showed an improvement in some symptoms and increased levels of dopamine in the brain. It is administered through an intracranial transplant.

Following these results, a Phase I clinical study was initiated. It is a dose escalation study that evaluates three dosing regimes between 30,000,000 to 70,000,000 neural cells. Twelve participants with moderate-to-severe Parkinson’s disease are taking part in the study, which will evaluate the safety and effects of the potential treatment. The patients will be monitored for one year and then followed up for another five years.

As of now, the four patients who were part of the first cohort are in the follow-up phase, and three patients in the second cohort have been evaluated at the six-month point. The first patient from the third cohort has just successfully undergone the transplant; this group is being given the highest dosage in the study.

So far, the announced interim results from the study are encouraging. Amongst other outcomes, all patients retained or improved their cognitive abilities, and the average improvement on the cognitive impairment dimension of the PDQ-39 was 14%.

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