StemSave Blog

A major obstacle to successful bone marrow transplants (BMT) is rejection due to the age discrepancy of the donor and recipient, with older donors presenting problems due to the donor stem cells’ loss of efficacy with age. The older stem cells’ compromised ability to actively regenerate (given that older stem cells are less active than younger stem cells) increases the risk of age-related rejection significantly. In a groundbreaking study, researchers have discovered that the in-vitro (outside the body) introduction of young mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to aged donor hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) used for transplants resulted in the rejuvenation of the donor cells likely improving the efficacy of the transplant.

In a phase 1 clinical trial, a novel mesenchymal stem cell [MSCs] therapy was successfully applied to treat often fatal steroid resistant graft versus host disease [GVHD]. A significant concern with life-saving organ and bone marrow transplants is the risk of immune rejection. GVHD occurs when the transplanted immune cells attack the patient’s body, with patients typically suffering from painful ulcers all over the body, and in extreme cases, death. The therapy, created by Cynata Therapeutics, is called CYP-001, and utilizes mesenchymal stem cells [the same type of cells found in teeth] to treat steroid resistant GVHD. This treatment gives hope to thousands of patients around the world receiving bone marrow transplants and risking the extremely fatal immune response.