Mesoblast gets ethical backing for stem cell trial

Melbourne stem cell therapeutics developer Mesoblast (ASX:MSB) has received ethics approval to begin a Phase I human trial of its adult stem cell therapy for angina.

The human research ethics committee at Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital has supported Mesoblast's application to trial the therapy for severe, debilitating chest pain due to coronary artery disease that has been unresponsive other therapies.

The committee gave approval to Mesoblast to trial the therapy, which will employ adult mesenchymal stem cells, in up to 10 patients.

Mesoblast founder and chief scientific adviser, Prof Silviu Itescu, said the condition affects an estimated 200,000 patients annually in the US alone.

Itescu said the trial's approval was evidence for Mesoblast's rapid progress with its commercialisation program. He said the company was preparing further submissions to the ethics committee for trials in patients with various orthopaedic and cardiovascular diseases.

Adult mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into a range of cell types for in situ tissue repair or renewal applications, without inducing a rejection reaction from the recipient's immune system.

Mesenchymal stem cell therapies would avoid the necessity to use powerful immunosuppressive drugs that expose patients to an increased risk of infection and cancer.