Credit: AlphaMed Press
Durham, NC - A phase 2 clinical trial whose results were released today in
STEM CELLS Translational Medicine might point to a way to overcome bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a major cause of death in preterm infants. The study, conducted by researchers at Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University and Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital in Seoul, evaluates the effectiveness of treating these infants by transplanting umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSCs) directly into their tracheas.
Early results showed signs of improvement for the most immature infants included in the trial.
BPD is a serious breathing disorder in which the lungs do not develop normally. Most infants who develop BPD are born more than 10 weeks before their due date, weigh less than 2 pounds at birth, and have breathing problems. Infections that occur before or shortly after birth also can contribute to the disorder. Despite recent advances in neonatal medicine, BPD remains a major cause of mortality and long-term respiratory and neurologic problems in premature infants.