Methods and compositions for the repair and/or regeneration of damaged myocardium

Abstract

Methods, compositions, and kits for repairing damaged myocardium and / or myocardial cells including the administration of stem cells, such as adult stem cells, optionally with cytokines are disclosed and claimed.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS / PATENT & INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE[0001] This application claims priority from Provisional U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 60 / 221,902 filed Jul. 31, 2000, 60 / 258,564 filed Dec. 29, 2000 and 60 / 258,805 filed Jan. 2, 2001, and 60 / 295,807, 60 / 295,806, 60 / 295, 805, 60 / 295,804, and 60 / 295,803 filed Jun. 5, 2001.[0002] Each of the applications and patents cited in this text, including each of the foregoing cited applications, as well as each document or reference cited in each of the applications and patents (including during the prosecution of each issued patent; "application cited documents"), and each of the PCT and foreign applications or patents corresponding to and / or claiming priority from any of these applications and patents, and each of the documents cited or referenced in each of the application cited documents, are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. More generally, various documents or references are cited in this text, either in a Refer...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0037] It has surprisingly been found that the implantation of somatic stem cells into the myocardium surrounding an infarct following a myocardial infarction, migrate into the damaged area, where they differentiate into myocytes, endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells and then proliferate and form structures including myocardium, coronary arteries, arterioles, and capillaries, restoring the structural and functional integrity of the infarct.

[0038] It has also surprisingly been found that following a myocardial infarction, the administration of a cytokine to the patient, stimulates the patient's own stem cells, causing them to enter the blood stream and home to the infarcted area. It has also been found that once the cells home to the infarct, they migrate into the damaged tissue, where they differentiate into myocytes, endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells and then proliferate and form structures including myocardium, coronary arteries, arterioles and capillaries, restoring structural and functional integrity to the infracted area.

Problems solved by technology

Cardiovascular disease is a major health risk throughout the industrialized world.

Ischemia is a condition characterized by a lack of oxygen supply in tissues of organs due to inadequate perfusion.

Many medical interventions, such as the interruption of the flow of blood during bypass surgery, for example, also lead to ischemia.

Ischemia may occur in any organ, however, that is suffering a lack of oxygen supply.

Without adequate blood supply, the tissue becomes ischemic, leading to the death of myocytes and vascular structures.

These treatments may succeed in reestablishing the blood supply, however tissue damage that occurred before the reperfusion treatment began has been thought to be irreversible.

While the cells may survive after transplantation, they fail to reconstitute healthy myocardium and coronary vessels that are both functionally and structurally sound.

Once the cells have reached the blastula stage, the potential of the cells has lessened, with the cells still able to develop into any cell within the body, however they are unable to develop into the support tissues needed for development of an embryo.

Due to the regenerative properties of stem cells, they have been considered an untapped resource for potential engineering of tissues and organs.

Furthermore, at least certain of these patent documents fail to teach or suggest the present invention for additional reasons.

The source of the stem cells of interest is limited to the known precursors of the type of tissue for which regeneration is required.

Obtaining and purifying these specific cells can be extremely difficult, as there are often very few stem cells in a given tissue.

And, other of these patent documents utilize stem cells as the source of various chemical compositions, without utilizing their proliferative capabilities, and thereby fail to teach or suggest the invention.

Despite their relevance in other areas, these earlier studies do not describe any cellular transplantation technology that can be successfully applied to the heart, where the ability to replace damaged myocardium would have obvious clinical relevance.

Images