CIinical Trials for Cell Based Therapies in Stroke
World Leaders Gather in Washington D.C.
A stroke leaves a permanent gap in the brain that can destroy a person's ability to speak and move normally. The good news? This may not have to be permanent in the not too distant future. Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), said it best in 2010,
"The possibility of using these cells to replace those that have been damaged by disease or injury is one of the most breathtaking advances we can envision."
This month I was invited to attend a historic conference that brought together industry leaders, research investigators, and members of the NIH and FDA into a single forum to discuss cell-based therapies in stroke.
Dr. Sean Savitz, conference program director and Director of Cellular Therapy and Translational Stroke Research at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, welcomed a prestigious, multidisciplinary group from around the globe to a unique conference held in Washington D.C., December 3-4. The conference was called "Enhancing the Development of Clinical Trials for Cell-Based Therapies in Stroke."
Upon return, I came across an article on the NIH website published recently in Stem Cells Translational Medicine that I think echoes the spirit of the meeting very eloquently.
"From our vantage point, it appears that the field of regenerative medicine has moved out of the rocky shallows and is rapidly sailing towards the therapeutic mainstream."
My review of the meeting from an advocate's perspective...
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