Abstract
Adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) continue to be evaluated for use in the treatment of patients with chronic heart failure, particularly in those refractory to, or not suitable for, currently available options. This population of cells has demonstrated the ability to facilitate wound repair through the restoration of blood flow in ischaemic conditions, reduction in inflammation and apoptosis, and regeneration of damaged tissue through stem cell differentiation into multiple cell lineages, including cardiac muscle. This approach is particularly useful in the repair or restoration of function to ischaemic tissues in patients where the body's natural repair mechanisms have failed or been exhausted, such as patients with non-revascularisable, refractory heart failure. The use of ADRCs for these patients has numerous advantages. Primarily, the cells are accessed from a patient's own tissue, minimising the risk of disease transmission or rejection. Further, the heterogeneity of the cells generates an orchestrated response that targets all phases of the wound healing process. Finally, the cells are readily accessible in real-time without the need for cell expansion, making it a virtually off-the-shelf therapy option. The Celution® System is a safe, GMP-compliant technology designed to automate the preparation of ADRCs at the patient's bedside. It has been clinically validated for safety and feasibility in two completed cardiac trials; one for acute myocardial infarction and the other for chronic myocardial ischaemia. It is being further evaluated in two ongoing clinical trials for the same indications. In this article, a summary of 18-month follow-up data using the Celution technology for the treatment of patients with non-revascularisable, symptomatic, ischaemic cardiomyopathy will be presented. While additional studies are planned to confirm the efficacy of these cells in the cardiac setting, early clinical data shows promising trends towards the improvement of cardiac function and mortality rate using a technology that can potentially significantly reduce treatment costs compared to the current standard-of-care.
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