Human trials of stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis in offing

LONDON - British scientists are close to carrying out human trials of a pioneering stem cell therapy to treat osteoarthritis, which currently afflicts more than eight million Britons.

The disease gradually wears down the cartilage in between bones, causing excruciating pain and stiffness. In severe cases, the cartilage becomes so thin that the ends of the bone rub against each other causing them to be deformed.

There is currently no cure and patients generally take painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs to control their symptoms. In many cases, it results in hip and knee replacement surgeries.

The scientists, from the University of Keele, plan to carry out the first human trial of the treatment on 70 osteoarthritis patients later this year at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital in Shropshire.

The researchers say that stem cells taken from the patient’s bone marrow could be transferred to the infected joint to encourage growth of the cartilage. The cells would initially be removed by keyhole surgery and then put into a lab for three months allowing them to grow.

They would then be implanted into the joint and scientists believe that over the course of a few months the cells would form new cartilage, thus reducing the inflammation and pain experienced by the patient.

Researchers say it is not a wonder cure but that the therapy’s potential would be known only after the human trials. James Richardson, professor and study co-author, told the Daily Mail: “The benefit to the patient may be not to prevent the need for a joint replacement, but to prevent the need for a revision joint replacement.”

A ‘revision joint replacement’ means that surgery must be done to replace a worn out joint replacement.

(Venkata Vemuri can be contacted at venkata.v@ians.in)