Stem cell therapy helps diabetes limb problems

Stem cell therapy aimed at restoring blood flow to damaged limbs in people with diabetes has shown promise, according to UK company ReNeuron.

The company is at the forefront of the emerging stem cell treatment field, and says new pre-clinical studies in mice with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) suggest it helps restore blood flow.The company now wants to move ahead to clinical trials to see if the same results can be achieved in humans.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is very common in diabetes patients, with an estimated 1 out of every 3 people with diabetes over the age of 50 having the condition. It progressively restricts blood flow in the limbs causing cramping pains, and in some cases results in limbs needing to be amputated.

The company says trials of their early-stage ReN009 therapy helped restore function in affected legs of mice. ReNeuron is now in discussion with US and European regulators about beginning clinical trials in PAD in the near future.

ReN009 is based on the same CTX stem cell line as ReN001, ReNeuron's lead candidate which was recently approved for clinical trials for people disabled by stroke, with trials due to begin in April.
Dr John Sinden, chief scientific officer at ReNeuron said of the recent developments: "We are very excited to have made this important pre-clinical breakthrough in demonstrating the clear potential of our CTX stem cell line to alleviate and even reverse the effects of lower limb ischaemia for diabetic sufferers"

He added: "With our ReN009 therapy we are now well placed to take a leading position in the development of a fully scalable, storable and readily administered cell-based therapeutic for people with diabetes suffering from peripheral arterial disease, a condition poorly served by existing treatments."