Discussion Topic: Exploring the potential of stem cell therapy as a treatment for Long COVID and other Autoimmune Responses.
Speaker: Donna Chang, founder of Hope Biosciences Research Foundation, an expert in stem cell therapy with a deep understanding of cell therapy and its potential applications.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs): Have immunomodulatory properties, making them a focal point in stem cell research, including over 80,000 publications in the last year.
Research and Development
Objective: To create clinical quantities of high-quality cells for therapy.
Cell Multiplication: Hope Biosciences specializes in cell multiplication, working since 2016 to address issues in cell therapy such as freshness and repeatability.
Cell Harvesting and Preservation: Cells are harvested from a patient's fat tissue, isolated, multiplied to around 200 million per dose, and cryopreserved for future use.
Clinical Trials
Previous Trials:
Covid Protection Trial: Initiated before vaccine trials, it explored the potential of MSCs in regulating the immune system to offer protection against Covid.
Long Covid Trial: Showed promising results with patients reporting improvements in various health aspects.
Upcoming Trial:
Location: Hope Biosciences Research Foundation, Sugarland, Texas.
Procedure: Involves four infusions of MSCs derived from either the patient (autologous) or a donor (allogenic).
Commitment: Participants need to commit to multiple visits for treatment and follow-ups, with no associated costs.
Goal: To standardize the therapy, ensuring safety and efficacy through rigorous clinical trials.
Challenges and Considerations
Dosage: Determining the optimal dose and quality of cells to ensure effectiveness and repeatability in treatments.
Repeatability: Addressing the need for repeat treatments in many diseases, including autoimmune disorders.
Autologous vs. Allogenic: Comparing the use of one's own cells to using a donor's cells, with both approaches showing no signs of rejection in trials so far.
Conclusion
Potential: Stem cell therapy, particularly using MSCs, holds promise in treating Long COVID and other autoimmune diseases by regulating the immune system to address the root cause of symptoms.
Future Direction: The focus is on further clinical trials to validate the safety and efficacy of stem cell therapy, aiming to offer a standardized treatment approach in the medical field.