What is Stem Cell: [StemCells] Device captures SCs in the blood

Mar 03, 2008 08:00 ET
CellTraffix Implanted Device Captures Stem Cells From Blood Stream in
Live Rats
British Journal of Haematology Reports 25% Stem Cells Directly From
Blood

ROCHESTER, NY--(Marketwire - March 3, 2008) - Working for the first
time with an adhesion protein-coated device implanted directly into
the bloodstream, CellTraffix researchers were able to capture a
significant amount of adult stem cells directly from living rats, the
British Journal of Haematology (http://www.blackwell-
synergy.com/toc/bjh/140/6) reported in its current/issue (vol. 140,
no. 6). The article may be accessed without a journal subscription.
Previous cell capture work involved sending blood and bone marrow
samples through the same device outside of the body. The in-vivo
version captured seven times more haematopoietic stem and progenitor
cells (HSPCs), the blood-producing stem cells that naturally reside
in the bloodstream, than were obtained by centrifugation, and could
improve stem cell yield and patient quality-of-life for common cancer
treatments involving bone marrow or adult stem cell transplantation.
Both the cells and the device remain unaltered after the new
procedure.

"We captured great numbers of stem cells, 25% of the total number of
cells captured, directly out of the bloodstream of living animals
using selectin proteins. We didn't have to tap into the bone marrow
to achieve this rich stem cell yield. We believe this is the first
time anyone has obtained stem cells directly from the bloodstream
using a protein coating," commented Dr. Michael King, at the
University of Rochester, Department of Biomedical Engineering, in
whose lab the work was done. Dr. Joel Wojciechowski, first author on
the paper and Director of Preclinical Development at CellTraffix, was
instrumental in translating the in vitro technology to live animals.

"These results are extremely exciting for the Company. This success
provides an important proof of concept for a significant application
of our Cell Select Technology (CST) based devices and delivery
systems. It is a credit to the insight and skill of Dr. King and his
team that we continue to receive these encouraging results as we go
forward. CellTraffix is focused on developing devices that could
revolutionize the apheresis procedure, a protracted and uncomfortable
process used to collect stem cells from patient blood to treat
cancer," said Thomas Fitzgerald, CEO of CellTraffix, which is
commercializing the CST devices and delivery systems targeted at
cancer and stem cell applications.

Transplanting a patient's own (or closely matched) stem cells is a
common therapy with certain cancers, and currently involves either
bone marrow collection or apheresis, a low efficiency process by
which a patient's blood is drawn and centrifuged for stem cells.
Furthermore, in apheresis, a large number of the patient's white
blood cells are drawn out to capture a relatively small amount, 1-2%
of stem cells.

About the Study

In a study of a protein-coated device implanted in a rat femoral
artery for one hour, the amount of haematopoietic stem and progenitor
cells (HSPCs) captured was seven times that of the centrifuged
control samples after one hour of implantation. In a similar device
implanted directly into the blood stream via a closed-loop arterio-
venous shunt for two hours, total cell capture was increased two-
fold, indicating that longer duration of blood circulation increased
cell capture, and that a completely implantable device was feasible.
The cells captured also went on to proliferate and demonstrate colony-
forming potential. In each case, the devices were coated with P-
selectin protein, which had been shown in earlier, ex-vivo studies to
be an excellent capture medium for stem and other targeted cells,
such as circulating cancer cells.

About CellTraffix

CellTraffix is a medical technology company that develops devices and
research tools to fight cancer and enhance the collection and use of
adult stem cells. These devices employ CellTraffix patented
technology and unique understanding of the mechanics of cellular flow
and cell trafficking in the blood stream to develop a range of
proprietary medical devices to address a number of unmet medical
needs relating to cancer, adult stem cells and immune cells.

CellTraffix has established a strategic relationship with the
University of Rochester to advance the Company's core technologies.
The Company has also collaborated with MIT in bio-device surface
development.

Company Contact:
Thomas Fitzgerald
President and CEO
(585) 267-4840

Media Relations:
Deanne Eagle
Cameron Associates
(212) 554-5463
Email Contact

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StemCells subscribers may also be interested in these sites:

Children's Neurobiological Solutions
http://www.CNSfoundation.org/

Cord Blood Registry
http://www.CordBlood.com/at.cgi?a=150123

The CNS Healing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CNS_Healing
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