Source: Good News Network
A new technique using patients’ own modified cells to treat Crohn’s disease has proven to be effective in experiments using human cells – and clinical trials of the treatment are expected to start within the next six months.
Researchers developed the technique by studying white blood cells taken from patients who have Crohn’s disease, and comparing them to cells of healthy people.
Their findings allowed cell therapy specialists to develop a treatment involving taking patients’ cells, and growing them in a special culture so that they behave more like cells from healthy people.The research, published in the journal Gastroenterology, shows that this technique is effective in human cells, meaning it is ready for use in a clinical trial. The proposed Tribute Trial will measure whether the treatment is safe and effective for treating Crohn’s.
Crohn’s disease is a lifelong condition in which parts of the digestive system become severely inflamed, causing a range of symptoms such as diarrhea, stomach aches, tiredness, and weight loss. Its causes are unknown, but the immune system is known to play a part. The often debilitating condition is estimated to affect around 620,000 people in the UK alone.
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The research, which was conducted at the NIHR Guy’s and St Thomas’ Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), was led by Professor Graham Lord, who said: “This is the next frontier in cell therapy, as we’re going beyond treating the symptoms of Crohn’s disease, and trying to reset the immune system to address the condition.
“It’s a real home-grown treatment in the sense that…
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