Clinical trial started for umbilical cord stem cell treatment for infant brain hypoxia
This research was covered in the following media
◆12 May Nihon Keizai Shinbun newspaper, Yomiuri newspaper, Sankei newspaper, Mainichi newspaper
A joint research group of 10 institutes, including a team led by Professor Haruo Shintaku of the Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics started the first clinical trial in Japan to treat the lack of oxygen supply to the brain at birth (Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy), which is the main cause for cerebral palsy, using stem cells from blood of the umbilical cord.
The first treatment was carried out on 28 April 2015 at the Kurashiki Central Hospital (Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture). So far progress is satisfactory.
As representative of the research group, Professor Shintaku commented that 6 trials are planned to verify the safety of the procedure.