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25 September 2008
Melbourne is set to host the world's first clinical trials of a new medical treatment that could give hope to millions of people suffering neck spinal pain and injuries.
Monash University scientists Professor Graham Jenkin and neurosurgical registrar Dr Tony Goldschlager, together with Melbourne-based biotechnology company Mesoblast Limited, have pioneered a new treatment using a unique population of adult stem cells that has significantly increased the success rate and shortened recovery times of neck spinal fusion surgery in preclinical trials in animals.
Today attending Monash University's Stem Cell Awareness Day Victorian Innovation Minister Gavin Jennings announced that human clinical trials led by the Monash University team using Mesoblast's patented stem cells were expected to commence in Melbourne shortly.
Surgical fusion of the neck region of the spine accounts for up to 40 per cent of all spinal fusion procedures and there is a growing demand for the surgery, with annual procedures expected to reach half a million in the United States alone within the next two years.
"This exciting development proves Victoria and Monash University are established centres of excellence in stem cell research and their medical application," Mr Jennings said.
"Victoria is leading the way with ideas that have the potential to revolutionise treatment and improve the lives of thousands of people not only across Australia, but the world."
Under a sponsored research agreement between Monash University and Mesoblast, the proprietary stem cells were placed into a cage-like structure and surgically implanted between vertebrae in place of damaged discs to fuse or connect the two vertebrae together.
Professor Jenkin said the surgical technique had led to safe, earlier and stronger spinal fusion in animals, raising hopes of greater success rates and shorter recovery times in human clinical trials.
"If results so far are anything to go by, recovery times could be increased four fold. It currently takes up to a year for a spinal fusion in humans to take full strength. We could potentially cut that to three months, using stem cells, our new technique and the body's own repair mechanisms," Professor Jenkin said.
Dr Goldschlager said the process to commence clinical trials with Mesoblast in Melbourne was already underway. "Clinical trials are the next step exciting step forward. If we can get it right in the neck region, which is the most challenging area, then the same idea can potentially be applied to the entire spine," Dr Goldschlager said.
Mesoblast Executive Director Professor Silviu Itescu said he was very pleased by the demonstrable effectiveness and safety of the new treatment.
"These results were particularly timely in light of the recent safety concerns voiced by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the use of Bone Morphogenetic Protein for fusion of the cervical spine," Professor Itescu said.
"The excellent safety record and strong results of Mesoblast's stem cells in the fields of spinal fusion and fracture repair serve to highlight the company's competitive advantages in these large global markets, and underpin our FDA clinical trial submissions in the US.
"Science, innovation and business acumen are being blended in Melbourne through our association with Monash University in a way that leads the world in rapid translation of ideas from the laboratory bench into our hospitals."
If you are interested in finding out more about stem cell treatments, please contact the Monash Immunology Stem Cell Laboratories (MISCL) +61 3 9905 0700 or email miscl.reception@med.monash.edu.a u.
For media enquiries only. please contact Monash Media and Communications Office on: +61 3 9903 4841. | 
