Stem Cell therapy in IschEmic Non-treatable Cardiac diseasE (SCIENCE) With more than 17 million deaths worldwide each year, ischemic heart disease (IHD) caused by coronary artery disease is the most common cause of death and a major cause of hospital admissions in industrialised countries. IHD caused over four million deaths in Europe in the year 2012 constituting 47% of all deaths. Today IHD is the main cause of death among women throughout Europe and the main cause of death among men in all but six European countries. Conventional therapies have reduced mortality of IHD significantly, but have left an increasing number of patients with chronic IHD and/or heart failure without further treatment options. An increasing morbidity rate of this nature in an ageing population is a huge burden for society. The overall aim of the SCIENCE project is to implement an effective stem cell-based therapy with allogeneic adipose derived stromal cells to improve myocardial function in patients with ischemic heart disease and heart failure. This goal will be achieved by conducting a multicentre clinical trial in a strong consortium of experienced international scientists and experts as well as significant representatives of the biomedical industry within translational medicine and a close collaboration with relevant authorities. The consortium will ensure feasibility of treatment by simplifying and rationalising cell production and distribution using state-of-the art manufacturing technology that makes cell therapy a realistic option for clinical practise. The consortium expects the SCIENCE project to pave the way for future approval of this treatment by national authorities throughout Europe as the standard form of care for patients with ischemic heart disease and heart failure. This concept will establish a new platform for growth and consolidation of innovative small and medium-size companies within stem cell research and development. Such a platform will ease implementati

Type 2 diabetes will affect >500 million adults by 2040 and its secondary complications will generate enormous socioeconomic costs - in particular, diabetic kidney disease (DKD), which is already the most common cause of chronic kidney disease. DKD is associated with greatly increased mortality and frequently progresses to end stage renal failure. Pharmacotherapy, dialysis and transplantation represent the mainstay treatments for DKD but are costly and provide only limited protection against adverse outcomes. Mesenchymal Stromal Cell (MSC) therapy is a promising approach to halting the progression of DKD toward end-stage renal failure and may also have ancillary benefits in Type 2 diabetes. In preliminary research, we have demonstrated that a single dose of MSC simultaneously improves kidney function (glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria) as well as hyperglycaemia in animals with DKD. NEPHSTROM will conduct a multi-centre, placebo-controlled clinical trial of a novel MSC therapy for stabilization of progressive DKD, leading to superior clinical outcomes and long-term socioeconomic benefit. A key enabler for this trial is a novel MSC population (CD362+MSC, trade name ORBCEL-M) which delivers higher purity and improved characterisation compared to conventional plastic-adherent MSC. The NEPHSTROM Phase 1b/2a clinical trial will investigate the safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of a single intravenous infusion of allogeneic ORBCEL-M versus placebo in adults with progressive DKD. NEPHSTROM investigators will also determine the bio-distribution, mechanisms of action, immunological effects and economic impacts associated with ORBCEL-M therapy for DKD. This research will critically inform the optimal design of subsequent Phase 3 trials of ORBCEL-M. Stabilising progressive DKD through NEPHSTROM’s next-generation MSC therapy will reduce the high all-cause mortality and end-stage renal failure risk in people with this chronic non-communicable disease