ViaCell, Inc. (a biotechnology company) announced today preclinical findings evaluating Unrestricted Somatic Stem Cells (USSCs), pluripotent stem cells cultivated from human cord blood, in a small animal model of myocardial infarction.

In the study USSCs showed a dose-dependent response and result in functional recovery in an animal model of acute myocardial infarction four weeks post transplantation. These findings were presented (13th March 2006) by Dr. Hiroto Iwasaki of Kobe Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation/RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Isehara, Japan at the American College of Cardiology 55th Annual Scientific Session being held in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dr. Takayuki Asahara of Kobe Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation/RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology says, that through their work with ViaCell evaluating their proprietary USSCs, they are encouraged about the potential that these cells may have to regenerate damaged heart tissue.

With these research findings they are intend to advance this program further in preclinical testing to determine optimal dosing, delivery, and targeting of USSCs as a treatment for cardiac disease. With over 800,000 annual cases of patients surviving a myocardial infarction and 5 million people suffering from chronic heart failure and no proven therapy to repair or regenerate the heart.

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