Japan firm seeks approval for stem cell treatment for Parkinson's

Tokyo: Japanese drugmaker Sumitomo Pharma said Tuesday it is seeking approval for a Parkinson s disease treatment that transplants stem cells into a p...

Tokyo: Japanese drugmaker Sumitomo Pharma said Tuesday it is seeking approval for a Parkinson's disease treatment that transplants stem cells into a patient's brain, following a successful clinical trial.

The company applied to Japanese regulators for manufacturing and marketing authorization aimed at the treatment of patients with avanced Parkinson's disease, it said in a statement.

A trial led by Kyoto University researchers indicated that the company's treatment using induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells -- which have the potential to develop into any cell in the body -- was safe and successful in improving symptoms.

The study involved seven Parkinson's patients aged between 50 and 69, with each receiving a total of either five million or 10 million cells implanted on both sides of the brain.

The iPS cells from healthy donors were developed into the precursors of dopamine-producing brain cells, which are no longer present in people with Parkinson's disease.