Stem Cell Therapy Effective for Heart Attack Patients

A report of six-month outcomes from APOLLO, a Europe-based prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, feasibility trial (Phase I/IIA) evaluating adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells (ADRCs) among human study subjects with acute myocardial infarction (heart attack or AMI) suggests safety and feasibility to improve cardiac function.   In the APOLLO trial, all patients were treated with standard-of-care and subsequently underwent an abdominal liposuction, whereby each patient’s adipose tissue were processed and ADRCs were extracted, washed and concentrated into a syringe of clinical grade cells. Within 36 hours of the myocardial infarction and no longer than 24 hours after undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, patients received an injection of either 20 million ADRCs, or a placebo.  Among the ADRC-treated subjects, the percentage of left ventricle (LV) infarcted was reduced by 52%; no change was observed in the placebo-treated patients.  Among the ADRC-treated subjects, there was a significant improvement of the perfusion defect from 16.9 ± 2.1% to 10.9 ± 2.4% at six-month follow-up, as compared to a deterioration in the placebo group by 1.8.  Among the ADRC-treated subjects, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) improved with an absolute difference of +5.7% , as compared to a deterioration of 1.7% in the placebo group. Reporting “no unanticipated adverse effects related to the [adipose-derived stem and regenerative cell] therapy,” the study authors conclude that:  [adipose-derived stem and regenerative cell] infusion resulted in a trend toward improved cardiac function, accompanied by a significant improvement of the perfusion defect and a 50% reduction of myocardial scar formation. “