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The Neurosurgery and Brain Repair Department at the University of South Florida has obtained a patent for a new procedure that uses cord blood to treat neurodegenerative conditions and diseases. Using cord blood combined with mannitol, the technology can help to treat diseases that cause brain functions to deteriorate, including Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, strokes and Alzheimer’s.
The new procedure has been licensed by Saneron CCEL Therapeutics Inc, a research and development firm specializing in biotechnology.
Previously, cord blood treatment could not be used to its full potential when treating brain injuries or diseases, due to the blood-brain barrier preventing stem cells from passing into the brain. The new technology from the University of South Florida will be able get the cells through the blood-brain barrier, as the mannitol shrinks the cells that make up the barrier. This allows for the cord blood to reach its destination within the brain.
Cord blood has long been used to treat a variety of blood diseases like leukemia and sickle cell anemia, but the prospect of treating brain injuries has yet to be fully explored. Many clinical trials have taken place, but cord blood therapy has yet to become an acceptable form of treatment for neurological conditions, although one key area where UCB has proven helpful is in the treatment of Cerebral Palsey. The company hopes that this patent will lead the way for other products and therapies that can also help reduce and repair damage to the brain.