Contemporary application of autologous muscle-derived cells for urinary sphincter regeneration

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) remains a prevalent condition with substantial economic and quality-of-life impact. Treatment for incontinence historically culminates with invasive surgical procedures with recognized complication profiles. Innovative directions for SUI therapeutics are on the horizon, including the utilization of adult autologous muscle-derived cells for urinary sphincter regeneration (AMDC-USR). Herein, we visit fundamental concepts of innovative regenerative medicine technologies for urologic applications.

Synopsis of contemporary literature review regarding adult autologous muscle-derived cells for urinary sphincter regeneration is presented.

Current published literature presents safety and efficacy data regarding AMDC-USR injection in 80 patients at 12-month follow-up. In these early studies, no long-term adverse events were reported and patients undergoing cellular injection at higher doses revealed at least 50% reduction in stress leaks and pad weight at 12-month follow-up. All dose groups demonstrated statistically significant improvement in patient-reported incontinence-specific quality-of-life scores at 12-month follow-up. Conclusions from the pooled analyses indicate that injection of AMDC-USR across a range of dosages appears safe. Efficacy data suggest a dose response with more patients responsive to the higher doses of AMDC-USR.

Applications for utilization of autologous cellular therapies for treatment of SUI, and conceivably multiple additional indications, are approaching realization. Multiple Phase III randomized, placebo-controlled studies for AMDC-USR are concluding or ongoing to launch this regenerative option for the millions of patients who may ultimately benefit.