How to introduce MSC-based therapy for the developing lung safely into clinical care?

Mario Rüdiger1, Haresh Kirpalani2, Robin Steinhorn3

  • 1Saxony Center for Feto-Neonatal Health; Department for Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine, Universitätskinderklinik, Universitätsklinikum Dresden, Center for Regenerative Therapies (CRTD), TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany. Mario.ruediger@uniklinikum-dresden.de.

Pediatric Research
|January 14, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) show promise for treating bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in premature infants. A collaborative approach is needed to advance MSC therapies from research to clinical practice.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Regenerative Medicine
  • Pulmonary Medicine

Background:

  • Extreme prematurity increases the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).
  • Severe BPD poses a significant long-term burden on infants, families, and society.
  • Current prevention and treatment options for BPD are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize findings from a workshop on mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapies for BPD.
  • To outline a roadmap for advancing MSC-based interventions from research to clinical application.
  • To foster a global, collaborative approach involving key stakeholders.

Main Methods:

  • Review of promising preclinical data on MSCs for BPD.
  • Discussion of initial human clinical trial safety data for MSCs.
  • Consensus building among experts during a dedicated workshop.

Main Results:

  • Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) demonstrate promising therapeutic potential in animal models of BPD.
  • Early clinical studies indicate that MSC administration is safe in human infants.
  • A collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach is essential for clinical translation.

Conclusions:

  • Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy represents a promising regenerative approach for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).
  • Further collaborative efforts are crucial to expedite the development and implementation of MSC-based treatments for premature infants with BPD.

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