Manipal Super Specialty Hospital (MSSH), a leading healthcare provider in Andhra Pradesh has tied up with Stempeutics Research, one of the prominent stem cell research companies in India, to promote stem cell therapy in Andhra Pradesh.

MSSH and Stempeutics are committed to delivering safe and effective stem cell therapies to patients. The partnership will help in developing Vijayawada as a leading stem cell therapy hub in Andhra Pradesh. It can also make the city a centre of health tourism by attracting international patients.

Initial treatment will be based on bone marrow derived (autologous - derived from the patient) human mesenchymal stem cells. Human mesenchymal stem cells are cent percent safe and have potential to treat various degenerative diseases. Stempeutics has treated more than 100 patients covering various diseases in India. Stempeutics has unrivalled experience and one of the most accomplished teams of stem cell researchers in basic science and clinical applications of innovative modalities. It has a proprietary and patented technology and procedure for mesenchymal stem cells isolation and large scale culture.

MSSH plans to conduct pilot studies to address the needs of patients suffering from critical diseases like Parkinson's Disease, Spinal Cord Injury, Critical Limb Ischemia and Dilated Cardio Myopathy. Treatment will be based on patient's bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Patients' bone marrow will be processed at the state-of-the-art ISO 9001:2000 certified and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) approved stem cell lab of Stempeutics in Bangalore.

The global market for Stem Cell therapies is expected to be US$20 billion by 2010 and is expected to grow rapidly. Stem cell based products have already been released in the USA. In India, the expected market for stem cell therapy is approx US$ 540 million. Initially MSSH will conduct pilot studies for Parkinson's Diseases, Spinal Cord Injury, Critical Limb Ischemia and Dilated Cardio Myopathy. Later on more diseases will be added based on Hospital requirements.

T Ramoji, vice president, Manipal Health Systems said, "With the expertise of the Clinicians at MSSH and stem cells expertise of Stempeutics, we will stand to gain and realize the clinical value of stem cells."

Stempeutics is developing Andhra Pradesh as one of the stem cell research and therapy hubs. "Our aim is to provide hope to patients suffering from life threatening diseases for which there is no cure. I have seen the world class facility Stempeutics has created in Bangalore for stem cell isolation and upscaling and the world class research on adult stem cells and human embryonic stem cells. I am convinced that this collaboration with Stempeutics will go a long way in establishing Vijayawada as a leading stem cell therapy hub," stated Dr Prabhakara Rao, medical director, MSSH.

While the initial foray of Stempeutics in bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells, Stempeutics is investing heavily on its R&D to bring out some innovative products (like tailor made progenitor cells) in the near future based on adult stem cells. Stempeutics will leverage the experience gained so far in stem cell therapy for giving the best treatment to the patients in Andhra Pradesh. Further research will be carried out to develop lineage specific cells or precursor cells for more effective therapy, informed B N Manohar, president, Stempeutics Research.