Mesoblast Limited, a world leader in the development of biologic products for the broad field of regenerative medicine, has reported positive preclinical trial results which demonstrated that its proprietary Mesenchymal Precursor Cells (MPCs) could improve functional recovery following a stroke. The results of the trial were presented at Neuroscience 2013, the world’s largest international conference for neuroscience professionals currently being held in San Diego, United States.

The trial results showed that a single intravenous injection of human MPCs significantly enhanced sensorimotor recovery when administered up to seven days after an ischemic stroke in rats. Additionally, in a sub-study, MPCs increased neuronal activity and reduced the volume of infarct tissue.

In the study, 72 adult male nude rats underwent permanent right middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) which resulted in focal right cerebral infarction and impairment of the contralateral sensorimotor function. Subjects were randomized into six groups of 12 animals, and injected intravenously with either media alone (controls) or one million human MPCs administered at six, 12, 24 or 48 hours post-MCAO, or day seven post-MCAO. A single dose of one million human MPCs administered intravenously at six, 12, 24 or 48 hours post-MCAO significantly improved forelimb and hindlimb recovery compared to controls by day 30 (p<0.01 for all doses). Body swing was similarly improved. Notably, administration of MPCs as late as seven days post-MCAO significantly improved both forelimb recovery and body swing compared to controls (p<0.01 for both parameters), to similar levels at day 30 as seen with earlier cell administration.

A sub-study was performed in 16 additional subjects using anatomical and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate neuronal activity and infarct volume, seven days after a single intravenous injection of either 1 million MPCs or media was administered 24 hours post MCAO. Using blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI) to determine neuronal activity following forepaw or hindpaw stimulation, MPC-treated animals showed a significant increase in neuronal activity compared with controls in both the infarct area (p<0.01) and in the primary motor cortex on the side of the infarct (p<0.05). Using anatomical MRI, MPC-treated animals had a 17 per cent reduction in infarct volume compared with controls (p<0.05). This effect was not seen in the overall group using post-mortem histologic assessment, which may be a less sensitive measurement.

According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, stroke is a leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of serious long-term disability.