SUPPORT FOR STEM CELL RESEARCH

After a long process, the competent commission of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) has approved the request submitted by the Neurothon Onlus Association to proceed with the phase I trial involving the transplantation of human brain stem cells in SLA patients.

We started in 2009, supporting Neurothon in the process of defining the protocol for experimentation with clinical grade human brain stem cells in SLA patients, as part of a project that saw the creation of the Stem Cell Laboratory, Cell Factory and Biobank at the Santa Maria Hospital in Terni, directed by Prof. Angelo Vescovi, to be used for clinical trials on neurodegenerative diseases. Subsequent funding was used to set up a stabularium and purchase equipment to carry out pre-clinical testing with clinical grade human brain stem cells produced by the Terni Stem Cell Bank [AIFA authorisation to produce cells for cellular therapies (AM 101/2010), Clinical Grade cells and GMP certification]. All the way to actual experimentation. This is a path that has certainly not reached its end, but it is the beginning of a very promising path, never tried before.