Pig Brain Cell Therapy for Parkinson's
A potential new treatment using brain cells from pigs has been approved for testing in people with Parkinson's.
New Zealand based company Living Cell Technology have pioneered this interesting new approach and hope to start trials in 2013.
The new treatment uses pig cells taken from part of the brain called the choroid plexus cells.Choroid plexus cells are naturally occurring "support" cells for the brain and when transplanted can help protect the brain and repair damaged nerve tissue.These cells taken from the young pigs are almost identical to cells found in the human brain.
The cells are packaged inside a specially designed capsule which acts like a teabag - allowing beneficial proteins and chemicals to leak out, but preventing the immune system from rejecting the cells as foreign.
The company has produced a similar treatment for diabetes, which is currently being tested in Phase 2 trials in New Zealand and Argentina.
The new trial
The new clinical trial will compare the safety and clinical effect of the new treatment against deep brain stimulation in people with Parkinson's.
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