Bangkok, Thailand, August 19, 2004 - The first patient enrolled in clinical trials have been successfully treated. Theravitae, a biotechnology company specializing in cell therapy, the first patient enrolled in clinical trials to study the safety and effectiveness of the administration of endothelial progenitor cells in patients with severe angina pectoris. The study, conducted at Siriraj Hospital, the largest hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, evaluate the treatment in twenty-four patients with severe chronic angina who meet inclusion and exclusion criteria.Endothelial certain progenitor cells, CPE was harvested from cells patient's own blood stem having the ability to form new blood vessels, or angiogenesis.
CPE can be found in the bloodstream, but in a very low concentration. Theravitae has developed proprietary technology to harvest, expand and differentiate EPC in an amount sufficient to induce angiogenesis in the heart. The cells are processed outside the body and then injected into the patient during standard angiography for regions that suffer from decreased blood flow to the heart. The injection of SPC in cardiac patients has been shown to increase blood supply to the heart muscle and reduce symptoms of angina in several trials in the United States and Europe. We are very excited to begin this collaboration with our colleagues in Thailand. And 'one of the first cell therapy clinical trials conducted in Thailand, and we are glad that Theravitae is the company that sponsor it. Our initial belief in the quality of medical practice in Thailand has been strengthened over the last six months of intensive work with cardiologists from Thailand. We are impressed by the level of experience and professionalism and look forward to continuing this collaboration, said Dr. Valentin Fulga, CEO of Theravitae.The potential success of this process means that heart patients who now have another option apart from surgery coronary bypass. Furthermore, treatment of these patients with cell therapy is potentially safer for the procedure is similar to a cardiac catheterization, which is usually done to examine the role of a patient's heart and blood. Moreover, the use of the SPE autologous (patient's own cells) eliminates concerns rejection.
Associate tissue Damra Tresukosol professor, MD, chief of invasive catheterization laboratory director of Her Majesty Cardiac Center, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Thailand, the study's principal investigator, commented: This study assessed the efficacy and safety of a new treatment option for severe heart symptoms of angina Thailand despite undergoing another revascularization therapy. This new approach could change our perspective greatly to heart problems, quality of life and even expectancy.Professor life Suphachai Chaithiraphan, MD, President of the Heart Association of Thailand and President of the Thai Atherosclerosis Society, said for l 'last decade, I've always been intrigued by the idea of cell therapy for heart and kept me updated by then. Now he is about to become a reality.Theravitae is committed to developing new therapeutic strategies for patients with fatal diseases.
Clinical operations are coordinated from headquarters in Bangkok. Research, development and production are carried out with the state of society in the structure of cells is the art therapy Kiryat Weizmann, Israel. Theravitae current pipeline focuses on heart disease, treatments for neurological diseases and new lenses in the future. For more information contact Dr. Veerachat Petpisit, Marketing Director, Theravitae, Co., Ltd. +66 (2) 6644290, veerachat@theravitae.com
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