PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Creative Medical Health, Inc. (CMH) announced today filing of a patent covering the use of proprietary mesenchymal stem cell types in the treatment of neurological complications of Zika virus. The patent is a continuation of ongoing research at CMH that previously led to filing of intellectual property covering use of mesenchymal stem cells for multiple sclerosis.1
“Our studies indicate that mesenchymal stem cells possess the ability to dampen neurological inflammation, which may be a potentially very useful property in the context of Zika virus pathology,” said Thomas Ichim, Ph.D., vice president and director of CMH and co-inventor of the patent. “The advantage of using our mesenchymal stem cell approach to diseases like Zika is that in addition to suppressing inflammation, which causes loss of neurons, mesenchymal stem cells also stimulate regenerative processes, which heal damage that has previously occurred.”
Zika virus is linked to a jump in birth defects, in particular microencephaly (abnormally small head) and could potentially infect up to 4 million people across Latin America, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It currently has no cure. The WHO dubbed the Brazilian outbreak of Zika a global emergency. A recent report by BBC News stated 2.2 billion people reside in areas “at risk” of Zika infection.2 "Most of what we've learned is not reassuring," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, the principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Everything we look at with this virus seems to be a bit scarier than we initially thought."3
“At CMH we strive to be on the forefront of regenerative medicine research and apply our findings to a broad range of unmet medical needs. Although our recent patent filing and results regarding neuroinflammation are preliminary, we seek collaborators to synergize our efforts at addressing this terrible disease and its neurological implications,” said Timothy Warbington, president and CEO of Creative Medical Health.
Creative Medical Health and its spinoff companies develop novel regenerative medicine and stem cell technologies in the areas of female and male sexual dysfunction and infertility (Creative Medical Technologies, Inc); cardiovascular disease (AngioStem Inc.); treatment of insulin resistance related to Type 2 Diabetes; degenerative disc disease; and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
1 http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150205006543/en/Creative-Medical-Health-Files-Patent-Multiple-Sclerosis
2
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-36090650
3
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/04/11/scarier-than-we-initially-thought-cdc-sounds-warning-zika-virus/82894878/