Mesoblast Limited Proprietary Stem Cells For Heart Failure Highlighted At Major Cardiology Conference

Main Category: Heart Disease
Also Included In: Stem Cell Research;  Cardiovascular / Cardiology;  Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 11 Nov 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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Australia's regenerative medicine company, Mesoblast Limited (ASX:MSB)(PINK:MBLTY), announced today that the thirteenth patient enrolled in the ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial for congestive heart failure had been safely implanted with the proprietary adult stem cells during a live case at the American Heart Association's annual conference, currently underway in New Orleans.

The procedure was performed by cardiologists from the Texas Heart Institute and broadcast during a satellite symposium titled 'Future Direction of Stem Cells in Cardiovascular Disease'. The annual American Heart Association conference is the premier symposium for American cardiologists.

The multi-centre trial is testing the safety and effectiveness of Revascor(TM), the proprietary allogeneic, or "off-the-shelf", stem cell product being developed for patients with congestive heart failure by Mesoblast's United States-base! d sister company Angioblast Systems Inc.

Revascor! (TM) is delivered to damaged areas of the heart by a minimally invasive cardiac catheterisation procedure performed under local anaesthesia while the patient is awake. Patients undergoing the procedure are released from the hospital within 24 hours.

The placebo-controlled trial will randomise up to 60 patients suffering from congestive heart failure at various sites in the United States, including California, Arizona, Minnesota, and Texas. The first cohort of patients in the trial is expected to be completed by the end of December.

About Heart Failure

Almost six million Americans have congestive heart failure, a progressive form of cardiovascular disease that inhibits the heart from pumping blood throughout the body, with 550,000 new cases diagnosed each year. The extensive morbidity and mortality associated with this disease make it a principal health and economic burden in the Western world. Existing therapies do not result in repair or regenerat! ion of heart muscle. Revascor(TM), a trademark of Angioblast Systems Inc, is being developed to rebuild both blood vessels and heart muscle.

About Mesoblast Limited

Mesoblast Limited (ASX:MSB)(USOTC:MBLTY) is an Australian biotechnology company committed to the development of novel treatments for orthopaedic conditions, including the rapid commercialisation of a unique adult stem cell technology aimed at the regeneration and repair of bone and cartilage. Our focus is to progress through clinical trials and international regulatory processes necessary to commercialise the technology in as short a timeframe as possible.

Mesoblast has the worldwide exclusive rights for a series of patents and technologies that have been developed over more than 10 years and which relate to the identification, extraction and culture of adult Mesenchymal Precursor Cells (MPCs). The Company has also acquired a substantial interest in Angioblast Systems Inc, an A! merican company developing the platform MPC technology for the! treatme nt of cardiovascular diseases, including repair and regeneration of blood vessels and heart muscle. Mesoblast and Angioblast are jointly funding and progressing the core technology. Mesoblast's strategy is to maximise shareholder value through both corporate partnerships and the rapid and successful completion of clinical milestones.

Mesoblast Limited