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Towards a stem cell therapy for stroke

Final Report Summary - STEMSTROKE (Towards a stem cell therapy for stroke)

Stroke is a major cause of long-term disability in humans, but effective treatments are lacking. The STEMSTROKE consisted of well-established and highly qualified research teams and it was working with human neural stem cell (NSC) from the foetal and adult brain, and from embryonic stem cells. Cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating the proliferation, migration, survival, and differentiation of the NSC lines after transplantation into the stroke-damaged rodent brain are widely studied. In parallel, STEMSTROKE tried to unravel mechanisms regulating self-repair after stroke through formation of new neurons from the adult brain's own NSCs.

STEMSTROKE explored the morphological and functional integration of grafted and endogenously generated NSCs and their progeny in the stroke-damaged brain, and developed new in vivo imaging and behavioural tests, relevant for the human situation, for assessment of stem cell function and recovery of sensory, motor and cognitive deficits. STEMSTROKE aimed to optimise trans-plantation, and endogenous neurogenesis-based strategies and create an important preclinical protocol which can be rapidly translated into human trials.

Most importantly the project developed the protocol for a clinical study, the 'Lund stroke recovery study' (LSRS) which aimed to understand and explore the feasibility between clinical and experimental stroke research.

Through the collaboration and subcontract with Swedish Institute of Health Economy, the consortium produced the unique health economy model for stem cell therapy in stroke patients. In this modelling study, they evaluated the value of stem cell therapy (SCT) versus standard care among patients with ischemic stroke. The model is driven by functional status as measured by the modified Rankin scale (mRS). Subtracting the model-generated cost per QALY from the threshold value gives an estimation of the justifiable price of stem cell therapy. This model is currently adjusted to Swedish healthcare system but could be easily changed by taking into account the specificities and costs for any European healthcare system.