The typical course for a patient with a “diabetic foot” generally ends with a trip to the operating room to have it removed. However, at last month’s meeting of the International Cellular Medicine Society, it was announced that a patient with gangrene of the foot related to diabetes was able to avoid amputation through the use of adult-derived stem cells.
The patient, a 72-year old man from South Korea, had the classic podiatric complications of diabetes, including change of color, necrotic tissue, and deep wounds. Apparently, he was about to undergo an amputation of the affected extremity when he was referred to a South Korean company, RNL Bio, that took stem cells from the patient himself and infused about 300 million of them into each foot.
The results are quite remarkable :
"Just 10 days after Cho’s stem cell injection, there was 70-80% improvement in pus and wounds; an improvement of 90% was exhibited 20 days later. As the wounds began to heal, the pain and tingling was no longer evident. "
Dr. Jeong Chan Ra, Chairman of RNL Bio stated, "In cases like Cho’s condition, patients can gain hope through stem cell therapy rather than facing the worst case scenario of having to get one’s leg amputated. There is continuous hope until the day comes where stem cell therapy will be available to anyone worldwide."
RNL Bio has conducted Phase II clinical trials using adult-derived stem cells for Buerger’s disease, osteoarthritis and one Phase I trial for spinal cord injury.
Press release: New Hope for Saving Diabetic Foot from Amputation…
Company page: RNL Bio…