Dr. Koji Abe

Abstract:

Neuroprotection is essential for therapy not only in acute stage of stroke, but also in chronic progressive neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Free radical scavenger can be such a neuroprotective reagent with inhibiting death signals and potentiating survival signals under cerebral pathological conditions. Edaravone, a free radical scavenger, is the first clinical drug for neuroprotection in the world which has been used from 2001 in most ischemic stroke patients in Japan and other countries. Edaravone scavenges hydroxyl radicals both in hydrophilic and hydrophobic conditions, and showed beneficial clinical effects both on acute ischemic stroke and ALS. 

Regenerative therapy with stem cells is another important challenge to cure neurological diseases. Bone marrow stromal cells and fatty-tissue derived stem cells have been used for ischemic stroke and neurodegenerative diseases. Because a cell therapy with MUSE cell was successful for ALS model mice, we conducted a human study for ALS patients with MUSE cell from 2021 April (Phase 1+2), having a good result. Tentative results will be presented.