A group at Osaka University, which is conducting research to create heart muscle cells from iPS cells and transplant them into sheets into the hearts of patients with severe heart disease, has performed surgery on three patients so far. I made it clear.

Since the patient's progress is all right, attention will be paid to verification of safety and efficacy in the future.

This was revealed on the 25th by a group of Professor Yoshiki Sawa of the Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, holding a press conference at Osaka University in Suita City, Osaka.



The group has developed a "cardiomyocyte sheet" that is a sheet of heart muscle cells created from iPS cells, and is conducting research on a treatment method that restores function by directly attaching it to the heart of patients with severe heart disease. ..



According to Professor Sawa, since January this year, three patients with a serious heart disease called ischemic cardiomyopathy have undergone surgery to transplant this sheet into the heart.



The patient's course is all going well.



According to the group, surgery was conducted as a clinical trial to obtain national approval, aiming to make it a common treatment covered by insurance.



If the effectiveness of the treatment is confirmed by a third-party evaluation committee to be held in June next year, it is planned to perform surgery on 7 more people, so the practical application of cardiac regenerative medicine using iPS cells In the future, attention will be paid to verification of safety and effectiveness.

Professor in charge "I am relieved that things have passed smoothly."

Professor Yoshiki Sawa of the Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University said, "I feel relieved because it has been going smoothly so far, but I am conducting the optimal clinical trial while making minor corrections for the next step. We want to go. Our goal is to use iPS cells to cure heart disease patients around the world, so we will spare no effort to reach that goal. "

Story of transplant patient of iPS cardiomyocyte sheet

For the first time, a man who underwent surgery to transplant a "cardiomyocyte sheet" made from iPS cells was interviewed by NHK.



A man in his 70s living in Osaka Prefecture was diagnosed with ischemic cardiomyopathy about 10 years ago.



At that time, I was suffering from suffocation and sore throat, and I was in a state where I could not keep up with my daily life such as work and going up and down stairs.



The man continued treatment for a long time, but it was difficult to recover with drug treatment, and doctors told him that if the symptoms worsened, the only cure was a heart transplant.



Regarding the reason why he decided to participate in this clinical trial, the man said, "It is an honor if it helps to save people with heart disease all over the world, and I think that I am satisfied with my life. I did. "



The men's surgery was performed in early September, and the postoperative course is good.



About four months after the surgery, he feels that he is getting better and better.



The man said, "To be honest, it was the same right after the operation, but after about three months, it really became easier. The pain in my throat was gone, and I should walk up the stairs. It's okay. I used to have a hard time, so it's a big change to be able to talk like this now. I believe that it will be better and I will do more and more work. "