Auckland-based biotech entrepreneur Living Cell Technologies (LCT) claims that rat studies show brain cells taken from pigs and wrapped in seaweed gel may be useful to combat Parkinson's disease.
LCT is preparing to trial xenotransplantation of islet cells from the pancreas of its pigs in a clinical trial in Auckland in diabetes patients, and said today that it is considering using brain cells from pigs in diseases such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's, among others.
Research on both the brain and islet cell transplants from pigs has been supported by New Zealand taxpayers, through the Government's Foundation for Research Science and Technology.
The company owns a herd of pigs bred from survivors of a herd in New Zealand's sub-Antarctic islands, which it claims were isolated from modern pig diseases.
The company said animal studies showed that its product, NeurotrophinCell (NtCell) -- encapsulated brain choroid plexus cells -- improved limb function in a Parkinson's disease rat model.
The choroid plexus produces cerebrospinal fluid, and the pig cells were implanted to supply the neurotrophin proteins which can repair diseased tissue.
The choroid plexus cells were encapsulated in a gel derived from seaweed to protect them from immune rejection and to permit implantation without using toxic anti-rejection drugs -- a technique it developed for its diabetes product.
The company has filed a patent for the new product and said that the preclinical studies on rats with induced Parkinson's disease showed improved limb function and significantly more surviving brain cells after they received implants of NtCell.
"LCT is now evaluating NtCell for other brain diseases," the company said.
NtCell capsules were surgically implanted into the area of the brain affected by Parkinson's disease.
The xenotransplants were followed by normal use of the affected limb and recovery from the abnormal turning behaviour characteristic of the disorder in rats. The affected part of the brain of the treated animals showed more dopamine-containing cells, the typical cells lost in Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's disease -- caused by degeneration of the cells in the brain that regulate dopamine -- affects 107 people per 100,000 worldwide and occurs more frequently with increasing age. As the "dopaminergic" brain cells die, the dopamine supply decreases and becomes irregular, and the activity of nerves that regulate muscle tremor malfunction.
As the degeneration continues, tremors become increasingly frequent and pronounced. The cell degeneration has many causes but the company said the principal cause was decreased production of local brain hormones.
Existing treatment with dopamine replacement was usually effective initially but effects faded over time.
LCT has previously published data on the effects of choroid plexus transplants in the treatment of brain diseases, and the use on rats with Huntington's disease and stroke.
In May, the company -- listed on the Australian stock exchange -- said it had received investment of $US6 ($NZ11) million, for 24,150,408 ordinary shares, at a price of A29c ($NZ35c) a share.
This resulted from the exercise of an option attached to the $US2 million investment made by NaviGroup Management in January, and with a private placement of $A6 million announced in November 2007, boosted the capital raised in the past year by LCT to more than $A15 million.
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