Dr.Mahmood Reza Ashrafi, in an interview with medical news, said:” The research project investigating the effect of Intrathecal injection of hematopoetic and mesenchymal stem cells derived from cord blood on the functional development of the patients involved with spastic cerebral palsy was performed by Tehran Medical University and in Pediatric Center- Growth and Development Department- since July 2017, following receiving the legal permission from university ethic committee and Presidential Department on Science and Technology Development.
This project is under the way in collaboration among Tehran Medical University, Hormozgan Medical University, State Welfare Organization of Iran, Royan Stem Cell Technology Company and Cell Tech Pharmed Company.
The administrator of this project added:” 108 patients have been selected for this project divided into 3 categories including 36 in each as follows: A) those who receive mono-nuclear cells (MNC) derived from cord blood, B) those who received mesenchymal stem cells derived from cord blood and C) sample group who received no injection. All the injections were performed through intrathecal method and the patients were observed both before and after the injection in the intervals of 1, 3, 6 months and one year.
Dr.Ashrafi also said:“ The injection of cord blood mesenchymal stem cells in cerebral palsy patients has been performed for the first time in country in wide range in this university and despite the positive results received by far, we need to wait for the final results to be revealed at the end of this one-year period (end of November 2018) to be declared by the research team supervised by Dr.Masoud Ghahvehchi Akbari and Dr.Roza Rahimi.
This expert in pediatric neurology pointed to the strength point of this study such as having sample group and synchronizing the performance and continuing the development of the patients during this period of time which was supported by perpetual follow-up of Dr.Anahita Majma, a pediatrician, who played a key role in this project.
He followed stating that:” Having received CT-Scan, hospitalized and intrathecal injection, the patient got released the day after and fortunately there have been no considerable side effects reported in patients. The final statistical results will be publicized to our medical community in coming months.”
Dr.Ashrafi also stated his sincere gratitude to the collaboration and contribution made by Dr.Zarrabi, Managing Director of Royan Stem Cell Technology Company, Dr.Reza Shervin Badv, Head of Pediatrics Medical Center and Dr Hooman Alizadeh, Head of MRI Department of this center who are all the members of this research project.