Mesoblast Limited has outlined the Company’s strategic plans to develop adult stem cell therapies for neurodegenerative diseases at the Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference in New York.

In an update on Mesoblast’s strategic alliance with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd in the fields of neurologic and cardiovascular diseases, Chief Executive Professor Silviu Itescu discussed plans to commercially develop Mesoblast’s proprietary allogeneic, or off-the-shelf, adult dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) for stroke, spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases.

Mesoblast has exclusive worldwide commercial rights to granted composition of matter patents covering DPSC, which are STRO-1 positive Mesenchymal Precursor Cells (MPCs) of neural crest origin.

These cells produce significantly greater levels of neurotrophic factors and are significantly more effective than other adult stem cell types for neural differentiation and repair of various neural cells and tissues.

Recent published reports have shown that DPSC may be effective for protection and repair of neural tissue after spinal cord injury and stroke.

Professor Itescu additionally updated attendees on outcomes from recent meetings with regulatory authorities in the United States and Europe in regards to the upcoming commencement of the congestive heart failure Phase 3 trial.

He said that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) were aligned on the clinical trial design and the primary and secondary endpoints.