Revolutionary human embryonic stem cell therapy introduced to Sri Lanka

By Shabiya Ali Ahlam

Acknowledged by the world as a revolution in therapeutics, the human embryonic stem cell treatment concept was introduced to a group of medical professionals in Sri Lanka last week by one of India’s top medical experts.

Bringing to light the success of this technology, Lanka Hospitals Corporation in collaboration with the Independent Medical Practitioners Association hosted an interactive seminar, which featured India, New Delhi, Nutech Mediworld Founder Dr. Geetha Shroff as the guest lecturer.

With more than 10 years of clinical application in over 10,000 patients by treating those suffering from spinal cord injuries, type I and II diabetes, multiple sclerosis, cardiac conditions, Parkinson’s disease, and many more, Dr. Shroff has proved that those affected with the mentioned conditions can be certainly cured.

“The results have been astounding. Patients who had been paralysed neck downwards have resumed full function of their arms and are walking with support.” Dr. Shroff said while highlighting her success stories.

Human embryonic stem cell therapy has captured the world’s attention due to its immense potential to benefit millions of people suffering from conditions that are labelled as not only incurable, but also terminal.

Being the first to develop an infinite number of pure human embryonic stem cell lines with a single embryo, Dr. Shroff, an expert for treating infertility in New Delhi, India, developed the technology of isolating, culturing, and preparing stem cells for clinical application, and having them in a ready-to-use form with a shelf life of 6 months.

To gain better insight on this ground breaking technology, Dr. Shroff shared how the therapy works when a human body goes through “wear and tear” that cannot be repaired by the inbuilt mechanism.

She explained that during a lifetime of a person, the balance in maintained within the body and as age advances, the capacity to repair decreases.

She explained that if the body is attacked by outside factors like viruses, bacteria etc, the body gets diseased, and medical sciences offers medication to control and cure such conditions. However, if the cells or body parts start malfunctioning, then the disorderly nature and depletion of body cells lead to incapacitating and incurable disorders.

Stating that these disorders have no current cure and medicine offers only symptomatic treatment, Dr. Shroff asserted: “It is here where cell replenishment and regeneration would allow for the cure and thus human embryonic stem cell therapy plays an important role.”

Showing a graphic to better explain how the therapy works, Dr. Shroff’s visual showed that the transplanted stem cells engrafts in the appropriate tissue on entering the recipient’s body. It then multiplies and gains specialisation under the regulating control of the host body and supplements the missing or deteriorating cells, replacing and repairing the missing function of the body.

While this treatment allows cells to divide and grow into any body part, Dr. Shroff pointed that under in-vivo conditions, which are conditions within a living organism as opposed to controlled conditions ‘within the glass’,  the cell division is “not indefinite”. “The cells follow the normal division that is initially inherent in an embryo,” she said.

Noting that that the complete effect of the stem cells transplanted into a patient is closely linked with the period of the human embryo’s development, Dr. Shroff stated that the cells continue their developmental process as per their pre-programmed time-frame.

“They do not exhibit antigenic properties and any medication given during the period has to be pregnancy friendly. In progressive and degenerative disorders, an early start on embryonic stem cell therapy would help in stemming the disease and hopefully the affected individual will not lose self-dependence,” professed Dr. Shroff.

During her presentation, Dr. Shroff stressed that the unique cell culture methodology makes the cells universally acceptable without the need for cross matching, irrespective of gender, or race.

Speaking on the clinical success of the therapy she said: “There have been no side effects in over 10 years of therapeutic usage,” and added that the entire technology platform, including therapeutic applications has patents applied.

On stating that that certification of the quality and safety management systems of the laboratory  and clinics of Nutech Mediworld are in compliance with the guidelines of the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), Dr. Shroff expressed that having come this far, she hopes to take this technology forward. “We hope that soon it will become the first line of treatment for many of mankind’s worst afflictions,” she concluded.

Pix by Upul Abayasekara