Method of Treatment of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome with Embryonic Hematopoietic Stem Ñells

A.I. Smikodub, Cell Therapy Clinic of National Medical University and Embryonic Tissues Center EmCell, Kiev, Ukraine

This method is protected by two US patents: ¹ 5,811,089 from Sep. 22, 1998 and  US 6,184,033 B1 from Feb.6, 2001, Dutch patent ¹ 194908 from Sep.15, 2003, and Russian patent ¹ 2137484 from Sep.20, 1999. It allows for stabilization and restoration of functional activity of the immune system and compensation of insufficient immune response of the patient with simultaneous decrease of clinical manifestations of the disease.   The main group consisted of 48 patients for whom preliminary selection criteria have been developed: impossibility of antiviral therapy due to intolerance or considerable side effects; more than 50% decrease in CD4+ during preceding 6 months or reduction by 100/1 mm³ during the same time; disease progression: transition from HIV to AIDS-AC, and from AIDS-AC into AIDS despite anti-virus therapy; impaired workability and quality of life (decrease in Karnofsky index by more than 20% during last 6 months); CD4+ count less than 50/mm³ with manifestations of AIDS-indicator diseases, and with Karnofsky index below 30%.

Developed is an original cell composition containing embryonic hematopoietic stem cells. Its application led to increase of immune indices  including CD4, CD3, CD8 subpopulations; the most demonstrative was this increase in the group of patients with CD4+ count 200-300 mm³: at the end of the first post-transplant week, it rose by 35%, second week – by 72%, and in 1 and 6 months it was higher by respectively 51% and 42%.  High levels of lymphocytes were maintained in patients in 3-6 and even in 10-12 months after transplantation.  Reported were also normalization of peripheral blood count (leukocytes, erythrocytes, thrombocytes), decrease in infectious complications and manifestations of peripheral neuropathy and related neurological symptoms, disappearance of astheno-neurotic syndrome, optimization of psychoemotional state with decrease of depression signs, improvement of mental and physical activity, weight gain, and substantial inhibition of the progression of the disease.