Jun 29, 2009 10:13 pm US/Eastern
UM Carries Out Heart Stem Cell Research
Click Here To Read More In David Sutta's Blog
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
Heart attacks have been in the headlines lately with the deaths of Michael Jackson and Billie Mays. As it turns out, a major clinical study is underway right here in South Florida to cure the number one killer in America.
Barry Brown went to his doctor last year, barely able to breathe. After a battery of tests he learned his heart was in horrible shape.
"I had two arteries that were blocked 100 percent and one blocked 85%," said Brown.
"It was a matter of time before you were no longer going to be here?" CBS4's David Sutta asked. Brown responded "possibly."
As doctors scheduled his triple bypass surgery, the University of Miami asked him to participate in a clinical study to insert his own stem cells directly into his heart. "I was already going to be open so why not take a chance and see if they might be able to heal my heart." Brown said.
Stem cells are found in our bodies. These blank cells multiply and take the properties of their surroundings.
"The hope is that if can actually harness the stem cells to re-grow heart muscle in the area that was damaged by the heart attack, we can prevent those complications of heart disease," said Dr. Alan Heldman, a UM cardiologist.
The ground breaking experiment has 17 people, including Brown, trying to regenerate their damaged hearts. UM is investing heavily in the technology. In fact the day Michael Jackson died, UM was dedicating an entire floor of lab space to stem cell research.
Dr. Joshua Hare leads UM's Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute.
"We have lots and lots of evidence that it works," said Dr. Hare. "In addition, what's accumulating from studies in humans around the world, including studies that we've done is that it's safe, and that's it also seems to be working in people."
There is a lot of optimism because of the early data; it will likely be another year though before concrete evidence. Regenerated hearts show up in CAT scans. If doctor Hare and Heldman are right, this could be compared to the technology of drug coated stints created in the 1990's, which is now a $5 billion industry.
"My perspective is that this will be 10 times bigger. Congestive heart failure heart failure is the number one cause of hospitalization for Medicare patients. It's the number one Medicare expense--hospitalization for congestive heart failure. If we have a remedy that can actually heal that disease, on economical terms, on quality of life terms, we can hope even on life expectancy terms it can be truly groundbreaking," said Heldman.
It is exactly what Barry Brown is hoping for, not just for him but others like him. "It's not very often in your lifetime you get to be first to do something as significant as this, to be able to open up doors for other people, not just cardiac victims, but people with blindness issues, with neurological issues. It's just was an opportunity for me that I thought I had to take," said Brown.
The doctors estimate they are five years from finishing clinical trials if they receive substantial funding.
As things are moving right now though, it could by up to 10 years.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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