2nd Edition of International Conference on Cell & Stem Cell Research

August 21-23, 2023 | London, UK

August 21 -23, 2023 | London, UK
Stem Cells 2022

Neus Figa Martin

Speaker at Cell & Stem Cell Research 2022 - Neus Figa Martin
ClĂ­nica Exolife, Spain
Title : Msc-exosomes in osteoarthritis treatment

Abstract:

Osteoarthritis(OA) is the most common degenerative joint disease in adults, as well as a major cause of pain and disability. Despite its broad prevalence and severe impact both on individual health and economic level, the available treatments hardly manage to calm the pain and, more importantly, lack the capability to restore degraded cartilage or decelerate disease progression. The need to find a treatment to effectively reduce pain and improve functionality in the damaged joints seems to be possible with the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Those cells, ideally autologous, can be obtained from adipose tissue or bone-marrow (among other sources) and may be differentiated into lineages of interest, like chondrocyte or osteoblast in this case. MSCs have a dual functionality interesting in OA treatment: immunoregulation and regeneration, a combination that allows to reduce pain and inflammation as well as to repair injured tissue. Later studies demonstrate that these properties could also be found in some nanovesicles that those cells secrete, the exosomes. The use of exosomes is a step further in the way of finding the ideal treatment in OA: they have low or no immunogenicity (therefore its allogenic use a suitable option) and can be easily stored either frozen or lyophilized. Thanks to these characteristics, exosomes can be obtained from a healthy donor and produced in great quantities to create a bank, from which single doses can be distributed to any clinician desiring to treat any patient. Contrary to MSCs transplant, allogenic usually increase waiting time for the patient and could even cause losing the opportunity to treat those individuals who do not meet the criteria for that kind of intervention. Moreover, the possibility to store and send the product abroad, could allow sending the treatment to any health center even if they have no laboratory to produce exosomes themselves. In our experience, this treatment can restore damaged joints even in cases where other therapeutic options failed, improving the patient’s health and quality of life.

Biography:

Neus Figa-Martin studied Pharmacy at Universitat de Barcelona (Catalonia) and graduated as MS in Advanced Immunology in 2019. After her experience in the research group of Prof. Eva Martínez Cáceres focused on multiple sclerosis, she joined Clínica Exolife where she gained knowledge on regenerative medicine with exosomes. Tutored by T.M Francisco Gutiérrez Castro and in partnership with Recell, a leading clinical center located in Chile and specialized in exosomes, and Biogenica, the international scientific group responsible for the know-how, she is now focused on the goal to bring a clinical solution for those degenerative diseases pending for a suitable treatment.

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