March 9, 2009           

Cincinnati – Physicians with The Carl and Edyth Lindner Center for Research and Education at The Christ Hospital (The Lindner Research Center) are among the first in the United States to enroll a patient in a new research study of adult stem cell therapy to potentially treat type 1 diabetes. The trial, sponsored by Osiris Therapeutics, will evaluate the safety and efficacy of Prochymal®, a medication designed to repair the pancreas and to preserve insulin production in patients newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The physicians and patient are available for interviews.

When an individual develops type 1 diabetes, commonly known as “juvenile diabetes” or “insulin-dependent diabetes,” insulin-producing islet cells in the pancreas are destroyed, which leads to high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood. People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin to regulate their blood sugar levels in order to avoid life-threatening hyperglycemic reactions (diabetic coma). Poorly controlled diabetes can lead to serious health conditions including heart disease, stroke, blindness, amputations, kidney disease and nerve damage.

During the procedure, Prochymal® adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSC’s) are administered intravenously and are thought to travel preferentially to the pancreas where they may prevent the destruction of islet cells. Prochymal MSC’s are derived from the bone marrow of normal, healthy, adult volunteer donors. Patients who are enrolled in the trial will receive either Prochymal or a placebo on a 2:1 randomized basis and will be monitored over a two-year period. All subjects will remain under the care of their primary care physician for diabetes management and will receive appropriate insulin therapy during study involvement.

Prochymal® has been tested in more than 400 patients to date.

To be enrolled, patients must be between the ages of 18 and 30 years old, must be screened for eligibility between two and 16 weeks from the initial diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and must be willing to comply with the schedule of study visits and requirements. The study sponsor will pay for procedures, tests and treatments performed for research purposes.

For more information on this trial, contact The Lindner Research Center at 513-585-1777.

The Christ Hospital is a 555-bed, not-for-profit acute care facility, offering services in cardiovascular care, spine treatment, women’s health, major surgery, cancer, behavioral medicine, orthopedics, emergency care, kidney transplant and others. The hospital also offers The Christ Hospital Medical Associates, a primary care physician practice with several office locations throughout the Tristate. The Christ Hospital is consistently recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s top hospitals, and has been named Cincinnati’s Most Preferred Hospital for 13 consecutive years by National Research Corporation (NRC). For more information about The Christ Hospital, visit www.TheChristHospital.com.

CONTACT: Michael Beauchat, 513-585-4900
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