5 severe Buerger’s disease patients recruited, remarkable blood vessel regeneration shown after stem cell treatment

• Dr. Nishihara: “Significant improvement presented in CT scans after stem cell treatment”

• Buerger’s Disease Patient Association: “The treatment should be made available to all patients when it is confirmed to be safe”

A successful case of adult stem cell treatment was recently announced. It involves a therapy that cultivates Buerger’s disease patients’ stem cells extracted from their fat and later injected back into their bodies.

StemCell Life Foundation: (President Jeong-chan Ra), sponsored by Nature Cell (stem cell bio-company), Rbio and RJapan, held a press conference on the successful results of stem cell treatment for severe Buerger’s disease patients at Seoul National University, at 11 a.m. on September 19, 2016.

At the press conference, the social welfare foundation presented its successful treatment cases, where the cost of stem cell therapy was covered for 5 patients, and Dr. Nishiraha of Kobe Nishihara Clinic in Japan explained the effects of stem cell treatment for severe Buerger’s disease patients based on his clinical records. He pointed out the significant improvements seen in the 5 patients (who were present at the press conference) by comparing their conditions before and after the treatment, indicating the promising result that Vascostem will serve as a cure for patients suffering from severe Buerger’s disease.

In a statement released by the Buerger’s Disease Patient Association, representative Sung-hee Lee said, “We do not ask for medical insurance coverage or other subsidies. Please make the stem cell treatment available to us as long as its safety is confirmed through clinical studies.”

Here are the successful results of the 5 cases:

Sang-yeong Lee (68) said, “I have relied on crutches for the past 30 years. I have tried most medicines available on the market, but they were not specifically for Buerger’s disease and their effects were almost negligible. Surprisingly, I saw significant improvement after only 2 injections of stem cell treatments. I even stopped taking painkillers. I wish for Vascostem to become available soon on the Korean market.”

Hyeon-woo Nam (45) lamented, “I was in constant, severe pain and had to rely on narcotic analgesics. But the scale of the pain was halved following the stem cell treatments. Had this treatment been available, it might have prevented gangrene from forming and saved me from amputation.”

Kyeong-joon Lee (born in 1992, male) complained that he experienced pain in his toe nails while walking. His hands and feet had already developed some gangrene and turned white as the blood vessels had narrowed significantly. After the stem cell treatment, however, the pain was significantly alleviated, his hands and feet regained their color with increased blood circulation and he was able to walk for about 30 minutes continuously, representing a great improvement over the previous 5-minute limit.

Nam-hyeong Lee (born in 1949, male) had already undergone a bypass operation on his right leg and balloon dilatation on his left leg, but intense pain in the left leg made it impossible for him to walk, so he was preparing for another surgery while undergoing the stem cell treatment. After the treatment, his feet became warm and his overall body condition was improved. Indeed, his CT scan clearly displayed significant regeneration of blood vessels in his feet following the treatment.

Representative Sung-hee Lee (67), who underwent the treatment in Japan, said, “I spent the last 30 years in excruciating pain and could not sleep well. I had to take 30-40 painkillers every day, and sometimes barged into emergency rooms and begged for stronger painkillers. However, the stem cell treatment made a huge difference for me. I have had 3 injections so far. I was barely able to walk 200 meters before, but now I can walk longer distances and the pain has been relieved to a great extent. I even went to hiking in early March. This was incredible for me, and my family and friends were all amazed.”

The effects of Vascostem on severe Buerger’s disease patients were tested in cooperation with Nishihara Clinic and RJapan, which were approved by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan after the Japanese government enacted the Regenerative Medicine Act. President Ra of the Stem Cell Foundation, who led the efforts for Vascostem’s development and pro bono treatment, said, “As Korea is currently working on relevant laws and regulations, I expect that we will soon be able to provide stem cell treatments not only for people with Buerger’s disease but also for those suffering from other incurable diseases, such as cerebral palsy, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis. We will cooperate closely with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and other relevant authorities in order to help patients around the world.”

StemCell Life Foundation was established in order to provide free medical treatments and services for low-income individuals suffering from diseases that remain incurable by modern medical technology, and the foundation will continue to expand its areas of business based on stem cell research and treatment.