ROCKVILLE, Md., March 26, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- A study released this month in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery reports that a team of scientists in Israel have demonstrated the feasibility of recovering a functional heart after freezing and then thawing the organ.
One of the most difficult issues for patients needing organ transplants is the tremendous shortage of donor organs. The situation is complicated by the logistical challenges of handling these life-giving donations and maintaining organ viability until the time of transplant. With the donation of a human heart, a healthcare provider is restricted to only a few hours of harvest, transport and transplant time, which precludes donor-recipient matching between remote locations. Because of these time constraints, matching is limited to blood type and patient size. This creates a risk of immunological mismatches and increases the likelihood of organ rejection. Other types of organs face similar issues, with the clock ticking rapidly when scarce organs become available.
The ability to prolong the shelf-life of donated organs would allow time for improved donor-recipient immunological matching, and increase the practical geographic range for a donated organ. In short, more people in more places could be matched with the life-saving organs they desperately need. Improved ability to match donors and recipients would also help decrease rejection rates and reduce the intensity of immunosuppression treatments after transplantation. This would be expected to improve patient outcomes while reducing the cost of care.
This recently completed study utilized a newly developed technique to freeze and thaw isolated rat hearts. After thawing, the hearts recovered function, structural integrity and energy production. Other studies with frozen hearts have shown sensitivity to more than 30% ice content; this is the first time that study hearts were successfully functioning with more than 60% ice in the organ. This research project was a joint effort between scientists at Core Dynamics, a cryopreservation company with research facilities in Israel, and Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center.
"These results are very encouraging," said Prof. Amir Elami from the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center. "We believe that this achievement will lead to a time when we can bank cryopreserved organs in well-managed organ banks, and have ample time to assure we have the best match for the most critical-need patients."
The Core Dynamics technology utilizes a unique dimensional freezing technique to control the proliferation of ice crystallization. Uncontrolled freezing and thawing damages cells and reduces cell viability. The process is being utilized today in the preservation of osteochondral plugs with live cartilage cells to treat lesions in the knees of patients in Eastern Europe. The Company expects to introduce the plugs to the U.S. market in 2008. Core Dynamics also has work underway to evaluate the freezing and recovery of ovaries, coronary arteries and various types of cells.
About Core Dynamics
Core Dynamics is a biotechnology company dedicated to the development of superior technologies for the long-term preservation of living cells. The company has used its proprietary technology to successfully freeze and freeze-dry many cell lines and complex tissues. Core Dynamics is focused on establishing its technology and related protocols as the industry standard in cell preservation, while also developing a line of therapeutic and research products.
Core Dynamics' Research and Development center is located in Ness Ziona, Israel with U.S. commercialization activities based in Rockville, Maryland.
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