International Stem Cell Corporation Completes Enrollment and Dosing in its Parkinson's Disease Clinical Trial

[Farooqji]

Interim results of this study will be presented at the upcoming 2019 American Academy of Neurology 71st Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA on May 5th, 2019.

it may take 5 more years to commercialize if successful

globenewswire.com/news-rele...

[jeffreyn]

That conference is shaping up to be quite significant.

On Saturday, it's the STEADY-PD Phase 3 results (Isradipine).

On Sunday, it's the ISCO Phase 1 interim results (ISC-hpNSC stem cells).

[Hikoi]

Iqbaliqbal,

I suspect 5 years to commercialise could be wishful thinking. This is after all a phase one trial of 12 people. They have just completed implants so it will be sometime (5 yrs?) before phase 2 trials.

[jeffreyn]

Another issue is the time it took to line up 12 suitable volunteers. The title says "ISCO completes enrollment and dosing in its PD clinical trial", which suggests to me that enrollment was only completed relatively recently. So that is a twelve-person enrollment process taking approximately 3 years!

If there continue to be "no serious adverse events related to the transplanted ISC-hpNSCs", volunteers for the Phase 2 trial might be more forthcoming.

[Farooqji in reply to jeffreyn]

You are right, it's progressing at snail pace. I am worried that it may end up with the same fate as Bristol GDNF trial. I think there is either a problem of lazy leadership in this project or there is an issue with funds. By the time when it will mature, other treatments may arrive which will cease it's importance. On the lighter note , the employees involved in the project may be trying to delay the progress of the trial to lengthen their employment.

[Hikoi in reply to Farooqji]

Thats a crazy suggestion. Just because many here assume the world is the US is no reason for you to Iqbaliqbal. Are the employees in this trial procrastinating to keep their jobs! They are just as likely to want the trial completed as it could be added on to their already busy work load.

As to lazy leadership.... have you not heard how difficult it is to get participants for clinical trials?

[Farooqji in reply to Hikoi]

I had volunteered for the trial but got rejected . They said that "we can only consider Australian citizens due to ethical guidelines. "

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT02452723

[Juliegrace in reply to Hikoi]

Exactly, Hikoi. Recruitment can take years. I have, and continue, to participate in research, but it gets harder as the years pass as it involves travel. I think often it seems easy in theory but not in practice because the commitment can be quite onerous. I spent two years flying from Washington state to Baltimore (at my expense) to participate in a focused ultrasound study. I have been involved in the Parkinson's Progressive Markers Initiative for nine years now. I travel two hours for the appointments. I've had several lumbar punctures as part of it, but will no longer have them (too stressful). Many people do not have the physical, emotional and/or financial wherewithal to make those kind of commitments. I am very lucky to have a husband who supports me in all this.

[jimcaster in reply to Juliegrace]

Thank you for your effort, Juliegrace. Directly or indirectly, we have all benefitted from your participation.