Mercy Gilbert and Chandler Regional Medical Centers, Dignity Health Members, have been selected to participate in a new research study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of adult stem cells in stroke victims. The study, which will involve 35 research volunteers at three U.S. centers, will be led by principal investigator Nabil Dib, M.D., M.Sc., F.A.C.C., director of Cardiovascular Research at Mercy Gilbert and Chandler Regional Medical Centers. According to the American Stroke Association, ischemic stroke accounts for 87 percent of all strokes. An ischemic stroke happens when blood vessels carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain are blocked by a clot. “The portion of the brain that is not getting oxygen begins to die very quickly, affecting the part of the body that it controls,” says Jonathan Hodgson, D.O, medical director of Mercy Gilbert’s Stroke Center and sub-investigator for the study. “Paralysis, vision, balance and speech problems are some examples of the effects of a stroke. Stroke affects an estimated 795,000 people annually, and is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in adults.” The adult stem cells being evaluated in this study are obtained from the bone marrow of adult donors other than the patients and manufactured by Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc., in San Diego, Calif. According to Dr. Dib, these stem cells may have the ability to become different types of cells, and may repair damaged and/or replace lost cells in the body due to disease. “At this time, there is no U.S. Food and Drug Administration or internationally approved adult stem cell product for the treatment of ischemic stroke,” he said. “The information from this study may provide the data necessary to select safe and potentially effective doses of adult stem cells to treat patients suffering from ischemic stroke or similar conditions.” “Our Joint Commission certified Primary Stroke Centers offer the most advanced treatment options to help our patients recover from a stroke,” said Tim Bricker, president and CEO of Mercy Gilbert Medical Center. To achieve the objective of this study, the medical centers are seeking participants that have had an ischemic stroke at least six months prior to enrolling in the study. To qualify for the study, participants will need to meet select criteria, including but not limited to significant functional (e.g., difficulty walking, confinement to a wheelchair) and/or neurological impairment (e.g., paralysis, loss of memory) due to the stroke. “Our participation in research of this type may one day result in the means to reverse the neurologic, functional and motor deficits that oftentimes result in permanent disability for those who have suffered an ischemic stroke,” adds Patty White, president and CEO of Chandler Regional Medical Center. Mercy Gilbert and Chandler Regional Medical Centers are two of the 33 hospitals and medical centers within the Dignity Health system to be involved in medical research. Dignity Health’s 16 Institutional Review Boards provide oversight for more than 1,000 clinical trials across the system. As with all clinical research, it’s important for research participants to understand the general principles that apply to anyone taking part in the study: Participation is entirely voluntary; While research participants may not experience personal benefits as a result of taking part in the study, knowledge may be gained from their participation that may benefit others; and At any time, research participants may decide to discontinue their participation without any negative consequences. For more information, please call (480) 728-9979. You may also visit our online listing of research studies by visiting MercyGilbert.org/Research or ChandlerRegional.org/Research
