S'pore researchers to study stem cell transplants in brain for Parkinson's disease in novel trial
S'pore researchers to study stem cell transplants in brain for Parkinson's disease in novel trial
SINGAPORE - Researchers from the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) are embarking on a ground-breaking project to transplant stem cells into the brains of those with early Parkinson's disease, in a bid to stop the disease in its tracks.
Planning for the first-of-its-kind trial in Singapore is still under way, pending regulatory and ethical approvals.
Researchers are hopeful that the phase one trial for the novel approach can begin in late 2026, with five to eight patients who are younger and facing complications with their current treatments.
The project is being funded under a $25 million research grant awarded on May 28 to the institute by the National Medical Research Council for five years to study Parkinson's disease. The programme is called Singapore Parkinson's Disease Programme, or Sparkle.
An estimated 8,000 people in Singapore live with Parkinson's disease, which happens when dopamine-producing cells in the brain progressively die. As dopamine levels fall, patients present symptoms such as tremors and stiffness, and slowed movement appears. There is no known cure for the neurodegenerative disease, which leads to difficulty with walking, balance, coordination and even speech.
The idea of replacing brain cells killed off by Parkinson's with stem cells has been around for about four decades. The hope is that the transplanted cells, which have the ability to evolve into different types of specialised cells, can then start producing dopamine, reversing the condition.
But progress was held back by ethical considerations and technical hurdles.
Professor Tan Eng King, principal investigator for Sparkle and NNI's deputy chief executive officer for academic affairs, said that in the past, stem cells from embryos and foetuses were used, raising ethical concerns . There were also mixed results, as some transplanted cells did not end up producing dopamine, and led to adverse side effects like involuntary limb movements.
With advancements in cell therapies in recent years, scientists are now able to convert a patient's own normal body cells, such as skin or blood cells, into stem cells.
Using a patient's own cells is a better approach as it reduces the risk of the body's immune system rejecting the transplanted cells.
Prof Tan said NNI has collaborated with Duke-NUS Medical School, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine and A*Star to develop a proprietary method of converting a person's normal cells into stem cells. The therapy is currently undergoing final approval by the US Food and Drug Administration before it can be used for the trial.
He added that researchers from other countries are also studying similar stem cell approaches for Parkinson's disease.
The most successful group will be the one 'that is able to create a stem cell source from using a patient's own cells that contains almost 100 per cent dopamine-producing cells and nothing else', said Prof Tan.
'This is a very challenging endeavour and it is not something that anybody can do. We have developed the expertise, and we think that potentially, we can be one of the pioneers,' he added.
After the stem cells are transplanted, patients on the trial will likely be monitored for about two years to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the approach.
Other than the stem cell trial, another initiative under Sparkle is an early screening programme in the community to identify those at high risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
Prof Tan said he is optimistic that the screening programme can be rolled out by the end of 2025, and reach 10,000 people over the age of 55 in the next three to five years.
Currently, in Singapore, there is no screening available to detect those at risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
But Prof Tan said that based on previous research done by NNI, those who suffer from a loss of sense of smell, have rapid eye movement sleep disorder (where people act out their dreams) and a particular gene variant have a higher chance of developing the disease.
The screening will involve a questionnaire, after which those whose results warrant a closer look will be invited to go for more detailed examinations like brain scans.
Those who are identified as having a high risk of developing the disease will be introduced to interventions, including making lifestyle changes in areas such as exercise and diet.
Prof Tan pointed out that Singapore has one of the highest life expectancies in the world.
'If you can reduce the risk of developing a neurodegenerative condition, then you can increase the amount of years that you can spend in healthier living,' he said.
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