Stem cells cure, kill in rare disease

November 1, 2013

Allogeneic stem cell transplants appeared to cure some patients with a rare, lethal form of mitochondrial disease but were fatally toxic to others, a researcher said here. With up to 8 years of follow-up, nine of 26 patients in whom allogeneic transplants were attempted were still alive at last follow-up, but seven died of complications from the procedure and another eight survived the procedure but died from the underlying disease, called mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy or MNGIE, said Michio Hirano, MD, of Columbia University in New York City. (Med Page Today)