FDA CLEARS ALDAGEN'S HEART FAILURE THERAPY TRIAL

Aldagen has announced that the FDA has cleared a clinical study using the company's Aldesort product to isolate a stem cell population for therapy for advanced heart failure patients. It will be the first clinical trial involving this cell population for therapy for heart failure patients in the U.S.

Aldesort isolates a highly potent population of stem cells taken from the patient's own bone marrow. These cells are more active in restoring blood flow to damaged tissue than unfractionated bone marrow in preclinical animal models. These stem cells have the potential to build new blood vessels (angiogenesis) in damaged hearts, which could ultimately lead to improved functional improvement in advanced heart failure patients.