Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg at Duke University in North Carolina, is a leader in the field cord blood both the transplant and regenerative medicine.
Currently, it investigates the efficacy of cord blood in a variety of pediatric conditions associated with brain disorders, including cerebral palsy, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, and hypoplastic left heart syndrome . This research on cord blood and autism is an exciting breakthrough.
Autism can now be added to the list of diseases that could be treated with cord blood. In the summer of 2014, Dr. Kurtzberg initiated a trial to investigate the safety of a single intravenous infusion of autologous (self) cord blood in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder with early onset which results in a specific set of behavioral abnormalities and development. Currently, treatments for patients with ASD are favorable; There is no cure for ASD.
In the clinical trial conducted at Duke University, 20 patients will be infused with their own cord blood bank and evaluated by a variety of tests at 6 and 12 months. During his last summer of initiation, the 20 slots filled quickly.
The data from this trial will be used to design a future Phase 2 clinical trials. It is expected that families who wish to participate in such a trial will have the opportunity during the test phase 2.
Learn more about current treatments using cord blood and the emerging research in the field.