SCIENTISTS AT GALWAY University have achieved positive results from a study looking to cure osteoarthritis.
Early results from the stem cells study indicates that the research could be used on patients within five years.
Osteoarthritis affects over 400,000 people in Ireland and more than 70 million in the EU.
It is the most common form of arthritis. It causes the painful degeneration of cartilage in joints.
The researchers are looking at how stem cells from adult fat tissue could be used to activate the regeneration of cartilage.
The Phase 1 clinical trial has just finished.
Professor Frank Barry, Scientific Director of the Regenerative Medicine Institute at NUI Galway said,
“Until now there were just two possible outcomes for suffers of this progressive and debilitating disease; joint replacement surgery, in the case of advanced disease or, life-long pain management.
Whilst we are still in the early stages of clinical trials the results so far are extremely positive such that the use of stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis could become a reality for patients within the next 5 years.
The research is EU funded and is being carried out in seven countries.
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