Duke med school gets FDA approval for stem cell product

BY LAURA OLENIACZ

loleniacz@heraldsun.com; 919-419-6636

DURHAM Stem cells from umbilical cord blood saved at 14-month-old Jase Howells birth are now being used in research to see if the cells can help his brain heal.

The research is looking into the use of the stem cells to treat brain damage from hydrocephalus, a condition characterized by the buildup of fluid in the skull.

His family traveled from Texas so he could receive an infusion on Tuesday at the Duke Childrens Hospital & Health Center of cord blood that was saved at his birth.

Mommys so proud of you, said LeaAnn Howell, to Jase, as he lay on a hospital bed, surrounded by medical personnel and family.

He periodically lifted his leg up and down to the beat of The Wheels on the Bus and other songs played by music therapist Tray Batson during the procedure.

Like I said, we were going to do anything humanly possible that we can do, Howell said in an interview prior to the procedure. Its a tough thing to fly, but once we (get here), I think the results are worth the wait, I guess.

The research into the use of cord blood stem cells to treat brain injury from hydrocephalus is being led by Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg, chief of the Division of Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation at Duke.

The research is being done under a U.S. Food and Drug Administration Investigational New Drug application, Kurtzberg said.

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Duke med school gets FDA approval for stem cell product