Dr. Zannos Grekos is back in the stem cell business in his Bonita Springs office even though state health-care regulators suspended his license in February.
Grekos, a cardiologist, is chief medical officer of a new company, Intercellular Sciences, which "follows in the footsteps" of his earlier practice called Regenocyte Therapeutics, according to Intercellular's website.
Intercellular operates at 9500 Bonita Beach Road where Regenocyte is located.
The new company website says all stem cell treatment is done in the Dominican Republic, which follows how Grekos was doing the therapy before he faced state sanctions for performing it in his Bonita Springs practice.
Staff at Intercellular Sciences could not be reached for comment.
The state health department is aware of Grekos involvement with Intercellular but cannot say whether serving as chief medical officer means he is actively practicing medicine against the suspension, health department spokeswoman Ashley Carr said.
Incorporation papers were submitted and filed May 15 for Intercellular with the state Division of Corporations, but Grekos is not listed as an agent or manager, the documents show.
The registered agent, Mike Calcaterra, of North Fort Myers, serves as president and chief operating officer of Intercellular. He could not be reached for comment.
Several years ago, Grekos' medical practice evolved into stem cell therapy, where patients would come to his practice in Bonita Springs for medical evaluation and a blood sample would get sent to a laboratory in Israel for cultivating the stem cells. The blood would then be sent to the Dominican Republic.
The patient would travel to the island nation and Grekos' physician partner there would inject the stem cells into the patient. The hope is the therapeutic healing abilities of the stem cells would help the patient buy more time against congestive heart failure, lung disease and other conditions where conventional treatment was no longer effective.
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Embattled Bonita Springs doctor back in stem cell business