Chinese researchers claim to be outpacing international competitors in the development of stem cell therapies for Parkinson’s disease, citing higher efficiency and a faster clinical trial timeline.
Parkinson’s is often described as a movement disorder. Its symptoms are caused by the brain’s failure to produce sufficient dopamine, because of the death or dysfunction of the specialised neurons responsible for generating the chemical.
In the search for a cure, researchers around the world are exploring stem cell therapies aimed at replenishing lost dopaminergic neurons – a field in which one Chinese company is claiming to be taking the lead.
Advertisement
Nuwacell Biotechnologies was founded a decade ago in Hefei, Anhui province, by stem cell biologists Yu Junying and Zhang Ying upon their return to China from leading US institutions.
Speaking to the South China Morning Post after an academic exchange conference in Beijing, Yu – the company’s chief scientist – said Nuwacell’s therapy was showing “significantly higher efficiency” than rival international teams from the US and Japan.
“Our cells, once introduced into the body, convert into dopaminergic neurons at a rate of 80 to 90 per cent, whereas published data from other teams are below 25 per cent,” she said.