A Phase Ii Dose Escalation Study of Intraarterial (Hepatic) Adult Human Bone Marrow Derived, Cultured, Pooled, Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (Stempeucel®) in Patients with Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis

Abstract

Background: Alcoholic liver cirrhosis is an end stage alcoholic liver disease with poor prognosis. The definitive treatment of alcoholic liver cirrhosis is orthotopic liver transplantation, which is expensive, requires long term immunosuppression and is limited by supply of organs. Being an unmet medical need, cell therapy is under investigation for alcoholic liver cirrhosis.Aims: This study was designed primarily for assessing the safety and feasibility of administering stempeucel® through the hepatic artery in alcoholic liver cirrhosis and secondarily to assess possible efficacy and dose-response.Methods: Forty patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (18-65 years/Child Pugh class B or C/Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score of minimum 10) were included in 4 groups: 2.5 million cells/kg Body Weight (2.5M Cell) and respective control (2.5M Control); 5 million cells/kg Body Weight (5M Cell) and respective control (5M Control) with 10 patients in each group. Cell groups received stempeucel® administered via hepatic artery by catheterization through femoral artery (Seldinger technique) and Standard Protocol of Care. Control group received Standard Protocol of Care. Patients were followed up at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months. Safety evaluations included clinical examination, Electrocardiogram and laboratory investigations. Efficacy evaluations included liver function test, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, Child Pugh score, Short Form-36 questionnaire, liver stiffness using Fibroscan (Transient Elastography), and liver volume using Computerized Tomography scan. Results: stempeucel® injection was well tolerated. Common treatment emergent adverse events were in Gastrointestinal disorders, General disorders and administration site conditions and Infections and infestations. Most of the treatment emergent adverse events were unrelated / remotely related to stempeucel®. Thirty serious adverse events occurred in 10 patients (3 in 2.5M Cell, 5 in 5M Cell and one each in control groups). Three patients died due to SAEs: Two in 2.5M and one in 5M Cell group, none were related to stempeucel®. There was no significant difference in efficacy evaluations at 6 months versus baseline compared to control at both the dose levels of stempeucel®. Statistically significant improvement was seen in 2.5M group compared to control group in Short Form-36 score: bodily pain, mental component summary, vitality and social functioning. Conclusions: stempeucel® was safe, well tolerated and subjective improvement in few component scores of Short Form-36 was seen 2.5M cell group.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov: NCT01591200Clinical Trial Registry – India: CTRI/2009/091/000432