New hope for stroke patients

In a world first, scientists at Melbourne's La Trobe University have developed a groundbreaking treatment for stroke using discarded amniotic cells from pregnant women.

The teams found that injecting the stem cells - which line the amniotic sac during pregnancy and are discarded after birth - into stroke patients can significantly reduce brain injury and aid recovery.

Stroke is one of Australia's biggest killers and a leading cause of disability. Treatments for stroke are time critical and currently only a limited number of Australians have access to them.

The seven-year research project, led by La Trobe's Professor Chris Sobey and researchers from Monash University and Monash Health, found when human amnion epithelial cells were injected 90 minutes after stroke, the cells quickly homed in on the affected area of the brain, greatly reducing inflammation and nerve cell death.

"But what is particularly exciting about these new findings is that when the amniotic cells were administered as late as one or three days after stroke, there was accelerated healing and long term functional recovery was still greatly improved," Professor Sobey said.

Some of the most recent advancements in ischemic stroke treatment - strokes caused by a clot - can only be delivered within the first few hours of a stroke.

Professor Sobey said the reason this particular cell therapy was effective is because the cells are abundant, they are discarded after birth and don't require any treatment before being used.

"They already contain natural immune-suppressants, which means the patient's body won't reject them and they don't form tumours - both issues with other forms of cell therapy."

The first in-human trial in acute stroke patients will start soon, led by researchers at Monash Health and Monash University.

F - Has their FACE drooped?

A - Can they lift both ARMS?

S - Is their SPEECH slurred and do they understand you?

T - Call 000, TIME is critical.