Baxter moves from drips to stem cell research

By Debra Sherman

CHICAGO, April 18 (Reuters) - Baxter International Inc. (BAX.N), a pioneer in intravenous drips, is quietly entering the complex, but promising field of stem cell research.

Though Baxter Chief Executive Robert Parkinson characterizes the trial as a "wild card," the ability to coax stem cells to grow into healthy heart tissue represents a $1 billion market opportunity that could transform the 75-year-old hospital products company.

A stem cell is a kind of master cell for the body, capable of differentiating into a broad range of specialized cell types. Scientists are hoping to use the cells to repair tissue damaged by disease or injury.

Dr. Douglas Losordo, director of cardiovascular research and regenerative medicine at Northwestern University, is leading a Baxter-funded clinical trial that aims to use stem cells to repair heart tissue damaged by a lack of oxygen.

His research sidesteps political controversy surrounding embryonic stem cells -- which are derived from human embryos -- by instead utilizing the patient's own stem cells.

"There are stem cells all over the body. There's a lot of enthusiasm because they're like a repair kit for the body -- pre-installed by the manufacturer," Losordo said in an interview. "These cells are like an injury response unit -- they appear on the scene when there's trouble."

Patients participating in Losordo's trial have previously failed to respond to surgery and drugs. They are considered the sickest heart patients and experience chest pain from even the slightest physical exertion.

The goal of the trial is relief of angina, or chest pain caused by a lack of blood flow to the heart.

Losordo has 70 patients signed up for the study and hopes to complete enrollment, with about 150 patients, by year-end.

The treatment under investigation, known as autologous stem cell therapy, involves harvesting stem cells from the patient's own bone marrow. A drug, known as G-CSF, is given to stimulate the bone marrow to produce more stem cells.

Blood is then drawn and blood components are separated. Everything but the mononuclear cells, which include stem cells known as CD34 cells, are put back into the patient. Baxter's cell separation technology isolates the CD34 cells using tiny magnetic beads.

Baxter's technology has been used for years by oncologists seeking to replace CD34 cells -- antigens, which stimulate an immune response -- destroyed by blood cancer treatments.

Losordo said when researchers compared using CD34 cells that were isolated with those that were not separated from other blood components, they found the latter were associated with more internal bleeding at the site.

The biggest risk associated with the therapy is blood clotting, a response to G-CSF, the drug that is given when the CD34 cells are being mobilized. Anti-thrombotic drugs are given during cell collection to prevent clots, Losordo said.