Clinical Development

Any new therapy in Regenerative Medicine will have to be tested in a clinical trial to show that it is safe, has few if any side-effects and is effective before being approved for use. Often the new therapy is compared to the best available therapy as well.

Clinical trials generally follow a 4 step strategy;

Phase 1 trials look at whether a trial treatment is safe or has any harmful effects - the research team will also find out the best dose to use.
Phase 2 trials look at how well a treatment works - only treatments that have got through these 2 phases go into phase 3 testing.
Phase 3 trials test a new treatment against the existing standard treatment - if it gives better results, it may become the new standard treatment.
Phase 4 trials are carried out after a drug has been licensed - they collect information about side effects, safety and the long term risks and benefits of a drug.

For more general information please visit Cancer Research UK

If you are a researcher and planning a trial, visit The Department of Health which has a very helpful section to help you plan your clinical trial and get approval. On this site you will also find practical help when trying to meet the requirements of the UK Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004. These regulations implement the EU Clinical Trials Directive (PDF).

Clinical trials require human volunteers so if you are interested in volunteering check with your local hospital or the websites of the major charities in the regenerative medicine field such as the MS Society to see what trials are coming up.

Leading Developments

Scotland is a global leader in regenerative medicine research with the following programs:

Universities of Dundee and Aberdeen – Diabetes
University of Edinburgh - Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease, musculo-skeletal, corneal and blood
University of Glasgow - Cardiovascular disease and stroke

There are a number of clinical trials planned or in progress:

Corneal blindness in Edinburgh
Stroke in Glasgow
Liver cirrhosis in Edinburgh

Further Information

Further information you may find of interest:

Events:

You can view a list of all events which are being held around the world, appropriate to stem cell research. SSCN host a number of events each year and our scheduled events are listed here, along with the opportunity to register.

News:

A round up of the latest stem cell news is available. Keep an eye on the sector to remain up to date on developments and perhaps recognise potential collaborators through news of the work others in the field are undertaking.

Project Realise:

Keep up to date with the progress of this exciting project, as we develop a tool which will become key in helping individuals from all sectors involved in regenerative medicine to negotiate their way from bench to bedside.

Downloads:

You can access key documents such as Scottish Enterprise Market Updates in the download area.

Capability Map

An interactive map allowing you to explore current available capability in the Scottish Stem Cell Industry.

Community

If you are a professional working in the field of stem cell research, why not become a member of SSCN and interact with the rest of the community and take advantage of free meetings, Knowledge Transfer Awards and exceptional networking opportunities.