Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark (FBL) is published by IMR Press from Volume 26 Issue 5 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Frontiers in Bioscience.
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A clonal human neural stem cell line (ReN001) has been developed for clinical use in the treatment of stable disability after stroke. This cell line has been conditionally immortalized using the fusion transgene c-mycERTAM to allow controlled expansion when cultured in the presence of 4-hydroxytamoxifen. The cell line has been banked and fully characterized to assure there is genetic stability and no phenotypic drift with extended passages. In vivo studies determined the ability of the cell line to survive after implantation into damaged brain and its efficacy in the reduction of chronic behavioural dysfunction after implantation into a rodent model of stroke damage. A further study was conducted in this model and a dose-dependent effect was observed on behavioural recovery. No safety or toxicology issues were identified in in vivo studies with this cell line, which made REN001 a strong candidate for one of the first cell-based IND applications to be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration in the United States for consideration for the treatment of stroke in humans.