New treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis with anti-inflammatory Exosomes

Düsseldorf (Germany) March 15 (PROTEXT/ots) - A group of Orthopedicsurgeons from Germany (Düsseldorf) have discovered a new class ofbiological compounds for the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Thesecompounds are called “anti-inflammatory exosomes”. The treatment of 66patients with RA proved successful using this technology. Exosomes are cellparticles of white blood cells, which play an important role in theregulation of the immune system. Peter Wehling, M.D. of the Center forMolecular Orthopedics, Düsseldorf, Germany said: “Exosomes teach the immunesystem to recognize endogenous cells as endogenous again.”

In total, Wehling treated 66 patients of different ages with severe RAwith exosomes. None of these patients treated had improved withconventional medical or surgical therapy significantly. The patientsreceived a single injection of exosomes into the most affected joint. “Weobserved quick and significant improvement in two thirds of the patients,”said Wehling, who monitored the patients for follow-up periods ranging upto five years. The improvements lasted for an average of three to sixmonths before exosome treatment was needed and repeated again. “Based onthe positive clinical results, antiarthritic therapy with exosomes appearsfeasible, safe and effective in cases of RA especially those who do notrespond to basic conventional treatment” summarizes Wehling.

In addition, exosomes may also be an option in the treatment of otherimmune diseases, like multiple sclerosis and allergies. Animal experimentsin arthritic mice demonstrated high safety and efficacy of the endogenousparticles in the treatment of arthritis before. Long-term studies areplanned by the Düsseldorf group for the better understanding of the roleexosomes play in immune health and disease.

Center for Molecular Orthopedics, Königsallee 53-55 D-40212 Düsseldorf;phone: 0049-211-828937-10; fax: 0049-211- 828937-11; e-mail:

info@neue-orthopaedie.de; http:// www.neue-orthopaedie.de; PublicRelations: Antje Kassel, mobile: 0049-173-2402901; e-mail:antje.kassel@neue-orthopaedie.de

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