Consecutive intrabronchial administration of Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in ECMO-supported pediatric patients with end-stage interstitial lung disease: a safety and feasibility study (CIBA method).

BACKGROUND: Patients ineligible for lung transplant with end-stage Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) on Extra-Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) face an appalling prognosis with limited therapeutic options. Due to the beneficial effect of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSC) on inflammatory, immunological and infectious diseases, cell therapy has been proposed as an option, but administration is hampered by the ECMO.

METHODS: Cryopreserved Wharton-jelly derived MSC (WJ-MSC) were conveniently diluted and directly applied consecutively on each lobule (5,1 ml = 107 cells) at a continuous slow rate infused over one hour via flexible bronchoscopy (Consecutive IntraBronchial Administration method, CIBA method).

RESULTS: Intrabronchial administration of MSC to a patient on ECMO was well tolerated by the patient even though it did not reverse the patient's ILD. This manuscript presents preliminary evidence from ongoing clinical trials program on Cell Therapy of Inflammatory, Immune and Infectious Diseases and, to our knowledge, is the first report of intrabronchial administration of MSC in a paediatric ECMO patient with ILD. Even more, MSC administered by this method do not reach the systemic circulation and do get blocked on ECMO membrane.

CONCLUSIONS: Direct intrabronchial administration of MSC in a patient on ECMO is feasible and safe, and may be a new avenue to be assayed in ECMO patients with inflammatory, immunological and infectious diseases of the lung.