US Stem Cell Inc (USRM)

[MyzStreet]

Smart pill, other Florida innovations could aid opioid fight

Treating the source
U.S. Stem Cell Inc. has pioneered regenerative treatments designed to alleviate the sources of chronic pain, thus reducing or eliminating the need for opioid regimens in the first place. The company’s proprietary Adipocell stem cell kit enables physicians to harvest an individual’s own stem cells, found in a high percentage in fat tissue, and reinsert them into the targeted area in a minimally invasive procedure without general anesthesia.
The purpose of these naturally occurring stem cells is to replace damaged tissue, says Dr. Kristin Comella, U.S. Stem Cell’s chief science officer. “By redirecting them to affected areas, we’re addressing the root cause of the pain” rather than using opioids to mask the symptom, she said.
Since 2001, this technology has been used more than 10,000 times worldwide, most often for common pain points. including orthopedic treatments for knees, shoulders and backs. The treatments are offered by a network of more than 280 independent physicians and clinics across the country.
This year, the company says it has seen an “explosive demand for stem cell treatments,” generating a 92 percent increase in revenue for the first nine months of 2017 compared with the same period in 2016, and a 158 percent increase in gross profits, for a total of $2.8 million for the same period.
Comella says demand has increased as more Americans become educated on alternatives to traditional opioid medications to treat chronic pain. She foresees a future where stem cell infusions are administered prophylactically, “almost like a checkup or teeth cleaning.”
“In the near future, people are not going to wait until the pain is at a certain level [to get help], and they’ll address issues as they come up.”

http://orlando.crains.com/article/news/smart-pill-other-florida-innovations-could-aid-opioid-fight