Barcelona (EFE).- A prototype of artificial placenta designed with the aim of saving lives and improving the prognosis of ultra-premature neonates, less than six months old, has managed to achieve up to 12 days of survival in a first experimental phase, in which it has been first tested in animal models.
“It is a very important milestone”, highlighted this Monday the director of BCNatal and project leader, Eduard Gratacós, who indicated that the project continues with the following phases, with the expectation that the prototype can undergo clinical studies -in humans- in “two or three years”.
The CaixaReserch Artificial Placenta project presented the results of the first two and a half years of research this Monday, at a press conference at CosmoCaixa with the participation of the top managers of the la Caixa Foundation, which finances the initiative, and the two hospitals that make up the BCNatal, the Clínic and Sant Joan de Déu.
This project is designed for ultra-premature babies, those born before six months, which are 25,000 cases in Europe alone each year.
Before six months of gestation, the lungs, intestines and brain of the fetus are underdeveloped and are not equipped to function properly in such an unnatural environment outside the womb.
Although science and technology have increased survival over the years, through respiratory support techniques and intravenous feeding, ultra-premature infants may have sequelae and complications in their future life.
In order to “radically” change the prognosis of these cases, Gratacós has detailed that the objective of the CaixaResearch Artificial Placenta project is to gradually extend the survival of fetuses in good condition up to four weeks (28 days), so that later the babies can continue living out of that placenta, in an incubator.
“It is about moving the theoretical point of birth and maintaining it for four weeks in this placenta, with which we could reduce mortality and sequelae to less than half, in a radical way, so the benefit would be immense”, Gratacós explained. .
Fooling nature to live as a fetus
Thus, the main objective is “to get the fetus out of its mother and to continue living as a fetus and this is extremely difficult because nature must be deceived as much as possible”, the scientist remarked.
In this “deception” it is essential that the prototype guarantees, among other things, that amniotic fluid enters and leaves, and that nutrients and medicines, as well as oxygenation, reach the fetus, all through the connection of the umbilical cord.
“The placenta is like a suction cup of meat that adheres to the uterus and behaves like a radiator, through which blood circulates and comes out again (extracorporeal circulation) to oxygenate the fetus, since it does not breathe directly but passes the his mother oxygen”, explained the director of BCNatal.
The transfer and connection of the umbilical cord is also complex, which is connected to cannulas that have been designed so that “the change is not noticed”, because, if this is not the case, the cord interprets that the baby has already been born and closes. , has added.
Tested in more than 50 cases of sheep fetuses
In these two and a half years, the artificial placenta has been tested in more than 50 cases of sheep fetuses, of which three have managed to survive in good fetal condition at 12 days, while there have been others that have reached 10 days. or after 9 days, Gratacós has specified.
After this first phase, financed with 3.35 million euros by the la Caixa Foundation, a second one (2023-2025) will continue with 4.3 million euros more, which will try to extend survival to four weeks, bring the entire system to an “extreme” security level and develop the bioethical framework.
The forecast is that in “2 or 3” years a clinical study in humans can be considered, in very specific cases and always in ultra-premature births (never in embryos), the project leader has indicated.
“It is a reality that it will be, we do not know when, but in the future there will be an artificial placenta that will radically change the future of these premature babies”, assured Gratacós, who has predicted that his project will be the first, less in Europe.
Apart from CaixaResearch Artificial Placenta, there are currently only four groups in the world that have developed experimental models with significant advances: one in Philadelphia, another in Michigan (both in the United States), a third led by a consortium of Australia and Japan and , finally, a fourth in Toronto (Canada).
The director of the Hospital Clínic, Josep Maria Campistol, and the director of Sant Joan de Déu, Manel del Castillo, spoke at the presentation, who highlighted the “pride” of being part of such a “daring” project and with a broad “vision as a team”, since 35 researchers participate and 30 more professionals collaborate.
For his part, the General Director of the la Caixa Foundation, Antonio Vila, stressed that the organization is “committed, excited and excited” about a project that is “spectacular”.