Pharmaceutical Kits Comprising Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Abstract

A method of treating a natural soft skeletal tissue injury in a patient the method comprising administering to the patient a composition of mesenchymal stem cells in liquid suspension enriched compared to the natural source of said cells, or tenocytes derived therefrom. The method is particularly suited to the regeneration of tendons in competitive mammals, such as the superficial digital flexor tendon of the horse.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A composition comprising a liquid suspension of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in a bone marrow supernatant, wherein the composition is enriched for the MSCs compared to a natural source of the MSCs. 
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 21 , wherein the composition further comprises a tenocyte. 
     
     
         23 . The composition of  claim 21 , wherein the composition is enriched for the MSCs at least 2-fold, at least 3-fold, at least 4-fold, at least 5-fold, at least 10-fold, at least 20-fold, at least 30-fold, at least 40-fold, at least 50-fold, at least 100-fold, at least 1000-fold, at least 10 4 -fold, or at least 10 5 -fold compared to the natural source of the MSCs. 
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 21 , wherein the MSCs comprise at least 10%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% of all cells in the liquid suspension. 
     
     
         25 . The composition of  claim 21 , wherein the liquid suspension comprises a gelling agent. 
     
     
         26 . The composition of  claim 21 , further comprising a biological signal to encourage differentiation of the MSCs into a cell type that is useful for regeneration of soft skeletal tissue. 
     
     
         27 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the biological signal is selected from a growth factor, a differentiation factor, a regeneration factor, and a cytokine. 
     
     
         28 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the biological signal is selected from TGF-β, TGF-β isoform 3, IGF-1, IGF-2, PDGF, FGF, and COMP. 
     
     
         29 . The composition of  claim 21 , wherein the composition further comprises platelet-rich plasma, serum, or plasma. 
     
     
         30 . The composition of  claim 21 , wherein the natural source of the MSCs is selected from bone marrow, peripheral blood, umbilical cord, fat, muscle, blood vessels, periosteum, and perichondrium. 
     
     
         31 . The composition of  claim 21 , wherein the MSCs have been cultured. 
     
     
         32 . A method for treating a soft skeletal tissue injury in a patient, comprising administering the composition of  claim 21  to the patient. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the patient is a mammal. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the mammal is a non-human mammal. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the mammal is selected from a horse, a dog, a cat, a camel, and a human. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the injury is a subcutaneous injury or an accidental laceration. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the subcutaneous injury is a strain-induced injury. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the tissue is selected from a tendon, a ligament, an intervertebral disc, and a meniscus. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the tendon is a flexor tendon. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the tissue is selected from a superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT), a suspensory ligament, a deep flexor tendon, an accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT), a meniscus, a cruciate ligament, an Achilles tendon, a flexor tendon, a quadriceps tendon, a rotator cuff, a lateral or medial epichondylitis, and an intervertebral disc. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the liquid suspension forms a gel in situ. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the MSCs are allogeneic or autologous with respect to the patient. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the natural source of the MSCs is selected from bone marrow from the patient, peripheral blood from the patient, umbilical cord from the patient, fat from the patient, muscle from the patient, blood vessels from the patient, periosteum from the patient, and perichondrium from the patient. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the composition is administered intravenously. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the composition is administered at the site of the injury or adjacent to the site of the injury. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the injury comprises a cavity, and the liquid suspension is administered into the cavity. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising forming a cavity at the site of the injury and administering the liquid suspension into the cavity. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising cleansing the site of the injury of damaged tissue and early repair scar tissue prior to administering the composition. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the liquid suspension is administered in aliquots of about 0.1 mL, about 0.2 mL, about 0.3 mL, about 0.4 mL, or about 0.5 mL. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the aliquot comprises from about 50,000 to about 500,000 MSCs or tenocytes per 0.1 mL. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising administering a biological signal to the patient, wherein the biological signal encourages differentiation of the MSCs into a cell type that is useful for regeneration of the soft skeletal tissue.