Septic Shock

Dr. Lauralyn McIntyre, The Ottawa Hospital

Each year in Canada, 100,000 patients experience septic shock, a condition that is fatal in 30-40% of cases. This severe infection accounts for half of all critical care costs ($4B per year) and survivors face long-term recovery with the possibility of permanent disability. At The Ottawa Hospital, Dr. Lauralyn McIntyre is testing a potential therapy that uses MSCs to tell the immune system to calm down and let repairs begin. Her team is the first in the world to complete a phase I trial of the treatment and is currently preparing for a larger phase II trial in several Canadian cities.

Before MSCs can be approved for treating septic shock, both phase II and phase III trials need to be completed; the latter will be conducted with industry partners and involve large numbers of patients around the world. If successful, the therapy would save thousands of lives and result in significant health care savings. SCN is proud to fund Dr. McIntyre’s research and has provided $1M towards this promising new discovery.