Promising research data will prompt Mesoblast to expedite a new round of more advanced clinical trials for a potential treatment for complications arising from diabetes.

"We couldn't have hoped for a better outcome," Mesoblast founder Professor Silviu Itescu​ said of the trial results.

"We met the primary end point" of the research program.

Mesoblast said a phase II clinical trial of patients with diabetic nephropathy involving a single injection of its MPC-300-IV, an allogeneic mesenchymal precursor cell, was not only safe but reduced damaging inflammation and helped to preserve or to improve renal function of the kidney over at least a 24-week period.

"The numbers were quite substantial," Professor Itescu said of the research results.

"We 're looking at ways to accelerate the research program," he said, which involves launching so-called phase III trials across a larger patient base to validate the results to hand.

"We can now target the sickest portion of the population."

For more details, go to: http://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/mesoblast-to-accelerate-research-on-promising-kidney-treatment-20150608-ghit7k.html