"Our results suggest that mesenchymal stem cells may provide a promising new approach for treating organ damage caused by severe infection and we are looking to test this in patients in the near future," said Dr. Stewart.

"Sepsis is a life-threatening medical condition caused by the body's response to infection," said Dr. Slutsky. "About a quarter of patients with severe sepsis die, and there are very few specific therapies for this devastating condition. That's why this study is potentially important."

"To achieve approximately 70 per cent reduction in mortality is pretty remarkable, even in a mouse model," said Dr. Liles. "By using a cell therapy, we can target multiple pathways that feed into this complex physiology rather than just one single pathway or factor."

Sepsis is the second leading cause of mortality in Canadian and U.S. intensive care units, resulting in more than 200,000 deaths each year and more than $16 billion in health care costs.

Source: Ottawa Hospital Research Institute