VISSER DEMONSTRATION & LICENSING AGREEMENT
Joint Announcement of Cryonics Institute and Alcor Life Extension Foundation
RAT HEARTS REVIVED FROM LIQUID NITROGEN–this milestone in cryobiology
has been confirmed at the Alcor facility during the week of Aug. 30 –
Sep. 4, 1996.
The achievement was reported last year from the University of Pretoria,
South Africa, by Michelle Olga Visser, who used a new cryoprotective
agent (CPA). She also reported submitting a paper on the experiment to
CRYOBIOLOGY, with three co-authors at her university, in December 1995.
Mrs. Visser is Head of Research, Department of Thoracic Surgery,
Faculty of Medicine, University of Pretoria. She is a perfusionist by
training and practice, working for the University hospital and also as
an independent contractor. She is a Ph.D. candidate in cryobiology,
whose studies include physiology and pharmacology.
She has been doing research in organ cryopreservation for the last
three years, after having started the first homograft bank in Pretoria
eight years ago at her department. She set up this bank to store heart
valves harvested for re-implantation, using standard cryo procedures
(DMSO), and developed an interest in developing a method for organs.
Her original report was met with general skepticism or indifference,
and publication has apparently been delayed by requests for revisions.
But Anatole Dolinoff, president of the Cryonics Society of France,
suggested that Mrs. Visser get in touch with Robert Ettinger, and
extensive discussions by e-mail followed. CI and Alcor invited her and
her husband Siegfried to come to Arizona as our guests and demonstrate
the Visser method with rat hearts. This was finally done, and we have
seen first-hand the confirmation of this accomplishment–arguably the
most important since 1948, when Jean Rostand froze frog sperm with
glycerol.
The Vissers were assisted in the Alcor building, in a lab used and lent
by CryoSearch Inc., by biochemist Hugh Hixon and by other Alcor people
including Rhonda Iacuzzo and Tanya Jones. Witnesses included Steve
Bridge, Mike Perry, Robert and Mae Ettinger, Fred and Linda
Chamberlain, David Pizer, Paul Garfield, Ralph Whelan, Brian Shock,
Derek Ryan, and Mathew Sullivan. Fred and Linda also helped with some
of the chores, including videotaping.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RESULTS: It wasn’t smooth going. The equipment was
different than the Vissers were accustomed to, and some of it was not
compatible; and human error is easy with small animal organs. There
were several failures during several long days of work. But there were
also two hearts that showed weak beating and one that showed strong
beating, after rewarming from liquid nitrogen temperature. This is
unequivocal proof that the Visser technique (at least as applied to rat
hearts) is far superior to anything previously reported.
Control hearts–immersed in liquid nitrogen in the same manner but not
perfused–showed gross damage, including cracking, and no signs of life.
Because of limitations of equipment, the hearts were kept in liquid
nitrogen for only a half minute to a minute–but the temperature probe
showed core temperature within a few degrees of that of liquid
nitrogen, – 196 C or – 320 F. Once such a temperature is reached, it is
generally agreed that the length of time of storage does not matter.
Mrs. Visser reports that the longest she has kept hearts in liquid
nitrogen is 45 minutes, and these were successfully revived. Alcor
personnel will be working to establish a reliable, routine experimental
protocol, and will be storing rat hearts for longer periods. Cryonics
Institute also plans to test longer term storage of various organs.
BRAINS: For cryonics, results with brains are the most important. There
are experimental and theoretical reasons to think the Visser method
will work well with brains also. The CPA penetrates the blood-brain
barrier. Preliminary experiments at Alcor with rat brains show normal
appearance to the naked eye and under the light microscope (but we do
not yet have micrographs).
LIMITATIONS OF THIS REPORT: Pending journal publication of their paper,
the authors do not want to publicize the identity of the CPA or other
details of the procedure, or to discuss the mechanism of
cryoprotection. Patents have been applied for, or soon will be, in
South Africa and several other countries, by Cryopreservation
Technologies cc, the South African corporation in which Mr. and Mrs.
Visser are majority shareholders.
CRYONICS LICENSING AGREEMENT: In return for help in funding their
further research, the Vissers have given CI and Alcor exclusive license
to use their present and future technology for cryonics purposes. This
includes the right to sub-license.
PERSONAL NOTES: The Vissers formed an excellent working relationship
with Hugh Hixon–who impressed everyone with his resourcefulness in
adapting equipment–as well as with other Alcor people including Rhonda
Iacuzzo and Tanya Jones. The Vissers stayed with Mae and Bob Ettinger,
and were pleasant, considerate, and extremely interesting guests. There
were many long conversations on a variety of topics- especially between
the Vissers and Mae, since Bob was often tied up with other duties. Mr.
Visser, a consulting engineer, understands the Visser method thoroughly
and acts as lab partner; he is also the main business person in the
Vissers’ company. Mrs. Visser, despite her amazing energy, drive, and
perfectionism, is also kind and understanding.
NON-CRYONICS RESEARCH: A priority of the Visser group is to pursue
research with large animal organs, in preparation for transplant
experiments, leading up to human cryogenic organ banking. There are
reasons to believe there is a very large potential market for such
technology–not only including such traditional transplant candidates
as kidney, heart, liver, pancreas, corneas etc., but also limbs or
digits, glands such as thyroid, and others.
TIME HORIZONS: When Mrs. Visser has funding, she estimates 8 months to
a year to prove pig organ transplants. After that, the time required to
get permission for human clinical trials, and to run those trials, and
then to get regulatory approval, depends on the country or countries of
choice and other factors. All told, perhaps 3 to 5 years. The demand
for transplants, and the life-saving nature of the technology, might
expedite matters, compared to customary procedures.
For 100% proof of reversible cryopreservation of the human brain, we
know of no reliable way to make even a rough guess. It will take as
long as it takes. But with the Visser method we have a running
start–and it seems very possible that our cryonics patients will very
soon have much better suspensions than any previously available.
Robert C.W. Ettinger, President, Cryonics Institute
Stephen W. Bridge, President, Alcor Life Extension Foundation