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TOKYO, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Japan's health ministry said on Thursday a panel of specialists had endorsed Sumitomo Pharma's iPS cell-derived treatment for Parkinson's disease, paving the way for the world's first medical products based on the technology.
So-called iPS cells, or induced pluripotent stem cells, have the capacity to change into various cells in the body. Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka won the Nobel Prize in 2012 for creating such cells.
The panel also gave its endorsement to Cuorips's iPS cell-derived cardiomyocyte patches for the treatment of severe heart failure.
Health Minister Kenichiro Ueno is expected to give his official approval for the two companies' products "soon", the Mainichi Shimbun daily said.
(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Jan Harvey)
