Bone Marrow Derived Adult Stem Cells for Acute Anterior Myocardial Infarction

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients presenting to the Heart Attack Centre with acute anterior myocardial infarction (ST elevation in at least 2 contiguous anterior leads ≥ 0.2 mV) and treated with acute PCI with stent implantation within 24 hours after symptom onset * Acute PCI / stent implantation has been successful (residual stenosis visually \< 30% and TIMI flow ≥ 2). * At the time of inclusion patient no longer requires i.v. catecholamines or mechanical hemodynamic support (aortic balloon pump) * Significant regional wall motion abnormality in LV angiogram at the time of acute PCI in the LAD territory * Age 18 - 80 Years (primary angioplasty confers an adverse prognosis in those over the age of 80 years) * Written informed consent in the recruiting centres native language Exclusion Criteria: * Regional wall motion abnormality outside the area involved in the index acute myocardial infarction * Need to revascularise additional vessels, outside the infarct artery as a planned procedure (these vessels can be treated at baseline) * Arteriovenous malformations or aneurysms * Active infection, or fever or diarrhoea within last 4 weeks * Chronic inflammatory disease * Known HIV infection or active hepatitis * Neoplastic disease without documented remission within the past 5 years * Cerebrovascular insult within 3 months * Impaired renal function (creatinine \> 200mmol) at the time of cell therapy * Significant liver disease (GOT \> 2x upper limit) or spontaneous INR \> 1,5) * Anemia (hemoglobin \< 8.5 mg/dl) * Platelet count \< 100.000/µl * Hypersplenism * Known allergy or intolerance to clopidogrel, heparin or abciximab * History of bleeding disorder * Gastrointestinal bleeding within 3 months * Major surgical procedure or trauma within 2 months * Uncontrolled hypertension * Pregnancy * Mental retardation leading to inability to obtain informed consent * Previously performed stem / progenitor cell therapy * Participation in another clinical trial within the last 30 days