Stem cell advance for spinal cord injuriesRSS Feed

A new technology in stem cell treatment of spinal cord injuries could become available after the company behind the development was granted a US patent.

Canadian biotechnology firm Stem Cell Therapeutics was granted the patent for the use of granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) for producing oligodendrocytes- brain cells - from multipotent neural stem cells in culture.

Stem Cell Therapeutics specialises in the development of therapies that make use of drugs to stimulate a patient's own resident stem cells and repair brain and nerve function lost due to disease or injury.

The company's president and chief executive officer Dr Alan Moore said: "The technology covered by this patent is of potential use as cell transplant therapy for treating demyelinating diseases resulting from oligodendrocyte loss or damage, such as multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury.

Recently, a US company made a breakthrough in pre-clinical trials of a new oxygen-based treatment for spinal cord injuries.

Oxygen Biotherapeutic's third-generation Oxycyte product was found to have a positive effect on lab rats with spinal cord injuries.

Serious Law, leading spinal cord injury solicitors

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