StemCells Inc 'plans spinal injury trial'RSS Feed

Scientific company StemCells Inc is aiming to carry out its first clinical trial of its nerve stem cells in patients suffering from spinal cord injury, according to reports.

The study, which is to take place in Switzerland, will focus on patients whose injuries are between three and 12 months old.

StemCells Inc claims that ethics committees have approved the proposed study and that it is now waiting for Swiss regulatory approval.

Patients will undergo a simple transplantation of the stem cells, known as HuCNS-SC which can be introduced to the nervous system with no sign of adverse effects.

StemCells chief executive officer Martin McGlynn told Reuters: "To date, the focus has been on the acute spinal cord injury phase. That's an important area to address, but the largest unmet need is those who have passed that immediate acute phase of injury."

Meanwhile, scientists at the University of California and San Diego and VA Medical Center San Diego have found that primates, including humans, have the innate ability to regrow injured spinal nerves after spinal injury.

News brought to you by Serious Law specialists in spinal injury

Posted by Matthew Heap
 

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