Recent breakthroughs in spinal cord injury treatment include stem cell therapies, a drug that reverses paralysis in animal models and holds promise for humans, and a new method for creating and implanting “nerve bridges” from a patient’s own nasal cells. Some stem cell trials have shown improved movement and sensation, while other studies are testing drugs like phenelzine and NVG-291, and new surgical techniques.
Stem Cell Therapies
- University of California, San Diego: A five-year Phase I trial showed that implanting human stem cells into four individuals with long-term spinal cord injuries was safe and resulted in lasting improvements in movement and sensation in two patients.
- Mayo Clinic’s CELLTOP Trial: This trial used a patient’s own stem cells and found that seven out of ten participants showed improvement on the American Spinal Injury Association scale, with no major side effects.
Drug Therapies
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- Phenelzine: A drug commonly used to treat depression is being studied for its potential to reduce the damage from secondary responses like scarring and oxidative stress after a spinal cord injury.
- NVG-291: A drug that targets a specific protein to promote regeneration is showing positive results. In a clinical study, 75% of participants reported significant improvement compared to only 33% of those on placebo.
- Polylaminin: Researchers have developed a drug called polylaminin that has shown the ability to reverse spinal cord injuries in human trials.
Surgical and Other Therapies
- Nasal cell nerve bridges: Researchers are developing and testing a world-first clinical trial using a “nerve bridge” created from a patient’s own olfactory ensheathing cells, which are taken from the nose. These cells are implanted to repair the spinal cord and help reconnect nerve cells.
- Duroplasty: An ongoing phase III clinical trial (DISCUS) is investigating the role of expansive duroplasty in reducing ischemia and improving outcomes for patients with traumatic spinal cord injuries.
