A US based company has initiated the World’s first neural stem cell trial for spinal cord injury. The proprietary, HuCNS-SC(R) human neural stem cells is imitated by Stem Cells Inc. in an effort to revolutionize treatment for the most critical condition. As of now, the company has started enrolling patients who are in stage - 3 to 12 months post their injury and are leading in complete and (or) incomplete paralysis stage. The clinical trial has launched and being executed at Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Switzerland. The center is a renowned and one of the most accredited medical centers for spinal cord injury and rehabilitation. The scientists believe that it will unleash a new phase in stem cell treatment. As stem cells are found in cord blood and menstrual blood, it will also lead to popularity of menstrual blood storage and cord blood banking. People from around the world are coming to blood bank to preserve menstrual blood.
According to Dr. Armin Curt, MD, Professor and Chairman, Spinal Cord Injury Center at the University Of Zurich, Switzerland, “the trial is a landmark in the field of spinal cord injury research. The neural stem cell transplantation may be a new hope to the patients who are facing a lot of troubles due to their paralytic condition”. “Apart from our major focus on assessing safety, the design of the trial will afford a very real near-term opportunity to observe possible benefits to the patient, which may include improved sensation, motor function, bowel or bladder function,” Dr. Curt added further.
The first neural stem cell transplantation trial begin after the research published in the journal Cell Transplantation, that stated that stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood cells and menstrual blood cells could be used to treat the brain injury seen in neurodegenerative disorders.
As stated above, the trial is designed in a way to assess safety alongside preliminary efficacy. In the current phase, the center will enroll 12 patients with thoracic (chest-level) spinal cord injury who have a neurological injury level of T2-T11, and will include both complete and incomplete injuries as classified by the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale. During the trial, the first set of patients will be classified as ASIA A or in general terms, patients that are complete paralytic or ho have or no movement or feeling below the level of the injury. However, the second set will be classified as ASIA B or the patients who are some degree of feeling below the injury. Finally, the trial will include a third category of patients, which will be called as ASIA C or the patients with some degree of movement below the injury. The scientists believe that such success stories will revolutionize the stem cell therapy and lead to the popularity of menstrual blood storage and other process to preserve stem cell.
No comments:
Post a Comment