Stem Cell Therapy Helps Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries

admin — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 23:40:30 +0000

A clinical trial has yielded some restored function for patients who have been paralyzed for an average of four years, some up to 22 years. The trial was supported by PrimeCell Therapeutics LLC in pre-clinical research. The patients treated had spinal cord injury treated by transplantation of bone marrow stem cells extracted from the patients’ own bone marrow. The patients had been paralyzed for an average of four years up to the longest span of 22 years.

Dr. Luis Geffner presented a preliminary report on September 17 at the 2007 Congress of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting in San Diego. From May 2006 to August 2007, 38 patients with SCI were treated at Luis Vernaza Hospital in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Of 25 patients who provided between three and 14 months follow up, 15 gained the ability to stand up, 10 could walk on the parallels with braces, seven were able to walk without braces and five could walk with crutches. No harmful reactions to implantation were observed.

“Ongoing studies will help us clarify the benefits and any possible detriments to this approach, but so far this study demonstrates that bone marrow stem cells are safe for spinal cord injury patients,” said Geffner, Director of the Stem Cells program at the Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil.

“By implanting an adult’s own bone marrow stem cells, we’ve seen significant improvements in the quality of life for those who suffer from spinal cord injuries. In addition, we are learning valuable information that will eventually help us apply other adult cells for spinal cord injury such as reprogrammed adult germ cells,” said Francisco Silva, executive vice president of research and development for PrimeCell Therapeutics. “We’re encouraged by the results. This approach may be useful for patients who cannot be treated by conventional medicine.”

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Stem Cell Therapy Helps Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries