Researchers at the University of California (UC) San Diego School of Medicine reported promising results of the phase I of the clinical trial, where Stem Cells were transplanted into four chronic Spinal Cord Injury patients, with conditions ranging from injuries at a T2 to T12 thoracic level. Each received a total of six injections of 1.2 million stem cells and yielded encouraging improvements.
This clinical research is the first trial on human. Considered an advancement in the field of Regenerative Medicine, it is performed subsequently to the previous successful transplantation of Stem Cells in rats with Spinal Cord Injuries, which resulted in improvement in the rodents’ mobility, functioning, as well as neuronal regeneration.
“The primary purpose of this first trial was to assess safety. And no procedure-related complications were observed in any of the patients,” said Joseph Ciacci, MD, the principal investigator and a neurosurgeon at UC San Diego Health. Instead, three of the four patients who underwent the clinical trial saw improvements in their motor and sensory functions and experienced no serious side effects.
“Our results suggest the approach can be performed safely. These early signs of potential efficacy [of the stem cells], combined with the promising results of earlier animal studies, argue for pressing ahead with new trials and greater doses to see if we can further accelerate repair and recovery,” he continued.
Fueled by the encouraging results, researchers at University of California San Diego prepares for the development of the second clinical trial, whose focus will be on cervical level injuries.
H/T: UC San Diego Health