First clinical trial begins for stem cell therapy

[n2doc]

The first of several spine injury patients is undergoing treatment, which has helped rodents regain the ability to walk and run. Doctors' hopes are high.


By Amina Khan, Los Angeles Times
October 12, 2010


Researchers announced Monday that they had injected stem cells into a patient with a spinal cord injury on Friday, kicking off the world's first clinical trial of a therapy derived from human embryonic stem cells.

The patient was treated at Shepherd Center, a spinal cord and brain injury center in Atlanta.

Though the trial, run by Geron Corp. of Menlo Park, Calif., is in its earliest stages — aimed primarily at testing the treatment for safety — the event stands as a landmark one for embryonic stem cell researchers, who for years have studied the cells' potential to treat spinal cord injuries, diabetes and a variety of neurodegenerative diseases.


"All of that work, all of that money sent to the ivory towers is manifesting something. It's a real shot in the arm for the field," said Hans Keirstead, a neurobiologist at the Reeve-Irvine Research Center at UC Irvine who led a team that pioneered the treatment in rats and licensed the technology to Geron.

more

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-sci-stem-cell-trial-20101012,0,362113.story

Keeping fingers crossed...

[trotsky]

1. "Huge" would not even begin to describe this if it works.

Even some recovery of sensation and/or movement would be a breakthrough for the ages.

[FirstLight]

2. on american soil!?

wow...

i have heard of optic nerve regeneration in china, but i wouldn't go there for treatment if you paid me. but if they can duplicate the treatment here in the states, my daughter may have a shot at recovering her blind eye.

fingers crossed.... But god, we have a long way to go on this!

[MountainLaurel]

3. Fascinating

My uncle is paralyzed due to a spinal cord injury -- I believe he was at the Shepherd Center right after his accident. This could mean so much.

[mopinko]

4. just completely my opinion but i think the pentagon wants

this badly. fix the broken soldiers and save a lifetime of disability payments. be good if it worked on tbi.