Stem cell treatment improved spinal cord injuries in Japan

Japanese scientists have reported that a stem cell treatment improved motor function in two out of four patients with spinal cord injuries. This is the first clinical study of its kind, conducted by researchers at Keio University in Tokyo. The study involved implanting over two million induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells into the patients' spinal cords. iPS cells can turn back into a juvenile state and then develop into various cell types. The team used these cells to create neural stem cells. After the operation, researchers found that the motor function scores for the two patients had improved. No serious side effects were noted in any of the four patients during a year of monitoring. The main goal of the study was to test the safety of the cell injections. One of the patients reporting improvement is an elderly man who was injured in an accident. He is now able to stand without help and has begun practicing walking. The lead researcher, Professor Hideyuki Okano, expressed hope of advancing to further clinical trials to make the treatment available to more patients. Keio University received government approval for this initial study in 2019, and the first operation took place in 2022. The research is currently focused on patients who were injured 14 to 28 days before receiving the treatment.