Spinal Cord Injury News and Research

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A spinal cord injury usually begins with a sudden, traumatic blow to the spine that fractures or dislocates vertebrae. The damage begins at the moment of injury when displaced bone fragments, disc material, or ligaments bruise or tear into spinal cord tissue. Most injuries to the spinal cord don't completely sever it. Instead, an injury is more likely to cause fractures and compression of the vertebrae, which then crush and destroy the axons, extensions of nerve cells that carry signals up and down the spinal cord between the brain and the rest of the body. An injury to the spinal cord can damage a few, many, or almost all of these axons. Some injuries will allow almost complete recovery. Others will result in complete paralysis.

Researchers recommend traumatic brain injury reclassification for additional funding

Traumatic brain injury, currently considered a singular event by the insurance industry and many health care providers, is instead the beginning of an ongoing process that impacts multiple organ systems and may cause or accelerate other diseases and disorders that can reduce life expectancy, according to research from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

27 Aug 2010

Neuralstem files IND with FDA for spinal cord stem cell Phase I clinical trial for chronic spinal cord injury

Neuralstem, Inc. announced that it has filed an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin a Phase I safety clinical trial for chronic spinal cord injury with its spinal cord stem cells. This multicenter Phase I safety trial will enroll a total of 16 long-term, or chronic, spinal cord injury patients, with an American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Grade A level of impairment, one-to-two years post-injury.

26 Aug 2010

Abilities Expo to be held August 27-29, 2010 in Houston, Texas

Thousands of people with disabilities, their families, caregivers, seniors, veterans with disabilities and healthcare professionals are expected to attend Abilities Expo on Friday, August 27, through Sunday, August 29, 2010 at Reliant Center. Admission is free and show hours will be Friday 11 am to 5 pm, Saturday 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm.

24 Aug 2010

FRC applauds preliminary injunction to stop taxpayers for embryonic stem cell research

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins applauded today's preliminary injunction that for now stops taxpayer funded embryonic stem cell research. Judge Royce Lamberth noted that the imposition of an injunction required that those challenging the government's funding demonstrate a substantial likelihood of success on the merits for their arguments.

24 Aug 2010

Human neural stem cells restore motor function in mice with chronic spinal cord injury

StemCells, Inc. announced today the publication of new preclinical data demonstrating that the Company's proprietary human neural stem cells restore lost motor function in mice with chronic spinal cord injury. This is the first published study to show that human neural stem cells can restore mobility even when administered at time points beyond the acute phase of trauma, suggesting the prospect of treating a much broader population of injured patients than previously demonstrated.

20 Aug 2010

UCI study is first to show reversal of long-term hind-limb paralysis

A UC Irvine study is the first to demonstrate that human neural stem cells can restore mobility in cases of chronic spinal cord injury, suggesting the prospect of treating a much broader population of patients.

20 Aug 2010

USPTO to issue reexamination certificate for Neuralstem's patent for neural stem cell technology

Neuralstem, Inc. announced that it received notification that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has upheld the patentability, without amendment, of all claims in U.S. Patent No. 5,753,506 and intends to issue a reexamination certificate in due course. This patent describes methods of culturing and expanding neural stem cells.

19 Aug 2010

NACTN receives grant to expand spinal cord injury research

The United States Department of Defense (DoD) awarded the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation a $5.4 million grant to support the expansion of translational research to find treatments for military men and women with spinal cord injuries.

18 Aug 2010

StemCells second-quarter net loss decreases to $4.61 million

StemCells, Inc., a leading stem cell company developing and commercializing novel stem cell therapeutics and tools for use in stem cell-based research and drug discovery, today reported financial results and business highlights for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

11 Aug 2010

FDA approves human embryonic stem cells clinical trial for spinal cord injury treatment

Emerging Healthcare Solutions, Inc.: Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration gave their highly-anticipated approval for the first clinical trial using human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), which are the type of cells that can develop into all tissues of the body. Geron Corporation of Menlo Park, California, received the green light from the US FDA to use cells derived from hESCs to treat people with acute spinal cord injuries. Ten people will receive injections into the injury site of hESC-derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, which stimulate the growth of new and severed nerves and recoat damaged nerves with myelin. The hope is that the injections will help people recover function lost through injury, as seen in rodent studies in 2005.

10 Aug 2010

RNL BIO research identifies adult stem cell's ability to inhibit cancer

The leading biopharmaceutical company specialized in adult stem cell therapeutics, RNL BIO Co., Ltd, announced on July 27th that adult stem cell was identified to have cancer suppressive activity in a preclinical study.

10 Aug 2010

Scientists induce nerve tissue regeneration in patients with spinal cord injury

Researchers for the first time have induced robust regeneration of nerve tissue connections in injured adult spinal cord sites that control voluntary movement. These findings provide hope that it may be possible to design therapies for paralysis and other impairments of motor function arising from spinal cord injury.

9 Aug 2010

Myths and realities of Medicare bidding program for durable medical equipment

Providers of home medical equipment and services across California are proposing a fiscally responsible alternative to the mislabeled "competitive" bidding scheme currently under way in Medicare that will actually discourage competition, reduce access to care for many of California's 4.6 million Medicare beneficiaries, and put thousands of California homecare providers out of business.

7 Aug 2010

TCA Cellular Therapy enrolls first patient for adult stem cell clinical trial

TCA Cellular Therapy, LLC has enrolled its first patient to participate in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first adult stem cell clinical trial to treat spinal cord injuries. Enrollee and Marine Veteran, Matt Cole was paralyzed from the chest down in a 2005 insurgent attack in Iraq.

5 Aug 2010

Acorda second-quarter net loss decreases to $6.8 million

Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. today announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2010.

3 Aug 2010

Healthsouth Corporation experiences positive trends in second quarter

HealthSouth Corporation, the nation's largest provider of inpatient rehabilitative healthcare services, today reported its results of operations for the quarter ended June 30, 2010. "The positive trends we experienced in the first quarter of 2010 continued into the second quarter as good volume growth, solid pricing, and disciplined expense management resulted in growth in all key, financial metrics," said Jay Grinney, President and Chief Executive Officer of HealthSouth.

2 Aug 2010

Inpatient rehab helps patient to regain functions lost from injury, illness

After a person receives acute care in a "regular" hospital for catastrophic illness, traumatic injury or a debilitating chronic condition, the next step in the process of recovery often involves a stay at an inpatient rehabilitation, or rehab, facility.Patients often have little warning when they're quickly moved to a rehab facility from acute care. Those who envision a long, leisurely recovery in a hospital or at home may find that the abrupt transition-and new responsibilities in rehab-leaves their heads spinning.

2 Aug 2010

HealthSouth plans new rehabilitation hospital in northwest Houston

HealthSouth Corporation today announced plans to begin construction of a new 40-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital in the Cypress area of northwest Houston in the fourth quarter. In connection with such plans, HealthSouth has signed a contract to purchase a 6-acre tract of land from an affiliate of Caldwell Companies, based in Houston. The land is located on the northeast corner of Highway 290 and FM 1960 in Houston.

31 Jul 2010

FDA lifts hold, allows Geron to proceed with Phase I clinical trial of GRNOPC1 in spinal cord injury

Geron Corporation announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has notified the company that the clinical hold placed on Geron's Investigational New Drug (IND) application has been lifted and the company's Phase I clinical trial of GRNOPC1 in patients with acute spinal cord injury may proceed.

30 Jul 2010

Acorda Therapeutics awarded $1M C-TRIP grant to support research on GGF2

Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. today announced the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has awarded a $1 million Cardiac Translational Research Implementation Program grant to support research on Glial Growth Factor 2, a novel investigational agent for the treatment of patients with heart failure under development at Acorda.

20 Jul 2010