Spinal Cord Injury News and Research

RSS

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.

Biomaterial gel for treating spinal cord injury

Research led by a scientist at the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center has shown injecting biomaterial gel into a spinal cord injury site provides significantly improved healing.

18 Sep 2009

Results from Phase IIb clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of GSK1838262/XP13512 announced

GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK) and XenoPort, Inc. (Nasdaq:XNPT) today announced top-line results from a Phase IIb clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of GSK1838262/XP13512 (gabapentin enacarbil) for neuropathic pain associated with post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) in adults.

17 Sep 2009

Workshop to educate women on urinary incontinence

UCSF and the National Association For Continence (NAFC) are holding a public workshop on October 3 to help women understand how they can control and treat incontinence.

17 Sep 2009

Clinical trial focuses on healing diabetic foot ulcers with stem cells

Fortis Healthcare, one of India's leading private hospital groups, has announced it will broaden inclusion criteria for its upcoming diabetic foot clinical trial. The study will use stem cells derived from peripheral blood to treat critical limb ischemia (diabetic foot).

17 Sep 2009

Paradigm's CMO receives 2009 Risk Innovator Award

Risk & Insurance magazine today recognized Paradigm Management Services' Chief Medical Officer and founder, 2009 Risk Innovator Awards.

16 Sep 2009

Six research project grants aimed at improving human health awarded

Six research project grant awards totaling $5.1 million will be made to Washington life sciences organizations and their partners, the state’s Life Sciences Discovery Fund announced today.

16 Sep 2009

Extension study data on Fampridine-SR drug

Data from two long-term open-label extension studies of Fampridine-SR show that 86.0% of participants remained on therapy after a maximum treatment time of 15 months in study MS-F204EXT, and 69.5% remained on therapy after a maximum treatment time of 36 months in study MS-F203EXT.

15 Sep 2009

WillWalk to raise funds for human stem cell trials for people with SCI

WillWalk, an Austin based non-profit organization has committed itself to be at the forefront of ending Paralysis. WillWalk will raise $3 million to help fund the first non-controversial human stem cell trials for people with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI).

14 Sep 2009

Acorda Therapeutics announces Phase 3 Fampridine-SR trial findings

Data from a long-term open-label extension study from the first Phase 3 Fampridine-SR trial, known as MS-F203, showed that 24.9% of extension study participants with multiple sclerosis (MS) met the criteria as Extension Timed Walk Responders (ETWRs) after one year of treatment and demonstrated improved walking speed over a two year period.

10 Sep 2009

Neuralstem's patent on neural stem cell transplantation approved

Neuralstem, Inc. today announced that it has received notice of allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its patent entitled “Transplantation of Human Neural Cells For Treatment Of Neurodegenerative Conditions,” number 11/281,640.

9 Sep 2009

Medtronic's COPE-HCV clinical study commences

Medtronic, Inc., today reported the initiation and first enrollments of patients in COPE-HCV (COntinuous Interferon Delivery via the Medtronic Paradigm Pump Infusion System Clinical Evaluation for Chronic HCV), the company’s first-ever clinical study using an external pump infusion system to treat patients with the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

3 Sep 2009

MRRI research study to investigate how zolpidem might restore consciousness for patients in the vegetative state

Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute (MRRI), the research arm of MossRehab, one of the world’s leading clinical rehabilitation centers, has launched an ambitious research study to investigate how the sleep drug zolpidem might restore consciousness for patients in the vegetative state.

31 Aug 2009

Geron to present updates on product development programs at four investor conferences in September

Geron Corporation today announced that the company will present updates of its product development programs at four investor conferences in the month of September.

31 Aug 2009

Geron provides additional comments on the recent clinical hold of Spinal Cord Injury IND

Geron Corporation today provided additional comments on the recent clinical hold on its Spinal Cord Injury IND.

27 Aug 2009

FDA to review Acorda Therapeutics’ NDA for Fampridine-SR

Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOR) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confirmed that its Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee will review the Company’s New Drug Application (NDA) for Fampridine-SR on October 14, 2009.

26 Aug 2009

FDA places Geron Corporation's IND for spinal cord injury on clinical hold

Geron Corporation (Nasdaq:GERN) today announced that its IND (Investigational New Drug application) for GRNOPC1, a cell therapy for neurologically complete, subacute spinal cord injury, has been placed on clinical hold by the FDA pending the agency’s review of new nonclinical animal study data submitted by the company. A clinical hold is an order that the FDA issues to a sponsor to delay a proposed trial or to suspend an ongoing trial.

19 Aug 2009

New nutrition practice guidelines for patients with spinal cord injury

The American Dietetic Association has published new evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines for registered dietitians on nutrition care for patients with spinal cord injury.

12 Aug 2009

No Shriners hospitals closing; some may be outpatient-only

"All 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children will stay open, but some eventually might become outpatient-only surgery facilities, the system that offers free specialty pediatric care said Thursday," CNN reports.

12 Jul 2009

Family Research Council President says NIH stem cell guidelines ethically irresponsible

Today, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins responded to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines implementing President Obama's executive order for federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research (ESCR). President Obama's order and the NIH guidelines remove life-protecting limits on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

7 Jul 2009

Obama administration releases final rules on stem cell research

The Obama administration released final regulations governing stem cell research on Monday. The New York Times reports that the rules will allow many older stem cell lines to be eligible for federally financed research.

7 Jul 2009