Boston, MA 10/10/2014 (wallstreetpr) – Neuralstem, Inc. (NYSEMKT:CUR) treated its first patient in the initial Phase trial testing NSI-566 human neural stem cells for chronic spinal cord (cSC) trauma.
According to a digital Journal article, Neuralstem treated the first cSC injury patient within the first phase trial of the NSI-566 human neural stem cells last week. The treatment was carried out in the UC San Diego School of Medicine, post which the patient was discharged from the hospital.
Next Steps
The first phase trial of the NSI-566 in treating cSCI aims to treat four more patients suffering from thoracic spinal cord trauma (T2-T12). The treatment would mean direct transplant of stem cells into the injury area and would be carried out within a couple of years of injury. All the subjects of the treatment have grade ‘A’ level of injury, as measured according to the American Spinal Injury Association (AIS) standards. This impairment level signifies that the patient is completely paralyzed with no sensory or motor functions in a specific segment at and below the site of injury.
The trial is being conducted under the guidance of MD, UC San Diego School of Medicine, Joseph Ciacci, who is the principal investigator of the case. He is also a neurosurgeon practitioner at UC San Diego Health System. A significant amount of preclinical work associated with the study was carried out at UC San Diego School of Medicine. The work was conducted by MD, professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Martin Marsala. He will also lead investigation in another study soon.
Contribution And Achievement
Neuralstem has funded and supported the clinical trial that was conducted at UC San Diego Health System. In this context, the company’s President and CEO, Richard Garr said that Neuralstem has already treated as many as 30 ALS patients successfully. He further added that the present trial marks a significant step for Neuralstem, Inc. (NYSEMKT:CUR).
