Mid-Year Stem Cell Report

Some cool news off the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation SCI Research blog. A recent post titled 'Mid Year Stem Cell Report'  outlined research news from all over the world, and the clinical trial we've been following most closely (primarily because it acknowledges the importance of the kind of exercise-based therapy I'm doing), headed by Dr. Wise Young of Rutgers University, is featured. The relevant section:

China Network: Wise Young, of Rutgers University, helped set up a clinical trial network in China to test umbilical blood cells (not exactly stem cells but with some similar properties). Some patients (acute or subacute – four weeks post injury) will also get the commonly prescribed mood stabilizer lithium, believed to encourage cell proliferation. The trial also includes a lot of rehab.  

Young told the delegates at the Rick Hansen International SCI conference last month that Phase II results were good enough to move to a large scale Phase III trial. How good? ASIA As – once completely paralyzed -- were walking. Young repeated the observation at a Rutgers open house. He was forced to walk that statement back a bit after a post appeared on his CareCure message board site, headlined “Wise Young Single Handedly Cures Spinal Cord Injury.” The thread was soon changed, by Young, to “Now What.”  

Said Young: " People should not jump to conclusions that we have shown that umbilical cord blood cells improve walking. I have only said that many patients are getting some sensation back and some are walking. In order to determine whether this is from the cell transplant and not from the surgery and rehabilitation, we must demonstrate it in a randomized control trial. ….We simply have some preliminary observations from a yet incomplete Phase II trial that the surgery and transplantation of umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells appear to be safe and some patients are responding to the therapy."

This obviously is encouraging. It's hard not to get excited about it, but it's important to keep in mind the snail's pace of scientific research and simply refocus my efforts on therapy in order to be as strong as possible when/if the time ever comes for some sort of trial or treatment. That said, Godspeed Dr. Young! And cool last name!





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