Asterias Biotherapeutics' clinical trial testing the efficacy of stem cell treatment for spinal cord injury patients has passed two safety barriers, according to ScienceDaily.
The SciStar study involves a group of three patients receiving 2 million cells and another group of five patients receiving 10 million cells. All patients involved have suffered injuries in the C5-C7 vertebrae and can not move below the injury site. They were all treated with the stem cells between 14 days and 30 days post-injury.
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine is helping fund the study, which is testing the safety and efficacy of Asteria's AST-OPC1 cells. These cells are called oligodendrocyte progenitors.
Here are three key points:
1. The company's data monitoring committee found no patients experiencing adverse side effects.
2. Asterias may now enroll an additional five patients to eight patients who will receive 20 million stem cells.
3. The researchers noted the next step in the trial, involving 20 million cells, is where they expect to see "clinically meaningful improvement with these patients."