Chicago-based Rush University Medical Center became the first in the state to inject AST-OPC1 into the spinal cord a recently paralyzed man as part of a new clinical trial, according to a Life Science Daily report.
Here's what you should know.
1. Richard G. Fessler, MD, said some patients who lost use of their hands are getting function back. "That's the first time in history that's ever been done," he said.
2. Dr. Fessler was the principal investigator for the phase 1 and phase 2 multi-center trial. Rush is one of six center in the trial.
3. Dr. Fessler said the treatment may be the first significant breakthrough in spinal cord injury treatment in several decades.
4. The team injected an experimental dose of 10 million AST-OPC1 cells.
5. The next phase of the trial will involve a dose of 20 million oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, which is the highest dose studied in patients who suffered complete cervical spinal cord injury.
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