Japanese researchers have announced a breakthrough in the treatment of severe spinal cord injuries. In a recent experimental procedure, a completely paralyzed patient regained the ability to stand and walk after receiving a single injection of stem cells.
According to scientists at Keio University in Tokyo, four male patients over the age of 60—each with serious spinal cord injuries—participated in the clinical trial.
The patients received injections of stem cells directly into their spinal cords between two and four weeks after their injuries, in early 2022. No adverse side effects were reported. Today, one of the patients is learning to walk again, while another has partially regained mobility in his arms and legs. Researchers estimate the success rate of the experiment at around 50%.
The treatment is based on the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells), which can develop into various types of tissue. Led by Professor Hideyuki Okano, the team reprogrammed iPS cells into nerve cells, which helped regenerate the damaged areas of the spinal cord.
The breakthrough offers new hope to thousands living with paralysis due to spinal cord injuries.