Athersys has published some promising preclinical work on its experimental stem cell therapy for traumatic brain injury. In a study published in Experimental Neurology, investigators say that an IV injection of the MultiStem adult stem cell therapy provided neurovascular protection in a preclinical model for brain injury.
"Our results indicate that multipotent adult progenitor cells could provide multiple benefits in the context of neurological injury," said Charles Cox, Jr., director of Pediatric Trauma Program at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston and co-author of the study. "The idea that the administration of MultiStem after a traumatic brain injury could potentially act to modulate the body's systemic immunologic and inflammatory response via other organ systems is both exciting and groundbreaking."
This morning Athersys followed up with the announcement that the FDA has provided orphan status to MultiStem as a treatment for graft vs. host disease. MultiStem is now in a Phase I clinical trial to evaluate its safety in support of bone marrow transplants for cancer patients who often experience GvHD.
- check out the Athersys release
- read the MedCity News report