Category Archives: Spinal Cord Injury Treatment

Researchers have discovered a way to regenerate nerves in mice that have been damaged by spinal cord injuries, restoring their bladder function, Medical Daily reported. When paralysis occurs, the bladder is one of the organs most affected. Bladder control is maintained through signaling that occurs between the brain and the spinal cord. But after a spinal injury, that messaging is disrupted, often putting patients at a greater risk for urinary tract infections and kidney stones. Previous research has been unsuccessful at achieving any significant nerve regeneration in mice with spinal injuries. However, in the study published in The Journal of Neuroscience, researchers successfully achieved nerve regrowth by adding a combination of a previously inhibited enzyme, chonrdoitinase, and a fibroblast growth factor (FGF) to the site of the injury. After adding a graft to the site, the nerves in the spinal cord grew back by up to 12 millimeters, Medical Daily reported. Though the mice were not able to walk, they did experience a restoration of bladder function. Mice were 40 percent more capable of emptying their bladders completely and were able to willfully control their bladders. The treated mice could also hold nearly three times the volume in their bladders … Continue reading →

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (NVIV), a developer of groundbreaking technologies for the treatment of spinal cord injuries (SCI) and other neurotrauma conditions, today announced that CEO Frank Reynolds is scheduled to appear live in New York City on Fox News Channels Tech Take on Thursday, June 27th. Tech Take is hosted by anchor Adam Housley and airs on Thursdays at 1:00pm ET. InVivo Therapeutics has pioneered a treatment that uses a biocompatible polymer-based scaffold to provide structural support to a damaged spinal cord in order to spare tissue from scarring while improving recovery and prognosis after traumatic SCI. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted two approvals to the Company, the first for Humanitarian Use Device (HUD) designation, which the Company believes will expedite the products path to market, and the second to approve the Company to begin a first-in-man clinical trial of the technology. On the show, Reynolds will discuss the product and the upcoming pilot study, as well as the platform the Company has built for developing new options for a wide range of conditions. Adam Housley joined Fox News Channel in 2001 as a Los Angeles-based correspondent. Recently, Housley covered the Japanese … Continue reading →

Newswise For the first time, researchers have restored significant bladder function through nerve regeneration in rats with the most severe spinal cord injuries (SCI). The breakthrough paired a traditional nerve bridge graft with a novel combination of scar degrading and growth factor treatments to grow new nerve cells from the thoracic level to the lower spinal cord region. Details of the discovery appear in the June 26 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. Neuroscientists from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Cleveland Clinic built a regeneration bridge across a lesion in animals with complete gap transections of their spinal cords. Although the animals did not regain the ability to walk, the procedure did allow them to recover a strong level of bladder control. Jerry Silver, PhD, professor of neurosciences at the School of Medicine, and Yu-Shang Lee, PhD, assistant staff scientist in the Lerner Research Institute of Cleveland Clinic, created the bridge using a scaffold of multiple segments of the animals own peripheral nerves. Key to the regeneration was surrounding the graft and both spinal cord stumps with a stimulating growth factor and an enzyme to dissolve scar tissue, which inhibits the nerve fibers from crossing over the … Continue reading →

Featured Article Academic Journal Main Category: Neurology / Neuroscience Also Included In: Urology / Nephrology;Bio-terrorism / Terrorism Article Date: 26 Jun 2013 - 3:00 PDT Current ratings for: Nerve Cells Regrown In Rats With Spinal Cord Injury 3.6 (5 votes) 5 (1 votes) Yu-Shang Lee, of the Cleveland Clinic, and Jerry Silver, of Case Western Reserve Medical School, both in Cleveland, Ohio, and others, write about their work in a new study due to be published in Wednesday's online issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. In a statement, Lee says: "This is the first time that significant bladder function has been restored via nerve regeneration after a devastating cord injury." "Although animals did not regain the ability to walk, they did recover a remarkable measure of urinary control," says Silver. Being able to urinate again would bring a huge improvement to the quality of life for people with severe spinal cord injuries. Many patients rate it as one of the most important functions to regain following injury. Paralyzed rats' bladders leak urine when they are full, but this doesn't happen in paralyzed humans: instead, the urine backs up into the kidneys. Without a catheter this would lead to kidney failure … Continue reading →

June 25, 2013 Using a novel technique to promote the regeneration of nerve cells across the site of severe spinal cord injury, researchers have restored bladder function in paralyzed adult rats, according to a study in the June 26 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The findings may guide future efforts to restore other functions lost after spinal cord injury. It also raises hope that similar strategies could one day be used to restore bladder function in people with severe spinal cord injuries. For decades, scientists have experimented with using nerve grafts as a way of bridging the spinal cord injury site in an attempt to recover lost function following spinal cord injury. However, coaxing these cells to grow and form connections capable of relaying nerve signals has been elusive. In the current study, Yu-Shang Lee, PhD, of the Cleveland Clinic, together with Jerry Silver, PhD, of Case Western Reserve Medical School, and others, used a chemical that promotes cell growth along with a scar-busting enzyme to create a more hospitable environment for the nerve graft at the injury site. "Although animals did not regain the ability to walk, they did recover a remarkable measure of urinary control," Silver explained. … Continue reading →

Secretary of Veteran's Affairs Eric Shinsekicuts ribbon at new spinal cord treatment facility. SYRACUSE -- United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki was in Syracuse today to officially unveil the new $90 million spinal cord injury treatment facility at the V.A. Medical Center. It took about four years to complete the facility, which six floors and several state-of-the-art treatment areas. The facility also includes some new places for veterans to relax, including a recreation area with a basketball hoop and a putting green, and a new rehab area with a physical therapy gym area and a therapy pool. Secretary Shinseki says these new spinal cord injury programs set the Syracuse V.A. apart. Today were officially opening a facility that sets a high bar in spinal cord injury treatment and makes Syracuse V.A. Medical Center a regional hub for this kind of specialized care, Secretary Shinseki said. The unveiling of the new facility included a Flag Day color presentation and also coincided with the V.A. Medical Centers 60th anniversary. Original post: Syracuse VA Hospital unveils new Spinal Cord Injury facility … Continue reading →

Public release date: 13-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Emil Venere venere@purdue.edu 765-494-4709 Purdue University WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A medical test previously developed to measure a toxin found in tobacco smokers has been adapted to measure the same toxin in people suffering from spinal cord injuries and multiple sclerosis, offering a potential tool to reduce symptoms. The toxin, called acrolein, is produced in the body after nerve cells are injured, triggering a cascade of biochemical events thought to worsen the injury's severity. Acrolein (pronounced a-KRO-le-an) also may play an important role in multiple sclerosis and other conditions. Because drugs already exist to reduce the concentration of acrolein in the body, being able to detect and measure it non-invasively represents a potential treatment advance, said Riyi Shi (pronounced Ree Shee), a professor of neuroscience and biomedical engineering in Purdue University's Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Center for Paralysis Research and Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. "If the acrolein level is high it needs to be reduced, and we already have effective acrolein removers to do so," Shi said. "Reducing or removing acrolein may lessen the severity of symptoms in people who have nerve damage, … Continue reading →

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (NVIV), a developer of groundbreaking technologies for the treatment of spinal cord injuries (SCI) and other neurotrauma conditions, today announced that InVivos Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer Frank Reynolds has been named as a finalist in the fifth annual Boston Business Journals CFO of the Year Awards. Reynolds has been selected as a finalist in the Public Company category. The Boston Business Journals annual CFO of the Year Awards luncheon celebrates CFOs who have made a difference in their companies and organizations. At the luncheon, which is scheduled for July 31, 2013, finalists will be recognized and a winner for each of the five categories will be announced. In addition to Public Company, the categories include Small Private, Medium Private, Large Private and Non-Profit. The following CFOs are nominated for Public Company CFO of the Year: Donald W. Palette of Skyworks Solutions, Inc. (SWKS); Steven Lipiner of BNY Mellon Investment Management, BNY Mellon (BK); and Christopher Menard of Brightcove Inc. (BCOV). Said Reynolds, My thanks to our Director of Finance, Sean Moran, and his team, Albert Pasakarnis, Brian Luque, and Tatiana Monteiro, who are tasked with executing on plan and under … Continue reading →

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Jun 5, 2013) - The dream of an accessible and inclusive society and a cure for paralysis after spinal cord injury is still going strong, thanks to an investment by the Harper Government in the Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF). This support was announced today by the Honourable Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Transport) and Member of Parliament for Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia. "Our Government is proud to support this important spinal cord research," said Minister Fletcher. "Our investment will help translate promising research discoveries and best practices into practical benefits for the more than 86,000 Canadians with spinal cord-related injuries and illnesses." An investment of $35 million over five years will assist in the ongoing mission to achieve breakthroughs in spinal cord injury (SCI) research and treatment, generating new knowledge, new technologies and knowledge-based jobs, while improving patient outcomes and quality of life, and ensuring long term prosperity for all Canadians. Furthermore, this support will help with all elements of SCI treatment and care for newly, acutely and chronically injured individuals, including developing new therapies and decreasing the time required for research to be translated into real-life benefits. "Because of the Government of Canada's continued commitment, along with our … Continue reading →

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (NVIV), a developer of groundbreaking technologies for the treatment of spinal cord injuries (SCI) and other neurotrauma conditions, announced today that the call notice period for the early exercise of warrants issued to investors on October 26, 2010, November 10, 2010 and December 3, 2010 (the Investor Warrants) expired on June 3, 2013. By the expiration of the call period, 100% of the Investor Warrants were exercised. The exercises during the call period, coupled with warrant exercises during April 2013, raised $16.1 million gross and $15.6 million after solicitation expenses. Approximately 11.5 million shares of common stock were issued in connection with these warrant exercises. The combination of the exercise of all the Investor Warrants along with the warrant exchange offer completed on May 17, 2013 for placement agent and other eligible warrants resulted in the complete reversal and elimination of the $24.6 million warrant liability recorded on InVivos books as of March 31, 2013. As of June 3, 2013, the Company had cash on hand of $23.6 million and total stockholders equity of $23.7 million, which exceeds the minimum stockholders equity requirements for national securities exchanges. Said Frank Reynolds, InVivo Chief Executive … Continue reading →