Category Archives: Spinal Cord Injury Treatment

The Open University has come up with a 3D cell culture model that could provide insight into how cells in the spinal cord repair after damage. The research, published in Tissue Engineering, shows how an interface develops between the injured and surrounding tissue after spinal cord injury. The interface inhibits neuronal regeneration, and this research will aid development of treatment to encourage repair. Dr James Phillips, Lecturer in Health Sciences, explained: Astrocytes are central nervous system (CNS) cells that normally support neuronal activity, but they change behaviour following damage and can inhibit regeneration. With our model, we can simulate the interaction between astrocytes and regenerating neurons after CNS injury. We found at first the astrocytes in our model were in a resting state, and then became reactive over 15 days, just like they do following CNS damage. As the astrocytes became reactive we were able to monitor the way in which the neurons interacted with them the neurons grew well in their part of the model but when they reached the boundary with the reactive astrocytes they could not penetrate it, mimicking the kind of regeneration failure associated with spinal cord damage. By using the culture system, the research team … Continue reading →

The Open University has come up with a 3D cell culture model that could provide insight into how cells in the spinal cord repair after damage. The new 3-dimensional (3D) tissue model recreates interactions between cell types the system mimicking the cellular features of the spinal cord after damage, enabling scientists to study their behaviour in a similar way to how they normally function in the body. The research, published in Tissue Engineering, shows how an interface develops between the injured and surrounding tissue after spinal cord injury. The interface inhibits neuronal regeneration, and this research will aid development of treatment to encourage repair. Dr James Phillips, Lecturer in Health Sciences, explained: Astrocytes are central nervous system (CNS) cells that normally support neuronal activity, but they change behaviour following damage and can inhibit regeneration. With our model, we can simulate the interaction between astrocytes and regenerating neurons after CNS injury. We found at first the astrocytes in our model were in a resting state, and then became reactive over 15 days, just like they do following CNS damage. As the astrocytes became reactive we were able to monitor the way in which the neurons interacted with them the neurons grew … Continue reading →

Updated: Thu Feb. 23 2012 16:45:19 CTVNews.ca Staff Victims of spinal cord injuries who undergo surgery within 24 hours are less likely to suffer paralysis, a new study suggests. In fact, the timing of treatment for victims of spinal cord injuries can have a significant impact on the eventual outcome of their recovery, according to multi-clinical trials undertaken by Toronto's Krembil Neuroscience Centre. Key findings also show that a patient is twice as likely to experience a "major neurological recovery" when they have surgery within a day of their injury. "The differences that we are seeing with early decompression surgery are very significant and the results have a major impact on a person's life," said lead author and neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Fehlings. The importance of a quick surgery is to ease pressure on the injured spinal cord, doctors say. In the study, half of the patients waited the usual two days for their conditions to stabilize before undergoing decompression surgery. "We are seeing about 1 in 5 people walking away from an injury they might not have otherwise," said Fehlings. The report was spurred by concerns that early decompression surgery on patients suffering spinal injuries could cause complications later on. … Continue reading →

Purdue researchers have discovered that a certain chemical in the body is the reason behind the worst parts of spinal cord injuries. Riyi Shi, professor of neuroscience and biomedical engineering, said spinal cord injuries of all kinds are made worse after the initial injury by a compound in the body. “The physical injury happens instantaneously, “ said Shi. “Secondary injury is mostly chemical based.” The compound that does all this damage has been dubbed “acrolein,” according to Shi. “We found out in most spinal cord injuries, this compound increases the injury by five or six times,” he said. Shi explained that acrolein increases the production of free radicals. A free radical is an atom that first loses an electron. The atom then tries to acquire another electron, stealing one from another atom. The atom that has an electron stolen also becomes a free radical. If this cycle goes unchecked, it can cause severe tissue damage as many atoms and molecules are destabilized and destroyed. “People first tried to treat spinal cord injury through removing free radicals,” Shi said, “but the acrolein just makes more of them.” Shi explained the reason for the body’s production of acrolein is unknown. “All we … Continue reading →

More Topics: Choose a Sector Accounting Firms Advertising/Media/Communications Capital CEO/Board General Business Health/Biotech Internet/Technology Investment Firms Law Firms Mergers & Acquisitions Money Managers People Private Companies Public Companies Venture Capital Posted February 21, 2012 CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (OTC/BB: NVIV), a developer of groundbreaking technologies for the treatment of spinal cord injuries, today announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 8,281,574 shares of its common stock, offered at a price to the public of $2.10 per share, for gross proceeds of approximately $17.4 million. Net proceeds to InVivo, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses, are expected to be approximately $15.7 million. InVivo anticipates using the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including the research, development and pre-clinical and clinical trials for its product candidates, capital expenditures, repayment of debt and possibly acquisitions of other businesses, products or technologies. In addition, InVivo has granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 1,242,236 shares of its common stock to cover overallotments, if any. The offering is expected to close on or about February 23, 2012, subject to customary closing conditions. Aegis Capital Corp. and … Continue reading →

More Topics: Choose a Sector Accounting Firms Advertising/Media/Communications Capital CEO/Board General Business Health/Biotech Internet/Technology Investment Firms Law Firms Mergers & Acquisitions Money Managers People Private Companies Public Companies Venture Capital Posted February 21, 2012 CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (OTC/BB: NVIV), a developer of groundbreaking technologies for the treatment of spinal cord injuries, today announced the full exercise of the over-allotment option granted to the underwriters to purchase 1,242,236 additional shares, at a public offering price of $2.10 per share, in connection with its previously announced underwritten public offering of 8,281,574 shares, bringing aggregate gross proceeds from the offering to $20 million dollars. Net proceeds to InVivo, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses, are expected to be approximately $18.1 million. The offering is expected to close on or about February 23, 2012, subject to customary closing conditions. Aegis Capital Corp. and Summer Street Research Partners are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering. About InVivo Therapeutics InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. is focused on utilizing polymers as a platform technology to develop treatments to improve function in individuals paralyzed as a result of traumatic spinal cord injury. The company was founded in 2005 on the … Continue reading →

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (OTC/BB: NVIV), a developer of groundbreaking technologies for the treatment of spinal cord injuries, today announced the full exercise of the over-allotment option granted to the underwriters to purchase 1,242,236 additional shares, at a public offering price of $2.10 per share, in connection with its previously announced underwritten public offering of 8,281,574 shares, bringing aggregate gross proceeds from the offering to $20 million dollars. Net proceeds to InVivo, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses, are expected to be approximately $18.1 million. The offering is expected to close on or about February 23, 2012, subject to customary closing conditions. Aegis Capital Corp. and Summer Street Research Partners are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering. The securities described above are being offered by InVivo pursuant to a shelf registration statement previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which the SEC declared effective on January 19, 2012. A final prospectus supplement related to the offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website located at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to this offering, when … Continue reading →

Newswise — Loss of bone density leads to brittle bones that fracture easily. It is a major complication of spinal cord injury (SCI), which affects about 250,000 Americans every year. A new clinical trial conducted by University of Iowa researchers shows that delivering high doses of "load," or stress, to bone through programmed electrical stimulation of the muscle significantly slows the loss of bone density in patients with SCI. The focus on quantifying the effective dose of load is one of the study's most important aspects, says Richard Shields, P.T., Ph.D., a professor and director of the UI Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science Graduate Programs. The study also is the first to carefully test the impact of different doses of load in humans with paralysis. Previous research had suggested that stressing or loading bone through muscle contractions could slow the loss of bone density, but results from clinical trials have been mixed. "Thirty years ago a clinical trial concluded that putting patients with SCI in an upright weight-bearing position with braces or standing frames did nothing to prevent loss of bone density," Shields says. "The novelty of our study is we have designed a method for individuals with paralysis to … Continue reading →

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (OTC/BB: NVIV), a developer of groundbreaking technologies for the treatment of spinal cord injuries, today announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 8,281,574 shares of its common stock, offered at a price to the public of $2.10 per share, for gross proceeds of approximately $17.4 million. Net proceeds to InVivo, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses, are expected to be approximately $15.7 million. InVivo anticipates using the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including the research, development and pre-clinical and clinical trials for its product candidates, capital expenditures, repayment of debt and possibly acquisitions of other businesses, products or technologies. In addition, InVivo has granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 1,242,236 shares of its common stock to cover overallotments, if any. The offering is expected to close on or about February 23, 2012, subject to customary closing conditions. Aegis Capital Corp. and Summer Street Research Partners are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering. The securities described above are being offered by InVivo pursuant to a shelf registration statement previously filed with the Securities … Continue reading →

A new clinical trial conducted by University of Iowa researchers shows that delivering high doses of "load," or stress, to bone through programmed electrical stimulation of the muscle significantly slows the loss of bone density in patients with SCI. The focus on quantifying the effective dose of load is one of the study's most important aspects, says Richard Shields, P.T., Ph.D., a professor and director of the UI Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science Graduate Programs. The study also is the first to carefully test the impact of different doses of load in humans with paralysis. Previous research had suggested that stressing or loading bone through muscle contractions could slow the loss of bone density, but results from clinical trials have been mixed. "Thirty years ago a clinical trial concluded that putting patients with SCI in an upright weight-bearing position with braces or standing frames did nothing to prevent loss of bone density," Shields says. "The novelty of our study is we have designed a method for individuals with paralysis to stand (bear weight) while superimposing a dose of muscle force using programmed electrical stimulation of the muscle." The study findings, published in the journal Osteoporosis International in December 2011, reveal … Continue reading →