US: US approves 1st stem cell study for spinal injury
24 Jan 2009 2:30 AM
A US biotech company says it plans to start the world's first study of a treatment based on human embryonic stem cells .. a long-awaited project aimed at spinal cord injury.
The company gained federal permission this week to inject eight to 10 patients with cells derived from embryonic cells.
Dr THOMAS OKARMA .. the president and CEO of Geron Corp of Menlo Park in California .. says the patients will be paraplegics .. who can use their arms .. but can't walk.
They'll receive a single injection within two weeks of their injury.
The study's aimed at testing the safety of the procedure .. but doctors will also look for signs of improvement .. like the return of sensation .. or movement in the legs.
