Athersys and Partners recieve financial support for spinal cord research

Athersys Incorporated, alongside its collaborators Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and Center for Stem Cell and Regeneration Medicine (CSCRM), recently announced that it was granted $1 million through the Ohio Third Frontier Biomedical Program, which supports spinal cord injury research. The project aims to enhance the preclinical study of MultiStem, the company’s proprietary stem cell product.

The company and a group of CWRU researchers, headed by neurologist Dr. Jerry Silver, discovered that MultiStem decreases the inflammation that occurs after an injury in the spinal cord. MultiStem likewise promotes neuronal development or growth. The team has presented it findings at several scientific conferences, including the International Society for Stem Cell Research 8th Annual Meeting.

“The effects following administration of these remarkable cells after spinal cord injury in simultaneously preventing axonal dieback and stimulating nerve fiber sprouting are as strong as I have ever seen,” Dr. Silver said.

According to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, over 1.2 million people have suffered from spinal cord injuries in the United States. Medical expenses for with spinal injuries can be substantial, particularly for patients with severe conditions.