Getting your player ready...
NEW YORK — Geron Corp. has begun testing an embryonic stem- cell treatment on a patient with spinal-cord injuries, marking the first time such a medical therapy has been used on a human in a government- approved study.
The company has said it plans to enroll eight to 10 patients in the study at sites nationwide. The trial will take about two years, with each patient being studied for one year. Early-stage clinical trials are primarily designed to test a therapy’s safety.
The treatment contains embryonic cells, which turn into a type of cell that produces myelin, a coating that allows impulses to move along nerves. If the treatment works in the injured area of the patient’s spine, it could potentially allow for new movement.
