NEW GEL CURES PARALYSIS IN JUST FOUR WEEKS!
ASINGLE injection of a new therapeutic gel repaired tissue damage after severe spinal cord injuries and reversed paralysis in just four weeks in a groundbreaking new study, researchers say.
Scientists at Northwestern University developed the drug containing so-called “dancing molecules” and claim the treatment delivered dramatic results in lab tests performed on mice. The team plans to submit a request to the FDA for future human trials.
“The aim of our research was to develop a translatable therapy that could be brought to the clinic to prevent individuals from becoming paralyzed after major trauma or disease,” explains study leader Samuel Stupp.
The researchers say the biodegradable material was injected into the tissues surrounding the severed spinal cords of rodents, which were damaged by an incision 24 hours earlier — to mimic typical treatment delays.
They say the gel surrounded the spinal cord and its nanofiber molecules engaged with the body’s neurons, which are naturally in constant motion. The treatment’s artificial scaffolding encouraged the regrowth of damaged neurons and the reduction of scar tissue, in addition to promoting the reformation of myelin — the insulation that surrounds nerve cells and helps transmit electrical signals.
As the treatment progressed, functional blood vessels also formed to deliver nutrients to the site and aid the restoration of motor function.
The scientists say each of the gel’s tiny fibers is about 10,000 times narrower than a human hair and are made of hundreds of thousands of peptides — short chains of amino acids.
Supp believes the discovery of the “supramolecular drug” could spark a new generation of medicine.