Geron scientists have described a newly discovered neurotrophic effect of the therapeutic GRNOPC1. In addition to the previously documented in vivo remyelinating activity of these cells, serves as a second mechanism of action that demonstrates the product's beneficial effects when injected into animal models of acute spinal cord injury.
“The work extends our knowledge of the multiple biological activities of GRNOPC1,” stated Thomas Okarma, Geron's president and CEO.
“In addition to the remyelinating activity as previously reported, GRNOPC1 produces growth factors that can improve the survival and extension of neuronal circuitry in the spinal cord. The multiple functions of GRNOPC1 affirm the potential therapeutic utility of our cell-based approach to the repair of spinal cord injury and provide multiple mechanisms within a single therapy to achieve functional recovery.”
In spinal cord injury, neuronal cell loss can occur not only as a result of the physical trauma of the injury itself, but also due to the oxidative and inflammatory reaction that subsequently occurs. The introduction of neurotrophic factors into the lesion site could increase neuronal survival, decrease dieback of neuronal axons and induce sprouting of new axons to allow formation of alternative circuitry.