The first stem cell therapeutic trial has begun in the U.S., Bloomberg News reports. Geron Corp. is using an embryonic stem cell-based therapy for the first time to treat a patient suffering from paralysis caused by a spinal-cord injury. Geron is one of just three U.S. companies working with embryonic cells, which can convert to any tissue type and hold promise as a treatment for conditions such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, ALS, and diabetes.
“This is all very preliminary, but if this treatment can help this patient walk again, it would be a huge breakthrough. We can’t hope for the miracle cure, but any improvement in this patient’s condition would be a very hopeful sign of things to come,” says ACSH's Dr. Elizabeth Whelan.