Dr. Masatoshi Ito, Executive Director of the Japan SCI Foundation recently gave an update of the clinical trial progress in Japan at Working 2 Walk 2014 hosted by Unite 2 Fight Paralysis.
“Current SCI clinical studies in Japan include testing the effects of diverse cells such as mesenchymal stem cells (Sapporo Medical University), olfactory ensheathing glial cells (Osaka University) and bone marrow stromal cells (Kansai Medical University), demonstrating some functional recovery which still may require additional follow ups. Also, I am excited to present the world’s first clinical study using induced pluripotent stem cells to be launched in Japan in 2017.”