06/11/2025
A patient in Japan who was completely paralyzed has regained the ability to stand unaided and is beginning to walk again after receiving a pioneering stem cell treatment.
The therapy, developed by researchers at Keio University, uses induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells transformed into neural stem cells to repair damaged spinal tissue.
This marks part of a first-in-human clinical trial, where cells were transplanted directly into the patient’s injured spinal cord.
The patient showed measurable recovery in motor function with no serious side effects, offering rare hope for spinal cord injury rehabilitation.
Scientists say the results could pave the way for a new era of regenerative medicine targeting paralysis and nerve damage.
