Boston Herald Features SCI Research Story - Friday, September 21, 2007

MIT Scientist: Paralysis Cure Eyed
By Herald staff
Friday, September 21, 2007
http://www.bostonherald.com

The future of curing traumatic spinal cord injuries could be on the horizon, and it involves plastics, according to one of MIT’s top biotechnology professors. Dr. Robert Langer, 59, MIT professor of chemical engineering and the youngest person ever - at 43 - to be appointed to all three U.S. National Academies of science, told the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce that he and his students began effectively curing rats of paralysis using a plastic scaffold that would be inserted into their bodies.

During the speech, Langer demonstrated what could be a future treatment for humans. He showed a film of the paralyzed rat before it was treated with a special plastic implant coated with neuronal stem cells.The rat could move around but had lost the use of its rear legs.

The film showed the rat weeks later able to walk on all four legs fairly well.

The plastic scaffold helps reduce scar tissue and may help duplicate new cells, Langer said. “Different people have used different models,” Langer said. “It’s a question of how much improved function you get.”

Langer said his research is being partially funded by InVivo Therapeutics Corp., a Cambridge life-science company that is raising funds to treat traumatic spinal cord injuries. Frank Reynolds, CEO of InVivo, declined to give financial specifics, but said the company has a consulting staff of 18 people.

Reynolds said Langer’s use of plastics, which the MIT professor also believes could grow new bone, intestine, liver and ureter cells, would help commercialize the first big breakthrough in treatment of paralysis.

“We believe it will be the first effective treatment for spinal cord injury,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds said Irish officials will be visiting Boston to discuss $10 million in funding for InVivo from the Irish government.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/business/healthcare/view