March 27, 2025
That person is now training to walk. This is a dramatic recovery.
Japanese stem-cell scientist Hideyuki Okano, who led a trial in which a paralyzed man received “reprogrammed” stem cells and can now walk independently.
Why It Matters: The Japanese trial is the first of its kind in which four paralyzed men received reprogrammed stem cells. One man can now stand on his own and is learning to walk, while another man can now move his arms and legs. The two other men did not show major improvements, but the treatment appears to be safe for recipients. Moving forward, larger trials will be required to establish whether the two men whose conditions improved occurred naturally or from the treatment itself.
- What are reprogrammed cells? The trial used cells from a donor and created the reprogrammed cells by “reverting adult cells to an embryonic-like state” to develop the different types of cells the recipients needed for treatment. Recipients received immune-suppressing drugs for six months to help their bodies refrain from attacking the new cells.
- The researchers emphasize the trial was not intended to prove the efficacy of the process, but rather spark the beginning of further trials seeking to help identify the potential of reprogrammed cells for different treatments.
- Researchers announced the results at a press conference last week, but the trial has not yet been peer reviewed.
Read More: Paralysed man stands again after receiving ‘reprogrammed’ stem cells (Nature)
Photo Credit: FlyD / Unsplash
by Emily Hooker, based in Texas
