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Accessing the Subdural Space of the Rodent Spinal Cord for Treatment Delivery
Published on: August 8, 2025
Spinal cord clinical trials and the role for bioengineering
Jared T Wilcox1, David Cadotte, Michael G Fehlings
1Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada M5S 1A8.
Neuroscience Letters
|February 28, 2012
Summary
Effective therapies for spinal cord injury (SCI) are needed. This review outlines bioengineered approaches and clinical trial frameworks, proposing these strategies are ready for human trials.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Regenerative Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Spinal cord injury (SCI) management has improved, but functional recovery remains limited.
- Translational challenges hinder the clinical application of promising preclinical bioengineering approaches for SCI.
- Existing therapies offer limited efficacy for restoring function after human SCI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a framework for human clinical trials in SCI.
- To review past SCI clinical trials and current bioengineered therapeutic strategies.
- To assess the potential of bioengineered approaches for clinical translation in SCI.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on SCI clinical trials.
- Analysis of bioengineered therapeutic modalities including pharmacologics, cell transplantation, biomaterials, and neurorehabilitation.
- Framework development for advancing SCI therapies into human trials.
Main Results:
- A significant translational gap exists between preclinical findings and human clinical application for SCI therapies.
- Bioengineered strategies show promise but require rigorous testing for efficacy in human SCI.
- Comprehensive preclinical studies and well-designed clinical trials are crucial for therapeutic success.
Conclusions:
- Bioengineered strategies, including pharmacologics, cell therapies, biomaterials, and neurorehabilitation, hold significant potential for SCI treatment.
- Advancing these therapies requires bridging the translational gap through robust preclinical validation and expertly conducted human clinical trials.
- Bioengineered approaches are well-positioned for progression into human clinical trials for spinal cord injury.
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