Stem cell exosomes for spinal cord injury: Preclinical study shows improved motor function and blood flow

NurExone Biologic has released promising data from its preclinical study of its bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosome product, ExoPTEN, for acute spinal cord injury.

If you don’t know about MSC exosomes, they are nano-sized extracellular vesicles secreted by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that carry bioactive molecules, including nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and metabolites, that can modulate cellular processes and promote tissue repair.

Here’s an illustration of a stem cell (blue) releasing exosomes (yellow):

The preclinical results indicate improved motor function and blood flow at spinal cord injury sites, bringing them one step closer to an Investigational New Drug (IND). ExoPTEN uses exosomes derived from allogeneic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to deliver a proprietary siRNA (gene-silencing message) as the active ingredient.

Here are their videos showing placebo vs ExoPTEN:

Control:

Experimental group (ExoPTEN):

In the preclinical study, researchers examined two dosing regimens: a single high dose administered on the day of the injury versus a lower dose given daily over five consecutive days. Both dosing methods reportedly resulted in significant improvements in motor function recovery compared to untreated controls, as measured by the modified Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor rating scale.

Additionally, histological analysis showed that ExoPTEN-treated subjects had notably increased average blood vessel size, indicating improved circulation, essential for post-injury healing.

They also have this chart on their website comparing their product to others:

The study is published in Cyotherapy, found here.

We have an upcoming interview with NurExone on this product soon, stay tuned!

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