An Israel-based company plans to launch a device in January that uses motors and sensors to help paralyzed patients stand, walk and, in some cases, climb stairs, the Associated Press reported Thursday.
StemCells Inc. shares jumped some 14% after the company reported new preclinical data showing its proprietary human neural stem cells restore lost motor function in mice long after their spinal cord injuries.
The Food and Drug Administration cleared the way on Friday for California biotech firm Geron to begin human clinical trials of its experimental embryonic stem cell-based therapy to heal spinal cord injuries in paraplegic patients. Geron claims this is the first such trial in humans.