Antibodies against Nogo-A to enhance regeneration of the injured central nervous system
Spinal cord injury is a devastating neurological disorder caused by damage of nerve cells in the spinal cord. It affects people’s lives through loss of sensation and motor paralysis below the site of the injury. Functional recovery is often hindered by the limited capacity of the human central system to self-repair nerve damage. Researchers at the University of Zurich, however, have discovered that Nogo-A, an inhibitory molecule in myelin (i.e. the protective layer surrounding the nerve fibers), actively blocks nerve regrowth. By inhibiting Nogo-A with a human therapeutic antibody, nerve growth and regeneration can be enhanced.
During their time at Wyss Zurich, NovaGo Therapeutics, under the project name CeNeReg, clinically validated their therapy, testing its safety and efficacy in patients with spinal cord injury. These pioneering clinical studies represent a major step forward in nerve regeneration and serve as a model to treat other conditions involving injured nerve fibers of the central nervous system.
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