Israeli biotech company to conduct first human transplant of lab-grown spinal cord

Israeli biotech company Matricelf plans to perform the first-ever transplant of a lab-grown spinal cord segment into a human patient.

Speaking to Ynet News, Matricelf’s chief scientist, Professor Tal Dvir, explained how the upcoming human trial could potentially restore movement in people paralyzed by spinal cord injuries.

“The goal is to build a small piece of spinal cord that behaves like the real thing,” he said.

“We can remove the scar tissue, implant the engineered tissue in its place and eventually fuse the new piece with the existing cord above and below the injury. Think of it as inserting a conductor between two cut cable ends, restoring communication.”

The spinal cord segments are grown using a patient's blood cells, which are then reprogrammed into stem cells “with the ability to become any cell in the body.”

They then produce a gel from the patient’s fat, collagens and sugars, and insert the stem cells into it so they can “mimic embryonic spinal cord development.”

“After a month,” Dvir said, “we have a three-dimensional tissue full of motor neurons transmitting electrical signals.”

Dvir, who is leading the project, is the director of the Tel Aviv University Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and the Sagol Center for Regenerative Medicine.

The Tel Aviv University researchers, led by Dvir, have already grown human spinal cord segments in the lab since 2022. In addition, the team has successfully restored movement to a number of paralyzed mice during animal trials.

According to Ynet, “the real test is approaching: the first surgery in a human patient, which could enable a paralyzed person to walk again within a year.”

Dvir said they received government approval for human trials half a year ago.

“We submitted our results to Israel’s Health Ministry,” he said. “Six months ago, we received initial approval for compassionate-use trials in eight patients.”

He added that Matricelf has received “approval to begin drawing blood as soon as the first patient is chosen and cleared.”

On its website, Matricelf states that one of its goals is “to restore independence, reduce the economic burden, and redefine the future for SCI [spinal cord injury] patients worldwide.”

Matricelf is one of a number of companies seeking to provide technological remedies to individuals paralyzed through spinal cord injuries.

Neuralink, founded by tech billionaire Elon Musk, seeks to utilize brain computer interfaces (BCIs) to restore various functionalities in paralyzed individuals.

Though Neuralink has yet to enable paralyzed patients to walk, its “Telepathy” project has enabled several individuals “to operate their phones and computers with just their thoughts.”

In 2023, a group of neuroscientists in Switzerland was able to successfully restore a paralyzed man’s ability to walk using a BCI, though the functionality was limited.