World’s first iPS trial approved in Japan for spinal cord injuries

Earlier this week, Japan’s health ministry approved the world’s first clinical trial for the treatment of spinal cord injuries using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS), according to a report from The Japan Times. The team of researchers from Keio University (Tokyo, Japan) will inject neural cells produced from iPS cells into four individuals who have been injured while playing sports, or who have been involved in traffic incidents. The stem cells will be injected within 2–4 weeks of the participants' accident, which is the period in which the treatment is believed to be effective. The investigators then hope to observe...