Injections of artificial neurons reduced the frequency of epileptic seizures by 90%
Researchers presented the results of the first phase of clinical trials using lab-grown neurons to treat epilepsy. The injections reduced the frequency of seizures by more than 90%.Researchers from the biotechnology company Neurona Therapeutics presented the first results of clinical trials of the drug NRTX-1001. The cell therapy product was tested to treat two patients. The results showed that injecting the drug into the brain reduced the incidence of seizures by 90%.
Two patients who were not amenable to alternative treatments were selected for the study. On average, these patients had 32 and 14 seizures each month, and treatment with traditional antiepileptic drugs did not help either patient. Doctors considered lobectomy or ablation to remove the temporal lobe of the brain as treatment options.
Before the irreversible procedure, which could significantly impair future quality of life, the researchers tried using the cellular drug NRTX-1001 for treatment. This brain injection contains a highly concentrated dose of lab-grown inhibitory neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells. It reduces overall action potential and ultimately prevents seizures.
During one year of NRTX-1001 treatment, the first patient, who previously had 32 seizures per month, had a 95% reduction in the number of seizures per month. Whereas the second patient (14 seizures per month) had a reduction of more than 90%. The researchers report that the effects of the drug were sustained over a long period of time.
Epilepsy develops because of an imbalance between the excitatory and inhibitory activity of neurons. Excitatory neurons increase the action potential and promote the rapid flow of information from one neuron to another. Inhibitory neurons prevent the transmission of signals, decrease the action potential, and prevent the brain from becoming hyperactive. An imbalance between these two types can manifest as seizures, memory loss and other brain disorders.
Previous studies have shown that existing antiepileptic drugs are ineffective in about 30 percent of cases. Researchers hope that if confirmed effective in further clinical trials on other patients, the cell therapy could help restore a normal quality of life to all patients with epilepsy.