(STUDY FINDS) – A drug developed by British scientists to treat lung disease may find a new purpose — repairing spinal cord injuries (SCI). Researchers from the University of Birmingham say AstraZeneca’s AZD1236 restored movement and sensation in mice by 85 percent after just three days.
“This drug has the potential to be a first-in-class treatment against some of the key pathological drivers of SCI and could revolutionize the prospects for recovery of SCI patients,” says lead author Professor Zubair Ahmed in a university release.
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Estimates show that nearly 18,000 Americans suffer a life-altering spinal cord injury each year — usually as a result of car or sports accident, violence, or a fall. Scar tissue prevents repair by acting like glue, leading to paralysis below the site of the injury.
