Cell therapies for acute and chronic traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global health problem, for which there are no approved therapies. Advances in acute clinical care have improved post-TBI survival, yet many patients are left with chronic TBI-related disabilities (i.e. chronic TBI). Existing treatments that focus on rehabilitation and symptom management do not modify the disease and have limited effectiveness. Consequently, chronic TBI-related disabilities remain a significant unmet medical need. Cell therapies have neuroprotective and neurorestorative effects which are believed to modify the disease. In this article, we review the safety and efficacy of cell therapies in early-phase clinical studies that have shown potential to improve outcomes in acute to chronic phases of TBI.

Keywords:

• Acute
• cell therapies
• chronic
• long-term disabilities
• stem cells
• traumatic brain injury

Transparency

Declaration of funding

This article was funded by SanBio, Inc.

Declaration of financial/other relationships

MK is a consultant for SanBio, Inc. DC and BN are employees of SanBio, Inc. AHS is a consultant for SanBio, Inc. DOO declares no conflict of interest. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Author contributions

All authors contributed to the literature review, and reviewed and edited the manuscript. AHS drafted the original manuscript. All authors approve this final version of the manuscript for publication and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Acknowledgements

No assistance in the preparation of this article is declared.