A Boost for Regenerative Efforts?
Summary
The next day, Cambridge-based InVivo Therapeutics (OTCBB: NVIV) said it expected it would soon win clearance from the FDA to begin human trials of the spinal cord injury treatment it has been working on for years.InVivo hoped to begin human testing of its implant for spinal cord injury patients in 2009, but was delayed by a lack of funding, as well as lengthy discussions with the FDA about the trial protocol.Pervasis’ technology employs endothelial cells from the lining of blood vessels to promote healing of injuries caused by inflammation, scaring, or vascular disease.Rakin adds that Pervasis is a good fit for an earlier Shire acquisition in the regenerative-medicine realm, Advanced BioHealing, which the company bought for $750 million last year.“It shows that Shire wants to be a player in cell therapies.” InVivo has been testing a small device made of biodegradable polymers, which would be implanted within days of a spinal cord injury.