Spinal cord injury is one of the most challenging neurological conditions to treat, often leaving patients permanently paralyzed with limited options for recovery. 

On July 7, Nantong University in east China announced that a research team led by Gu Xiaosong, an academic at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and director of the Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration at Nantong University, has developed a programmable controlled-release bionic spinal cord graft that could offer a new approach to repairing damaged spinal tissue.

Conventional treatments typically rely on a single material, a drug or type of cell therapy, making it difficult to support the complex process of spinal cord repair. The new graft takes a different approach by combining multiple therapeutic strategies into a single implant.

The implant integrates five functional components, including a scaffold that supports nerve regeneration, a controlled drug delivery system, nerve growth factors, and biological materials that help create a favorable environment for tissue repair. By releasing different therapeutic agents at different stages of healing, the implant is designed to better support the complex process of spinal cord repair.

To evaluate the graft's safety and effectiveness, the researchers conducted a large-scale, long-term animal study involving 480 mice over 12 months. According to the research team, treated mice showed marked improvements in movement and bladder function. In the treatment group, 98% of the animals demonstrated functional improvement, while bladder function recovered in about 90% of the mice by the end of the 12-week study period.

According to Gu, the research addresses key bottlenecks in spinal cord repair and functional reconstruction. The findings were published online in Engineering, the flagship journal of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. The team has also applied for invention patents in China, Japan, and the United States.

The researchers will next conduct large animal studies and safety evaluations required before clinical testing of Class III implantable medical devices. According to the team's research plan, they aim to advance the technology toward clinical application within the next two to three years, pending further testing and regulatory evaluation.