The upcoming full cell transplantation clinical trial will involve rehabilitation both before and after the cell transplantation. The first rehabilitation trial which was completed in 2022 tested the rehabilitation program that will be used after the cell transplantation. This second clinical trial was a follow-up trial to the first rehabilitation feasibility trial and tested the rehabilitation program that will be provided before the cell transplantation therapy (the “prehab” program). 

The “prehab” program is a shorter program of 12 weeks duration and includes some modifications that were identified during the first rehabilitation trial. 

For this trial, five participants were recruited trial who did not have much experience with rehabilitation therapies.

The Spinal Injury Project team at Griffith University wanted to know whether the intensive rehab program was safe for people who didn’t have much experience with rehabiliation and whether the participants would continue to be motivated to stay on the program. 

Outcomes:

The journey of the participants in the rehab program was somewhat different to the first rehab trial in which people had much more experience with rehab. Understandably there was more of a learning period during which they had to become familiar with the intensive program. However, once they were confident with the rehab program, the participants enjoyed it and were very enthusiastic about continuing. Importantly, the program was shown to be safe for this cohort.

This demonstrates that the rehab program is suitable for people without much experience with rehabiliation and gives the research team confidence that the intensive long-term rehab program is suitable incorporating into the planned Phase I/IIA human clinical trial of the olfactory nerve bridge transplantation therapy.

Learn more about the Rehabilitation Trial One here.

Register for our online Virtual Lab Tour here to learn more.