New treatment for spinal cord injuries could have ‘profound benefit’, medics say

The Up-LIFT study, which was published in the journal Nature Medicine, was run by ONWARD Medical and involved medical teams around the world.

A new non-invasive treatment for spinal injuries could have a ‘profound benefit’ for patients, a study has shown (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Archive)

A new non-invasive treatment for spinal cord injuries could have a “profound benefit” for patients, a study has shown.

The new treatment, called ARC-EX therapy, involves programmed electrical stimulation that targets the spinal cord non-invasively and is designed to aid in functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

Patients at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) who received the therapy during the two-year study experienced a range of improvements, including in upper limb and hand function, blood pressure, temperature control and bladder and bowel function.

One of the five patients in the study, all of whom had been living with spinal cord injury for some time, even saw a significant improvement in their ability to play guitar.

Applied acutely in newly-injured patients with standard rehabilitation, non-invasive spinal cord stimulation may have profound benefit. There’s no other treatment like this

Dr Mariel Purcell, study leader

Dr Mariel Purcell, who led the Up-LIFT study at the Queen Elizabeth national spinal injuries unit in Glasgow, hailed its potential as a therapy for spinal cord injury for both chronic and acute patients.

She said: “This treatment has been proven to be safe and of some benefit to chronic patients. We saw a real improvement in quality of life and, when used alongside traditional therapies, there’s real potential for wider benefits, particularly in the acute phase of spinal cord injury.

“The study looked at upper limb and hand function in chronic patients, but applied acutely in newly-injured patients with standard rehabilitation, non-invasive spinal cord stimulation may have profound benefit. There’s no other treatment like this.”

Writer and journalist Melanie Reid, who has lived with spinal cord injury for more than 10 years and was one of the patients in the study, said the therapy gave her a “real boost”.

She said: “Your hands are so intrinsically taken for granted, but they are vital to so many aspects of someone’s quality of life.

“For me, the study gave me a real boost. My hands were much more useful and it gave me much more confidence, particularly to use my left hand.”

She added: “After many years in my chair, I’d learned just to accept my limits, so it was great just to think ‘Yes, I can do more’.

“The benefits were real – and I’m still feeling them more than two years after the study.

“There are no miracles here – we’re talking about tiny gains – but even something as basic as being able to feed yourself for the first time … wouldn’t that be fantastically profound?”

Professor Gregoire Courtine, co-founder of ONWARD Medical, which ran the study, said it had “demonstrated the principle” of the therapy and that attention could now turn to looking at its effect on other functions.

“The study has shown that the device is safe and effective, and we have demonstrated the principle. Now we can look at applying stimulation to other functions, such as walking,” he said.

“This is not a cure – it’s important to stress that – but we’re at the beginning of a journey that makes recovery from spinal injury a real possibility.”

The device is expected to be approved for use in the US this year, with approval across Europe anticipated shortly afterwards.

The Up-LIFT study, which was published in the journal Nature Medicine, was run by ONWARD Medical and involved medical teams around the world.

It was one of hundreds of new research studies and trials taking place across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde every year.