Lineage Cell Therapeutics Inc. announced the dosing of the first chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) patient in its DOSED clinical study of OPC1, marking a milestone in extending treatment to a broader SCI population.
According to the company, the DOSED (Delivery of Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells for Spinal Cord Injury: Evaluation of a Novel Device) study is assessing the safety and utility of a new parenchymal spinal delivery device. The study will enroll both subacute patients (21 to 42 days post-injury) and chronic patients (1 to 5 years post-injury).
The first patient treated had a complete SCI (AIS grade A) at spinal levels T1–T10, and the delivery system successfully administered a one-time injection of 10 million OPC1 cells.
OPC1 is an investigational, allogeneic oligodendrocyte progenitor cell transplant therapy designed to replace or support cells lost to traumatic SCI and help restore or augment functional activity. The company said that improved functional activity could translate into greater mobility, enhanced quality of life for patients, and significant cost savings for caregivers.
The company claims that DOSED is the third clinical study of OPC1 and features a delivery device capable of administering cells over several minutes without the need to halt patient ventilation. The device is also compatible with an immediate-use thaw-and-inject formulation of OPC1, reducing dose preparation time.
Long-term safety data from two earlier clinical trials—including a Phase 1 study in acute thoracic SCI and a Phase 1/2a dose-escalation trial in subacute cervical SCI—reported no unexpected serious adverse events related to OPC1 to date.
This advancement reflects Lineage’s continued efforts to develop regenerative cell therapies for serious neurological conditions.
