ProCord Trial for Complete Spinal Cord Injury Now Live at Shepherd Center in Atlanta

Shepherd Center announced yesterday that it is now a treatment site for Proneuron’s Phase II, multi-center, randomized-controlled trial of ProCord for complete spinal cord injury. Shepherd Center has been enrolling patients in the study as an IRB patient referral and follow up site for more than a year. With the completion of the establishment and operation of a specially designed cell processing center at Cell Design LLC in Atlanta, Shepherd Center has the necessary tools to implement the surgical segment of the experimental therapy.

“The ProCord trial continues and is currently live at Shepherd Center. We are now fully equipped to provide both the surgical and the post-operative rehabilitation portions of this experimental treatment. We look forward to continuing our participation in this very important research,” said David Apple, Jr., MD, Emeritus Medical Director of Shepherd Center.

The Marcus Foundation provided the $3.2 million in financing used to build the ProCord processing cell center at Cell Design and to begin the implementation of the study at Shepherd Center.

“We are proud to be an active part of this worthy initiative and are hopeful that this enormous effort will result in the improvement of the well being of patients,” said Dr. Robert McNally, President of Cell Design LLC.

Dr. David Snyder, V.P. of Clinical Development at Proneuron commented, “Timing is a crucial element in this study, from the admission of patients through the implantation of the autologous cellular product. It is important to remember that qualifying patients must be enrolled within 12 days of their injury in order to receive ProCord within the 14-day study protocol window.”

Patient, Immediate Family of Patient and/or Physician inquiries:
24 hour a day Patient Recruitment Center:
Email: clinical.trial@proneuron.com
Telephone: 1-866-539-0767 (U.S. toll free) or 1-506-652-3486.
Fax: 1-866-214-7078

Callers outside of the U.S., please use standard
international dialing code.

For complete details about the study: www.spinalcordtrial.com.

Shepherd Center in Atlanta is the country’s largest catastrophic care hospital specializing in the treatment of people with spinal cord injury and disease, acquired brain injury, multiple sclerosis and other neuromuscular disorders and urological problems. Shepherd Center is the largest Model Center for spinal cord injury in the country, serves as one of the largest brain injury programs in Georgia, and is an official Multiple Sclerosis Center, designated the National Multiple Sclerosis Society–Georgia Chapter. Founded in 1975, the 100-bed not-for-profit hospital offers a continuum of health care services, from intensive care through inpatient medical surgical care, rehabilitation, day program, and outpatient and residential services.

Posted on May 26th, 2005 in Clinical Trials and Studies.