The UK Gene Therapy Advisory Committee (GTAC) has given the go-ahead to UK company ReNeuron to go ahead with the first-ever clinical trial to test its ReN001 stem cell therapy as a treatment for stroke patients.

During the ground-breaking Phase I trial, ReNeuron's ReN001 stem cell therapy will be administered to stroke patients who have been left disabled by an ischaemic stroke, the most common form of the condition.

ReNeuron CEO Michael Hunt said that the final approval would pioneer a pathway for subsequent cell therapy applications.

"We look forward to reporting on progress with the trial as it finally gets underway this year," Hunt said.

The company is now working with its chosen contract research organisation to finalise local arrangements for the trial, which will most likely begin through the NHS in April this year.

source: web of pharmaceutical-technology