According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, approximately 12,000 cases of spinal cord injury occur each year. The No. 1 cause of spinal cord injury is motor vehicle crashes, accounting for 42 percent of reported injuries. Acts of violence, such as gunshot wounds, and recreational sporting activities follow, respectively.
Oxygen Biotherapeutics Inc. (OTCBB: OXBO) engages in the commercialization of oxygen therapeutics and related pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The company today announced that Oxycyte, the company’s perfluorocarbon (PFC) oxygen carrier, was featured in the August 2008 edition of the “Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine.”
The article explains how Oxycyte can assist in the reduction of damage associated with oxygen shortages in spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord injuries can be very painful and life altering. The need for therapies to treat these injuries spans athletes to military personnel and more.
“Traumatic spine injury is a major cause of long-term disability for our troops in the war zones as well as 200,000 plus civilian injuries per year. If we could develop a rapid technique to salvage as much function as possible immediately after injury, this would be a major breakthrough in spine trauma. The key to tissue salvage may well be immediate oxygen delivery to tissues at risk,” Dr. Bruce Spiess, co-chair of Oxygen Biotherapeutics Medical Advisory Board stated in the press release.
Oxycyte is emerging as one of the few therapies with consistent effectiveness in preserving oxygen delivery after spinal cord injury. The company is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to establish a fully-review trial protocol that will ultimately put the product on the market.
“This is exciting news for Oxygen Biotherapeutics, Inc.,” said company chairman and CEO Chris J. Stern, DBA. “We’ve always known what our compound is capable of. Now, this latest research shows the possibility of yet another indication for treatment with Oxycyte in addition to those we’ve previously discussed, potentially broadening our product portfolio. If this early research translates to humans, Oxycyte could have a significant impact on the lives of spinal cord injury victims.”
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