An international research team recently showed that the antibody NG101 promotes the regeneration of damaged spinal cord tissue. Now, led by scientists at the University of Zurich and Balgrist University Hospital, the team has revealed for the first time how the treatment actually works. With a boost from this new antibody, new nerve fibers form functional connections once again, allowing patients to become more independent.
Spinal cord injuries – often caused by sports or car accidents – can lead to quadriplegia or paraplegia and severely limit independence. In late 2024, an international research team led by the University of Zurich (UZH) and Balgrist University Hospital completed a multinational clinical trial in which patients with acute spinal cord injuries were successfully treated with the new antibody NG101. The results showed that NG101 accelerates the regression of spinal cord lesions and preserves existing nerve tissue.
The antibody neutralizes the useless protein
Discovered at UZH about 30 years ago, NG101 targets the protein Nogo-A, which is found in the sheaths of nerve fibers in the spinal cord and brain. This protein prevents the healing of damaged nerve fibers in the spinal cord after an acute injury. By neutralizing Nogo-A, NG101 removes this barrier to growth and healing, thereby enhancing the regeneration of nerve fibers and supporting the functional regeneration of spinal cord tissue.
Visible results in the spinal cord
The research team’s latest study revealed another crucial piece of the puzzle.
In our new study, we were able to use advanced imaging methods to show for the first time how this antibody therapy works directly in the spinal cord.”
Patrick Freund, UZH professor and head of the Spinal Cord Injury Center at Balgrist University Hospital
The MRI data revealed two important results. First, spinal cord injuries healed faster in the presence of NG101, suggesting that nerve fibers were able to regenerate into the tissue surrounding the injury. Second, the loss of nerve tissue was significantly slowed and compensated by the regrowth of new nerve fibers. Previous animal experiments carried out by the researchers had already proven how critical this stage is. This is because the newly formed nerve fibers must find a way to navigate across or around the site of the injury in order to restore the pathways connecting the brain and spinal cord.
New connections with peripheral nerves
The team’s latest findings suggest that this very process is supported by NG101. “This allows the surviving and newly regenerated nerve fibers to re-establish connections with the centers of the spinal cord that control the nerves of the arm, hand and legs,” says Freund, who led the study. “These connections are essential for the transmission of signals from the brain to the muscles.” For some patients, this means a greater chance of regaining hand and arm function.
NG101 not only improves the function of the spinal cord, but has also been shown to alter its structure, which supports the regeneration of nerve tissue. This marks an important step toward new, effective treatments for spinal cord injuries. “We are now able to visualize the treatment outcome early and objectively,” says Freund. “This opens up the possibility to use future treatments more strategically and conduct a more reliable assessment of their effects.”
