Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) cause paralysis and loss of feeling in some or most of the body. Many people with SCIs are permanently disabled, relying on wheelchairs and other assistive devices for their entire lives. An estimated 12,000 SCIs occur every year in the U.S., and more than 250,000 Americans are living with SCIs. The cost of care for SCI patients is high. The spinal cord consists of bundles of nerve fibers, called axons, that carry signals up and down the spinal cord and to the rest of the body. Complete recovery from SCI is normally not possible because these axons are usually damaged and cannot regrow in adults. The investigators are working on a drug that stimulates spinal cord axon growth and restores neurological function after SCI. This projects aim is to further develop this therapy to prepare it for testing in human clinical trials. The team is collaborating on the completion of the following studies: -Synthesis of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) material -Formulation development -Pharmacokinetic/absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (PK/ADME) studies -IND-directed toxicology
