2020 Volume 37 Issue 3 Pages 315-318
The function of the central nervous system, once damaged by cerebrovascular disease, brain injury, or spinal cord injury, does not recover and there is currently no effective therapy. We hitherto identified factors that regulate regeneration of a damaged neural network and has unveiled its molecular mechanism. As a consequence, we set out to develop a drug that would promote restoration of the central nervous system, examined the possibility of antibody therapy for RGM, and developed an anti–RGM humanized monoclonal antibody, which takes the molecular form, for human administration. This anti–RGM antibody inhibited activation of RGM. Furthermore, when the antibody was administered to rats with spinal cord injury, they showed marked improvement in motor functions and regeneration of damaged axons. The said antibody also improved motor functions, especially skilled motor activities, in a rhesus macaque spinal cord injury model. We also showed improvement of neurological function of animal models of multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica after administration of anti–RGM antibody. We unveiled the molecular mechanism of the RGM's action on neurons and laid the scientific foundation for its medicinal effect. In 2019, we started conducting international clinical trials of this drug on spinal cord injury patients.
