The problem

Peripheral nerve injuries from trauma or surgery can cause lasting disability, chronic pain and loss of function. When the gap is too long to repair directly, surgeons have two main options. An autograft means harvesting a healthy nerve from elsewhere in the body. A hollow synthetic conduit often falls short across longer gaps.

Our approach

Our conduit is made from a biodegradable poly(L-lactide-co-caprolactone) blend. It guides the regenerating nerve and also delivers tacrolimus (FK506) locally, with controlled, sustained release. Tacrolimus is an FDA-approved immunosuppressant that also promotes nerve regeneration. Combining physical guidance with local drug therapy addresses both the immune response and the regenerative needs of the injury, with the aim of making painful autografts unnecessary.

Results so far

We tested the conduit in rats with 15 mm sciatic nerve gaps. Compared with placebo conduits, it improved axon growth and functional recovery.

Development

The technology was developed at the University of Utah and licensed to MSI. The program is supported by an NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) STTR Phase II award. The award covers clinical-grade manufacturing, efficacy testing in preclinical models, and biocompatibility and safety testing.