Brazilian scientists have unveiled a groundbreaking treatment that could transform the future of spinal cord injury recovery. The experimental therapy, called Polylaminin, has shown unprecedented results in restoring motor function among patients with complete spinal cord injuries, a feat long considered impossible in modern medicine.
Developed by a team of researchers in São Paulo, Polylaminin is a polymerized form of laminin, a natural protein found in the body’s basement membranes. Laminin plays a vital role in early neural development, helping guide the growth of nerve fibers. By stabilizing and reorganizing this molecule, Brazilian scientists have created a biomaterial capable of supporting axonal regrowth, the process by which severed nerve fibers reconnect across an injury site.
“What we are witnessing could mark the beginning of a new era in spinal cord regeneration,” said one of the principal investigators in a statement to Ensaios Clínicos Brasil. “For the first time, we are seeing voluntary motor recovery in patients previously classified as completely paralyzed.”
In a pilot clinical study conducted in Brazil, six out of eight patients with acute, complete spinal cord injuries regained voluntary motor control following a single intraspinal injection of Polylaminin. The treatment was administered within seventy-two hours of injury, a critical window before scar tissue forms. All patients had suffered high-impact spinal trauma resulting in loss of motor and sensory function below the lesion. Within weeks of treatment, partial voluntary movement began to return in several cases, and no serious adverse events were observed.
Though small, the study’s results have been described as “nothing short of extraordinary,” attracting attention from global neuroscience and biotechnology communities. Before reaching human trials, Polylaminin underwent more than a decade of rigorous testing in animal models. In rat studies published in Neuroscience Letters (2010), animals treated with Polylaminin demonstrated significant nerve regeneration and improved locomotor ability after complete spinal cord transection. In dogs, a 2025 study conducted at the University of São Paulo Veterinary School showed functional gait improvements in paraplegic animals with chronic injuries, without any toxic or inflammatory side effects.
The results confirm the biomaterial’s unique ability to act as a molecular scaffold, encouraging damaged neurons to reconnect while also reducing inflammation and secondary tissue degeneration — two of the biggest barriers to spinal cord repair. Laminin is a naturally occurring glycoprotein that forms the foundation of many tissues. The Brazilian innovation lies in transforming this molecule into Polylaminin, a stabilized, polymerized network that can survive longer in the body and mimic the natural environment of nerve tissue. Once injected into the injury site, Polylaminin forms a bioactive bridge that allows severed axons to regrow across the damaged gap, re-establishing communication between the brain and the body.
“It acts like an internal scaffolding,” explains Dr. Karina Menezes, a neuroscientist involved in the project. “We are not forcing the body to regenerate — we are giving it the right environment to do what it was designed to do.”
Despite the excitement, experts urge caution. The results, while extraordinary, come from a small, open-label pilot trial without a control group. Much larger, randomized clinical studies will be necessary to validate safety and efficacy before Polylaminin can be approved for widespread medical use. Regulatory authorities, including Anvisa (Brazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency), have signaled support for further clinical testing but emphasize the need for robust scientific replication. “The promise is real,” says a recent editorial by IBIS.bio, “but the road from experimental success to approved therapy is long. What’s needed now are transparent trials, peer-reviewed data, and reproducible manufacturing.”
If confirmed in larger studies, Polylaminin could represent one of the most significant advances in neuroscience and regenerative medicine in decades, potentially offering new hope to millions of people living with paralysis worldwide. The therapy’s success also highlights Brazil’s growing prominence in biomedical innovation, combining advanced molecular science with locally driven research initiatives. “For decades, the dream of reversing paralysis has felt out of reach,” says Dr. Menezes. “But now, for the first time, we have reason to believe that the body’s own healing intelligence, guided by Polylaminin , can make it possible.”
A multi-center Phase II clinical trial is now being planned across Brazil and Europe to evaluate the therapy in a larger cohort, including both acute and chronic spinal cord injuries. Researchers will track long-term recovery, sensory restoration, and overall quality of life. If the findings continue to hold, Polylaminin may one day allow thousands of patients with paraplegia and quadriplegia to regain movement , turning what was once science fiction into clinical reality.
- Media Report