Home › Research › Brain scans and imaging
Targeted delivery of nerve growth factor via encapsulated cell biodelivery in Alzheimer disease: a technology platform for restorative neurosurgery
Wahlberg LU, Lind G, Almqvist PM, Kusk P, Tornøe J, Juliusson B, Söderman M, Selldén E et al.. Journal of neurosurgery, 2012-06-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Object The authors describe the first clinical trial with encapsulated cell biodelivery (ECB) implants that deliver nerve growth factor (NGF) to the cholinergic basal forebrain with the intention of halting the degeneration of cholinergic neurons and the associated cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). The NsG0202 implant (NsGene A/S) consists of an NGF-producing, genetically engineered human cell line encapsulated behind a semipermeable hollow fiber membrane that allows the influx of nutrients and the efflux of NGF. The centimeter-long capsule is attached to an inert polymer tether that is used to guide the capsule to the target via stereotactic techniques and is anchored to the skull at the bur hole. Methods Six patients with mild to moderate AD were included in this Phase Ib open-label safety study and were divided into 2 dose cohorts. The first cohort of 3 patients received single implants targeting the basal nucleus of Meynert (Ch4 region) bilaterally (2 implants per patient), and after a safety evaluation, a second cohort of 3 patients received bilateral implants (a total of 4 implants per patient) targeting both the Ch4 region and the vertical limb of the diagonal band of Broca (Ch2 region). Stereotactic implantation of the devices was successfully accomplished in all patients. Despite extensive brain atrophy, all targets could be reached without traversing sulci, the insula, or lateral ventricles. Results Postoperative CT scans allowed visualization of the barium-impregnated tethers, and fusion of the scans with stereotactic MR images scan was used to verify the intended positions of the implants. Follow-up MRI at 3 and 12 months postimplantation showed no evidence of inflammation or device displacement. At 12 months, implants were successfully retrieved, and low but persistent NGF secretion was detected in half of the patients. Conclusions With refinement, the ECB technology is positioned to become an important therapeutic platform in restorative neurosurgery and, in combination with other therapeutic factors, may be relevant for the treatment of a variety of neurological disorders. Clinical trial registration no.: NCT01163825.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Wahlberg, L. U., Lind, G., Almqvist, P. M., Kusk, P., Tornøe, J., Juliusson, B., et al. (2012). Targeted delivery of nerve growth factor via encapsulated cell biodelivery in Alzheimer disease: a technology platform for restorative neurosurgery. Journal of neurosurgery. https://doi.org/10.3171/2012.2.jns11714
Vancouver
Wahlberg LU, Lind G, Almqvist PM, Kusk P, Tornøe J, Juliusson B, et al. Targeted delivery of nerve growth factor via encapsulated cell biodelivery in Alzheimer disease: a technology platform for restorative neurosurgery. Journal of neurosurgery. 2012. doi:10.3171/2012.2.jns11714. PMID: 22655593.
BibTeX
@article{wahlberg2012-22655593,
author = {Wahlberg, L. U. and Lind, G. and Almqvist, P. M. and Kusk, P. and Tornøe, J. and Juliusson, B. and Söderman, M. and Selldén, E. and others},
title = {{Targeted delivery of nerve growth factor via encapsulated cell biodelivery in Alzheimer disease: a technology platform for restorative neurosurgery}},
journal = {Journal of neurosurgery},
year = {2012},
doi = {10.3171/2012.2.jns11714},
pmid = {22655593},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3171/2012.2.jns11714}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Results Postoperative CT scans allowed visualization of the barium-impregnated tethers, and fusion of the scans with stereotactic MR images scan was used to verify the intended positions of the implants.
Why it matters
This Phase Ib open-label safety study implanted capsules that deliver nerve growth factor to the cholinergic basal forebrain in 6 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, and the implants were successfully placed in all patients. It was a small early safety study and does not show that this approach treats, cures or prevents the disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Brain scans & tests →
Study details
- Study designopen-label trial
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 46/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of neurosurgery) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of neurosurgery: journal h-index 357 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | Design recorded as “open-label trial”, which our rubric does not rank (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2012 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (pubmed indexes it as a clinical or observational study) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 125 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 7.8 citations a year over 16 year(s) since 2012 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 14 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Bengt Linderoth: h-index 64 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Karolinska University Hospital: institution h-index 873 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 22655593) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Related
Studies in the library that share something with this one. The line above each title says what.
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Later studies that cite this one
2 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.
Related studies in Brain scans and imaging
Also tagged “tdp-43”
1,150 studies in the library carry the topic tag “tdp-43”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 1,150 tagged studies.