The research, led by Dr. Angela Ruban at Tel Aviv University, together with Dr. Yona Goldshmit, M.Sc. Josef Levine, M.Sc. Rosemary Lavender and Alexander Yakovchuk developed and validated a treatment platform that lowers toxic blood glutamate levels and helps remove excess glutamate from the cerebrospinal fluid. The results of the new treatment were striking: treated animals showed substantially less tissue damage, reduced inflammation and scarring, better preservation of nerve cells and axons, and up to 80% improvement in locomotor recovery compared with untreated animals.

Importantly, the treatment remained effective even when administered up to eight hours after injury, a time window that could make it practical for real-world emergency medicine. The findings also showed a strong safety profile, a critical step toward clinical translation.

The results were further strengthened by independent validation from an external contract research organization (CRO) in a severe rat model of spinal cord injury.

These findings are now moving beyond the laboratory. NeuroHagana, a biotechnology company founded by Dr. Ruban, has validated the results and is now advancing development of the treatment toward clinical use. The company is focused on transforming this academic breakthrough into a real emergency therapy for patients, with potential applications not only in spinal cord injury but also in other acute neurological conditions driven by glutamate toxicity, including traumatic brain injury and stroke.