Attracting interest

Researchers at Chicago's University of Illinois performed the mouse experiment.

They say that human application is at least a decade away, but their initial success has attracted interest from biotech firms.

According to the Chicago Tribune, NewNeural, a Naperville, Illinois-based startup firm, has aligned its fortunes with the leading researcher of the treatment, Kiminobu Sugaya from the University of Illinois.

Overcoming problems

Adult stem cell therapy is receiving strong financial support because it overcomes immunity problems associated with therapies that use cells from donors.

Also, the use of adult stem cells in place of fetal cells eliminates political concerns about abortion opponents.

The new therapy will be tested on rats and then monkeys before researchers seek approval from the Food and Drug Administration to move into human trials.