Amnion cell secretions as a nasal therapy to protect the brain after repeated head injury
Official title: Amnion cell secretome mediated therapy for traumatic brain injury
Funded at James a. Haley VA Medical Center · NIH-11239762 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research tests whether a nasal treatment made from amnion cell secretions can help protect the brain and improve thinking, mood, and movement after repeated mild head injuries.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | James a. Haley VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tampa, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2023 |
| Project end | September 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX004245-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11239762 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Eventually, people who have experienced repeated mild traumatic brain injuries—such as veterans with blast exposures or athletes with multiple concussions—would be the likely candidates for this approach.
✕Less likely to help
People with a single severe traumatic brain injury, non-traumatic neurological diseases, or injuries far in the past may not benefit from findings focused on repetitive mild TBI.
What this research studies
This project uses a mouse model of repeated mild traumatic brain injury to see if a delayed, ongoing intranasal treatment called ST266 can reduce long-term brain problems. Mice will receive five mild head injuries and then get chronic nasal doses of ST266 to see if it improves memory, anxiety, sensory responses, and motor skills. Scientists will study brain tissue and inflammation to understand how the treatment affects healing and disease progression. The study will also compare outcomes in male and female animals to learn about sex differences in response.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to a nasal therapy that lowers long-term brain damage and improves cognitive, emotional, and motor recovery after repeated mild TBIs.
How similar studies have gone: Secretome-based and amnion-derived therapies have shown neuroprotective effects in animal models, but using intranasal ST266 for repeated mild TBI is relatively new and has not yet been proven in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
James a. Haley VA Medical Center
Tampa, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mouzon, Benoit Christian — James a. Haley VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Mouzon, Benoit Christian
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.