The purpose of the NISCI trial is to test if an antibody therapy can improve movement and quality of life of tetraplegic patients. A previous trial showed this treatment is safe and well accepted. This is a placebo controlled, randomized, double blind, multicenter, multinational study to assess the safety, tolerability, feasibility and preliminary efficacy of early (within 4-28 days post injury) initiation of treatment with repeated bolus injections of NG-101 in cervical acute SCI patients. The study has 3 phases: screening/baseline Phase, treatment phase, and a follow-up phase.

The study design will allow simultaneous enrolment of patients with complete or incomplete SCI. Enrolment and stratification of the patients is based and individualized prediction of upper limb outcomes.

For further information please visit NISCI website: https://nisci-2020.eu

Inclusion Criteria:

• Acute cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) (Neurological level of injury C1-C8 with confirmed classification of ASIA impairment scale (AIS) A-D at screening and predicted upper extremities motor score (UEMS) recovery of less than 41/50 (according to the URP prediction model)
• 4-28 days post-injury
• No required mechanical ventilation or patients that not completely depend on mechanical ventilation
• Hemodynamically and clinical stable patient according to the acute SCI condition at baseline
• Written informed consent
• Cooperation and willingness to complete all aspects of the study
• Ability of subject to understand character and individual consequences of the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Complete anatomical transection confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Trauma caused by ballistic or other injury that directly penetrates the spinal cord including gunshot and knife wounds
• Major brachial or lumbar plexus damage/trauma
• Significant head trauma or other injury that was, in the opinion of the investigator, sufficient to interfere with the assessment of the spinal cord function
• Other significant pre-existing or current severe systemic disease such as lung, liver (exception: history of uncomplicated Hepatitis A), gastorintestinal, cardiac, immunodeficiency (including anamnestic known HIV) or kidney disease; or active malignancy
• History of or an acute episode of Guillain-Barre syndrome
• History of recent (6 months) meningitis or meningoencephalitis
• History of refractory epilepsy
• History of or current autoimmune disease
• Patients with uncontrolled bleeding diathesis and/or who require concomitant treatment with coumarin anticoagulant
• Presence of any unstable medical or psychiatric condition
• Drug dependence any time during the 6 month's preceding study entry
• Pregnant or nursing women
• History of a life-threatening allergic or immune mediated reaction
• Patients with the presence of infection around the location where the spinal needle insertions are planned for applying the intrathecal injections
• Participation in any clinical investigation within 4 weeks prior to dosing or longer if required by local regulations
• Patients who are unconscious
• History of hypersensitivity to the investigational medicinal product or to any drug with similar chemical structure