Key Takeaways Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy has been tested in small human trials for chronic lung inflammation, but none show it reverses lung scarring. A 2013 randomized trial of 62 people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) found no lung function gain from infused MSCs. A 2020 randomized trial
Key Takeaways Two phase 3 trials tested the same stem cell injection for complex Crohn’s perianal fistulas, separated by a decade. The first trial, ADMIRE-CD, showed a clear benefit and led to European approval in 2018. ADMIRE-CD II, a much larger follow-up trial, enrolled 568 patients and found no real
Key Takeaways Doctors in Shanghai transplanted stem cell derived islet tissue into a man with type 2 diabetes in 2019. The patient stopped using insulin injections within eleven weeks and stayed insulin-free for years afterward. A separate 2026 study used the same method in three patients with type 1 diabetes,
Key Takeaways Most trials do not measure meaningful change until at least one month, with pain relief typically building gradually through 3 to 6 months. By 12 months, trial data show improvements in both pain and function, with dose and cell source affecting how strong and how long-lasting that benefit
Key Takeaways A 2024 network meta-analysis of 48 studies ranked PRP highest for knee osteoarthritis pain and function, followed by a bone marrow cell-based option, then hyaluronic acid (HA). The cell-based option’s ranking rests on far fewer studies (2.5% of the pooled evidence) than HA’s ranking (nearly 41%), so that
Key Takeaways Umbilical cord MSCs for stroke are being studied as a possible add-on to standard rehabilitation, not a replacement for it. A 2025 randomized trial in 32 patients found IV delivery led to significant improvements at 6 months, with both IV and intrathecal groups improving by 12 months. A
Key Takeaways A one-year Parkinson’s stem cell trial called STEM-PD found no serious side effects linked to the cell product itself. Scientists used embryonic stem cells to grow dopamine producing cells, then transplanted them into eight patients with Parkinson’s disease. Six of seven surviving patients cut their Parkinson’s medication substantially,
Key Takeaways Biologic therapies help many people with Crohn’s disease, but some patients stop responding over time or cannot tolerate them. Mesenchymal stem cells are the main type of stem cell treatments studied for Crohn’s, particularly for complex perianal fistulas. The only stem cell product ever approved for Crohn’s fistulas
Key Takeaways Exosome stem cell therapy uses cell-free vesicles instead of whole cells to support repair and calm inflammation. Exosomes carry proteins, lipids, and signaling molecules that support cell communication between damaged and healthy tissue. Research shows exosomes can help reduce inflammation and modulate immune response in chronic and autoimmune
Key Takeaways A new umbilical cord exosome study, published in Stem Cell Research & Therapy, tested umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived vesicles in patients with sudden hearing loss that had not responded to steroids. Researchers set out to evaluate the safety of injecting these vesicles through the eardrum. They found
