Notable Stem Cell-based Therapies Around the World for Parkinson’s disease
This page provides information about other notable regenerative medicine (stem cell) research projects and clinical trials working on a stem cell-based dopamine neuron replacement therapy for Parkinson’s disease primarily.

Stem cell-based replacement therapy is moving forward in several groups around the world.
It’s important to realize these important facts about each of the projects:
- Dopamine neurons are transplanted for all of these therapies.
- No undifferentiated stem cells are transplanted.
- Each of the projects uses different sources of pluripotent stem cells* (see below).
- All are working with the regulatory agency within their country of origin. (e.g. The FDA in the U.S.)
*Pluripotent stem cells are capable of becoming all sorts of cell types. Pluripotent stem cells are not transplanted until after they are differentiated (developed) into dopamine-producing neurons in the lab. See below…
COUNTRY | PRINCIPAL INVESTI-GATOR | STEM CELL TYPE (SOURCE) | CLINICAL TRIAL STATUS | CELLS MATCHED TO THE PATIENT? |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sweden and U.K | Malin Parmar and Roger Barker | Pluripotent embryonic stem cells | Undeter-mined | NO |
Japan | Jun Takahashi | Induced Pluripotent stem cells | Two patients trans-planted 2018-current | NO |
USA, (New York) | BlueRock Thera-peutics / Lorenz Studer | Pluripotent embryonic stem cells | 01/07/21 Received FDA approval to begin clinical trials – now recruiting | NO |
USA, (San Diego) | Aspen Neuro-science, Inc. / Jeanne Loring | Induced Pluripotent stem cells | Planned for 2022 | YES |
Aspen Neuroscience with Drs. Jeanne Loring & Andres Bratt-Leal in San Diego, CA are working with iPSC-sourced (induced pluripotent stem cell-sourced) autologous dopamine neurons. Dr. Loring is the only researcher who is working on an individualized, custom-line of autologous dopamine neurons for each patient. These DNA-matching dopamine neurons won’t require immunosuppression. The project is working closely with the FDA.