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…

COUNTRYPRINCIPAL
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-minedNO
JapanJun TakahashiInduced
Pluripotent stem cells		Two patients
trans-planted 2018-current		NO
USA, (New York)BlueRock Thera-peutics / Lorenz StuderPluripotent
embryonic stem cells		01/07/21 Received FDA approval to begin clinical trials – now recruitingNO
USA,
(San Diego)		Aspen Neuro-science, Inc. / Jeanne LoringInduced
Pluripotent stem cells		Planned for 2022YES

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.

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