Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 17: Two pioneering clinical trials published in Nature have offered fresh hope for millions battling Parkinson’s disease, affirming that stem cell therapy is both safe and effective in treating the neurodegenerative condition.
Parkinson’s disease, marked by the gradual loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain, has long challenged medical science. While traditional medications like L-dopa offer temporary symptom relief, they often lose efficacy over time and come with side effects like dyskinesia (involuntary movements).
However, the new trials — one conducted in Japan and the other in the United States — present encouraging findings on the use of dopaminergic progenitor cells derived from human stem cells.
The Phase I/II trial by Kyoto University, Japan, involved seven patients aged 50–69 who received dopaminergic progenitors made from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The cells were surgically implanted into both hemispheres of the brain.
Key findings:
- No serious adverse effects or tumour formation during a 24-month follow-up.
- Transplanted cells produced dopamine.
- Notable improvement in motor symptoms in four out of six participants off medication, and five out of six on medication.
Meanwhile, researchers in the United States led a Phase I trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, using a stem-cell product called bemdaneprocel, derived from human embryonic stem cells.
Twelve patients (median age: 67) underwent bilateral transplantation in the putamen, a brain region involved in movement.
Highlights:
- The treatment was well-tolerated with no severe adverse effects.
- No cases of dyskinesia were reported.
- Improvements in motor function observed in both low- and high-dose groups.
Despite small sample sizes, both studies signal a major breakthrough in Parkinson’s treatment. They confirm that allogeneic stem cell therapy — using cells not derived from the patient — is feasible, safe, and potentially transformative.
Researchers, however, stress the need for larger trials to fully assess long-term effectiveness and refine the therapy before it becomes widely accessible.
If further validated, this could mark a paradigm shift in how Parkinson’s is treated — moving beyond symptom management to actual neuronal restoration.