The first patient was a 72-year-old man with tremor-dominant Parkinson’s who, after showing a hand tremor, developed stiffness in the neck, shoulder, and leg affecting his ability to walk and drive. Despite being treated with levodopa and related therapies, he continued to deteriorate and was selected for the procedure.
Two weeks after cell injections, the man reported subjective improvements that peaked around four to six months post-treatment and were sustained over five years of follow-up. They included improvements in his ability to walk, sit-to-stand and bend, talk, and his handwriting and utensil use, and facial movements. Non-motor improvements included lesser skin dryness, lesser drooling, better sexual function and libido, and lesser fatigue.