An interesting new pre-clinical stem-cell research paper by Kwang-Soo Kim et al. at McLean and Mass General Hospital.

[jeffreyn]

GenEngNews article: Cell Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease Improved by Treg Supplementation.

genengnews.com/topics/trans...

Research paper (abstract only): Co-transplantation of autologous Treg cells in a cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease.

nature.com/articles/s41586-...

[WinnieThePoo]

Now I'm just an amateur with PD. But I've been interested in cell transplants for 5 years, and read quite a lot about the subject . And this is the first I've heard of this problem that McLean and Mass now have a solution for

[jeffreyn in reply to WinnieThePoo]

Me too!

Nature also has an editorial covering this research paper, but it is also behind a paywall.

Regulatory T cells aid stem-cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease.

nature.com/articles/d41586-...

[Zardoz in reply to WinnieThePoo]

There are a number of stem cell trials going on world wide. Do you know how many, if any are phase 3 and when they are scheduled to conclude?

[jeffreyn in reply to Zardoz]

After watching the video interview with Roger Barker that you posted a couple of months ago I get the clear impression that none of them are Phase 3.

healthunlocked.com/cure-par...

[Zardoz in reply to jeffreyn]

Ten years? Now I'm really upset.

[WinnieThePoo in reply to Zardoz]

I don't think any are phase 3. It's going to be at least 5 years before clinical availability. Probably 10 years

[Zardoz]

If 'needle trauma' is an issue, I wonder why cells couldn't be delivered by other means. Such as using focussed ultrasound to open the BBB, or through the nasal cavity.

[jeffreyn in reply to Zardoz]

Stem cell delivery via the nasal cavity would not get you into the exact area of the brain you are targetting (and only that exact area), so it wouldn't be appropriate for iPSC (or ESC) derived neurons. I've read that it has been tried with MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells), but these are not intended to replace dopamine neurons.

In regard to opening the BBB, I don't know enough to comment on what is or is not possible (or appropriate).