Stem cell therapy improves mental, physical health in relapsing-remitting MS

Top-line results of a phase 2 clinical trial for an adipose-derived autologous mesenchymal stem cell therapy to address mild to moderate relapsing-remitting MS found the treatment improved mental and physical health at 52 weeks.

According to a press release by Hope Biosciences, the study met its primary endpoint of change in both physical and mental health for the treatment group compared with the placebo group as measured by the MS Quality of Life-54 Instrument, Physical and Mental Health Composite Scores.

The double-blind, single-center study enrolled 24 participants who were randomly assigned 1:1 at the company’s research foundation to receive either IV infusions of 200 million stem cells via the proprietary treatment over the course of 32 weeks or placebo.

By week 52, those in the cell therapy group demonstrated statistically significant improvements from baseline in their Physical and Mental Health Composite Scores compared with those in the placebo group.

Data further showed that the stem cell treatment was safe and tolerable, according to the release.

“The results of this trial are groundbreaking, clearly demonstrating that high doses of fresh HB-adMSCs delivered on a regular schedule can result in consistent efficacy in a highly complex and variable condition like MS,” Donna Chang, president of the Hope Biosciences Research Foundation, said in the release. “We believe that this positive response will translate in other autoimmune diseases in the near future.”