Eight patients with Parkinson's disease have received transplants of dopamine-producing stem cells in a study at Lund University. The first results show promising signs of cell survival without serious side effects.
In the STEM-PD study, led by Lund University in collaboration with Skånes universitetssjukhus and other institutions, the majority of the eight patients were able to reduce their medication twelve months after the transplant. Gesine Paul-Visse, professor at Lund University, says the transplanted cells appear to have survived and continue to develop.
No signs of tumor formation or other serious side effects have been observed. One patient died from a lung infection unrelated to the treatment. The study will continue for another two years with long-term follow-up.
The treatment is expected to take at least ten years before it can be offered in healthcare. More phase two and phase three studies with additional patients are needed to confirm safety and efficacy.