Japanese drugmaker Sumitomo Pharma announced on Friday the success of the world’s first stem cell transplant to treat Parkinson’s disease, after receiving conditional approval for the treatment in Japan.
The treatment involves transplanting millions of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into the patient's brain, and was approved by Japanese regulators in March following a successful clinical trial.
The company stated that the procedure was performed at Kyoto University Hospital in October, without providing further details.
Parkinson's disease is a chronic neurological disorder that affects movement and affects more than 10 million people worldwide, according to estimates by the Parkinson's Foundation. Current treatments improve symptoms but do not prevent disease progression.
iPS cells are produced from mature cells by reprogramming them to a stem cell-like state. In Sumitomo Pharma's treatment, iPS cells from healthy donors are developed into brain cells that produce dopamine, which is missing in patients.
The clinical trial involved seven patients aged between 50 and 69, who received either 5 or 10 million cells in both sides of their brains. After two years of follow-up, no significant side effects were observed, and four patients showed improvement in their symptoms.
Sumitomo Pharma plans to transplant cells into 20 to 30 patients by March 2029 and is also conducting a clinical trial in the United States. The treatment is expected to receive full approval in Japan if its safety and efficacy are confirmed within the next seven years.
This announcement comes after a hospital in Osaka performed the world's first procedure using iPS cells for heart muscle regeneration, which could help create new blood vessels. If the treatment proves successful, it could be adopted in other countries to treat Parkinson's disease.
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