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First stem cell transplant performed to treat Parkinson's disease

In October, a patient received an experimental therapy developed by Sumitomo Pharma that uses induced pluripotent stem cells to generate dopamine-producing neurons. The treatment received conditional approval in Japan in March.

Imagen referencial del cerebro humano

Illustration of the human brainAFP

Williams Perdomo
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Williams Perdomo

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Japan took a new step forward in Parkinson's research by performing the first transplant of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) to treat the disease, as confirmed Friday by the pharmaceutical company Sumitomo Pharma, which is responsible for developing the therapy.

The company reported in a statement regarding its financial results that the first procedure was performed in October at the Kyoto University Hospital, although it did not provide further details about the patient or the procedure.

The treatment involves implanting millions of induced pluripotent stem cells, known as iPS cells, into the brain. These cells have the ability to transform into various types of cells in the body. The therapy was conditionally approved by Japanese regulatory authorities in March, following positive results from a clinical trial.

Parkinson's is a chronic, degenerative neurological disease that affects the motor system and can cause tremors and difficulty moving. According to the Parkinson's Foundation, more than 10 million people worldwide live with this disease.

Currently available treatments can alleviate symptoms, but they do not stop or slow the progression of the disease.

How stem cell treatment works

IPS cells are obtained through a process that reverts specialized adult cells to a state similar to that of embryonic cells, enabling them to perform different functions.

In Sumitomo Pharma's procedure, cells from healthy donors are transformed into precursors of dopamine-producing neurons—a type of cell that is lost in people with Parkinson's.

During the clinical trial, seven patients between the ages of 50 and 69 received implants of 5 or 10 million cells on both sides of the brain.

The participants were monitored for two years. The results showed no serious adverse effects, and four of the patients showed improvements in their symptoms.

The pharmaceutical company announced that it plans to perform transplants on 20 to 30 patients by March 2029. It is also conducting a clinical trial of this therapy in the United States.

According to Japanese media, the treatment may receive final approval in Japan if its safety and efficacy are confirmed over the next seven years.

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