The article details a Phase 1/2a clinical trial evaluating the safety and exploratory effectiveness of transplanting human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived dopaminergic progenitors (A9-DPC) in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Researchers generated highly pure dopaminergic progenitors and bilaterally transplanted them into the putamen of twelve patients across low and high-dose groups. The single-center, open-label, dose-escalation trial found the procedure to be safe and well-tolerated over a 12-month follow-up period, with no evidence of tumor formation. Furthermore, the results indicated improved motor symptoms, especially in the high-dose group, supported by an increase in dopamine transporter binding shown via PET imaging, which suggests successful graft survival and functional integration.
References:
