Injecting bone marrow cells to treat dry mouth

UW23129: A Phase I Dose-Escalation Trial of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Patients With Medical Xerostomia

Phase 1 Interventional University of Wisconsin, Madison · NCT06392711

This study is testing if injecting special cells from bone marrow into the salivary glands can help people with dry mouth caused by conditions like Sjögren's disease feel better.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 1
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment36 (estimated)
Ages18 Years to 90 Years
SexAll
SponsorUniversity of Wisconsin, Madison Academic / other
Locations1 site (Madison, Wisconsin)
Trial IDNCT06392711 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This clinical trial evaluates the safety and tolerability of injecting mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) into the salivary glands of patients suffering from xerostomia, particularly due to conditions like Sjögren's disease and graft-versus-host disease. Participants will undergo bone marrow aspiration to collect MSCs, followed by ultrasound of the salivary glands and questionnaires. The study employs a dose-escalation design, starting with unilateral injections and potentially progressing to bilateral injections based on initial tolerability. The goal is to determine if these injections can improve dry mouth symptoms.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 to 90 with xerostomia not caused by radiotherapy and a documented low salivary flow rate.

Not a fit: Patients with only one functioning submandibular gland may not benefit from this treatment.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this treatment could significantly alleviate dry mouth symptoms for patients suffering from xerostomia.

How similar studies have performed: While this approach is novel, similar studies involving MSCs have shown promise in other conditions, suggesting potential for success.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Xerostomia, defined as an unstimulated salivary flow \<1.2 mL in 5 minutes documented at any time following xerostomia diagnosis and prior to enrollment
* Xerostomia not resulting from radiotherapy (medical xerostomia)
* ≥ 18 years of age, ≤ 90 years of age
* Karnofsky performance status ≥ 70, patient eligible for bone marrow aspirate with wakeful anesthesia
* Willing and able to give informed consent
* Radiographically confirmed bilateral submandibular glands
* If female of childbearing potential, negative pregnancy test
* Males and females of childbearing potential willing to use acceptable contraception
* Laboratory Values (within 28 calendar days of enrollment):

  * Hgb ≥ 9 g/dL (5.58 mmol/L)
  * Platelets ≥ 100,000/µL
  * ANC ≥ 1000/µL
  * Lymphocytes ≥ 800/µL
  * PT/INR and PTT within normal limits based on age/sex

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients with one submandibular gland
* Sialolithiasis
* Poorly-controlled diabetes mellitus (HbA1c ≥ 7%)
* Patients who initiated any diuretic therapy before developing dry mouth symptoms and are still on diuretic therapy and the referring provider believes the dryness symptoms are driven by diuretic use
* Untreated oral candidiasis based on physical exam at enrollment
* Malignancy within the last 2 years (except adequately treated stage I lung cancer, low risk prostate cancer that has been treated or is undergoing active surveillance, adequately treated non-melanoma skin cancer, adequately treated DCIS, or adequately treated stage I cervical cancer)
* For patients on immunosuppressive therapy, must be on stable dose of immunosuppressive therapy for at least 2 months, allowing for dose adjustments for blood levels of drugs
* Transfusion dependency
* Life expectancy ≤ 6 months as determined by the investigator
* Use of investigational drugs, biologics, or devices within 30 calendar days prior to enrollment
* Pregnant or lactating women or those who plan to become pregnant during the study
* Not suitable for study participation due to other reasons at discretion of investigators.
* Enrollment in another clinical study possibly interfering with the endpoints of this study

Where this trial is running

Madison, Wisconsin

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions XerostomiaGraft-versus-host-diseaseSjogren's Disease
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.