Transplanting human stem cells into the brain for Parkinson's disease

Precise Transplantation of Human Amniotic Epithelial Stem Cells Into Lateral Ventricle for Parkinson's Disease

Phase 1 Interventional Shanghai East Hospital · NCT05691114

This study is testing if transplanting human stem cells into the brain can help people with Parkinson's disease feel better and slow down the progression of their symptoms.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 1
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment18 (estimated)
Ages40 Years to 70 Years
SexAll
SponsorShanghai East Hospital Academic / other
Locations1 site (Shanghai, Shanghai)
Trial IDNCT05691114 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This is a single-center, single-arm, dose escalation study aimed at exploring the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of human amniotic epithelial stem cells (hAESCs) for patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Participants will receive hAESCs through an Ommaya reservoir implanted into the lateral ventricle of the brain. The study will involve a dose escalation followed by an exploratory expansion phase with three different dosing cohorts. The goal is to assess how these stem cells can impact the progression of Parkinson's disease.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are individuals aged 40-70 with more than 5 years of idiopathic Parkinson's disease history and stable medication regimens.

Not a fit: Patients with secondary Parkinson's disease or those who have had recent intracranial surgeries may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide a novel treatment option that may improve symptoms and quality of life for patients with Parkinson's disease.

How similar studies have performed: While this approach is novel, similar studies involving stem cell therapies for neurodegenerative diseases have shown promising results.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

1. 40-70 years old, with more than 5 years of idiopathic PD history
2. UPDRS-III off-time scores ≤49
3. MMSE scores ≥24
4. HAMD-17 scores \< 25
5. H-Y on-time scores ≤4
6. reactive to levodopa or dopa agonists
7. PD medication dose is stable for more than 2 months
8. no general anesthesia contraindications, no stereotactic surgery contraindications or other conditions that interfere with clinical evaluation
9. no abnormalities affecting cell transplantation by cranial MRI
10. no participation of other clinical trials 3 months before signing the informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

1. secondary PD or Parkinson's syndrome
2. subcutaneous apomorphine treatment
3. scoring ≥ 2 on UPDRS-I item 2, or ≥ 2 on UPDRS-II item 13; or ≥ 3 on UPDRS-II item14
4. history of intracranial surgery or device implantation, including deep brain stimulation, within 2 years prior to signing informed consent
5. history of seizures or prophylactic application of antiepileptic drugs
6. other serious central nervous system disorders
7. history of stem cell therapy
8. subject who had undergone a major surgery within 3 months and will undergo a major surgery within the next 6 months prior to signing informed consent
9. autoimmune disease or current use of Immunosuppressants
10. subjects with comorbid cardiac disease, for example, but not limited to, ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, significant arrhythmias or cardiac conduction block
11. poorly controlled hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or comorbid endocrine system disorders, pulmonary disorders, gastrointestinal system disorders, serious infections, malignancies, etc.
12. positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies, or Treponema pallidum antibody
13. abnormalities in liver or kidney function tests, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) is less than 2.5 times the upper limit of normal, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) or creatinine(Cr) are less than 1.5 times the upper limit of normal, or serum albumin \< 30.0 g/L
14. abnormalities in hematologic test: coagulation disorders or ongoing anticoagulation therapy; moderate to severe anemia; platelet count \< 80 × 10\^9/L
15. inability to undergo MRI and positron emission tomography (PET) examinations
16. subject with severe allergies
17. women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) or subject is a man with a WOCBP partner, who are unwilling to take contraception during the trial
18. pregnant or lactating females
19. other conditions deemed by the investigator to be inappropriate for enrollment.

Where this trial is running

Shanghai, Shanghai

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 Idiopathic Parkinson'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.