Clinical Trials Overview

The National Center for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM) currently has 30 ongoing or planned clinical trials. These trials explore the use of adult, non-embryonic stem cells for a variety of purposes. Here are just a couple of examples of the kinds of studies already being performed in patients:

To reduce the severity of the side effects of chemotherapy.
In some of the trials, NCRM researchers are trying to use stem cells to reduce the severity of the side effects of chemotherapy. Cancer chemotherapy not only hurts cancer cells but can injure normal cells, too. (This is what makes people sick sometimes during chemotherapy, and, for example, makes their hair fall out or makes them more susceptible to infections like colds.) Sometimes the normal cells that are injured and die are the ones our bodies use to make new blood cells, such as white blood cells, which help us fight infections. So in one trial, NCRM researchers remove adult blood stem cells from a cancer patient, and the stem cells are given a gene that will help protect them against the chemotherapy. The stem cells, now carrying this protective gene, are put back in the patient. This way, the patient will be able to still make blood cells even though they are receiving chemotherapy, and they won’t get quite as sick from their chemotherapy.

To develop more blood vessels on the heart to treat a certain heart condition.
In another clinical trial, NCRM researchers are investigating the use of adult stem cells from bone marrow in helping patients with a certain kind of heart condition. In patients with a condition known as chronic ischemic myocardium, the need for oxygen is greater than is being supplied to the heart. By giving such patients a special kind of adult, non-embryonic stem cell from bone marrow, NCRM researchers hope they can cause the stem cells to develop more blood vessels on the heart so that the heart will be better able to feed itself oxygen.