Japanese Company Seeks Approval for Stem Cell Therapy to Treat Parkinson's Disease

Japanese pharmaceutical company Sumitomo Pharma has announced its intention to obtain regulatory approval for a groundbreaking stem cell-based treatment aimed at Parkinson's disease. This innovation follows promising results from a clinical trial conducted in collaboration with Kyoto University. The trial involved seven patients aged between 50 and 69, who received transplants of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells into their brains. These cells, derived from healthy donors, are capable of developing into dopamine-producing neurons, which are notably depleted in Parkinson's patients.

Over a monitored period of two years, the study found no significant adverse effects, and four of the patients exhibited notable improvements in their symptoms. The treatment utilized precursor cells that can mature into functional neurons, offering hope for a more effective therapeutic option that could possibly slow or halt disease progression, unlike current medications which only manage symptoms.

This treatment approach is considered a pioneering step in regenerative medicine, leveraging the ability of iPS cells to transform into various cell types without the ethical concerns associated with embryonic stem cells. The promising clinical outcomes have been published in the journal Nature in April.

In addition to the Japanese trial, Sumitomo Pharma is conducting further clinical research in the United States. As Parkinson's disease affects approximately 10 million people worldwide, largely impairing motor functions such as movement and shaking, the potential approval of this stem cell therapy represents a significant advancement. Present treatments typically offer symptom relief but do not affect disease progression.

iPS cells are generated by reprogramming mature, specialized cells to revert to a juvenile state, thus enabling the production of various cell types needed for regenerative therapies. This emerging treatment could mark a new frontier in managing a chronic and degenerative neurological disorder.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-japan-firm-stem-cell-treatment.html