Therapeutic Efficacy of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Review of Clinical Results

This is a review of clinical studies, not a single trial. The authors selected and analyzed 17 clinical studies on MSCs in Alzheimer’s disease.

What Was Studied

The researchers compared studies that used MSCs from various sources: umbilical cord blood, umbilical cord, bone marrow, adipose tissue, and placenta. They also analyzed different administration methods—intravenous in most studies, and in some cases directly into brain structures or ventricles.

Of the 17 studies, published efficacy results were available for only a subset of the trials. In particular, the cell-based products NEUROSTEM-AD, Lomecel-B, and AstroStem were examined. The Lomecel-B studies showed some positive signs regarding cognitive function or pathophysiological parameters, whereas the NEUROSTEM-AD and AstroStem studies did not demonstrate statistically significant efficacy.The authors’ main conclusion is quite cautious: based on the data reviewed, the use of MSCs in patients with Alzheimer’s disease appears feasible and generally acceptable in terms of safety; however, clinical efficacy has not yet been definitively proven. Larger and well-controlled studies are needed.

Journal: Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

2026; 23(3):343–365

Authors: Ae-Lee Kim, Byung Hyune Choi, Inbo Han, Soonjo Kwon, Woon Kyu Lee.