Stem Cell Therapy Clinical Trial Sites: A Global Landscape
Stem cell therapy has moved from laboratory promise to clinical reality. As of late 2024, there are over 8,400 registered clinical trials involving stem cells worldwide, with more than 3,000 trials specifically using adult stem cells listed on the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry. A landmark 2025 review in Cell Stem Cell identified 115 global trials involving pluripotent stem cell-derived products alone, targeting ophthalmology, neurology, and oncology.
Where Trials Are Concentrated
The United States leads in trial volume. Major academic medical centers anchor the landscape:
| Institution | Location | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| MD Anderson Cancer Center | Houston, TX | 850+ transplant procedures/year; largest U.S. center |
| Mayo Clinic | Rochester, MN / AZ / FL | 77 active stem cell trials; spinal cord injury, cardiac |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering | New York, NY | Bemdaneprocel for Parkinson's disease (Phase I results in Nature) |
| Stanford Alpha Clinic | Stanford, CA | CIRM-funded cell and gene therapy trials |
| OHSU | Portland, OR | Top 20 U.S. transplant center; MS trial leader |
Key Therapeutic Frontiers
- Oncology
- Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation remains the most established use, with CAR T-cell therapies derived from iPSCs entering trials for lupus and blood cancers.
- Neurology
- MSK's bemdaneprocel trial showed early promise restoring dopamine-producing neurons in Parkinson's patients. Multiple centers are trialing stem cell approaches for spinal cord injury and MS.
- Ophthalmology
- Retinal pigment epithelium derived from pluripotent stem cells is among the most advanced clinical-stage programs globally.
- Orthopedics & Cardiac
- Mesenchymal stem cells are being evaluated for osteoarthritis, cardiac repair post-myocardial infarction, and degenerative disc disease.
Navigating the Trial Landscape
ClinicalTrials.gov remains the definitive registry, but its interface can be overwhelming for patients and referring physicians. This dataset structures trial site information into actionable fields—location, recruitment status, therapeutic area, and direct contact details—so you can identify the right site without navigating complex research databases.