Regulated and Unregulated Clinical Trials of Stem Cell Therapies for Stroke

Stem cell therapies have been demonstrated in the laboratory as an effective option in treating a number of neurological disorders, including stroke. By targeting the subacute and chronic phases of stroke, stem cell therapies offer the advantage of extending the intervention window which has traditionally been oppressively small. Although substantial laboratory data support this therapeutic potential, transitioning stem cell treatments into approved clinical products has proven difficult. The reasons for this are many, including fundamental complications which have accompanied non-traditional pharmaceuticals such as difficulties in achieving treatment/dosing/cell type consensus and also the regulatory and legislative hindrances which have plagued stem cell advancement. Fortunately, translational lab-to-clinic research endeavors are being made in all of the abovementioned categories, allowing the initiation of limited clinical trials of stem cell therapies for stroke patients. …