The potential benefit of stem cell therapy after stroke: an update

Abstract

Soma Banerjee,1 Deborah A Williamson,2 Nagy Habib,3 Jeremy Chataway4,51Department of Stroke Medicine, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK; 2Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; 3Department of Surgery, Imperial College London, London, UK; 4Clinical Neurosciences, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK; 5National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UKAbstract: Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Stem cell therapy is an emerging therapeutic modality with evidence of significant benefits in preclinical stroke models. A number of phase I and II clinical trials have now been completed, with several more currently under way. Translation to the bedside, however, remains a long way off, and there are many questions that remain unanswered. This review will summarize the current evidence and ongoing clinical trials worldwide, and explore the challenges to making this a realistic treatment option for the future.Keywords: stroke, stem cells, clinical trials