Open AccessAnticipated impact of stem cell and other cellular medicine clinical trials for COVID-19
Author(s) -
Mina Kim,
Paul S. Knoepfler
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
regenerative medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.572
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1746-076X
pISSN - 1746-0751
DOI - 10.2217/rme-2021-0025
Subject(s) - covid-19 , clinical trial , context (archaeology) , regenerative medicine , medicine , stem cell , cell therapy , intensive care medicine , biology , pathology , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , paleontology , genetics , outbreak
Aim: There is a critical need for safe and effective treatments for COVID-19. One possible type of treatment is cellular medicine such as stem cell therapy, but its potential is unclear. Here, our aim was to assess the potential impact of the many cellular medicine trials for COVID-19. Materials & methods: We collected and analyzed data for defined criteria from trial registries. Results: Our data suggest that relatively few of these COVID-19 trials will produce high-level evidence, but that on average they may be somewhat more rigorous than typical cell therapy trials unrelated to COVID-19. Conclusion: Most COVID-19 cellular medicine trials have relatively low potential for rapid, concrete impact. We discuss the findings in the context of the cellular medicine field overall.