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Active, not recruitingNCT03268603Updated Mar 9, 2026Results posted

Intrathecal Autologous Adipose-derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

A Phase 2 interventional study of Autologous Adipose-derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in ALS and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, sponsored by Mayo Clinic. Active, not recruiting at 3 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-03-09.

Sponsored by Mayo Clinic · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
75
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of intrathecal treatment delivered to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of mesenchymal stem cells in ALS patients every 3 months for a total of 4 injections over 12 months.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a type of stem cell that can be grown into a number of different kinds of cells. In this study, MSCs will be taken from the subject's body fat and grown. CSF is the fluid surrounding the spine.

The use of mesenchymal stem cells is considered investigational, which means it has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for routine clinical use. However, the FDA has allowed the use of mesenchymal stem cells in this research study.

Read the detailed description

The Goal of the Proposed Study is to perform an open label, 60 subject, Phase II multi-site clinical trial to investigate the safety and efficacy of intrathecal treatment of aaMSCs in ALS. Patients will be treated with 10-100 million aaMSCs every 3 months for a total of 4 intrathecal injections over 12 months. Reduced dose treatments will be allowed based on specific adverse events. Multiple biomarkers will be tracked throughout the clinical trial and correlated with response to treatment. This study was initially performed at Mayo Clinic in Rochester and subsequently expanded to the two other Mayo Clinic sites in Arizona and Florida. All biopsies and stem cell injections take place at Mayo Clinic Rochester, regardless of where the subject initially enrolls into the study.

02

Conditions studied

  • ALS
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • All patients will have ALS diagnosed as possible, laboratory-supported probable, probable, or definite as defined by the World Federation of Neurology criteria for the diagnosis of ALS.
  • Examination and neurophysiological testing confirm a pure motor syndrome compatible with the diagnosis of ALS. All other possible causes of weakness have been excluded by extensive investigations.
  • Age greater than 18 years, if female, must be post-menopausal, had a hysterectomy, or agree to two forms of birth control.
  • Permanent resident or citizen of the United States.
  • Geographic accessibility to the study site and willingness and ability to comply with follow-up.
  • History of a chronic onset of a progressive motor weakness of less than two years duration.
  • Subjects must be taking a stable dose of riluzole for at least 30 days prior to enrolment or not be on riluzole, and not have been on it for at least 30 days prior to enrolment (riluzole-naïve subjects are permitted in the study).
  • Subjects must be taking a stable dose of oral Radicava® (edaravone) for at least 30 days prior to enrolment or not be on oral Radicava® (edaravone), and not have been on it for at least 30 days prior to enrolment (edaravone-naïve subjects are permitted in the study).
  • Able to comply with protocol requirements, including MRI testing.
  • Can provide written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Use of Radicava® (edaravone) within 30 days of screening or intent to use Radicava® at any time during the course of the study including the follow up period.
  • Any clinically significant medical condition (e.g., within six months of baseline, had myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, and/or congestive heart failure) that, in the opinion of the investigator, would compromise the safety of patient.
  • Pulmonary Slow Vital Capacity (SVC) less than 65% of predicted for age, gender, and body type.
  • Autoimmunity, including Crohn's disease or rheumatoid arthritis
  • Current use of immunosuppressant medication or use of such medication within 4 weeks of Screening visit (Visit 1).
  • Malignancy 5 years prior to enrollment, including melanoma,with the exception of localized skin cancers (with no evidence of metastasis, significant invasion, or re-occurrence within three years of baseline).
  • Active systemic or local infection near the lumbar puncture site.
  • Inability to lie flat for the duration of intrathecal cell transplantation, or inability to tolerate study procedures for any other reason.
  • Other active systemic disease as defined by laboratory abnormalities delineated in Appendix IV.
  • Use of herbal medications, nutritional supplements or other unapproved drugs or investigational medicinal products being used or studied for the treatment of ALS.
  • Unwilling to forgo initiating the use of any new supplements during participation in the study.
  • Enrolled in an investigational drug trial within 30 days of baseline visit
  • Prior stem cell therapy for a neurological disease
  • Kokmen Short Test of Mental Status score \<32
  • Presence of a tracheostomy
  • Ventilator dependent
  • Pregnancy
  • Men or women of childbearing potential who are unwilling to employ adequate contraception
  • Chronic low back pain requiring invasive procedures (i.e. epidural injections or lumbar spine surgery)
04

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
75 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

    Autologous Adipose-derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (aaMSCs) will be administered intrathecally at a single dose in a volume of 5-10 mL, all patients will receive 5 x 10\^7 intrathecal aaMSCs at the first injection (Visit 4). Subsequent doses may be reduced to 1 x 10\^7 or increased to 1 x 10\^8, based on Dose Modification Rules.

    Drug: Autologous Adipose-derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

Interventions

  • DrugAutologous Adipose-derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

    The investigational product consists of autologous adipose-derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs), suspended in 5-10 mL Lactated Ringer's. The MSC are provided in a sterile syringe labelled with appropriate patient and product identifiers ready for intrathecal injection.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Adverse Events

    The number of adverse events experienced by subjects

    Time frame: 12-months

  2. Unexpected Severe Adverse Events

    The number of unexpected severe adverse events experienced by subjects

    Time frame: 12-months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in Slope of ALS Functional Rating Scale - Revised (ALSFRS-R)

    The ALSFRS-R includes 12 questions. Each task is rated on a five-point scale from 0 = can't do, to 4 = normal ability. Individual item scores are summed to produce a reported score of between 0=worst and 48=best. The change in slope is the rate at which a patient's functional ability declines over time, as measured by the change in the ALFSFRS score over 1 year. A steeper slope signifies a faster decline in function. A negative change in slope indicates a decline in function and positive change in slope indicates an improvement in function.

    Time frame: baseline, approximately 1 year

06

Results

Posted Apr 2, 2025

Participant flow

Participant flow — Overall Study
MilestoneMesenchymal Stromal Cells
Started66
Completed57
Not completed9
Withdrew: Withdrawal by subject6
Withdrew: Physician decision1
Withdrew: Withdrawn due to disease progression2

Outcome measures

PrimaryAdverse Events

The number of adverse events experienced by subjects

Time frame:
12-months
Reported as:
Number · Number of Adverse Events
Adverse Events
Number of Adverse EventsMesenchymal Stromal Cells
Adverse Events668
PrimaryUnexpected Severe Adverse Events

The number of unexpected severe adverse events experienced by subjects

Time frame:
12-months
Reported as:
Number · Number of unexpected severe adverse eve
Unexpected Severe Adverse Events
Number of unexpected severe adverse eveMesenchymal Stromal Cells
Unexpected Severe Adverse Events41
SecondaryChange in Slope of ALS Functional Rating Scale - Revised (ALSFRS-R)

The ALSFRS-R includes 12 questions. Each task is rated on a five-point scale from 0 = can't do, to 4 = normal ability. Individual item scores are summed to produce a reported score of between 0=worst and 48=best. The change in slope is the rate at which a patient's functional ability declines over time, as measured by the change in the ALFSFRS score over 1 year. A steeper slope signifies a faster decline in function. A negative change in slope indicates a decline in function and positive change in slope indicates an improvement in function.

Time frame:
baseline, approximately 1 year
Reported as:
Mean · Score on a scale/year
Change in Slope of ALS Functional Rating Scale - Revised (ALSFRS-R)
Score on a scale/yearMesenchymal Stromal Cells
Change in Slope of ALS Functional Rating Scale - Revised (ALSFRS-R)-0.11 (-1.19 to 0.93)
Statistical analysis
  • Mesenchymal Stromal Cells · Wilcoxon (Mann-Whitney) · p = 0.38

Adverse events

Collected over Adverse events were collected from the time of enrollment through the end of the follow-up period, approximately 1 year.. Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
Mesenchymal Stromal Cells4/57 (7%)26/57 (45.6%)56/57 (98.2%)
Most frequent serious events
Showing 10 of 18
Most frequent serious events
EventMesenchymal Stromal Cells
DysphagiaGastrointestinal disorders11/57
Infections and Infestations-OtherInfections and infestations4/57
PneumonitisRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders3/57
FractureInjury, poisoning and procedural complications2/57
Respiratory FailureRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders2/57
AppendicitisInfections and infestations1/57
Back PainMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders1/57
Disease ProgressionGeneral disorders1/57
FallInjury, poisoning and procedural complications1/57
Feeding Tube PlacementGastrointestinal disorders1/57
Most frequent other events
Showing 10 of 107
Most frequent other events
EventMesenchymal Stromal Cells
Back PainMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders47/57
FallInjury, poisoning and procedural complications44/57
HeadacheNervous system disorders33/57
Pain in ExtremityMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders29/57
Buttock PainMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders23/57
BruisingInjury, poisoning and procedural complications19/57
ConstipationGastrointestinal disorders10/57
PainGeneral disorders10/57
Infections and Infestations-OtherInfections and infestations9/57
Nasal CongestionRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders9/57

Baseline characteristics

Age, Continuous
Age, Continuous(years)Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
Mean56 (28 to 77)
Sex: Female, Male
Sex: Female, Male(Participants)Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
Female17
Male40
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)(Participants)Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
Hispanic or Latino2
Not Hispanic or Latino55
Unknown or Not Reported0
Race (NIH/OMB)
Race (NIH/OMB)(Participants)Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
American Indian or Alaska Native0
Asian2
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander0
Black or African American0
White55
More than one race0
Unknown or Not Reported0
Region of Enrollment
Region of Enrollment(participants)Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
United States57
07

Study locations

3 sites
  • Mayo Clinic
    Scottsdale, Arizona 85259, United States
  • Mayo Clinic
    Jacksonville, Florida 32224, United States
  • Mayo Clinic in Rochester
    Rochester, Minnesota 55905, United States
08

References and documents

Study documents

  • Protocol and statistical analysis plan · Dec 19, 2023

Documents are hosted by the registry — open the source record to download them.

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03268603
Lead sponsor
Mayo Clinic
Collaborators
State of Minnesota Regenerative Medicine Minnesota
Responsible party
Nathan P. Staff (Professor of Neurology, Mayo Clinic) — Principal investigator
First posted
Aug 31, 2017
Start date
Oct 10, 2017
Primary completion
Jan 31, 2024
Completion
Dec 31, 2026 (estimated)
Results posted
Apr 2, 2025
Last update
Mar 9, 2026

Study contacts

Nathan P Staff, MD, PhD
principal investigator · Mayo Clinic
Anthony J Windebank, MD
principal investigator · Mayo Clinic

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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