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WithdrawnNCT05491681ACE_CARDUpdated Jan 7, 2026

AllogeneiC Expanded Human MSC Therapy in Patients Recovering From COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Trial

A Phase 1 interventional study of intravenous delivery of allogeneic bone marrow-derived MSCs in ARDS, Human, sponsored by BioCardia, Inc.. Withdrawn. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-01-07.

Sponsored by BioCardia, Inc. · Phase 1, Interventional, and Treatment

Why this study was withdrawn
With available funding it was necessary for Sponsor to prioritize other studies. No study participants were consented or enrolled and no study sites were activated.
Phase
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
0
Allocation
Non-randomized
Ages
18 Years to 80 Years
Sex
All
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Study summary

Allogeneic culture-expanded bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are the subject of the current study as they are supported by preclinical and clinical data for potential to provide a safe and effective treatment for patients with acute respiratory distress.

Read the detailed description

The majority of Covid-19 cases either are asymptomatic or result in only mild disease. However, in a substantial percentage of patients, a respiratory illness requiring hospital care develops, and such infections can progress to critical illness with hypoxemic respiratory failure requiring prolonged ventilatory support (Zhou 2020) , (Chen 2020) , (Cao 2020) , (Ruan 2020) . Among patients with Covid-19 who have been admitted to hospitals in the United Kingdom, the case fatality rate has been approximately 26%, a percentage that has increased to more than 37% among patients who were undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation.(Docherty 2020) Although remdesivir has been shown to shorten the time until recovery in hospitalized patients, (Beigel 2020). Efforts to modulate inflammation-mediated lung injury and thereby reduce progression to respiratory failure and death have shown promising results.

INVESTIGATIONAL PRODUCT The NK1R+ MSC cell therapy are allogeneic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells that will be delivered intravenously.

Details on cell culture and expansion of the cells are provided in the Chemistry Manufacturing and Controls Section of the IND.

Cells are provided cryopreserved and are thawed, washed, and prepared for IV delivery.

STUDY OBJECTIVES The objective of this clinical trial is to determine the safety and the optimal cell dose of the NK1R+ hMSC in patients recovering from ARDS.

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Conditions studied

  • ARDS, Human
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In context

Respiratory Distress Syndrome

1,597 studies on the registry are indexed under Respiratory Distress Syndrome; 312 are open to participants now.

Browse Respiratory Distress Syndrome studies →

Lead sponsor

BioCardia, Inc. is the lead sponsor of 6 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 80 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  1. Patient > 18 years and ≤ 80 at age at consent
  2. Patient must have:

    • Have a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis (nucleic acid-based assay (e.g., RTPCR) to establish the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection), who recovered from moderate to severe COVID-19 associated ARDS, as determined by Berlin Criteria and been weaned off the ventilator support."
    • Meet the criteria for mild and moderate COVID-19 as described in COVID-19: Developing Drugs and Biological Products for Treatment or Prevention Guidance for Industry (Feb 2021).
    • Recovery from moderate to severe ARDS, diagnosed based on Berlin Criteria, within past 7 days.
  3. PaO2/FiO2 > 100 to \<200 mmHg with PEEP>5cm H2O
  4. Patient or legally authorized representative (LAR) provides written informed consent, except as noted in 21 CFR 50.23
  5. Understands and agrees to comply with planned study procedures
  6. Available for clinical follow-up for duration of the treatment and follow-up period
  7. Woman of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test at admission or within 24 hours before starting treatment
  8. Agree not to become pregnant during treatment and for 1 months after receiving treatment
  9. Use at least 2 reliable forms of effective contraception, including 1 barrier method, during treatment and for 1 month after the treatment period

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Severe chronic respiratory disease with a PaCO2 > 50 mm Hg or the use of home oxygen (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or pulmonary fibrosis)
  2. Be an organ transplant recipient
  3. ALT/AST ≥ 5 times the upper limit of normal
  4. BMI > 40
  5. Stage 4 severe kidney disease or requiring dialysis (i.e. eGFR \<30)
  6. Anticipated transfer to another hospital that is not a study site within 72 hours
  7. Shock or on ECMO
  8. Pregnant or nursing
  9. On a ventilator at the time of enrollment
  10. Have received high dose corticosteroids at doses >20 mg per day (or prednisone equivalent) administered for ≥14 consecutive days in the month prior to study entry.
  11. Have been diagnosed with cancer
  12. Demonstrated inability to comply with the study procedures
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Study design

Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Non-randomized
Intervention model
Sequential assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
0 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Low dose

    Experimental: Cohort 1 Low dose, 20M cells, 3 patients

    Biological: intravenous delivery of allogeneic bone marrow-derived MSCs

  • Experimental
    Medium dose

    Experimental: Cohort 2 Med dose, 100M cells, 3 patients

    Biological: intravenous delivery of allogeneic bone marrow-derived MSCs

  • Experimental
    High dose

    Experimental: Cohort 3 High dose, 200M cells, 3 patients

    Biological: intravenous delivery of allogeneic bone marrow-derived MSCs

Interventions

  • Biologicalintravenous delivery of allogeneic bone marrow-derived MSCs

    MSCs

    Also known as: allogeneic NK1R+MSC

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of product related adverse events through the duration of the study.

    Number of product related adverse events through the duration of the study.

    Time frame: 3 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Secondary Endpoint

    Number of participants with resolution and/or improvement of ARDS at 7 days, 14 days, 21 days, and 28 days according to the Berlin Criteria. * Change in PF ratio from baseline to \>200-300, and above \>300 * Absolute change in PF ratio

    Time frame: 12 months

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Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

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References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 7, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05491681
Lead sponsor
BioCardia, Inc.
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Aug 8, 2022
Start date
Jan 4, 2026
Primary completion
Jan 4, 2026
Completion
Jan 4, 2026
Last update
Jan 7, 2026

Oversight

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

Not currently enrolling

This study is withdrawn, as verified in Jan 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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