Can tiny stem cell packages rescue a dying hip?

NCT ID NCT07787923

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 26, 2026 · Last updated Aug 28, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This early-stage trial is testing whether a single injection of stem cell-derived exosomes into the hip joint is safe and might help people with non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head, a condition where the hip bone loses blood supply and begins to collapse. The study will enroll 15 adults with early-stage disease and will test three different doses to find the safest one. Researchers will track side effects, pain levels, hip function, and imaging changes over a year to see if this approach shows promise.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes injected into the hip joint
What this could lead to
If safe and effective, this approach could offer a minimally invasive way to relieve hip pain and potentially delay or avoid hip replacement surgery in people with early-stage osteonecrosis.
What could go wrong
This is a very early, small trial focused on safety, so it is not yet known if the treatment works. Possible risks include injection-related reactions or the exosomes failing to improve the condition.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Early phase 1

The earliest testing in people: a first look at safety, in a very small group.

Participants

About 15 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Sep 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

May 2028

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 65 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age 18-70 years, inclusive, with no restriction on sex. 2. A diagnosis of non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) confirmed by clinical manifestations and imaging findings, with ARCO stage II or IIIA disease. Patients with advanced femoral head collapse (ARCO stage IIIB or IV) will be excluded. 3. The target hip must be treatment-naïve, defined as no prior hip-specific interventional or injection-based treatment for the affected side. 4. Ability to understand and voluntarily provide written informed consent, with an expectation of completing long-term follow-up. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Presence of an active infection in the target joint (e.g., septic arthritis or infectious osteomyelitis), or skin disruption, infection, or other abnormalities at the intended injection site. 2. Receipt of intra-articular injection therapy in the affected hip within 3 months before screening, including corticosteroids or sodium hyaluronate. 3. Presence of any active systemic autoimmune disease (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus) or a primary or secondary immunodeficiency disorder. 4. History of malignancy. 5. Clinically significant abnormal laboratory findings during screening, including impaired hepatic or renal function (ALT or AST \>1.5 × the upper limit of normal \[ULN\], or serum creatinine \>ULN), or clinically significant abnormalities on complete blood count. 6. Coagulation disorders (PT or APTT \>1.5 × ULN), active bleeding risk, or a requirement for long-term anticoagulant therapy that cannot be interrupted. 7. Severe systemic chronic disease not adequately controlled with medication, such as severe heart failure or uncontrolled severe hypertension or diabetes mellitus. 8. Severe alcohol dependence or a history of substance or corticosteroid abuse that, in the investigator's judgment, cannot be controlled during the trial and may substantially compromise treatment adherence or efficacy assessment. 9. Participation in another clinical trial within 3 months before screening, or previous treatment with stem cells, exosomes, or other cell- or biologic-based therapies. 10. Known hypersensitivity to any component of the investigational product. 11. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or patients who plan to conceive during the trial or within 6 months after the last administration.

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How to take part

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