Stem cells tested for tough bowel disease – but trial stopped early
NCT ID NCT04543994
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This early-stage study tested whether injecting donor stem cells (remestemcel-L) into the colon could help people with severe ulcerative colitis that hadn't responded to other treatments. Only 7 adults took part before the trial was stopped early. The main goal was to check safety, but because it ended prematurely, we don't have clear answers on whether it works.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Remestemcel-L (stem cells from donor bone marrow)
- What this could lead to
- If this approach had worked, it might have pointed toward a new way to control severe ulcerative colitis without surgery.
- What could go wrong
- This was a very small, early-phase trial that was terminated early, so we don't have enough data to know if it's safe or effective. Stem cell treatments can also have unknown long-term risks.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, Ohio, 44195, United States
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