Stem cell shield: could infusions keep COVID-19 at bay?
NCT ID NCT04348435
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether five infusions of stem cells from donated fat tissue could help prevent COVID-19 symptoms and hospital stays in people at high risk of exposure, like healthcare workers and first responders. The trial enrolled 53 participants who had no signs of COVID-19 at the start. Researchers tracked who later developed symptoms or needed hospital care.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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53 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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May 2020
- Finished
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May 2021
- Lead sponsor
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A company
The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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Children (under 18), adults (18 to 64) and older adults (65 and over)
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: * Men, and women 18 years of age or older * Participant works in a capacity that is characterized as high-risk or very high-risk * High-Risk Exposure jobs are those with high potential for exposure to known or suspected sources of COVID-19. * First responders, health care delivery and support staff (e.g., law enforcement, fire fighters, paramedics, doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff who must enter patients' rooms) exposed to individuals potentially having COVID-19. * Mortuary workers involved in preparing (e.g., for burial or cremation) the bodies of people who are known to have, or suspected of having, COVID-19 at the time of their death * Very High-Risk Exposure jobs are those with high potential for exposure to known or suspected sources of COVID-19 during specific medical, postmortem or laboratory procedures. * Health care workers (e.g., doctors, nurses, dentists, paramedics, emergency medical technicians) performing aerosol-generating procedures (e.g., intubation, cough induction procedures, bronchoscopies, some dental procedures and exams or invasive specimen collection) on known or suspected COVID-19 patients. * Health care or laboratory personnel collecting or handling specimens from known or suspected COVID-19 patients (e.g., manipulating cultures from known or suspected COVID-19 patients). * Morgue workers performing autopsies, which generally involve aerosol-generating procedures, on the bodies of people who are known to have, or suspected of having, COVID-19 at the time of their death * No signs or symptoms of infection, including but not limited to, body temperature \>100 F and pulse rate \> 100 BPM. * Subject provides written informed consent prior to initiation of any study procedures.--Agrees to the collection of venous blood per protocol. * Agrees to conformational testing for SARS-CoV-2 before end of study. Exclusion Criteria: * Women who are pregnant or lactating, or those who are not pregnant but do not take effective contraceptive measures * Patients who are participating in other clinical trials or have intake of investigational drug within the previous 30 days; * Inability to provide informed consent or to comply with test requirements; * Any medical disease or condition that, in the opinion of the site PI or sub-investigator, precludes study participation. Including acute, subacute, intermittent or chronic medical disease or condition that would place the subject at an unacceptable risk of injury, render the subject unable to meet the requirements of the protocol, or may interfere with the evaluation of responses or the subject's successful completion of this trial. * Patients who have received a stem cell treatment within one year. * Receipt of any other SARS-CoV-2 or other experimental coronavirus vaccine at any time prior to or during the study.
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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
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Hope Biosciences Stem Cell Research Foundation
Sugar Land, Texas, 77478, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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