MSC vs HSCT for ALS (Motor Neurone Disease): what the registries show
For ALS (Motor Neurone Disease), the registry holds 29 MSC records against 11 HSCT records. MSC carries the larger research programme; neither column is a head-to-head efficacy result. Snapshot 2026-08-29.
Side by side
| Metric | MSC | HSCT |
|---|---|---|
| Registered studies | 29 | 11 |
| Recruiting now | 2 | 0 |
| Phase 3 or 4 records | 3 | 0 |
| Completed | 14 | 3 |
| Stopped early | 4 | 1 |
| Countries with sites | 10 | 5 |
| Median planned enrolment | 27 | 18 |
| First registration year | 2,010 | 2,009 |
The condition underneath the comparison
ALS destroys motor neurons in the cortex, brainstem and spinal cord, and progression is measured in months. Cell-therapy rationales are neuroprotective rather than restorative: the hope is that transplanted or secreted factors slow the loss of remaining neurons. Nothing in the registered record has shown restored motor function, and the condition's rapid, variable decline makes uncontrolled improvement claims especially unreliable.
MSC: what it is
Mesenchymal stromal cells are the workhorse of commercial cell therapy: easy to source from fat, cord or marrow, easy to expand, and rarely characterised in the same way twice. Their proposed action is paracrine — signalling molecules that damp inflammation — rather than replacement of lost tissue. That matters when reading counts like these, because two studies filed under the same label can test materially different products at different doses by different routes.
HSCT: what it is
Haematopoietic transplantation is the oldest and most consequential cell therapy in medicine, with conditioning regimens that carry real mortality risk alongside genuine disease-modifying power. Registrations under this label therefore mix decades-old standard-of-care protocols with newer autoimmune-reset trials, and the risk profile is nothing like that of an outpatient infusion.
Maturity difference
MSC has 3 Phase 3/4 records and 14 completed studies; HSCT has 0 and 3. Where both sit early on the ladder, the honest answer to "which works better" is that registrations cannot tell you.
Leading MSC studies
| Study | Phase | Status | Planned n | Lead sponsor | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT06598202 — Exploring Nasal Drop Therapy With Small Extracellular Vesicles for ALS | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Recruiting | 38 | Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing | 2024-12-01 |
| NCT06551649 — Human Amniotic Mesenchymal Cell Secretome for Neurodegeneration and Neuroinflammation | n/a | Recruiting | 60 | Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS | 2025-01-17 |
| NCT06973629 — Efficacy and Safety of MSC-NTF (NurOwn) in Participants With Early Symptomatic ALS and Moderate Disease Presentation in ALS (ENDURANCE STUDY) | Phase 3 | Not Yet Recruiting | 200 | Brainstorm-Cell Therapeutics | 2025-06-30 |
| NCT04745299 — Evaluation the Efficacy and Safety of Mutiple Lenzumestrocel (Neuronata-R® Inj.) Treatment in Patients With ALS | Phase 3 | Completed | 123 | Corestemchemon, Inc. | 2021-02-24 |
| NCT03280056 — Safety and Efficacy of Repeated Administrations of NurOwn® in ALS Patients | Phase 3 | Completed | 196 | Brainstorm-Cell Therapeutics | 2017-08-28 |
Leading HSCT studies
| Study | Phase | Status | Planned n | Lead sponsor | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT01730716 — Dose Escalation and Safety Study of Human Spinal Cord Derived Neural Stem Cell Transplantation for the Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis | Phase 2 | Unknown | 18 | Neuralstem Inc. | 2013-05 |
| NCT01494480 — The Clinical Trial on the Use of Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis | Phase 2 | Unknown | 30 | General Hospital of Chinese Armed Police Forces | 2012-03 |
| NCT02881489 — Autologous Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Treatment of Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis | Phase 1 | Unknown | 30 | University of Warmia and Mazury | 2015-11 |
| NCT02881476 — Therapeutic Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis | Phase 1 | Unknown | 30 | University of Warmia and Mazury | 2015-11 |
| NCT01759784 — Intraventricular Transplantation of Mesenchymal Stem Cell in Patients With ALS | Phase 1 | Withdrawn | n/a | Royan Institute | 2014-03 |
The honest comparison
Head-to-head trials putting these two approaches in the same protocol are rare or absent for most conditions. Comparing counts from separate registry queries shows where research effort went — driven by cost, regulation and sponsor interest as much as by biology. Anyone presenting one column of this table as proof of superiority is overreading it.
Frequently asked
Is MSC better than HSCT for ALS (Motor Neurone Disease)?
The registries cannot answer that. They show research volume and maturity, not comparative effectiveness: 29 vs 11 registered records (2026-08-29).
Which has more late-stage research for ALS (Motor Neurone Disease)?
MSC: 3 Phase 3/4 records. HSCT: 0.
Can a clinic offer both?
Some do, which is itself worth questioning — a provider offering every modality for every condition is describing a business model, not a treatment rationale.
Registry and literature counts retrieved 2026-08-29 (ClinicalTrials.gov API v2; PubMed E-utilities). Registration or publication volume measures research activity, not effectiveness or approval. Educational information — not medical advice; verify product, indication, legal pathway and evidence with an independent qualified physician. Page generated 2026-08-29. See our editorial standards.