MSC vs HSCT for Stroke Recovery: what the registries show
For Stroke Recovery, the registry holds 45 MSC records against 14 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 | 45 | 14 |
| Recruiting now | 7 | 1 |
| Phase 3 or 4 records | 3 | 0 |
| Completed | 11 | 5 |
| Stopped early | 6 | 1 |
| Countries with sites | 14 | 6 |
| Median planned enrolment | 30 | 20 |
| First registration year | 2,010 | 2,005 |
The condition underneath the comparison
After ischaemic stroke, some recovery happens spontaneously through oedema resolution and cortical reorganisation, mostly in the first three to six months. Cell therapy is studied both acutely for neuroprotection and chronically for plasticity support — and that spontaneous recovery window is the reason early uncontrolled results in this indication are so often misleading.
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 11 completed studies; HSCT has 0 and 5. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT06129175 — UCMSCs as Treatment for Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke (Stroke Neuroncell-EX) | Phase 2, Phase 3 | Recruiting | 80 | Cytopeutics Sdn. Bhd. | 2023-12-19 |
| NCT07635758 — Human Placenta-derived 3D Mesenchymal Stem Cells(Guojianqingke) | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Recruiting | 24 | Chinese PLA General Hospital | 2026-06-01 |
| NCT07084012 — A Phase IIa Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Intravenous Infusion of hUC-MSCs in Patients With AIS | Phase 2 | Recruiting | 60 | Shenzhen Wingor Biotechnology Co., Ltd. | 2025-08-27 |
| NCT06752720 — Intracerebral Autologous Stem Cell Therapy for Chronic Stroke Patients | Phase 2 | Recruiting | 8 | Hokkaido University Hospital | 2024-12-01 |
| NCT06995625 — The STem Cell-derived Extracellular Vesicle Therapy In Acute Ischemic Stroke (STEVIA) | Phase 1 | Recruiting | 18 | S&Ebio Co. Ltd. | 2026-06-22 |
Leading HSCT studies
| Study | Phase | Status | Planned n | Lead sponsor | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT06752720 — Intracerebral Autologous Stem Cell Therapy for Chronic Stroke Patients | Phase 2 | Recruiting | 8 | Hokkaido University Hospital | 2024-12-01 |
| NCT01499888 — Ph I/II Study of Allogeneic SCT for Clinically Aggressive Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Active Not Recruiting | 45 | University of Illinois at Chicago | 2011-11-11 |
| NCT07709845 — CC-101 (f/k/a NR1) Neural Stem Cell Transplantation for Adults With Chronic Ischemic Stroke | Phase 2 | Not Yet Recruiting | 36 | Clarion Cells, Inc. | 2027-01 |
| NCT06997939 — Autologous Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Ischemic Stroke | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Not Yet Recruiting | 12 | Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University | 2025-06-01 |
| NCT02605707 — Autologous Endothelial Progenitor Cells Transplantation for Chronic Ischemic Stroke | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Completed | 12 | Southern Medical University, China | 2014-11 |
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 Stroke Recovery?
The registries cannot answer that. They show research volume and maturity, not comparative effectiveness: 45 vs 14 registered records (2026-08-29).
Which has more late-stage research for Stroke Recovery?
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.