MSC vs PRP for Chronic Wounds & Ulcers: what the registries show
For Chronic Wounds & Ulcers, the registry holds 31 MSC records against 26 PRP 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 | PRP |
|---|---|---|
| Registered studies | 31 | 26 |
| Recruiting now | 1 | 2 |
| Phase 3 or 4 records | 2 | 3 |
| Completed | 15 | 10 |
| Stopped early | 1 | 5 |
| Countries with sites | 11 | 10 |
| Median planned enrolment | 46 | 40 |
| First registration year | 2,005 | 2,008 |
The condition underneath the comparison
The registry entries here centre on diabetic foot ulcers, where impaired healing reflects neuropathy, ischaemia and infection together. Cell and vesicle products aim to restore a functional healing environment. This is one of the few areas with a genuine regulatory precedent for advanced wound products, so evidence standards are comparatively well defined.
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.
PRP: what it is
Platelet-rich plasma is a blood product, not a stem-cell product, though it is routinely sold as part of the same package. Preparation varies enormously between systems — platelet concentration, leukocyte content and activation all differ — so the label describes a category of procedure rather than a defined substance, which is the main reason its trial literature is so inconsistent.
Maturity difference
MSC has 2 Phase 3/4 records and 15 completed studies; PRP has 3 and 10. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT07498218 — Phase 1 Study of VELGRAFT, a Living Cellular Construct, in the Management of Chronic Diabetic Foot Ulcers Which Have Attained Granulation Tissue | Phase 1 | Recruiting | 24 | Ayu, Inc. | 2026-03-11 |
| NCT04569409 — Clinical Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of ALLO-ASC-DFU in Patients With Diabetic Wagner Grade 2 Foot Ulcers. | Phase 3 | Completed | 104 | Anterogen Co., Ltd. | 2020-07-14 |
| NCT03370874 — Clinical Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of ALLO-ASC-DFU in Patients With Diabetic Foot Ulcers. | Phase 3 | Completed | 150 | Anterogen Co., Ltd. | 2018-06-27 |
| NCT06843122 — Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of Live ASCs in the Treatment of Diabetic Foot (FOOTCELL) | Phase 2 | Not Yet Recruiting | 105 | Medical University of Warsaw | 2025-03-08 |
| NCT06231771 — Safety and Efficacy of Stem Cells for Diabetic Foot Ulcer | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Unknown | 22 | Supergenics Life Science Sdn. Bhd. | 2024-05 |
Leading PRP studies
| Study | Phase | Status | Planned n | Lead sponsor | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT06810726 — Evaluate Use of Tropocells(R) Autologous Platelet-rich Fibrin (PRF) for Wagner Grade 1 and Grade 2, Mild to Mod Neuroischemic Plantar Diabetic Foot Ul | Phase 2 | Recruiting | 30 | Estar Medical dba Medical Technologies, LTD | 2025-04-15 |
| NCT05610865 — Efficacy of Adipose Tissue Derived Stem Cells for the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers | Phase 1 | Recruiting | 28 | University of the Punjab | 2020-11-20 |
| NCT02248077 — A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled, Multi-Center, Study Evaluating AutoloGel Therapy for Complete Closure of Wagner Grade 1-4 Diabetic Foot Ulcers, | Phase 4 | Withdrawn | n/a | Cytomedix | 2014-10 |
| NCT04689425 — Umbilical Cord Blood Mononuclear Cell Gel in the Treatment of Refractory Diabetic Foot Ulcer | Phase 3 | Unknown | 40 | Peking University Third Hospital | 2021-03-30 |
| NCT04315909 — The Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma-Fibrin Glue in Combination With Vitamin E and C for Treatment of Non-healing Diabetic Foot Ulcers | Phase 2, Phase 3 | Unknown | 24 | Mashhad University of Medical Sciences | 2019-08-28 |
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 PRP for Chronic Wounds & Ulcers?
The registries cannot answer that. They show research volume and maturity, not comparative effectiveness: 31 vs 26 registered records (2026-08-29).
Which has more late-stage research for Chronic Wounds & Ulcers?
MSC: 2 Phase 3/4 records. PRP: 3.
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.