Liver Cirrhosis and Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC): what the trial registry contains

Why this is studied in Liver Cirrhosis

In cirrhosis, functioning liver tissue has been replaced by scar, and portal pressure rises as a result. Cell therapy is studied for anti-fibrotic and regenerative support, usually as a bridge rather than a substitute for transplantation. The liver's genuine regenerative capacity makes the rationale more biologically plausible here than in most indications — which is not the same as effective.

What MSC means in this table

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.

The numbers

Every figure below comes from one reproducible query (liver cirrhosis x mesenchymal stem cell) run against ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 on 2026-08-29.

How mature is this evidence?

A small later-stage tail exists (4 of 62 records at Phase 3 or 4); the centre of gravity is still Phase 1 and 2 work sized for safety rather than proof of benefit.

Completion status: 18 completed, 1 stopped early (2% of all records). A registration is a plan, not a result.

Median planned enrolment is 30 participants (largest single study: 700). Trials of this size can describe safety and generate hypotheses; detecting a modest clinical benefit reliably usually needs substantially larger numbers with a control group.

Where the studies are

The work is distributed across 12 countries; China alone accounts for about 56% of mentions, so 'internationally researched' can still mean concentrated in a few regulatory environments.

Legal pathway differs by country — see where cell therapy is legal, by country.

Who runs them

Lead sponsors split roughly 16 academic or hospital against 5 commercial — a academic profile. Commercial sponsorship is not a red flag by itself, but it changes publication incentives.

• Beijing 302 Hospital — 7 records
• General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region — 3 records
• Vinmec Research Institute of Stem Cell and Gene Technology — 3 records
• Sun Yat-sen University — 3 records
• Pharmicell Co., Ltd. — 3 records
• Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. — 2 records

Representative registered studies

Recruiting studies first, then the most advanced phases. Each identifier links to the registry record, where eligibility criteria, outcome measures and contacts are published.

What this page does and does not tell you

These figures describe effort, not outcome. Published results, with their control arms and endpoints, are where benefit is decided.

If a clinic offers you this today, the useful question is not "is there research?" but "which of these registered studies is mine part of, and if none, what evidence applies to the exact product I am being sold?" The Provider Question Builder turns that into a scored checklist.

Frequently asked

How many MSC studies for Liver Cirrhosis are recruiting right now?

5 of 62 registered records were listed as recruiting in the 2026-08-29 snapshot. Recruitment status changes frequently; the registry record is authoritative.

Is MSC an approved treatment for Liver Cirrhosis?

Registration on ClinicalTrials.gov is not approval. Approval is granted by a regulator for a specific product and indication after review of submitted evidence. 62 registered studies tell you research exists, not that a product cleared review.

How advanced is the research on MSC for Liver Cirrhosis?

4 of 62 records carry a Phase 3 or Phase 4 label and 18 are marked completed. Registrations run from 2006 to 2026.

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.