Knee Osteoarthritis and Haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT): what the trial registry contains

Why this is studied in Knee Osteoarthritis

The knee is the most-studied joint in cell therapy: accessible, high-volume, with validated pain and function scales and imaging that can track cartilage. Proposed mechanisms are anti-inflammatory and chondroprotective rather than cartilage regrowth, despite marketing that regularly implies new cartilage.

What HSCT means in this table

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.

The numbers

Every figure below comes from one reproducible query (knee osteoarthritis x hematopoietic stem cell transplantation) run against ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 on 2026-08-29.

How mature is this evidence?

A small later-stage tail exists (1 of 10 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.

The delivery record matters as much as the count: 4 completed against 2 abandoned or suspended, or 20% of everything registered.

Median planned enrolment is 29 participants (largest single study: 100). 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 4 countries; Iran alone accounts for about 44% 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

Among the top lead sponsors, 6 are universities or hospitals and 1 are companies, making this a academic area.

• Royan Institute — 2 records
• SCARM Institute, Tabriz, Iran — 1 record
• University of Colorado, Denver — 1 record
• Stem Cells Arabia — 1 record
• Riphah International University — 1 record
• Dow University of Health Sciences — 1 record

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

Registration counts measure activity, not effect. A study appears here the moment it is registered — before any participant is enrolled, and regardless of whether results are ever posted.

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 HSCT studies for Knee Osteoarthritis are recruiting right now?

0 of 10 registered records were listed as recruiting in the 2026-08-29 snapshot. Recruitment status changes frequently; the registry record is authoritative.

Is HSCT an approved treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis?

Registration on ClinicalTrials.gov is not approval. Approval is granted by a regulator for a specific product and indication after review of submitted evidence. 10 registered studies tell you research exists, not that a product cleared review.

How advanced is the research on HSCT for Knee Osteoarthritis?

1 of 10 records carry a Phase 3 or Phase 4 label and 4 are marked completed. Registrations run from 2007 to 2023.

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.