Rheumatoid Arthritis and Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC): what the trial registry contains
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry holds 22 records for MSC in Rheumatoid Arthritis: 2 recruiting now, 1 labelled Phase 3 or 4, across 11 countries. Snapshot 2026-08-29.
Why this is studied in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is autoimmune synovial inflammation causing joint erosion. Mesenchymal cells are studied for immunomodulation, generally in disease refractory to conventional and biologic therapy. As with psoriasis, effective established treatments define the comparison — the question is not whether cells do something, but whether they beat what already works.
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 (rheumatoid arthritis x mesenchymal stem cell) run against ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 on 2026-08-29.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Registered studies (all statuses) | 22 |
| Interventional studies in the sample | 21 |
| Recruiting right now | 2 |
| Completed | 7 |
| Terminated, withdrawn or suspended | 1 |
| Phase 3 or Phase 4 records | 1 |
| Countries with at least one site | 11 |
| Median planned enrolment | 36 participants |
| Largest single planned enrolment | 250 participants |
| First / most recent start year | 2009 — 2026 |
How mature is this evidence?
The field has produced some later-stage designs — 1 of the 22 records carry a Phase 3 or 4 label — but the bulk of activity remains earlier-phase safety and signal-finding work.
1 of these records (5%) were terminated, withdrawn or suspended, against 7 marked completed; unfinished studies rarely appear in marketing summaries.
| Phase label | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 17 | 50% |
| Phase 2 | 13 | 38% |
| Not applicable | 3 | 9% |
| Phase 3 | 1 | 3% |
Median planned enrolment is 36 participants (largest single study: 250). 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
Sites are spread across 11 countries, with China accounting for roughly 29% of country mentions — geography reflects where regulators permit this work and where sponsors sit, not where care is best.
| Country | Studies with a site there |
|---|---|
| China | 5 |
| United States | 3 |
| South Korea | 2 |
| Iran | 1 |
| Denmark | 1 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 1 |
| Argentina | 1 |
| Panama | 1 |
| Indonesia | 1 |
| Pakistan | 1 |
Legal pathway differs by country — see where cell therapy is legal, by country.
Who runs them
The sponsor mix is commercial (3 academic or hospital, 4 commercial among the most frequent lead sponsors).
- Kang Stem Biotech Co., Ltd. — 2 records
- Royan Institute — 1 record
- Baylx Inc. — 1 record
- Rigshospitalet, Denmark — 1 record
- Xijing Hospital — 1 record
- Christian von Buchwald — 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.
| Study | Phase | Status | Planned n | Lead sponsor | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT06805448 — Intraglandular Treatment With Adipose-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Patients With Xerostomia Due to Sjögren's Disease | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Recruiting | 40 | Rigshospitalet, Denmark | 2025-01-21 |
| NCT05003934 — Safety of Cultured Allogeneic Adult Umbilical Cord Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Intravenous Infusion for RA | Phase 1 | Recruiting | 20 | The Foundation for Orthopaedics and Regenerative Medicine | 2021-11-07 |
| NCT04971980 — Safety and Efficacy Study of Human Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells(BC-U001) for Rheumatoid Arthritis | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Active Not Recruiting | 9 | Beijing Baylx Biotech Co., Ltd. | 2021-04-12 |
| NCT01873625 — Transplantation of Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Affected Knee Osteoarthritis by Rheumatoid Arthritis | Phase 2, Phase 3 | Completed | 60 | Royan Institute | 2009-10 |
| NCT07290946 — Repeated Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Radiation-Induced Hyposalivation and Xerostomia in Head and Neck Cancer Survivors | Phase 2 | Not Yet Recruiting | 100 | Christian von Buchwald | 2025-12 |
| NCT06888973 — Mesenchymal Stem Cells Infusion in Patients With Autoimmune Diseases | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Enrolling By Invitation | 200 | National Institute of Blood and Marrow Transplant (NIBMT), P | 2025-02-01 |
| NCT04170426 — Autologous Adipose-derived Stem Cells (AdMSCs) for Rheumatoid Arthritis | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Not Yet Recruiting | 54 | Celltex Therapeutics Corporation | 2023-12 |
| NCT05925647 — The Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Secretome in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Completed | 15 | Universitas Sebelas Maret | 2022-08-01 |
| NCT03691909 — Phase 1/2a Clinical Trial to Assess the Safety of HB-adMSCs for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Completed | 15 | Hope Biosciences LLC | 2018-09-25 |
| NCT03618784 — Safety and Efficacy of FURESTEM-RA Inj. in Patients With Moderate to Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Completed | 33 | Kang Stem Biotech Co., Ltd. | 2018-07-11 |
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 MSC studies for Rheumatoid Arthritis are recruiting right now?
2 of 22 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 Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Registration on ClinicalTrials.gov is not approval. Approval is granted by a regulator for a specific product and indication after review of submitted evidence. 22 registered studies tell you research exists, not that a product cleared review.
How advanced is the research on MSC for Rheumatoid Arthritis?
1 of 22 records carry a Phase 3 or Phase 4 label and 7 are marked completed. Registrations run from 2009 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.
More on this condition
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: cell-therapy evidence and registered trials
- How much does stem cell therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis cost? (2026)
- Rheumatoid Arthritis stem cell therapy — your questions answered (2026)
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: cell-therapy evidence by therapy class
- MSC vs HSCT for Rheumatoid Arthritis: what the registries show
Download the query data
Query totals are full API matches; status, phase and country counts describe the first up to 400 returned records per query. Query classes overlap and must not be summed as unique trials. Counts are not treatment outcomes. Snapshot: 2026-08-29. Methods and field definitions.