Rheumatoid Arthritis and Platelet-rich plasma (PRP): what the trial registry contains
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry holds 5 records for PRP in Rheumatoid Arthritis: 1 recruiting now, 1 labelled Phase 3 or 4, across 2 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 PRP means in this table
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.
The numbers
Every figure below comes from one reproducible query (rheumatoid arthritis x platelet-rich plasma) run against ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 on 2026-08-29.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Registered studies (all statuses) | 5 |
| Interventional studies in the sample | 4 |
| Recruiting right now | 1 |
| Completed | 1 |
| Terminated, withdrawn or suspended | 0 |
| Phase 3 or Phase 4 records | 1 |
| Countries with at least one site | 2 |
| Median planned enrolment | 100 participants |
| Largest single planned enrolment | 300 participants |
| First / most recent start year | 2014 — 2020 |
How mature is this evidence?
The field has produced some later-stage designs — 1 of the 5 records carry a Phase 3 or 4 label — but the bulk of activity remains earlier-phase safety and signal-finding work.
Completion status: 1 completed, 0 stopped early (0% of all records). A registration is a plan, not a result.
| Phase label | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Not applicable | 4 | 80% |
| Phase 3 | 1 | 20% |
Median planned enrolment is 100 participants (largest single study: 300). 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 2 countries, with United States accounting for roughly 75% 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 |
|---|---|
| United States | 3 |
| Egypt | 1 |
Legal pathway differs by country — see where cell therapy is legal, by country.
Who runs them
Lead sponsors split roughly 0 academic or hospital against 5 commercial — a commercial profile. Commercial sponsorship is not a red flag by itself, but it changes publication incentives.
- Robert W Alexander, MD — 1 record
- Arizona Pain Specialists — 1 record
- Dalia Salah Saif — 1 record
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia — 1 record
- Healeon Medical Inc — 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT04238143 — Adipose-Derived Biocellular Regenerative Therapy for Osteoarthritis | n/a | Recruiting | 100 | Healeon Medical Inc | 2020-01-10 |
| NCT02257957 — Platelet -Rich Plasma (PRP) Injection for the Treatment of Severe Dry Eye | Phase 3 | Completed | 30 | Universidad Nacional de Colombia | 2014-11-30 |
| NCT04264494 — Evaluating the Role of Intra-articular Injections of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis. | n/a | Unknown | 100 | Dalia Salah Saif | 2018-02-26 |
| NCT03090672 — Cellular & Biocellular Regenerative Therapy in Musculoskeletal Pain, Dysfunction,Degenerative or Inflammatory Disease | n/a | Unknown | 300 | Robert W Alexander, MD | 2017-03-11 |
| NCT01978639 — Injections of FloGraft Therapy, Autologous Stem Cells, or Platelet Rich Plasma for the Treatment of Degenerative Joint Pain | n/a | Unknown | 300 | Arizona Pain Specialists | 2014-01 |
What this page does and does not tell you
None of these numbers say the therapy works. They say how much organised research exists and how far along it is; effect sizes live in published results, not registry entries.
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 PRP studies for Rheumatoid Arthritis are recruiting right now?
1 of 5 registered records were listed as recruiting in the 2026-08-29 snapshot. Recruitment status changes frequently; the registry record is authoritative.
Is PRP 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. 5 registered studies tell you research exists, not that a product cleared review.
How advanced is the research on PRP for Rheumatoid Arthritis?
1 of 5 records carry a Phase 3 or Phase 4 label and 1 are marked completed. Registrations run from 2014 to 2020.
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.