How many stem-cell trials for Knee Osteoarthritis are recruiting right now?
16 of 168 registered studies were open to enrolment in the 2026-08-29 snapshot — 10% of everything ever registered for this condition with a stem-cell intervention.
Who these studies will actually take
Trials specify Kellgren-Lawrence grade, a pain-score floor and exclude those with severe malalignment or planned replacement. Very advanced arthritis is usually excluded — which is precisely the group most likely to be sold an injection commercially.
The studies currently enrolling
| Study | Phase | Status | Planned n | Lead sponsor | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT04716803 — Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC)Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis | n/a | Recruiting | 10 | University of California, San Diego | 2020-07-08 |
| NCT07542808 — An Open-Label, Double-Treatment Group Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Human Allogeneic Bone-Marrow- Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Prod | Phase 2, Phase 3 | Recruiting | 140 | Cellcolabs Clinical SPV Limited | 2026-04-27 |
| NCT07754175 — A Multicenter, Open-Label, Single-Arm Extension Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of FURESTEM-OA-Kit Inj. in Knee Osteoarthritis Patients Who | n/a | Recruiting | 36 | Kang Stem Biotech Co., Ltd. | 2026-07-20 |
| NCT05507099 — Stem Cell Study in Osteoarthritis of the Knee and Hip Joints | Phase 2 | Recruiting | 400 | Grigory Karmy | 2022-08-23 |
| NCT06576583 — Implantation of Engineered Cartilage Grafts for Treatment of Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis Versus Surgical Comparators. | Phase 2 | Recruiting | 150 | University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland | 2025-07-15 |
| NCT06463847 — Phase I Clinical Trial of UC-MSCs in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis | Phase 1 | Recruiting | 18 | Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University | 2024-06-30 |
| NCT03383081 — The Safety/Efficacy of hUC Mesenchymal Stem Cells（19#iSCLife®-OA） Therapy for Patients With Osteoarthritis | Phase 2 | Recruiting | 60 | Sclnow Biotechnology Co., Ltd. | 2018-10-01 |
| NCT05933434 — Allogenic Mesenchymal Stem Cell Intraarticular Injection for Knee Osteoarthritis Therapy | Phase 1, Phase 2 | Recruiting | 80 | Aarhus University Hospital | 2024-03-07 |
What recruiting does and does not mean
The status field tracks paperwork, not promise. What matters underneath it is the eligibility list, the outcome measures the sponsor committed to, and whether a site near you is actually enrolling, all of which sit on the registry record itself.
Sites sit in 43 countries, led by United States. Travelling for a trial rarely works unless the site has confirmed in writing that it can enrol non-residents and fund the follow-up schedule.
Who is running the studies here
Lead sponsors appearing most often for this condition. Useful for one specific check: whether the entity quoting research at you appears anywhere in it.
- R-Bio — 7 registered records
- Medipost Co Ltd. — 6 registered records
- Shanghai AbelZeta Ltd. — 5 registered records
- Royan Institute — 4 registered records
- Regenexx, LLC — 3 registered records
- Peking University People's Hospital — 3 registered records
Frequently asked
How many stem-cell trials for Knee Osteoarthritis are recruiting right now?
16 of 168 registered records (2026-08-29).
Can I join one of these trials?
Eligibility is decided by the protocol, not by willingness to pay. Read the inclusion and exclusion list on the registry record, then contact the coordinator named there.
Do trials charge participants?
Trial participation is normally free of charge for the intervention under study; some studies even reimburse travel. Payment demands invert that relationship and should stop the conversation.
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
- Knee Osteoarthritis: cell-therapy evidence and registered trials
- How much does stem cell therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis cost? (2026)
- Knee Osteoarthritis stem cell therapy — your questions answered (2026)
- Knee Osteoarthritis: cell-therapy evidence by therapy class
- MSC vs PRP for Knee Osteoarthritis: what the registries show