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Researchers at San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, Italy published results from a small clinical trial of neural stem cells injected a single time into the spinal fluid of 12 people with secondary progressive MS or primary progressive MS. They were followed over 2 years. The procedure was found to be safe, which was the primary outcome studied. Other outcomes suggested that those who received the highest dose of cells showed less brain shrinkage, as well as signs of potentially beneficial molecules in their spinal fluid 3 months after the cells were injected.

• Background: There are few therapies that are effective for treating progressive forms of multiple sclerosis, and none that have shown the ability to restore lost tissues from the brain and spinal cord. Studies in lab animals have suggested that nerve stem cells may create a beneficial environment in the brain that is protective and may stimulate the brain’s repair functions.
• This Study: The neural stem cells were derived and expanded from a single fetus under approved guidelines.
• Four different doses of cells were tested, given by single injection into participants’ spinal column. Participants also received drugs to reduce immune reactions and prevent rejection of the cells.
• Results: There were no serious adverse events reported. Half of the participants developed new brain lesions seen on MRI within the two years after the stem cell injections.
• Meaning: The researchers state that although this study was not controlled and the results are preliminary, this study provides rationale for further testing in a larger group of people. 

Read more about stem cells in MS
“Neural stem cell transplantation in patients with progressive multiple sclerosis: an open-label, phase 1 study,” by Angela Genchi, Elena Brambilla, Francesca Sangalli and others and senior author Gianvito Martino, was published online on January 9, 2023 in Nature Medicine.