Table 1.

Recent clinical trials with SCs in ALS patients (in chronological order)

SC types	Delivery route (injection into)	Patient number	Main patient characteristics	Outcome (patient number)	Reference
Olfactory ensheathing cells	Pathological regions of the spinal cord and/or bilateral corona radiata of the brain	327	➢ Onset spinal ➢Age 20–84 ➢Months from onset 4, 8–156	Safe and well tolerated (short term (4 weeks)) Few side effects (16) Improvement rate of neurological function (252)	139
Olfactory ensheathing cells	Frontal lobe	1	➢ Onset spinal ➢ Age 20–84 ➢ Months from onset 4, 8–156	Faster disease rate Disabling side-effects	142
Autologous Bone marrow mesenchymal SCs	Laminectomy + mielotomy Central part of thoracic spinal cord	9	➢ Onset spinal ➢ Age 32–75 ➢ Months from diagnosis 8–60	Safe and well tolerated in the long term (4 years follow-up)	71–75
Peripheral blood SCs	Mobilization with GCSF treatment	8	➢ Onset limb (7 patients) ➢ Age nr ➢ Months from onset 3–48	Safe and well tolerated No significant changes in disease progression	135
Mobilized allogenic hematopoietic SCs	Total body irradiation Intravenous infusion Immuno-suppression	6	➢ Onset spinal or bulbar ➢ Age 35–59 ➢ Months from diagnosis 5–30	Tolerated with some immunological problems (3) No clinical benefits immune cells in spinal cord (3 autopsies)	112
Fetal olfactory ensheathing cells	Bilateral corona radiata involving the pyramidal tracts of the frontal lobes	15	➢ Onset nr ➢ Age nr ➢ Months from diagnosis/onset nr	Safe and well tolerated (short term (4 months) No significant difference in the rate of progression (first 2 months) Significant difference in functional deterioration (last 2 months) (7)	140
Autologous Bone marrow hematopoietic progenitors	Laminectomy Anterior part of spinal cord (C1-C2)	13	➢ Onset nr ➢ Age 34–71 ➢ Months from diagnosis 8–60	Clinical benefits (9) (1 year follow-up) No clinical benefits (1) (1 year follow-up)	125
Autologous blood purified CD133+ cells	Bilateral implantation in frontal motor cortex with stereotaxy or neuronavigation guidance	10	➢ Onset spinal ➢ Age 38–62 ➢ Months from diagnosis 18–42	Safe and well tolerated (1 year follow-up) Significant changes in disease progression vs control group	124
Fetal olfactory ensheathing cells	Bilateral corona radiata involving the pyramidal tracts of the frontal lobes	457	➢ Onset nr ➢ Age nr ➢ Months from diagnosis nr	Improvement of the patients’ neurological functions and/or decrease the progressive deterioration	141
Autologous Bone marrow SCs	Laminectomy Posterior part of spinal cord	11	➢ Onset medullar ➢ Age 33–61 ➢ Months from diagnosis nr	Safe and well tolerated in the short term (some months) Transient hematoma 7 days after surgery(MRI) Grafted cells in spinal cord (2 autopsies)	143
Autologous Bone marrow SCs	Spinal tap	nr	nr	Ongoing patient enrolment	Press release: http://www.tcacellulartherapy.com/pdf/forbes als-0110.pdf
Neural SCs	Lumbar area of spinal cord	12	Phase i trial ongoing 4 patient surgeries done (3 patients with unilateral injections, 1 patient bilateral injections into the spinal cord)	Estimated 24 months follow-up Ongoing patient enrolment Tolerated (short time)	http://www2.med.umich.edu/prmc/media/newsroom/details.cfm?ID=1306

Abbreviation: nr, not reported.