Combined treatment with mesenchymal stem cells and therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: a phase 1/2 randomized trial

Abstract Neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (nHIE) is a serious disease that causes severe and chronic neurological damage. Hypothermia therapy improves patients’ outcomes albeit with some limitations, but combining it with treatment with cord blood cells (analogous to mesenchymal stem cells [...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kazuko Wada, Akihito Takeuchi, Yoshinori Katayama, Natsuki Ohkawa, Masato Kantake, Kazumichi Fujioka, Toshiya Nishikubo, Yutaka Yamamoto, Yasumasa Yamada, Seiji Yoshimoto, Kiyoaki Sumi, Tomoaki Ioroi, Takeo Mure, Norihisa Wada, Yukimichi Nakano, Naoko Takasao, Kenji Tada, Tatsuyoshi Yamamoto, Hideaki Hirai, Yuji Sato, Hideyuki Ide, Satoshi Kusuda
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98504-z
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850190760574451712
author Kazuko Wada
Akihito Takeuchi
Yoshinori Katayama
Natsuki Ohkawa
Masato Kantake
Kazumichi Fujioka
Toshiya Nishikubo
Yutaka Yamamoto
Yasumasa Yamada
Seiji Yoshimoto
Kiyoaki Sumi
Tomoaki Ioroi
Takeo Mure
Norihisa Wada
Yukimichi Nakano
Naoko Takasao
Kenji Tada
Tatsuyoshi Yamamoto
Hideaki Hirai
Yuji Sato
Hideyuki Ide
Satoshi Kusuda
author_facet Kazuko Wada
Akihito Takeuchi
Yoshinori Katayama
Natsuki Ohkawa
Masato Kantake
Kazumichi Fujioka
Toshiya Nishikubo
Yutaka Yamamoto
Yasumasa Yamada
Seiji Yoshimoto
Kiyoaki Sumi
Tomoaki Ioroi
Takeo Mure
Norihisa Wada
Yukimichi Nakano
Naoko Takasao
Kenji Tada
Tatsuyoshi Yamamoto
Hideaki Hirai
Yuji Sato
Hideyuki Ide
Satoshi Kusuda
author_sort Kazuko Wada
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (nHIE) is a serious disease that causes severe and chronic neurological damage. Hypothermia therapy improves patients’ outcomes albeit with some limitations, but combining it with treatment with cord blood cells (analogous to mesenchymal stem cells [MSCs]) reportedly improves its effectiveness. TEMCELL HS Inj. (Temcell), a human bone marrow-derived MSC product used for acute graft-versus-host disease, seems an appropriate candidate for this combination therapy. Therefore, we performed a randomized, parallel-group study to compare combined treatment with Temcell and hypothermia versus hypothermia therapy-alone to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Temcell in nHIE patients. The primary endpoint was treatment response defined as an overall developmental quotient of ≥ 85 at 18 months of age. Fourteen patients were enrolled and randomized, with 7 assigned to each group. Both groups had similar demographic characteristics and nHIE severity. Treatment response was observed in 4 of the 6 (66.7%) patients in the Temcell combination group, and in 4 of the 7 patients (57.1%) in the hypothermia therapy-alone group. No marked differences in safety profile were observed between the groups. These results indicate that the efficacy of Temcell combined with hypothermia is comparable to therapeutic hypothermia for patients with nHIE. Clinical Trial Registration: jRCT1080224818.
format Article
id doaj-art-b5175bcad78e467ca6b78d8b90ec3964
institution OA Journals
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-b5175bcad78e467ca6b78d8b90ec39642025-08-20T02:15:11ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-011511810.1038/s41598-025-98504-zCombined treatment with mesenchymal stem cells and therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: a phase 1/2 randomized trialKazuko Wada0Akihito Takeuchi1Yoshinori Katayama2Natsuki Ohkawa3Masato Kantake4Kazumichi Fujioka5Toshiya Nishikubo6Yutaka Yamamoto7Yasumasa Yamada8Seiji Yoshimoto9Kiyoaki Sumi10Tomoaki Ioroi11Takeo Mure12Norihisa Wada13Yukimichi Nakano14Naoko Takasao15Kenji Tada16Tatsuyoshi Yamamoto17Hideaki Hirai18Yuji Sato19Hideyuki Ide20Satoshi Kusuda21Department of Neonatal Medicine, Osaka Women’s and Children’s HospitalDivision of Neonatology, NHO Okayama Medical CenterDepartment of Neonatology, Takatsuki General HospitalDepartment of Neonatology, Juntendo University Shizuoka HospitalDivision of Neonatology, Juntendo University Nerima HospitalDepartment of Pediatrics, Kobe University Graduate School of MedicineDivision of Neonatal Intensive Care, Fetal and Neonatal Medical Center, Nara Medical University HospitalDepartment of Neonatology, Gifu Prefectural General Medical CenterDepartment of Perinatal and Neonatal Medicine, Aichi Medical UniversityDepartment of Neonatology, Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children’s HospitalDepartment of Pediatrics, Aizenbashi HospitalDepartment of Pediatrics, Perinatal Medical Center, Himeji Red Cross HospitalDepartment of Pediatrics, Chibune General HospitalKindai University Hospital Perinatal Medical CenterResearch Division, JCR PharmaceuticalsDevelopment Division, JCR PharmaceuticalsDevelopment Division, JCR PharmaceuticalsDevelopment Division, JCR PharmaceuticalsDevelopment Division, JCR PharmaceuticalsDevelopment Division, JCR PharmaceuticalsDevelopment Division, JCR PharmaceuticalsNeonatal Research Network of JapanAbstract Neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (nHIE) is a serious disease that causes severe and chronic neurological damage. Hypothermia therapy improves patients’ outcomes albeit with some limitations, but combining it with treatment with cord blood cells (analogous to mesenchymal stem cells [MSCs]) reportedly improves its effectiveness. TEMCELL HS Inj. (Temcell), a human bone marrow-derived MSC product used for acute graft-versus-host disease, seems an appropriate candidate for this combination therapy. Therefore, we performed a randomized, parallel-group study to compare combined treatment with Temcell and hypothermia versus hypothermia therapy-alone to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Temcell in nHIE patients. The primary endpoint was treatment response defined as an overall developmental quotient of ≥ 85 at 18 months of age. Fourteen patients were enrolled and randomized, with 7 assigned to each group. Both groups had similar demographic characteristics and nHIE severity. Treatment response was observed in 4 of the 6 (66.7%) patients in the Temcell combination group, and in 4 of the 7 patients (57.1%) in the hypothermia therapy-alone group. No marked differences in safety profile were observed between the groups. These results indicate that the efficacy of Temcell combined with hypothermia is comparable to therapeutic hypothermia for patients with nHIE. Clinical Trial Registration: jRCT1080224818.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98504-z
spellingShingle Kazuko Wada
Akihito Takeuchi
Yoshinori Katayama
Natsuki Ohkawa
Masato Kantake
Kazumichi Fujioka
Toshiya Nishikubo
Yutaka Yamamoto
Yasumasa Yamada
Seiji Yoshimoto
Kiyoaki Sumi
Tomoaki Ioroi
Takeo Mure
Norihisa Wada
Yukimichi Nakano
Naoko Takasao
Kenji Tada
Tatsuyoshi Yamamoto
Hideaki Hirai
Yuji Sato
Hideyuki Ide
Satoshi Kusuda
Combined treatment with mesenchymal stem cells and therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: a phase 1/2 randomized trial
Scientific Reports
title Combined treatment with mesenchymal stem cells and therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: a phase 1/2 randomized trial
title_full Combined treatment with mesenchymal stem cells and therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: a phase 1/2 randomized trial
title_fullStr Combined treatment with mesenchymal stem cells and therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: a phase 1/2 randomized trial
title_full_unstemmed Combined treatment with mesenchymal stem cells and therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: a phase 1/2 randomized trial
title_short Combined treatment with mesenchymal stem cells and therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: a phase 1/2 randomized trial
title_sort combined treatment with mesenchymal stem cells and therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy a phase 1 2 randomized trial
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98504-z
work_keys_str_mv AT kazukowada combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT akihitotakeuchi combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT yoshinorikatayama combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT natsukiohkawa combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT masatokantake combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT kazumichifujioka combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT toshiyanishikubo combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT yutakayamamoto combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT yasumasayamada combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT seijiyoshimoto combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT kiyoakisumi combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT tomoakiioroi combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT takeomure combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT norihisawada combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT yukimichinakano combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT naokotakasao combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT kenjitada combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT tatsuyoshiyamamoto combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT hideakihirai combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT yujisato combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT hideyukiide combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial
AT satoshikusuda combinedtreatmentwithmesenchymalstemcellsandtherapeutichypothermiaforneonatalhypoxicischemicencephalopathyaphase12randomizedtrial