Safety, immunological effects and clinical response in a phase I trial of umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells in patients with treatment refractory SLE.

Background: Reports of clinical improvement following mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) infusions in refractory lupus patients at a single centre in China led us to perform an explorative phase I trial of umbilical cord derived MSCs in patients refractory to 6 months of immunosuppressive therapy.

Methods: Six women with a SLEDAI >6, having failed standard of care therapy, received one intravenous infusion of 1×10 MSCs/kg of body weight. They maintained their current immunosuppressives, but their physician was allowed to adjust corticosteroids initially for symptom management.