This important first study, using multipotent adult progenitor cells in ARDS patients (MUST-ARDS), was a phase 1/2 randomised, blinded, placebo-controlled trial that demonstrated safety and tolerability of intravenous administration of multipotent adult progenitor cells, at doses up to 900 million cells, in patients with ARDS.

Our findings support progression to a larger trial to investigate their therapeutic efficacy.

No allergic or serious adverse reactions were associated with cell therapy in any cohort. At baseline, the cohort 3 cell group had less severe hypoxia.

For cohort 3, 28-day mortality was 25% for cell vs. 45% for placebo recipients.

Median 28-day free from intensive care unit (ICU) and ventilator-free days in the cell vs. placebo group were 12.5 (IQR 0,18.5) vs. 4.5 (IQR 0,16.8) and 18.5 (IQR 0,22) vs. 6.5 (IQR 0,18.3), respectively.

Read More