Ed Ahn- CEO, MEDIPOST Inc.
Stem cell therapies are transforming the approach to degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. Among the many stem cell types currently being explored for this application, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have demonstrated a significant therapeutic advantage.
MSCs help reduce inflammation, inhibit tissue breakdown, and support natural repair processes - all of which are especially pertinent in treating degenerative diseases involving multiple simultaneous forms of tissue stress and dysfunction. Just as importantly, MSCs pose a minimal safety risk compared to other stem cell types.
This article will examine why MSCs are uniquely suited for the treatment of degenerative diseases and have the potential to lead the future of regenerative medicine.
Comparative Analysis of Stem Cell Types
Not all stem cell types are equally suited to treat degenerative diseases. While there are several alternatives to MSCs - embryonic stem cells (ESCs), amniotic fluid-derived stem cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) - each brings challenges that limit its therapeutic potential.
Embryonic stem cells
Embryonic stem cells were initially touted for their pluripotency - the ability to differentiate into any cell type in the body. However, it is this very same property that inhibits their clinical applicability. With no clear way to control their behavior once delivered, ESCs pose serious safety risks, including the potential formation of teratomas. These tumor-like growths may develop when the cells differentiate unpredictably following implantation.
Amniotic fluid stem cells
Amniotic fluid stem cells have attracted some attention but are not generally used in regulated pharmaceutical therapies. In practical terms, they are more commonly found in unregulated products not subject to the same degree of scientific validation. These cells are poorly characterized and variable in quality, sometimes even non-viable. They have yet to show the consistency or therapeutic benefit necessary to be seriously considered for clinical use.
Induced pluripotent stem cells
Induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs, are a more advanced cell type that involves reprogramming adult cells so that they can differentiate into nearly any specific cell type in the body. This specificity can be a benefit in cases where a single-function cell can sufficiently target a well-defined issue. It is possible, for instance, to leverage iPSCs to produce chondrocytes that enable cartilage repair in osteoarthritis or to produce insulin-secreting cells for the treatment of diabetes.
iPSCs also offer distinct logistical and manufacturing advantages. Once a stable, well-characterized iPSC line is established, it can be banked and expanded indefinitely, providing a consistent and renewable source of cells for multiple therapeutic applications. This capability eliminates the need for repeated donor sourcing. iPSCs can also be grown in suspension cultures, making them compatible with systems commonly used in biologics manufacturing and enabling high-yield production at scale.
Despite the benefits of iPSCs, there are notable disadvantages to consider. For instance, the ability to differentiate into virtually any cell type presents a risk of tumor development if the differentiation is not fully controlled before transplantation. This drawback makes iPSCs more complex to manage in therapeutic settings.
Additionally, because iPSCs typically serve one predefined function, they are unable to interact dynamically with the body’s biological systems, which is essential for adequately addressing regenerative diseases involving inflammation, tissue breakdown, and compromised repair mechanisms.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Mesenchymal stem cells have a better therapeutic profile than other stem cell types. Their distinguishing characteristics - from how they interact with the body to their safety advantages - position them as a leading solution in regenerative medicine.
MSCs have multi-functional properties
MSCs are unique in that they can target several underlying disease mechanisms at the same time. This capability makes them especially appealing for treating diseases like osteoarthritis, where issues like inflammation, structural deterioration, and loss of repair potential often coexist.
MSCs’ therapeutic properties span several areas: they exert anti inflammatory effects by downregulating inflammatory signaling pathways, helping to reduce pain and prevent further tissue damage; they are anti-catabolic, inhibiting the enzymes responsible for tissue breakdown and thus preserving structural integrity; and they are pro anabolic, promoting tissue repair by stimulating resident cells and facilitating regeneration.
MSCs are multipotent
In contrast to pluripotent stem cells, MSCs are multipotent, which means they differentiate into a select number of cell types (e.g., cartilage, bone, and fat). This selective differentiation enables them to support tissue repair while also performing multiple therapeutic functions.
Instead of permanently integrating into the tissue, MSCs release a rich blend of cytokines, growth factors, and signaling molecules that help regulate inflammation, inhibit further tissue degradation, and activate the body’s repair mechanisms. This ability to interact dynamically with the local environment makes MSCs especially well-suited for treating complex degenerative diseases involving multiple biological pathways.
MSCs pose a low safety risk.
MSCs are generally safer than other kinds of stem cells. Because they are limited in what they can become, the risk of unwanted or uncontrolled growth, such as the development of tumors, is significantly reduced.
Furthermore, MSCs have immune-privileged properties, meaning the likelihood of them being rejected by the recipient’s immune system is low. Due to this advantage, MSCs are extremely well suited to allogeneic applications, enabling donor cells to be transplanted to patients without complete immune suppression or exact donor matching.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Sourcing Considerations
It is possible to harvest MSCs from a variety of tissue sources, most prominently bone marrow and umbilical cord blood. Cord blood MSCs are neonatal, immunologically naive, and less likely to express markers that induce an immune response. They are typically more responsive than adult-derived cells. However, cord blood yields are low, and each donor typically needs to be processed individually.
Bone marrow-derived MSCs, on the other hand, are obtained from adult donors and can provide greater initial yields. This capability enables more standardized manufacturing and banking procedures across fewer donors. There are drawbacks here, too, though. Adult MSCs have greater immune maturity, and the extraction process is more invasive, requiring penetration of the hip with a needle to extract marrow.
The choice between these MSC sources depends on a variety of factors, including clinical indication, patient population, and manufacturing strategy. Each is a plausible pathway to therapeutic MSC production, with trade-offs in scalability, immune compatibility, and logistical complexity.
Treating Degenerative Conditions with Mesenchymal Stem Cells
The global burden of degenerative disease is growing exponentially. As longevity increases, so too does the need for therapies that not only extend life but also preserve quality of life. By 2050, the proportion of people over 60 years of age will nearly double. This aging population is already driving an increase in age-related disorders such as osteoarthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, cardiovascular disease, and chronic lung disease.
Conventional treatments typically do not target the underlying mechanisms of degenerative conditions, such as chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and impaired tissue repair. Early-stage interventions are often symptom-based - pain relief or an improvement in mobility on a short-term basis. As diseases progress, treatment becomes increasingly invasive. Joint replacements, surgeries, and long-term pharmaceutical regimens entail more risk, longer recuperation, and higher costs.
Mesenchymal stem cells offer another type of intervention that targets the biological mechanisms characteristic of degenerative diseases.
In osteoarthritis, for instance, cartilage deteriorates faster than the body can regenerate it. Inflammation contributes to that breakdown and fuels a cycle where the joint environment becomes increasingly unstable. MSCs can interrupt that cycle by reducing inflammation and enhancing the body’s repair mechanisms. Though MSCs will not reconstruct the joint entirely, they can create a more stable environment - one that slows further deterioration and allows for more effective symptom management over time.
Ultimately, MSCs’ potential lies not in any dramatic curative powers but in their ability to extend periods of functional independence. In this respect, they are well-aligned with the future needs of aging societies and healthcare systems interested in sustainability and long-term care.
Barriers to Wide Clinical Acceptance
Despite their biological promise and favorable safety profile, mesenchymal stem cell therapies have yet to achieve wide clinical acceptance. The reasons for this are complex and require a closer look at broader sociological factors.
Most of the treatments that have revolutionized medicine in the last several decades yield dramatic, easily quantifiable outcomes. T-cell therapies for hematologic cancers have demonstrated the ability to eradicate cancer cells in the body. Zolgensma, a gene therapy for treating spinal muscular atrophy in children under the age of two, has been shown to help 100% of patients achieve motor milestones.
Compared to these therapies, MSCs may appear to deliver more modest, subjective results - the kind of results that aren’t ideal for clinical trials and obtaining regulatory approval.
For instance, in degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis or chronic lung disease, the goal may be a 20 - 30% improvement in pain, mobility, or lung function. To the patient, such a change can be life-altering. But these improvements may be difficult to quantify using standard trial endpoints, especially when the effects are subjective or manifest slowly over time.
As a result, even well-designed MSC studies may have mixed or modest data despite the treatments resulting in meaningful day-to-day benefits. Moving forward, better tools for measuring those functional changes - and a broader definition of what constitutes success - will be key to defining and showcasing the true impact of MSC-based therapies.
Reframing the Value of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Long-Term Care
As health systems worldwide direct their focus to the management of chronic illness and degenerative diseases, the goals of therapeutic intervention will also continue to evolve. Increasingly, the objective is not simply to extend life but to maintain the ability to live well. Mesenchymal stem cells offer a model for this new generation of therapy - one that prioritizes stability, function, and resilience.
MSCs do not promise to reverse aging or cure multifactorial degenerative diseases. Instead, they aim to reduce disease advancement, preserve mobility, minimize pain, and extend the period of time during which individuals can live independently and interact with their world. For the majority of patients, these are worthwhile and significant goals. The benefit of MSCs is best understood when seen in this context.
A patient with osteoarthritis of the knee may not need or want an invasive joint replacement if a less serious treatment will reduce inflammation and stop further loss of cartilage. A patient with pulmonary disease in its initial stages may enjoy improved lung function even if it does not quite reach baseline. A patient in the early stages of neurodegenerative decline may be able to retain cognitive function longer and delay the need for full-time care.
Across a range of conditions, small but consistent improvements can keep patients from requiring more costly therapies, prevent complications, and help maintain quality of life - all worthy outcomes.
There are also broader implications to consider. As populations age, the burden of degenerative disease will place increasing pressure on healthcare resources. Therapies that can reduce hospitalization, delay surgeries, and diminish the requirement for long-term care offer systemic sustainability in addition to clinical benefit. MSCs are positioned to play a central role in this landscape.
To fully realize this potential, we must redefine how we gauge success in medicine. Not all successful therapy results in a dramatic outcome. In many cases, success will manifest as greater stability - being able to walk without pain, breathe without limitation, or manage a condition without worsening. MSCs offer that kind of benefit, and their ability to offer it safely, adaptively, and consistently is what makes them so promising for the future of regenerative medicine.
Author Details
As CEO of MEDIPOST Inc., Ed Ahn is driving the global expansion of CARTISTEM® - the world’s first allogeneic stem cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis (OA) and advancing regenerative medicine innovations. With a deep commitment to translating scientific breakthroughs into real-world treatments, he is steering the company’s efforts to redefine the treatment landscape for degenerative diseases.
Publication Details
This article appeared in American Pharmaceutical Review:Vol. 28, No. 4
May/June 2025Pages: 13-15
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