---
title: Restore dopamine to improve walking
nct_id: NCT05901818
phase: PHASE1
status: RECRUITING
sponsor: Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing
study_type: INTERVENTIONAL
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT05901818"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05901818"
last_fetched: "2026-05-10T14:01:49.716Z"
source: "Parkinson's Pathways (curated)"
---
# Restore dopamine to improve walking

**Goal (in five words):** Restore dopamine to improve walking

**Official Title:** Safety and Efficacy of Autologous Induced Neural Stem Cell-derived Dopaminergic Precursor Cells in the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

**Trial ID:** [NCT05901818](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05901818)

## Key Facts

- **Phase:** PHASE1
- **Status:** RECRUITING
- **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL
- **Sponsor:** Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing
- **Target Enrollment:** 10 participants
- **Start Date:** 2023-06-13
- **Completion Date:** 2025-12-31
- **Conditions:** Parkinson's Disease
- **Interventions:** Autologous induced neural stem cell-derived DA precursor cells
- **Intervention Types:** DRUG

## Summary For Families

They want to see if transplanting a patient’s own reprogrammed neural stem cells can safely replace the dopamine-producing neurons lost in Parkinson's, with the hope of improving movement and lowering medication needs. The team makes induced neural stem cells from the patient, grows them into dopaminergic precursor cells, and implants them into the brain so they can survive, make dopamine, and integrate into circuits; because the cells come from you there is less risk of immune rejection, and patients will initially stay on levodopa while doctors watch how the graft affects symptoms and medication. Enrollment is for people aged 30 to 85 who have had Parkinson's for more than 3 years, are Hoehn and Yahr stage 4 or less when medicated, and show at least a 30% motor improvement with levodopa. People with atypical or secondary parkinsonism, major other brain or systemic illnesses, significant cognitive impairment, severe dyskinesia, prior brain surgery, long-term anticoagulant use, MRI or PET contraindications, or pregnancy are excluded.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 30 Years
- **Maximum age:** 85 Years
- **Sex:** ALL

### Full Criteria

```
Inclusion Criteria:

Ages between 30 and 85 years, males or females; Diagnosed to be Parkinson's disease patients according to MDS Parkinson's disease diagnostic criteria; Disease history over 3 years; Hoehn and Yahr Stage less than or equal to 4 during the medication "on" time; Responsive to levodopa treatment (Maximum rate of improvement in MDS-UPDRS, part 3, is over 30%).

Exclusion Criteria:

Atypical Parkinsonian syndrome or secondary Parkinsonian syndrome; Accompanied with other central nervous system diseases; With other severe systemic diseases or dysfunction; With severe psychiatric disorders; Subjects are using hormone or cytotoxic drugs and cannot stop taking the drug during the trial; With cognitive disorders (MMSE\<24); With severe dyskinesia (MDS-UPDRS part 4, score in 4.1/4.2 ≥ 2); Subjects have undergone previous brain surgery; Subjects are long-term user of anticoagulant; Subjects have intracranial lesions which may affect the surgery or follow-up studies as assessed by imaging; Subjects are unable to undergo MRI or AV133 PET examination; Pregnancy or in preparation for pregnancy; Not suitable to participate in this clinical trial as assessed by the study investigators/physicians.
```

## Locations (1)

- Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China _(39.9075, 116.3972)_
  - Zhiguo Chen, Ph.D. — (CONTACT) — 86-10-83198889 — chenzhiguo@gmail.com
  - Zhiguo Chen, Ph.D. — (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)
  - Biao Chen, M.D., Ph.D. — (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)
  - Guoguang Zhao, M.D., Ph.D. — (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)
  - Jie Lu, M.D., Ph.D. — (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)

## Central Contacts

- Zhiguo Chen, Ph.D. — (CONTACT) — +86-10-83198889 — chenzhiguo@gmail.com
- Jinghong Ma, M.D. — (CONTACT) — +86-10-83198677 — jinghongma@163.com

---

*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT05901818*  
*HTML version: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT05901818*  
*Source data: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05901818*