First Patient Receives Stem Cell Transplant from Deceased Donor Graft

Researchers at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute recently performed the first successful allogeneic stem cell transplant using a graft from a deceased donor as part of a clinical trial for patients with aggressive blood cancers. The study, funded by the Center for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and Ossium Health, is evaluating whether this approach can safely and effectively expand transplant access for patients who lack an HLA-matched and available living donor.

The phase 1 trial aims to provide an alternative to traditional stem cell sources like bone marrow harvest and apheresis, which rely on matched living donors. In this approach, researchers collected hematopoietic stem cells from the vertebral columns of deceased individuals who consented to organ donation to create a bank of frozen stem cell grafts.

According to the research team, these pre-banked stem cell grafts could reduce the need for time-consuming donor searches and may offer more timely access to transplants for eligible patients. If successful, the approach could benefit individuals with aggressive blood cancers like acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

“We hope we have unlocked a resource that was previously untapped,” said Sagar Patel, MD, a researcher on Huntsman’s Blood and Marrow Transplantation team and an associate professor of medicine. “By using the vertebral column’s rich supply of stem cells, we aim to preserve them for future use, improving the chances of finding a compatible match for more patients in need.”

The trial is actively recruiting patients at Huntsman Cancer Institute and other locations across the United States. Researchers hope that positive early results will pave the way for expanding the study to include additional patient populations.