First Deceased Donor Stem Cell Transplant for Blood Cancer Performed in the U.S.

For the first time, doctors at Huntsman Cancer Institute (University of Utah) have performed an allogeneic stem cell transplant using banked stem cells from a deceased donor. This was done as part of a clinical trial supported by BARDA and Ossium Health.

Traditional stem cell transplants rely on living donors, which can delay treatment or fail if no match is found. In this new method, stem cells are collected from the vertebral columns of deceased organ donors and stored in a stem cell bank.

Dr. Sagar Patel, lead investigator, says this could improve access for patients with aggressive blood cancers like AML, ALL, MDS, and lymphoma, especially when time is critical. The trial (Phase 1) is ongoing and recruiting patients across the U.S.

This innovative approach may shorten wait times, expand donor availability, and offer new hope to patients without living donor matches.

Link