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Japan could soon approve stem cell treatment for Parkinson's disease
Sumitomo Pharma just asked Japan to approve a new stem cell treatment for people with advanced Parkinson's.
This comes after a promising clinical trial showed that transplanting special dopamine-making cells helped improve movement and was safe for patients.
How the new therapy works
In the Kyoto University study, seven people aged 50-69 got millions of these lab-grown cells over two years.
The cells, donated from healthy people, are meant to replace the ones lost in Parkinson's.
No major side effects were seen during the trial.
Aims to restore brain function
Parkinson's affects about 10 million people worldwide, and current treatments only manage symptoms—they don't fix the root problem.
This new therapy aims to actually restore lost brain function.
Sumitomo is also testing it in the US.