Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42276062›Full record

ArticleStem cell reports2026

Pro-repair properties of a human embryonic stem cell-derived astrocyte cell therapy in demyelinating disorders.

Lihi Sofer Stepanov, Nina Fainstein, Marva Lachish, Tal Ganz, Yoel Shor, Gal Lebiush Shalom, Shir Klein-Lavi, Michal Izrael, Debora Steiner, Benjamin E Reubinoff and 2 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Stem cell reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Lihi Sofer StepanovFaculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel; The Department of Neurology, The Agnes-Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Nina FainsteinFaculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel; The Department of Neurology, The Agnes-Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Marva LachishFaculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel; The Department of Neurology, The Agnes-Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Tal GanzFaculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel; The Department of Neurology, The Agnes-Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Yoel ShorFaculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel; The Department of Neurology, The Agnes-Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Gal Lebiush ShalomNeurodegenerative Diseases Department, NewcelX Ltd, The Circle 6 | P.O. Box, 8058 Zurich, Switzerland.
Shir Klein-LaviNeurodegenerative Diseases Department, NewcelX Ltd, The Circle 6 | P.O. Box, 8058 Zurich, Switzerland.
Michal IzraelNeurodegenerative Diseases Department, NewcelX Ltd, The Circle 6 | P.O. Box, 8058 Zurich, Switzerland.
Debora SteinerHadassah Human Embryonic Stem Cells Research Center, The Goldyne-Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Benjamin E ReubinoffHadassah Human Embryonic Stem Cells Research Center, The Goldyne-Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Michel RevelNeurodegenerative Diseases Department, NewcelX Ltd, The Circle 6 | P.O. Box, 8058 Zurich, Switzerland.
Tamir Ben-HurFaculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel; The Department of Neurology, The Agnes-Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. Electronic address: tamir@hadassah.org.il.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Remyelination failure in demyelinating diseases is driven by inefficient myelin debris clearance, impaired oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) differentiation into mature oligodendrocytes, and the absence of a sustained pro-repair inflammatory environment. Effective remyelination requires a pro-repair inflammatory environment that supports myelin debris removal and promotes OPC maturation. We examined whether AstroRx, a clinical-grade human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived astrocyte therapy, addresses these barriers. In co-cultures in-vitro, AstroRx enhanced microglial phagocytosis of myelin debris, extended lymphocyte proliferation, and survival without excessive activation, and enhanced murine and hESC-derived OPC differentiation. In a lysolecithin-induced demyelination model in-vivo, intraventricular-delivered AstroRx promoted microglial-mediated myelin debris clearance and oligodendrogenesis in the peri-lesion white matter. These findings demonstrate that AstroRx sustains a pro-repair effect via a bystander mechanism, maintaining an inflammatory milieu, facilitating myelin debris removal, and oligodendrogenesis. With demonstrated clinical safety, scalability, and multi-targeted reparative effects, AstroRx offers a promising off-the-shelf cell therapy for chronic demyelination.

Indexed as

AstrocytesCell- and Tissue-Based TherapyDemyelinating DiseasesHuman Embryonic Stem CellsAnimalsCell DifferentiationCoculture TechniquesHumansMiceMicrogliaMyelin SheathOligodendrocyte Precursor CellsOligodendrogliaPhagocytosisRemyelinationastrocytescell therapyCNS repairdemyelinating diseaseshuman embryonic stem cellsmicrogliaoligodendrocyte progenitor cellstrophic properties

Identifiers

PMID42276062
PMCPMC13385419

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.