What You Need To Know About Stem Cells

You may have heard about stem cells in the news or maybe it was mentioned by a friend. After searching for more about it online, you may have come across websites or scientific journals that discussed the topic in a very complicated way.

You are not alone. While there are a lot of people who are interested in learning about stem cell-based treatments, there’s also a lot of clutter online and even misleading information about what it is and how therapies are administered. Contrary to popular belief, stem cell-based approaches are not a matter of a single injection or a single therapy session. Where they are used, this usually involves a series of applications within an individual medical plan.

So, if you are considering stem cell treatment for your condition or you simply want to learn more about it, you have come to the right place. Here, we break down all the important things you need to know about stem cells in the simplest way possible, so you can make your important decision with a clear mind.

ANOVA IRM in Offenbach, Germany, uses two products made from the patient’s own cells: MSC secretome (MSEC) and bone marrow concentrate (BMC). Since 2016, Dr. mult. Stehling and ANOVA IRM have treated 487 people (as of October 2026).

We’ve listed down and answered all the frequently asked questions about stem cells, including:

• How to choose your stem cell clinic or product?
• How Do Stem Cell Products Differ by Donor, Age and Tissue?
• What is the potential of stem cells?
• What are stem cells?
• Why are they important?
• Where do they come from?
• How does stem cell therapy work?
• How much do stem cell therapies cost?
• Which diseases are stem cell-based approaches being researched for?

Learn about all these and more in our guide to stem cells and to the conditions in which stem cell-based approaches are currently being researched.

ANOVA IRM offers two stem cell-based products, both made from your own cells. Bone marrow concentrate (BMC) is applied on the day of collection. Mesenchymal stem cell secretome (MSEC) is a cell-free product made from cultured mesenchymal stem cells. Which product fits depends on the condition.

How to Ensure the Safety of a Treatment

The most important point when choosing a stem cell treatment should always be your safety. Make sure that the stem cell clinic is officially controlled and works under GMP or under officially inspected good professional practice (GFP, gute fachliche Praxis; similar to Good Tissue Practice, GTP, in the US, but more than GTP). In Germany, the regulatory presidium of the federal states and the Paul Ehrlich Institute are responsible for this. They only grant licenses if the consistent quality of the stem cells is guaranteed and the production is carried out in such a way that there are no concerns regarding patient safety. Quality control plays an important role here.

Important questions: Does the clinic in its country have a manufacturing permit or a tissue collection permit? Does an international clinic have a permit from the competent national authority? ANOVA IRM in Offenbach holds a collection (procurement) authorisation under Section 20b AMG for both products. It also holds a manufacturing authorisation under Section 13 AMG for BMC (since 2019) and an authorisation for processing under Section 20c AMG for MSC secretome (since 2018). All authorisations of ANOVA IRM are listed on our regulatory status page.

Manufacturing under an official authorisation adds a layer of safety. The competent authority inspects the facility every two years, and every change to the manufacturing process and every new material must be reported to it. Providers without an authorisation are not subject to this control.

Dr. mult. Stehling and ANOVA IRM have manufactured MSEC with the same process since 2016, under an authorisation according to Section 20c AMG since 2018, and have treated 355 people with it. BMC has been made with the same process since 2012. After a pause from 2017 because of a change in German law, it has been manufactured again since 2019 under an authorisation according to Section 13 AMG, and 153 people have been treated with it since then. As of October 2026, neither product has caused a serious adverse event. In clinical research, safety is first examined in phase 1/2 studies with roughly 10 to 100 patients. ANOVA IRM has not conducted such a study, but the number of people treated is well above that.

Stem Cell Therapy Is Mostly Experimental

Most stem cell therapies worldwide are not approved. A new medicine is usually developed in stages: laboratory research, preclinical studies in animals and then clinical trials of phases 1 to 3. For most stem cell products this path has not been completed, so their use is experimental.

Experimental does not mean unregulated. How stem cell therapy is regulated in Germany and which authorisations ANOVA IRM holds is explained on the page about the regulatory status of ANOVA IRM. What the medicines regulators warn about is set out under unproven therapies.

Are Allogenic or Autologous Stem Cell Therapies Better?

Compare the products offered. Allogenic products from foreign donors are always associated with more risk than autologous stem cells (donor and recipient are the same person). These greater risks include transmission of pathogens (viruses, bacteria) and allergic reactions. Allogeneic products should only be used if they are immunologically safe or the matching of donor and recipient has been verified.

Important questions: Is the product autologous? If not, how is matching tested? How are the donors tested? Testing in accordance with current regulatory standards includes hepatitis B and C, HIV 1 and 2, and Treponema pallidum (syphilis) ^[1]. Other diseases are usually not tested. Therefore, autologous stem cells avoid this specific risk, because they cannot transmit an infectious disease from a donor. This concerns donor-transmitted infection only and does not mean that a treatment is free of other risks.

How Much Time Does Stem Cell Therapy Take? What is the Duration?

Many patients want to be treated quickly. However, care should be taken: patients should also be tested beforehand. For this purpose, blood tests are used, which usually take 1 day. If you are not tested beforehand, you cannot be sure if previous patients have contaminated the premises with bacteria or viruses. Question for the clinic: what donor selection tests do they do in advance?

At ANOVA IRM, patients are tested before every collection: ANOVA IRM carries out the full donor screening required under EU GMP and the German AMWHV (Arzneimittel- und Wirkstoffherstellungsverordnung). The blood is analysed in a contract laboratory that holds the corresponding GMP/GFP licences. This is why patients arrive one day before the treatment. ANOVA IRM treats only patients without an infectious disease.

Beware of Animal Stem Cells, Fresh Cells and Unclear Products!

Animal stem cell products can be very dangerous and should not be used. Their potential of contamination, infection and allergic reactions is generally high. Always check with the appropriate legal authority in advance. All products that are not clearly and transparently explained should be considered questionable. For all allogenic therapies, ask explicitly about the donors and donor testing, i.e. what the donors were tested for. The US Food and Drug Administration also warns against unapproved regenerative products, including stem cell and exosome products ^[2].

Why We Do Not Offer SVF - Stromal Vascular Fraction

The stromal vascular fraction (SVF) is a product we do not offer. It is obtained from adipose tissue in an isolation procedure lasting approximately 2 hours and contains only a few stem cells. Due to the manual, open isolation process, contamination may occur. Since SVF is applied immediately after isolation, sufficient quality control cannot be performed to detect the potential contamination.

BMC, by contrast, is isolated in a closed system, which reduces the opportunity for contamination during processing. MSC or mesenchymal stem cell secretome generated from SVF cells are cultured, which allows time for in-process quality control. The secretome is frozen after production, so the end product itself can be analysed before it is released.

Contraindications

Our stem cell treatments are experimental, but we only treat patients for whom we believe the risk/benefit ratio indicates treatment based on the state of the art, i.e., medical, scientific evidence.

Please understand that we therefore do not treat patients for whom the following points apply:

• Active cancer in the last two years
• Not yet of legal age
• Existing pregnancy or lactation period
• Unable to breathe on own, ventilator
• Difficulty breathing in supine position
• Dysphagia (extreme difficulty swallowing)
• Psychiatric disorder
• Active infectious disease (Hepatitis A, B, C, HIV, Syphilis, or other)

Request a Consultation →

Stem cell products are offered worldwide. They differ by who the donor is, how old the donor is and which tissue the cells come from. Not every provider works legally or under official control.

By donor

• Autologous: donor and recipient are the same person. No infection can be transmitted from a donor, and there is no reaction against foreign cells. One collection serves only one patient.
• Allogeneic: the donor is another person. The risk of infection and immune reactions is higher. The cells are often multiplied for a long time so that one donation serves many patients.
• Heterologous: the donor is an animal. Such products should not be used (see Beware of Animal Stem Cells).

By age of the donor

• Adult stem cells come from children or adults. They are the type most widely used in research and treatment.
• Fetal stem cells come from fetuses. For ethical reasons they should not be used for treatment, or only in very limited cases.
• Embryonic stem cells come from embryos. Their use is strictly limited for ethical reasons (see What are Embryonic Stem Cells?).

By tissue of origin

• Bone marrow concentrate (BMC): quick to obtain and applied on the day of collection without culture. It contains blood-forming stem and progenitor cells, about 1 % of the nucleated cells, and a much smaller share of mesenchymal stem cells, well under 0.1 % ^[3],[4]. Outside bone marrow transplantation its use is experimental. More on BMC.
• MSC from fat tissue (ADSC, AD-MSC): obtained by mini-liposuction, then cultured and multiplied to cultures of about 90 to 98 % MSC. ANOVA IRM uses these cells to produce the MSC secretome (MSEC).
• SVF (stromal vascular fraction): the cell mixture from fat tissue before culture, with only about 1 to 10 % stem cells. ANOVA IRM does not use SVF (see Why We Do Not Offer SVF).
• MSC from the umbilical cord (HUC-MSC): almost always used as donor (allogeneic) products. ANOVA IRM does not use them.
• MSC from bone marrow (BM-MSC): bone marrow cells that are cultured before use. They are used mainly in research. ANOVA IRM does not use BM-MSC.

ANOVA IRM uses only adult stem cells from the patient’s own body. All cells are collected, processed and applied in Offenbach, Germany.

Stem cells are said to have two basic modes of action:

• Immunomodulation (influencing the immune system, mostly inhibiting excessive immune reactions)
• The promotion of tissue regeneration

In the early years of stem cell research, it was assumed that stem cells would replace damaged tissue by "integrating" themselves into the tissue. Current research no longer supports this idea. Instead, external laboratory research suggests that stem cells act as moderators and modulators. In this research model, stem cells introduced into an inflamed area are thought to influence the local immune response, for example by "communicatively convincing" the triggering immune cells to let the inflammation subside. The communication is described as taking place via messenger substances that are released by the stem cell and either bind to the outside of the immune cell and trigger signals or are taken up by the immune cell and then trigger a signal inside. The "communicators" in their totality are referred to as the secretome, which contains exosomes, microvesicles, cytokines, miRNA (micro RNA), and proteins. This proposed moderation is called immunomodulation.

The second hypothesised mode of action is the promotion of regeneration. In preclinical and laboratory research, stem cells appear to "motivate" cells in damaged tissue to divide and to support repair processes. Research also suggests that regeneration can be blocked while inflammation is present, which is why both proposed mechanisms are being investigated together. The exact way in which stem cells act is not understood.

External laboratory and animal studies describe further possible effects of stem cells and the substances they release:

• dampening of immune processes and inflammation
• less programmed cell death (apoptosis) of injured cells
• effects on the tissue’s own stem cells and on the mobilisation of progenitor cells
• formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis)
• formation of new nerve tissue (neurogenesis) and protection of nerve cells (neuroprotection)
• antioxidative effects

The background is a pattern seen after many injuries. After the first damage, for example from an accident or from a lack of blood supply in a stroke or heart attack, inflammation causes further damage. Injured cells near the damaged area often die instead of repairing themselves, so the damaged area grows. The tissue’s own stem cells repair this only slowly or not at all. Whether stem cell-based therapies can limit this further damage in humans and support repair is what current research is investigating. This research is the basis of the cell-free MSC secretome (MSEC).

A stem cell is a very special type of cell that can replicate and develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth.

Because of this, they become a repair mechanism of the body. By dividing without limits, they replenish all the other cells. And with each new division, it has the potential to either remain a stem cell or another type of cell with a special function.

Essentially, they can become a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or even a brain cell.

Stem cells are classified by their origin in the body and by their potency, which means how many cell types they can develop into. Pluripotent stem cells can become any cell type of the body, multipotent stem cells many, oligopotent stem cells a few and unipotent stem cells only one. Not every type is suitable for treatment. The use of embryonic stem cells is restricted for ethical reasons and because they can grow into tumours.

This is a special type of stem cell that is pluripotent. This means that they can change into any type of cell. They are of great interest to research because, in theory, they could provide healthy cells for any part of the body.

However, there have been ethical issues about the method of getting embryonic stem cells. At ANOVA, we only use stem cells that are sourced in a regulated and ethical way (not from embryonic sources), obtained from the patient's own tissue. In Germany, obtaining embryonic stem cells is prohibited, and their import and use are allowed only for research under strict conditions ^[5].

Despite their name, they can be found in the bodies of both children and adults. They have the potential to renew the entire tissue from which they come from, with just a few cells.

Their purpose is to maintain and repair the tissue where they are located. It is part of our body’s self-healing system.

They are located in many organs and tissues, including the brain, bone marrow, blood, muscle, skin, and many other areas. This is why adult stem cells are the more widely used source in stem cell research and raise fewer ethical concerns than embryonic stem cells.

Here at ANOVA, all our available stem cell treatments use mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are obtained from fat tissue or from bone marrow. Using cells taken from the patient’s own body avoids the transmission of infections from a donor and reduces the risk of immune rejection.

Embryonic and adult stem cells vary in their abilities. They also differ in number and type of cells they can become. To be more specific, adult stem cells can only transform into several types of cells but embryonic stem cells can become all cell types of the body.

Embryonic stem cells can also be grown in a laboratory, while adult stem cells come from the patient, so they may be harder to grow. However, this makes them less likely to be rejected by the patient’s immune system after the procedure. This is one of the reasons why we have chosen to use adult stem cells at ANOVA.

Pluripotent is a characteristic of a cell and not a separate cell type. This trait in cells simply means that they can self-replicate and have the ability to develop into other types of cells or tissues.

Also called the “master cells”, they're able to make cells from the different body layers so they can potentially produce cells or tissues the body needs to repair itself. Since 2006, ordinary body cells can also be reprogrammed in the laboratory into so-called induced pluripotent stem cells ^[6].

A hematopoietic stem cell is a subtype of an adult stem cell that originates in the bone marrow. Also called the “blood stem cell”, it can differentiate into all types of blood cells, including white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. They are usually found in the bone marrow and in the peripheral blood. Bone marrow concentrate (BMC) contains hematopoietic stem cells together with a small share of mesenchymal stem cells.

They have the power to renew or refresh themselves. After they divide themselves, they can develop into different types of specialized cells. As such, most adult stem cells are multi-potent stem cells.

Mesenchymal stem cells, or MSCs, are a type of multipotent stem cell, which can differentiate into a variety of cell types, including fat cells, bone cells, muscle cells, cartilage cells, and more. ^[7]

As previously mentioned, this is the type of stem cell that we use at ANOVA.

MSC also release messenger substances, known as the secretome. ANOVA IRM uses MSC from the patient’s own fat tissue to produce the cell-free mesenchymal stem cell secretome (MSEC); the cells themselves are not given back. More on MSC is on the MSEC page under What are mesenchymal stem cells?.

Plants don’t have stem cells similar to humans. However, their cells have a kind of vitality that allows them to provide a steady supply of cells that can form differentiated tissues and organs.

The two characteristics mentioned -- the ability to create mature cell types and the ability to self-renew -- are what make them special. Because of these two qualities, they protect plants and help them withstand the harsh environment and external factors.

Plants are immobile and they can get damaged easily, so their stem cells are their way of protecting themselves.

They have several uses, both in research and in healing:

• Research is investigating whether they can support the repair of damaged tissue. For this reason they are the subject of research and clinical studies in conditions such as:
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Parkinson's disease
  • ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
  • Alzheimer's disease
  • Heart disease
  • Type 1 diabetes
  • Stroke
  • Burns
  • Osteoarthritis
• Researchers are also studying them to understand how diseases occur and how to best fight them. By studying how they develop into different kinds of cells, doctors can better understand how diseases start and develop.
• They can also be used to test new medicine and its safety and quality. Because they can replicate other types of cells, they can take on the properties of the types of cells a specific drug aims to target. For example, if a new medicine for heart disease is being tested, then it can be used on stem cells that mature into heart cells. Researchers will find out whether the cells were harmed during the clinical trial of the drug and whether it is safe to administer to patients.

Listing a condition here does not mean that a treatment for it is established, approved, or offered by ANOVA.

Researchers have discovered several sources:

• Embryonic - They come from embryos that are three to five days old.
• Adult - They can be found in tissues such as bone marrow or fat.
• Perinatal - They are located in the amniotic fluid and blood from the umbilical cord. They also have the ability to change into specialized cells.

ANOVA IRM uses adult stem cells only: from fat tissue for the MSC secretome (MSEC) and from bone marrow for bone marrow concentrate (BMC).

There is an ongoing debate about who discovered them. Their discovery is usually attributed to Canadian scientists Drs. James Till and Ernest McCulloch. However, they were mentioned in scientific journals before Till and McCulloch’s pioneering studies in hematopoietic stem cell research. ^[8],[9]

There were many studies that used the term “stem cells” before Till and McCulloch’s 1963 research. The earliest ones date back to the early 20th century ^[10].

For example, in a 1932 research paper, American scientist Dr. Florence Sabin and her colleagues described the effects of radiation from radium on the bone marrow and blood-forming cells ^[11].

In 1936, the same Dr. Sabin published an article about the development of bone marrow and blood cells ^[12].

What made Till and McCulloch’s paper different from previous works is that their research focused on hematopoietic stem cells, while others were on stem cells from hematopoietic tumors.

Scientists usually work with two types of stem cells: embryonic and non-embryonic or "adult" stem cells. This started in 1981 when scientists extracted stem cells from mouse embryos ^[13]. In 1998, this research helped scientists to harvest them from human embryos, which are later grown in laboratories ^[14].

Roughly two decades later, scientists reprogrammed specialized adult body cells genetically to function like a stem cell. These are called induced pluripotent stem cells, and this breakthrough paved the way to new research ^[6].

“ Harvesting ” or the act of getting them can happen in many ways. The way they are harvested affects how they are used in the research or treatment of diseases.

Before, embryonic stem cells were harvested by destroying a human embryo and this became quite controversial. Newer techniques try to avoid this, for example by taking single cells (blastomeres) from an early embryo; these methods remain ethically disputed.

On the other hand, adult stem cells need to be harvested directly from the source where they would also be used. For example, for the treatment of blood diseases, you would need a blood stem cell. And you can extract them from the bone marrow, where blood is produced.

At ANOVA, we harvest stem cells in an ethical way and under regulated, quality-controlled conditions. For all our treatments, we use the patient’s own fat or bone marrow to extract mesenchymal stem cells for our treatments. ANOVA does not apply or employ embryonic stem cells.

Mesenchymal stem cells can be extracted from different sources.

Stem cells from fat tissue are extracted using nutational liposuction, which allows the removal of fat without destroying your cells. At the same time, this minimally invasive procedure only requires local anesthesia and light sedation. Afterwards the fat is transferred into a sterile container for further processing in the laboratory to extract the cell fraction.

Stem cells can also be extracted from bone marrow. This can also be performed using local anesthesia. Read more about bone marrow concentrate (BMC).

Stem cells are used for both research and therapy.

Of course, one of the most important applications is their use in stem cell-based therapies. Stem cell-based approaches are being investigated in a number of conditions. Read more about it under In Which Diseases Are Stem Cell-Based Approaches Being Researched?

Nowadays, donated organs are used to replace ones that were malfunctioning. However, this process can take longer because of the lack of suitable donors. Regenerative medicine is researching whether stem cells could one day offer an alternative, because in the laboratory they can differentiate into specific cell types. Unlike donor organs, stem cells are a renewable source and would not depend on donor availability.

As mentioned previously, stem cells can also be used for research purposes. Research in the field of embryonic stem cells, for example, can help us further understand what happens during human development. With the help of research, scientists can identify how stem cells become differentiated cells, which eventually form into the tissues and organs.

Research in this field highly contributes to the ongoing studies on serious medical conditions, such as cancer and birth abnormalities. This is because these diseases are caused by atypical cell division and differentiation. By understanding these conditions better, we are a step closer to finding cures and strategies for therapy.

Stem cells can also be used to test new drugs. For example, new medicines are tested on differentiated cells generated from human pluripotent stem cells.

Under the microscope, stem cells look like ordinary, unspecialised cells. Each cell type has its own size and structure appropriate for its job.

For example, brain cells communicate commands to the body so they’re shaped like webs because they need to reach out to the different types of cells surrounding them.

Even if these cells have different functions, they all consist of the same main components:

• Nucleus - Contains DNA which contains information about the body.
• Cytoplasm - Liquid surrounding the nucleus which contains the materials the cell needs to do its job.
• Cell Membrane - Surface of the cell which sends and receives signals from other cells so they can perform their tasks.

The way the therapy works depends on the approach. There are two fundamentally different approaches to stem cell therapy.

In the first approach, stem cells are extracted from the source and re-applied to the patient where it is needed. Research is investigating to what extent the re-applied cells can support regeneration and tissue repair at that site.

The source can be fat tissue, bone marrow, or other tissues from the patient’s own body. The location and type of re-application depends on the condition that is being treated.

At ANOVA, we extract bone marrow and re-apply Bone Marrow Concentrate (BMC) containing MSCs to the patient. Read more about bone marrow concentrate (BMC).

In the second approach, stem cells are also extracted from the same sources, but they are used to produce the stem cell secretome, or stem cell exosomes. In this approach, it is not the cells that are being applied, but the cell-free stem cell secretome.

The secretome is defined as the sum of all soluble molecules (e.g. growth factors and cytokines) that are being released from the cell. These molecules are mainly utilized by the cell to communicate with other cells. They can initiate different mechanism in the surrounding cells.

Why is the stem cell secretome being researched? Recent external laboratory research indicates that the effects observed with stem cells in laboratory and preclinical studies may largely originate from these released molecules. Read more about the mesenchymal stem cell secretome (MSEC) and current research.

At ANOVA, we consider stem cell injections only a part of the whole therapy program, which we plan individually and holistically for each patient. The cost depends on the product and the condition and is set out on the page for each condition. You always receive an individual written cost estimate. More on this in our blog article How much does stem cell therapy cost?.

Before you start any treatment, it’s worth researching the clinic. Take the advice provided by the FDA on stem cell clinics to heart and make sure the clinic you choose is compliant to government regulations. Make sure the clinic can explain its procedures, its permits and its quality controls to you transparently.

Stem cell treatment is not a cure-all. In a number of conditions, early and mostly small clinical studies are investigating stem cell-based approaches. The sections below summarise where research currently stands:

Stroke and Heart Disease

For many survivors of stroke, dissolving the blood clot (thrombolysis) or removing it with a catheter (thrombectomy) are the main options to manage the acute event ^[15]. Stem cell-based approaches are being investigated in early clinical research as a possible further option.

Parkinson’s Disease

A disease affecting millions of people around the globe, it’s unfortunate that Parkinson’s disease currently has no known cure. What many patients do is simply suppress the symptoms by undergoing hormone replacement-based therapies. Unfortunately, this does not stop neural degeneration or replace dead brain cells.

Small external clinical studies with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have so far examined mainly safety; a clear effect has not yet been demonstrated ^[16]. Secretome Therapy is being examined in this research context as a complementary treatment to the standard treatment options.

Erectile Dysfunction and Impotence

Men of all ages can be affected with erectile dysfunction and reduced potency, which are often linked to diabetes and high blood pressure. Established medications for these conditions mainly address the symptoms rather than the underlying cause.

Stem cell-based approaches are being explored in early research in this area. Any individual treatment plan requires a prior medical assessment and should also address nutrition and lifestyle.

Osteoarthritis

As the leading cause of pain and disability in the world, osteoarthritis has stopped many people across the world from living a mobile and dynamic life.

Early clinical research is investigating stem cell-based approaches in osteoarthritis. Research into cell-free approaches such as Secretome Therapy is examining possible mechanisms, including the modulation of immune responses.

Knee Injuries

Those with knee injuries or knee degeneration may feel that they have limited therapy options. Cell-based approaches are being researched as a possible option alongside established treatments.

Initial clinical studies are investigating to what extent cell-based approaches can support healing in knee injuries. Surgery may still be necessary, but research is investigating whether stem cell therapies can postpone the need for surgery.

Back Pain and Spine Conditions

Back pain and spine problems are commonly treated with surgery or with pain medication. They can affect patients in all aspects of life, which is why research is also looking at approaches that address the underlying degeneration rather than the symptoms alone.

Stem cell-based approaches are being investigated in this context. The approaches studied include Bone Marrow Concentrate (BMC) and Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC).

ALS - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Also known as motor neuron disease or Lou Gehrig’s disease after a popular baseball player with the same condition, ALS is characterized by severe motor dysfunction because of the loss of nerve stimulation.

Small external clinical studies have examined stem cell products in ALS, mainly for safety; in two phase 3 trials a clear effect could not yet be demonstrated in the full study population ^[17],[18].

RA - Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease for which no cure is currently available. Stem cell-based approaches are the subject of early research, which is investigating whether they can influence inflammation, modulate immune responses and support tissue repair.

Related conditions discussed in this research context include psoriatic arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, vasculitis and gout.

MS - Multiple Sclerosis

Medications available for multiple sclerosis aim to slow the progression of the disease rather than to reverse it. Stem cell-based approaches are the subject of early clinical research in MS, which is investigating possible effects on inflammation and on nerve tissue. These approaches can be used in combination with established MS therapy.

Anti-Aging

Anti-aging is an area of active scientific interest. Research is examining whether cell-based approaches can influence regenerative processes at the cellular level.

Request a Consultation →

Side effects can occur. Reported effects include, for example, nausea or vomiting after treatment. In addition, every procedure used to obtain cells (such as bone marrow aspiration or liposuction) and every application carries its own risks, including pain, bleeding and infection. Which risks are relevant depends on the patient’s condition, the specific procedure and the disease concerned. Your doctor explains them to you before treatment.

This is why at ANOVA, we make sure that we do a thorough examination of every patient and tailor fit our therapy to their special needs. What the medicines regulators say about the safety of stem cell therapy is set out under unproven therapies.

Proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle are generally regarded as beneficial for the body’s own repair processes, although the direct effect on human stem cells has not been clearly established.

Some studies explore whether their activity can be influenced, for example this 2018 Massachusetts Institute of Technology study, which reported faster intestinal stem cell regeneration in mice after a 24-hour fast ^[19].

There are certainly many new discoveries in the field and here at ANOVA, we are excited about the many possibilities that this can contribute to the constant improvement of our treatments.

If you want to explore your stem cell therapy options with us, we are more than happy to answer your inquiries.

Treatment programs at the ANOVA Institute for Regenerative Medicine are not covered by health insurance at the moment. They are available only on a self-pay basis.

We are happy to talk to you about your payment options. Feel free to reach out to us by sending an email or calling us.

While there are other clinics that receive donations, here at ANOVA, we do not use them on our patients.

For our procedures, we use adult stem cells obtained from the patient’s own fat tissue or bone marrow, which avoids the immunological compatibility problems that can arise with donor material. Blood stem cell donations for patients with blood diseases are organised by the national donor registries.

• Neurology
• Joint and back pain
• Autoimmune diseases
• Spinal cord injury
• Erectile dysfunction
• Anti-ageing

Request a Consultation →

Questions people usually ask next. Each is answered in full on its own page.

• Who are we?
• Is ANOVA legal?
• Is stem cell therapy safe?
• What is MSC secretome (MSEC)?
• What is BMC (Bone Marrow Concentrate)?
• Which conditions do we treat?
• Stem cell therapy: what to expect — a patient’s perspective

Request a Consultation →

ANOVA IRM shares its premises in Offenbach with two further institutions owned by Dr. Stehling: the Prof. Dr. Stehling Institut für Bildgebende Diagnostik GmbH, providing MRI and CT imaging, and the VITUS PRIVATKLINIK Prof. Dr. Stehling GmbH. Because imaging is carried out in the same building, diagnostics can be performed in-house rather than referred elsewhere. See diagnostics at ANOVA IRM.

• [1] Commission Directive 2006/17/EC of 8 February 2006 implementing Directive 2004/23/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards certain technical requirements for the donation, procurement and testing of human tissues and cells. OJ L 38, 9.2.2006, p. 40; amended by Commission Directive 2012/39/EU. Annex II, 1.1 and 1.4. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2006/17/oj
• [2] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Consumer Alert on Regenerative Medicine Products Including Stem Cells and Exosomes. Content current as of 9 April 2024. https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/consumers-biologics/consumer-alert-regenerative-medicine-products-including-stem-cells-and-exosomes
• [3] Caradonna E, Mormone E, Centritto EM, et al. Different methods of bone marrow harvesting influence cell characteristics and purity, affecting clinical outcomes. JVS Vasc Sci. 2023;4:100130. doi:10.1016/j.jvssci.2023.100130. PMID: 38058747. PMCID: PMC10696233.
• [4] Ragni E, Taiana M, Visconte C, et al. Side-to-side characterisation of cellular content, soluble factors and in vitro potential on chondrocytes for bone marrow aspirate concentrate and adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction. J Exp Orthop. 2025;12(2):e70254. doi:10.1002/jeo2.70254. PMID: 40357029. PMCID: PMC12066993.
• [5] Gesetz zum Schutz von Embryonen (Embryonenschutzgesetz – ESchG) vom 13. Dezember 1990 (BGBl. I S. 2746), § 2 Abs. 1; Gesetz zur Sicherstellung des Embryonenschutzes im Zusammenhang mit Einfuhr und Verwendung menschlicher embryonaler Stammzellen (Stammzellgesetz – StZG) vom 28. Juni 2002 (BGBl. I S. 2277), § 4.
• [6] Takahashi K, Yamanaka S. Induction of pluripotent stem cells from mouse embryonic and adult fibroblast cultures by defined factors. Cell. 2006;126(4):663–676. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2006.07.024. PMID: 16904174.
• [7] Dominici M, Le Blanc K, Mueller I, et al. Minimal criteria for defining multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells. The International Society for Cellular Therapy position statement. Cytotherapy. 2006;8(4):315–317. doi:10.1080/14653240600855905. PMID: 16923606.
• [8] Till JE, McCulloch EA. A direct measurement of the radiation sensitivity of normal mouse bone marrow cells. Radiat Res. 1961;14:213–222. doi:10.2307/3570892. PMID: 13776896.
• [9] Becker AJ, McCulloch EA, Till JE. Cytological demonstration of the clonal nature of spleen colonies derived from transplanted mouse marrow cells. Nature. 1963;197:452–454. doi:10.1038/197452a0. PMID: 13970094.
• [10] Ramalho-Santos M, Willenbring H. On the origin of the term “stem cell”. Cell Stem Cell. 2007;1(1):35–38. doi:10.1016/j.stem.2007.05.013. PMID: 18371332.
• [11] Sabin FR, Doan CA, Forkner CE. The production of osteogenic sarcomata and the effects on lymph nodes and bone marrow of intravenous injections of radium chloride and mesothorium in rabbits. J Exp Med. 1932;56(2):267–289. doi:10.1084/jem.56.2.267. PMID: 19870065. PMCID: PMC2132174.
• [12] Sabin FR, Miller FR, Smithburn KC, et al. Changes in the bone marrow and blood cells of developing rabbits. J Exp Med. 1936;64(1):97–120. doi:10.1084/jem.64.1.97. PMID: 19870526. PMCID: PMC2133421.
• [13] Evans MJ, Kaufman MH. Establishment in culture of pluripotential cells from mouse embryos. Nature. 1981;292(5819):154–156. doi:10.1038/292154a0. PMID: 7242681.
• [14] Thomson JA, Itskovitz-Eldor J, Shapiro SS, et al. Embryonic stem cell lines derived from human blastocysts. Science. 1998;282(5391):1145–1147. doi:10.1126/science.282.5391.1145. PMID: 9804556.
• [15] Goyal M, Menon BK, van Zwam WH, et al. Endovascular thrombectomy after large-vessel ischaemic stroke: a meta-analysis of individual patient data from five randomised trials. Lancet. 2016;387(10029):1723–1731. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)00163-X. PMID: 26898852.
• [16] Schiess M, Suescun J, Doursout MF, et al. Allogeneic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell safety in idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. Mov Disord. 2021;36(8):1825–1834. doi:10.1002/mds.28582. PMID: 33772873. PMCID: PMC8451899.
• [17] Cudkowicz ME, Lindborg SR, Goyal NA, et al. A randomized placebo-controlled phase 3 study of mesenchymal stem cells induced to secrete high levels of neurotrophic factors in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Muscle Nerve. 2022;65(3):291–302. doi:10.1002/mus.27472. PMID: 34890069. PMCID: PMC9305113.
• [18] Corestemchemon Inc. NeuroNata-R® (lenzumestrocel) phase 3 trial ALSUMMIT (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04745299): results presented at PACTALS 2025, Melbourne. Press release, PR Newswire, 18 September 2025 (manufacturer information: primary and secondary endpoints not met in the overall study population; not yet published in a peer-reviewed journal). Study protocol: Nam JY, Lee TY, Kim K, et al. Trials. 2022;23(1):415. doi:10.1186/s13063-022-06327-4. PMID: 35585556.
• [19] Mihaylova MM, Cheng CW, Cao AQ, et al. Fasting activates fatty acid oxidation to enhance intestinal stem cell function during homeostasis and aging. Cell Stem Cell. 2018;22(5):769–778.e4. doi:10.1016/j.stem.2018.04.001. PMID: 29727683. PMCID: PMC5940005.
• [20] Mason C, Dunnill P. A brief definition of regenerative medicine. Regen Med. 2008;3(1):1–5. doi:10.2217/17460751.3.1.1. PMID: 18154457.
• [21] Vizoso FJ, Eiro N, Cid S, et al. Mesenchymal stem cell secretome: toward cell-free therapeutic strategies in regenerative medicine. Int J Mol Sci. 2017;18(9):1852. doi:10.3390/ijms18091852. PMID: 28841158. PMCID: PMC5618501.
• [22] Mackensen A, Müller F, Mougiakakos D, et al. Anti-CD19 CAR T cell therapy for refractory systemic lupus erythematosus. Nat Med. 2022;28(10):2124–2132. doi:10.1038/s41591-022-02017-5. PMID: 36109639.
• [23] Müller F, Taubmann J, Bucci L, et al. CD19 CAR T-cell therapy in autoimmune disease — a case series with follow-up. N Engl J Med. 2024;390(8):687–700. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2308917. PMID: 38381673.