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Autoimmune Diseases and Stem Cell Therapy

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues. Depending on the condition, this can affect joints, the nervous system, or other organs, leading to ongoing inflammation and loss of normal function.

Treatment is typically focused on suppressing immune activity and managing symptoms. While this can help reduce flare-ups, it does not always change how the disease progresses over time.

Stem cell therapy for autoimmune diseases is being explored as a different approach. Rather than focusing only on suppression, it is used to influence how immune responses are regulated within the body.

At ANOVA Institute for Regenerative Medicine (ANOVA IRM), treatment is focused on selected autoimmune conditions where stem cell-based therapies may be considered as part of a medically guided approach.

Autoimmune Conditions Treated at ANOVA IRM

Rheumatoid Arthritis
Multiple Sclerosis

Understanding Autoimmune Diseases

To understand how stem cell therapy may be applied, it is important to look at how immune control breaks down in autoimmune disease.

These conditions are driven by a loss of immune tolerance, meaning the body can no longer reliably distinguish between its own tissues and external threats, leading to immune responses being directed against healthy tissue.

While the affected tissues vary, many autoimmune diseases share common biological patterns, including:

  • ongoing inflammatory signalling that disrupts normal tissue function
  • failure of normal immune regulation that allows responses to remain active
  • cumulative damage caused by repeated immune-mediated injury

Because this activity is continuous rather than triggered by a single event, damage tends to build over time. This is why many autoimmune diseases follow a pattern of flare-ups and progression that can be difficult to fully control.

Diagram showing autoimmune diseases affecting multiple organs due to immune dysregulation relevant to stem cell therapy for autoimmune diseases
Autoimmune diseases are chronic conditions driven by immune dysregulation, where the immune system mistakenly targets healthy tissues across multiple organs, leading to inflammation, damage, and loss of function. Source: Glover et al., 2021, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

How Stem Cell Therapy Works in Autoimmune Disease

Stem cell-based therapies are being explored for their ability to influence dysregulated immune activity and reduce chronic inflammation.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are central to this approach because of how they interact with immune cells involved in ongoing inflammation. Instead of targeting a single pathway, they help moderate how immune responses are regulated more broadly.

This effect is largely driven by paracrine signalling, including the release of bioactive molecules known as the stem cell secretome (SCS). These factors help reduce inflammatory signalling and shape how the local environment responds to ongoing immune processes.

As this environment becomes less driven by persistent inflammation, the affected area becomes more stable. This helps support function and reduce the cycle of ongoing tissue damage over time.

Stem cell-based therapies are not considered a cure, but are experimental approaches used to influence disease activity and support function in selected patients.

Autoimmune Diseases Treated at ANOVA IRM

These are the primary autoimmune conditions treated at ANOVA IRM, each involving persistent immune activity that contributes to ongoing disease progression.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the myelin sheath insulating nerve fibres in the central nervous system. As this protective covering breaks down, nerve signalling is disrupted, affecting movement, coordination, sensation, and other neurological functions.

As this damage progresses, communication between the brain and body becomes increasingly impaired. Treatment therefore aims to limit further disruption to nerve signalling and support overall neurological function.

At ANOVA IRM, stem cell-based therapies are used to influence activity within the central nervous system.

Learn more about stem cell treatment for multiple sclerosis →

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the joint lining, causing inflammation, pain, swelling, and progressive joint damage. Over time, this reduces mobility and disrupts normal joint function.

This damage is not simple wear and tear but a sustained process affecting the synovial tissue and surrounding structures. As it progresses, joint stability becomes harder to maintain and overall function declines. Treatment aims to slow disease progression, while joint-level therapies may help restore or improve function in affected areas, even as the underlying autoimmune process continues.

At ANOVA IRM, secretome-based therapies are used to influence inflammatory activity. Where joints are already affected, treatment is often combined with Bone Marrow Concentrate (BMC) for more direct support within the joint.

Learn more about stem cell treatment for rheumatoid arthritis →

How Treatment Is Applied at ANOVA IRM

Treatment at ANOVA IRM is not based on a single protocol. Instead, it follows a standardized clinical process, with application method and timing varying depending on the condition and patient.

Key elements of this approach include:

  • Autologous stem cell sourcing
    Therapies use cells derived from the patient’s own body, including adipose tissue or Bone Marrow Concentrate (BMC). This approach helps reduce the risk of immune reactions compared to donor-based treatments.
  • Focus on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)
    Selected for their immunomodulatory properties, particularly in conditions where immune activity contributes to ongoing disease processes.
  • Use of the stem cell secretome (SCS)
    Treatment focuses on bioactive factors released by stem cells, allowing therapies to influence immune signalling pathways rather than relying solely on suppression.
  • Controlled processing and quality standards
    All stem cell products are prepared, tested, and handled under strict stem cell therapy protocols to ensure safety, consistency, and traceability.
  • Diagnostics-led treatment planning
    Therapy is guided by diagnostic findings and individual patient factors to determine whether treatment is appropriate and how it should be applied.
  • Regulated medical framework
    Treatments are performed under German regulatory standards, with stem cell products prepared in accordance with GMP and the European Pharmacopoeia.
  • Structured treatment protocols
    Depending on the condition, therapy may involve repeated applications over time as part of a broader treatment strategy.

Learn more about the stem cell therapies used at ANOVA IRM →

Who May Be Considered

Stem cell-based therapies may be considered for patients with autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis, particularly where progression continues despite standard treatment.

Suitability depends on multiple factors, including diagnosis, disease stage, overall health, and functional status. Patients must be medically fit for the procedure and the required tissue harvesting, with eligibility determined through detailed medical evaluation.

Learn more about the diagnostic work-up →

Considering Stem Cell Therapy?

Autoimmune diseases can present differently depending on how they affect the body, which is why treatment decisions require careful evaluation of both the condition and the individual patient.

At ANOVA IRM, treatment decisions are based on medical history, current therapies, and diagnostic findings, which can be submitted in advance or completed as part of the process. Consultations may then be used to review these findings and discuss whether stem cell-based therapy may be appropriate.

Consultations can begin remotely, with on-site evaluation available where further diagnostic work-up is needed.

Request a consultation →

FAQs

Is stem cell therapy a cure for autoimmune diseases?

No. Stem cell therapy is not considered a cure for autoimmune diseases. It is an experimental approach used in treating autoimmune diseases that may help influence disease activity and reduce inflammation, but it does not eliminate the underlying condition, and outcomes vary between patients.

What results can I expect from stem cell treatment for autoimmune diseases?

Stem cell-based therapies aim to reduce inflammatory activity and support more stable disease progression. Some patients may experience symptom improvement or slower progression, while others may see limited change, depending on the specific disease, stage, and overall health. As with other autoimmune diseases treatment protocols, patient outcomes can vary.

Who is a candidate for stem cell treatment for autoimmune diseases?

Candidates are typically patients with diagnosed autoimmune conditions and ongoing disease activity despite treatment. Suitability depends on factors such as disease stage, overall health, and whether the procedure is medically appropriate, which is determined through a detailed evaluation.

Is stem cell therapy safe?

At ANOVA IRM, treatments use autologous stem cells derived from the patient’s own cells, which may reduce the risk of immune reactions compared with donor stem cells or other allogeneic stem cells. Procedures are performed under controlled clinical protocols, but as with any medical treatment, risks must be evaluated on an individual basis.

What types of stem cells are used at ANOVA IRM?

ANOVA IRM uses mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from the patient’s own bone marrow or adipose tissue. Depending on the treatment approach, therapies may also involve bone marrow concentrate (BMC) or stem cell-derived products such as the stem cell secretome.

Does ANOVA use embryonic or pluripotent stem cells?

No. ANOVA IRM uses adult autologous stem cells only and does not use embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, or insulin producing cells.

Is this the same as a stem cell transplant or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation?

No. ANOVA IRM’s approach is different from a stem cell transplant or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. It does not involve high dose immunosuppression, replacement of the immune system, or creation of a new immune system. It is also different from allogeneic transplants that use donor stem cells and carry risks such as graft versus host disease.

Does ANOVA use CAR T cell therapy or other cancer treatment approaches?

No. ANOVA IRM does not use CAR T cell therapy or other cancer treatment models for autoimmune disease treatment. Its approach is based on autologous mesenchymal stem cells and related cell therapy methods used within a regenerative medicine framework.

Are stem cell therapies for autoimmune diseases supported by research or clinical trials?

Stem cell therapies for autoimmune diseases have been studied in clinical research, clinical studies, and clinical trials in conditions such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as other different autoimmune diseases. Current clinical evidence continues to evolve, and more research is needed to better understand long-term clinical outcomes.

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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)