Diseases Treated with Stem Cell Therapy at ANOVA IRM Germany

ANOVA IRM holds a procurement authorisation (Section 20b AMG) for both products, a manufacturing authorisation (Section 13 AMG) for BMC and a manufacturing authorisation (Section 20c AMG) for MSEC. The Hessian State Office for Health and Care (HLfGP) issues these authorisations and inspects our facility regularly. BMC and MSEC are applied only to our own patients as an individual treatment attempt (individueller Heilversuch). They therefore require no authorisation under Section 4b, no marketing authorisation under Section 21 and no approval under Section 21a AMG; details are on our regulatory status page.

At ANOVA IRM, stem cell therapy is offered in five programmes: neurology, joint and back pain, spinal cord injury, erectile dysfunction and anti-ageing. Each programme uses the product that suits the condition: MSEC for neurological diseases, spinal cord injury and anti-ageing, BMC for joint and back pain, and BMC or MSEC for erectile dysfunction. All treatments are experimental and are given alongside — never instead of — the treatment by your doctors.

In neurology, we treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease and the consequences of a stroke with MSEC. MSEC is given mainly into the cerebrospinal fluid (intrathecally). An overview is on our neurology page.

For joint and back pain, we inject BMC directly at the source of pain: into an arthritic or injured joint, the disc, a facet joint or an inflamed vertebral body. In rheumatoid arthritis, MSEC can be added. An overview is on our joint and back pain page.

After a spinal cord injury, MSEC is given into the cerebrospinal fluid, optionally combined with HAL exoskeleton training at Cyberdyne in Bochum. Details are on our spinal cord injury page.

For erectile dysfunction, BMC is usually injected into the erectile tissue; MSEC is an alternative in selected cases. Details are on our erectile dysfunction page.

Our anti-ageing programme combines several components, among them MSEC, a full-body MRI and, at the VITUS PRIVATKLINIK Prof. Dr. Stehling GmbH, which also belongs to Dr. Stehling, infusion therapies. Hair loss and skin rejuvenation are treated within the same programme. Details are on our anti-ageing page.

Multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis are autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissue. In MS, MSEC is used; in rheumatoid arthritis, BMC for affected joints and MSEC for the immune system. An overview is on our autoimmune diseases page.

Before any treatment, we look for the cause of your symptoms, because different conditions can look alike. Dr. Stehling, founder of ANOVA IRM, is a radiologist and physicist. We work with the Prof. Dr. Stehling Institut für Bildgebende Diagnostik GmbH, which, like ANOVA IRM, belongs to Dr. Stehling and is located in the same building. There, imaging such as MRI with contrast or arthro-MRI can be carried out in-house if needed; your own doctors can also carry out the examinations. The full pathway is on our diagnostics page; for an independent assessment of existing findings, we offer a second opinion.

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In some further conditions, we apply stem cell products in individual cases while our programmes are still being developed. For these conditions there is no fixed programme yet; each treatment is decided individually after a medical assessment. An overview is on our works in progress page.

Stem cell treatment at ANOVA IRM costs approximately €8,000 to €36,000, depending on the product and the condition, and begins with a remote assessment followed by a visit to Offenbach. It may be considered for adults whose condition and general health allow it after a medical assessment.

Stem cell treatments at ANOVA IRM cost approximately €8,000 to €36,000 and are billed according to the German Medical Fee Schedule (Gebührenordnung für Ärzte, GOÄ). The cost depends mainly on the product, the number of applications and the application route.

What does treatment with BMC cost?

Treatment with BMC costs approximately €8,000 to €9,000. It takes one visit of two consecutive days: bone marrow collection and injection on the same day. Where CT guides the injection, for example always in the lumbar spine, the cost is closer to €9,000. Treating several areas can require a double BMC, which costs correspondingly more.

What does treatment with MSEC cost?

Treatment with MSEC costs approximately €20,000 to €36,000. The base package of about €20,000 includes the mini-liposuction and the first three doses; each further dose is charged separately at approximately €2,250 (intravenous) to €2,350 (intrathecal). One production yields 10 doses. In chronic conditions, a double liposuction with 20 doses can be recommended; its cost is shown in your individual estimate.

The exact schedule and cost for your condition are described on the respective disease page. The anti-ageing programme has its own prices, shown on the anti-ageing page. Treatment is generally self-funded. Before any decision you receive an individual written cost estimate. Our blog post on treatment cost explains what drives the cost of stem cell treatment. Travel and accommodation are not included. All prices are subject to change.

Adults with a condition treated in one of our programmes may be considered, particularly where inflammation, tissue damage or a loss of function continues despite standard treatment. Suitability depends on the diagnosis, the stage of the condition, your general health and your fitness for the tissue collection. Your doctor weighs the possible benefit against the risks and recommends treatment only where the benefit is likely to outweigh them.

What are the contraindications for stem cell therapy?

Our treatments are experimental. We treat only people for whom, after medical assessment, we consider the benefit-risk balance to support treatment.

Applies to all ANOVA treatments:

• Active cancer within the last two years
• Under the age of legal majority
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Active infectious disease (hepatitis A, B, C, HIV, syphilis or other)

Further contraindications depend on the condition and the application route, for example the ability to breathe unaided during sedation. They are listed on each disease page.

Each disease page describes the programme for that condition in full: the product and application route, the schedule, specific contraindications, the standard of care, the scientific background and the cost. You can find all disease pages in the overview above. If you are unsure which page applies to you, our patient care team will help.

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Stem cell therapy is being investigated in many clinical studies, but only a few products have been approved so far. Up to 2018, 914 clinical trials with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) had been registered; by April 2023 the number had risen to 1,120.^[1],[3] At that time, only 12 MSC therapies worldwide had been approved by regulatory agencies, nine of them in Asia.^[3] In many of the more advanced external studies, the main efficacy goal could not yet be demonstrated.^[2]

Cell-free products are a newer field. In 2022, 73 registered clinical trials investigated extracellular vesicles from cells, 49 of them from MSCs; an analysis of trials registered from 2014 to 2024 counted 66 trials with MSC-derived vesicles and exosomes.^[4],[5] Most of these trials are small and differ widely in product, dose and route of application. ANOVA IRM has not yet tested BMC or MSEC in a clinical study; the evidence for each condition is described on the respective disease page.

BMC is made from your own bone marrow and contains blood-forming (haematopoietic) and mesenchymal stem cells in their natural composition, together with growth factors. It is concentrated on the day of collection, not multiplied in the laboratory, and injected locally at the source of the problem, for example into a joint or the disc. Reviews describe its use mainly in osteoarthritis and cartilage damage and call for larger controlled studies.^[9],[7] Details on production, quality control and studies are on our BMC page.

MSEC is cell-free: it contains the messenger substances (the secretome), including extracellular vesicles such as exosomes, that mesenchymal stem cells from your own fat tissue release in the laboratory. Stem cells are thought to act largely through these substances, which may influence inflammation and immune activity.^[8],[10] MSEC is manufactured under officially inspected good professional practice (GFP). GFP is the German counterpart of Good Tissue Practice (GTP) in the US. Unlike a registration with the US FDA, which on its own is no official confirmation that the rules are met, GFP in Germany is a condition of the official authorisation and is regularly inspected by the authorities. Reviews also describe the open questions of dose, standardisation and translation into clinical benefit.^[6] Details are on our MSEC page.

The mesenchymal stem cell secretome, or MSC secretome, is also called the mesenchymal stromal cell secretome. Mesenchymal stem cells and mesenchymal stromal cells are two names for the same cells (MSC); the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy recommends “stromal” for cells grown in the laboratory. MSEC is therefore a mesenchymal stromal cell secretome made from your own cells.

Stem cell therapy is not a cure, and a benefit cannot be promised in an individual case. Laboratory and early clinical research is investigating whether stem cells and their secretome may:

• Influence inflammation and immune activity in chronic conditions
• Support repair-related processes in damaged tissue
• Reduce symptoms or improve function, depending on the condition

Results vary with the type and stage of the condition, and not all conditions respond in the same way. Our aim is usually to relieve symptoms and slow progression, not to reverse a disease.

Stem cell products differ widely in how they are made and checked. When you compare providers, these questions can help:

• Is the clinic officially authorised and inspected? Ask to see the authorisation.
• Does it work under a quality management system such as GFP or GMP?
• Which quality tests are carried out on the product before and after application, and to which standard, for example the European Pharmacopoeia?
• If tests are carried out externally, are the contract laboratories officially inspected?
• For donor products: who are the donors, in which country are they recruited, and how is each donor tested?

ANOVA IRM uses only autologous products from your own body. More background on choosing a stem cell therapy is on our stem cell therapy page.

At ANOVA IRM, BMC and MSEC are applied as an individual treatment attempt (individueller Heilversuch), after full disclosure and with your informed consent. The products are manufactured in our own facility under official authorisation and regular inspection by the HLfGP and are used only for our own patients. Why no marketing authorisation is required is explained on our regulatory status page.

Talk to us about current changes or additions to our programmes.

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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)?
• What are stem cells?
• What should I ask when looking for a stem cell treatment?
• Which stem cell therapies does ANOVA offer?
• Neurology — overview
• Joint and back pain — overview
• Autoimmune diseases — overview
• Translational medicine — works in progress

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

Literature on individual conditions is on the disease pages, on the products on the BMC and MSEC pages.

Clinical trials with stem cells and stem cell products — numbers and status

• [1] Kabat M, Bobkov I, Kumar S, et al. Trends in mesenchymal stem cell clinical trials 2004-2018: is efficacy optimal in a narrow dose range? Stem Cells Transl Med. 2020;9(1):17–27. doi:10.1002/sctm.19-0202. PMID: 31804767.
• [2] Levy O, Kuai R, Siren EMJ, et al. Shattering barriers toward clinically meaningful MSC therapies. Sci Adv. 2020;6(30):eaba6884. doi:10.1126/sciadv.aba6884. PMID: 32832666.
• [3] Fernández-Garza LE, Barrera-Barrera SA, Barrera-Saldaña HA. Mesenchymal stem cell therapies approved by regulatory agencies around the world. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2023;16(9):1334. doi:10.3390/ph16091334. PMID: 37765141.
• [4] Duong A, Parmar G, Kirkham AM, et al. Registered clinical trials investigating treatment with cell-derived extracellular vesicles: a scoping review. Cytotherapy. 2023;25(9):939–945. doi:10.1016/j.jcyt.2023.04.007. PMID: 37191614.
• [5] Wang Y, Zhu J, Ma Q, et al. Trends in mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles clinical trials 2014-2024: is efficacy optimal in a narrow dose range? Front Med (Lausanne). 2025;12:1625787. doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1625787. PMID: 41048938.

Reviews on the clinical application of stem cells and their products

• [6] Galipeau J, Sensébé L. Mesenchymal stromal cells: clinical challenges and therapeutic opportunities. Cell Stem Cell. 2018;22(6):824–833. doi:10.1016/j.stem.2018.05.004. PMID: 29859173.
• [7] Pittenger MF, Discher DE, Péault BM, et al. Mesenchymal stem cell perspective: cell biology to clinical progress. NPJ Regen Med. 2019;4:22. doi:10.1038/s41536-019-0083-6. PMID: 31815001.
• [8] Jovic D, Yu Y, Wang D, et al. A brief overview of global trends in MSC-based cell therapy. Stem Cell Rev Rep. 2022;18(5):1525–1545. doi:10.1007/s12015-022-10369-1. PMID: 35344199.
• [9] Kim GB, Seo MS, Park WT, et al. Bone marrow aspirate concentrate: its uses in osteoarthritis. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(9):3224. doi:10.3390/ijms21093224. PMID: 32370163.
• [10] Lotfy A, AboQuella NM, Wang H. Mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes in clinical trials. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2023;14(1):66. doi:10.1186/s13287-023-03287-7. PMID: 37024925.