Clinically compatible differentiation protocol for human pluripotent stem cell-derived dopaminergic progenitor cells

Cell replacement therapy with human pluripotent stem cells has the potential to be a new therapy for Parkinson’s disease (PD). This protocol induces human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to dopaminergic progenitor cells (DAPs) as clinically compatible donor cells in 30 days. The protocol includes starting with high density culture, cell sorting by using a cell surface marker for floor plate, and a maturation culture to form floating aggregates. The DAPs differentiated with this protocol were used in a pre-clinical tumorigenicity and efficacy study aiming for approval to start a clinical trial in Japan.