Mesenchymal Stem Cells for the Treatment of Perianal Fistulizing Crohn's Disease (PFCD)

A Phase IB/IIA Study of Adult Allogeneic Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells for the Treatment of Perianal Fistulizing Crohn's Disease

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of using adult allogeneic bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), to treat people for medically refractory perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease.

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: Crohn Disease; Perianal Crohn Disease; Perianal Fistula
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Other: Placebo

Detailed Description

Crohn's disease (CD), a chronic transmural inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, continues to increase in incidence for unknown reasons. According to population based studies, at least 26% of patients with CD will develop perianal fistulas in the first two decades following diagnosis, particularly those with colonic and rectal involvement. These patients experience significant morbidity due to pain, persistent drainage, recurrent perianal sepsis, and ongoing need to access medical care resulting in increased costs and impaired quality of life.

Unfortunately, perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease is notoriously difficult to cure with 37% of patients experiencing refractory disease. As a result, patients cycle through numerous immunosuppressive medications that can have significant side effects, and >90% undergo multiple surgical interventions putting them at risk of incontinence.

The specific rationale for MSCs in perianal Crohn's fistulas is based upon 1) their anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties; 2) several studies reporting the safety and efficacy of MSCs for the treatment of perianal Crohn's fistula; 3) existence of safe manufacturing methods for isolation and expansion of MSCs.

This study will enroll 20 participants that have Crohn's disease with medically and surgically refractory perianal fistulizing disease. Participants enrolled will be those that meet particular criteria for participation in the clinical trial.

Enrolled participants will be randomized to treatment group with adult allogeneic bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells, versus placebo in a 3:1 fashion. Participants in the treatment group will have a direct injection of MSCs at a dose of 75 million cells. This will be given as a direct injection in and around the fistula tract. Participants will be evaluated for complete healing at three months. If complete healing has been achieved, participants will continue to be followed for one year. If complete healing has not been achieved at three months, participants will be eligible for a second injection of MSCs at the same dose of 75 million cells. Control participants without complete healing from placebo will cross over at the 6 month visit to receive an injection of MSCs and again three months after this as above, and will be followed for one year after treatment to a total duration of 18 months.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 25
• Phase: Phase 2; Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Ohio
    • Cleveland, Ohio, United States, 44195
      • Cleveland Clinic

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria

1. Men and Women 18-75 years of age with a diagnosis of Crohn's disease for at least six months duration.
2. Single and Multi-tract Perianal fistula, with or without previous failed surgical repair.
3. Have no contraindications to MR evaluations: e.g. pacemaker or magnetically active metal fragments, claustrophobia
4. Ability to comply with protocol
5. Competent and able to provide written informed consent
6. Concurrent Crohn's-related therapies with stable doses (>2 months) corticosteroids, 5- ASA drugs, immunomodulators, anti-TNF therapy, anti-integrin and anti-interleukin therapies are permitted

Exclusion Criteria

1. Inability to give informed consent.
2. Clinically significant medical conditions within the six months before administration of MSCs: e.g. myocardial infarction, active angina, congestive heart failure or other conditions that would, in the opinion of the investigators, compromise the safety of the subject.

3. Specific exclusions:

   1. Hepatitis B or C
   2. HIV
   3. Abnormal AST or ALT at screening(defined as >/= 2x ULN)
4. History of cancer including melanoma (with the exception of localized skin cancers) within one year of screening.
5. History of colorectal cancer within 5 years
6. Investigational drug within one month of treatment
7. Pregnant or breast feeding or trying to become pregnant.
8. Presence of a rectovaginal or perineal body fistula
9. Change in Crohn's immunosuppressive regimen within the 2 months prior to enrollment
10. Uncontrolled intestinal Crohn's disease which will require escalation for medical therapy or surgery within 2 months of enrollment
11. Severe anal canal disease that is stenotic and requires dilation
12. Female participant unwilling to agree to use acceptable contraception methods during participation in study

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Direct injection of adult allogeneic bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells, at a dose of 75 million cells into perianal fistula(s) at baseline with a possible repeat injection at 3 months if not completely healed from the first injection.	Drug: Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Direct injection of adult allogeneic bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cell product, at a dose of 75 million cells into perianal fistula(s)
Placebo Comparator: Placebo; Direct injection of normal saline. If not completely healed after 6 months, participants will then cross over to the treatment group to receive a direct injection of adult allogeneic bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells, at a dose of 75 million cells into perianal fistula(s)	Other: Placebo; Normal saline

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Treatment related adverse events	Number of participants with treatment related adverse events post-injection of 75 million allogeneic bone marrow derived MSC's for the treatment of perianal fistula(s) in the setting of Crohn's disease as assessed by protocol CCF-Stem Cells IBD-001	Month 6

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Complete clinical healing	Number of participants with complete clinical healing post-injection of 75 million allogeneic bone marrow derived MSC's for the treatment of perianal fistula(s) in the setting of Crohn's disease. Complete Healing is defined as: Radiographic Healing: MRI with an absence of a fluid collection >2 cm in 3 of 3 dimensions, lack of edema, inflammation or sign of active inflammatory response. A remnant scar of a fistula tract may remain Clinical Healing: 100% cessation of drainage on both clinical exam with deep palpation and per patient report and epithelization of the external fistula opening	Month 6, Month 12

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Partial clinical healing	Number of participants with partial clinical healing post-injection of 75 million allogeneic bone marrow derived MSC's for the treatment of perianal fistula(s) in the setting of Crohn's disease Partial clinical healing is defined as: Radiographic Healing: MRI with an absence of a fluid collection >2 cm in 2 of 3 dimensions, lack of edema, inflammation or sign of active inflammatory response. A remnant scar of a fistula tract may remain Clinical healing: Greater than or equal to 50 % cessation of drainage on both clinical exam with deep palpation and per patient report and epithelization of the external fistula opening	Month 6, Month 12
Lack of response	Number of participants with lack of response post-injection of 75 million allogeneic bone marrow derived MSC's for the treatment of perianal fistula(s) in the setting of Crohn's disease Lack of response is defined as: Radiographic and Clinical healing which does not meet the threshold for Partial Healing	Month 6, Month 12
Worsening of disease	Number of participants with worsening of disease post-injection of 75 million allogeneic bone marrow derived MSC's for the treatment of perianal fistula(s) in the setting of Crohn's disease Worsening disease is defined as: Radiographic: MRI with a fluid collection >2 cm in 2 of 3 dimensions, edema, inflammation or sign of active inflammatory response. An increased number of tracts may be seen, or increased branching from the primary tract, Clinical: Increased drainage per patient report and on clinical exam	Month 6, Month 12

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Anthony Lembo
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Amy Lightner, MD, The Cleveland Clinic

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Kasparek MS, Glatzle J, Temeltcheva T, Mueller MH, Koenigsrainer A, Kreis ME. Long-term quality of life in patients with Crohn's disease and perianal fistulas: influence of fecal diversion. Dis Colon Rectum. 2007 Dec;50(12):2067-74. doi: 10.1007/s10350-007-9006-5.
• Sandborn WJ, Fazio VW, Feagan BG, Hanauer SB; American Gastroenterological Association Clinical Practice Committee. AGA technical review on perianal Crohn's disease. Gastroenterology. 2003 Nov;125(5):1508-30. doi: 10.1016/j.gastro.2003.08.025. No abstract available.
• Schwartz DA, Loftus EV Jr, Tremaine WJ, Panaccione R, Harmsen WS, Zinsmeister AR, Sandborn WJ. The natural history of fistulizing Crohn's disease in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Gastroenterology. 2002 Apr;122(4):875-80. doi: 10.1053/gast.2002.32362.
• Panes J, Garcia-Olmo D, Van Assche G, Colombel JF, Reinisch W, Baumgart DC, Dignass A, Nachury M, Ferrante M, Kazemi-Shirazi L, Grimaud JC, de la Portilla F, Goldin E, Richard MP, Leselbaum A, Danese S; ADMIRE CD Study Group Collaborators. Expanded allogeneic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (Cx601) for complex perianal fistulas in Crohn's disease: a phase 3 randomised, double-blind controlled trial. Lancet. 2016 Sep 24;388(10051):1281-90. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31203-X. Epub 2016 Jul 29.
• Panes J, Garcia-Olmo D, Van Assche G, Colombel JF, Reinisch W, Baumgart DC, Dignass A, Nachury M, Ferrante M, Kazemi-Shirazi L, Grimaud JC, de la Portilla F, Goldin E, Richard MP, Diez MC, Tagarro I, Leselbaum A, Danese S; ADMIRE CD Study Group Collaborators. Long-term Efficacy and Safety of Stem Cell Therapy (Cx601) for Complex Perianal Fistulas in Patients With Crohn's Disease. Gastroenterology. 2018 Apr;154(5):1334-1342.e4. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2017.12.020. Epub 2017 Dec 24.
• Molendijk I, Bonsing BA, Roelofs H, Peeters KC, Wasser MN, Dijkstra G, van der Woude CJ, Duijvestein M, Veenendaal RA, Zwaginga JJ, Verspaget HW, Fibbe WE, van der Meulen-de Jong AE, Hommes DW. Allogeneic Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Promote Healing of Refractory Perianal Fistulas in Patients With Crohn's Disease. Gastroenterology. 2015 Oct;149(4):918-27.e6. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2015.06.014. Epub 2015 Jun 25.
• Molendijk I, van der Meulen-de Jong AE, Verspaget HW, Veenendaal RA, Hommes DW, Bonsing BA, Peeters KCMJ. Standardization of mesenchymal stromal cell therapy for perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018 Oct;30(10):1148-1154. doi: 10.1097/MEG.0000000000001208.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 19, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 12, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): November 16, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 17, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 17, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): August 20, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 16, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 13, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: perianal fistula; perianal Crohn's disease; mesenchymal stromal cells; mesenchymal stem cells
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Intestinal Diseases; Digestive System Diseases; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Gastroenteritis; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Crohn Disease
• Other Study ID Numbers: 20-1020

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No