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Neurological conditions

Autologous cellular therapy (stem cells) for Parkinson's disease.

A procedure for adults with Parkinson's disease, made from your own bone marrow. We draw the marrow, minimally process it in our on-site lab, and give it by IV and, in selected cases, through the nose (intranasally). It contains mesenchymal stromal cells, often called stem cells. No donor cells are used. We see patients from Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, and across the United States.

Parkinson's disease Tremor Stiffness and slowness Balance and walking Sleep and mood symptoms

What it involves

What Parkinson's disease involves.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive condition of the brain. It affects nerve cells that make dopamine, a chemical messenger that helps coordinate movement. People with Parkinson's disease often notice tremor, stiffness, slowness, and changes in balance and walking, along with symptoms such as sleep and mood changes.

Researchers are studying what happens around those nerve cells as well as in them. Inflammation in the brain and the signals that cells send to one another are two areas of that work, and they are part of why investigators have looked at biologics that act through signaling.

What to expect

How the procedure works.

We draw bone marrow from the back of the hip under local anesthesia and image guidance. The aspirate is filtered and minimally processed in our on-site lab, then given the same visit by IV and, in selected cases, intranasally. Structured symptom tracking continues over time.

The full steps are on our Brain & neurological conditions page.

Researchers have studied how intranasally delivered stem cells enter the central nervous system.1

Research

Research at the Apeiron Research Center.

The Apeiron Research Center runs two registered studies in Parkinson's disease. Each study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. Below is a summary of each one, with a link to its full registry record.

Summarized from ClinicalTrials.gov · October 2, 2026. The registry record is the authoritative source for current status and eligibility.

NCT07751640 · SPARC-PD Active, not recruiting

A pilot study in Parkinson's disease and Parkinson-plus syndromes.

Registered title: Autologous Bone Marrow Aspirate (IV) and Bone Marrow Concentrate (Intranasal) for Parkinson's Disease and Parkinson-Plus Syndromes (SPARC-PD)

A pilot study of a single, same-day procedure. Bone marrow is drawn from the back of the hip under local anesthesia. Part of it is filtered and given intravenously (BMA); part is concentrated in the lab and delivered as a fine intranasal mist (BMAC). The cells are the participant's own, and are not expanded in culture or genetically modified.

The main question is safety and tolerability. The study also looks at blood-based measures of biological age and at the makeup of the cells that were delivered.

PhasePhase 1 / 2a pilot
DesignSingle-arm, open-label; each participant is their own control
Enrollment10 participants (enrollment complete)
Ages40 to 85
StartedMay 2025
Est. completionSeptember 2026
Principal investigatorJason Glowney, MD, MSc
SponsorApeiron Research Center

What the study measures

  • Primary: treatment-related adverse events, graded on the standard NCI (CTCAE v5.0) scale, from baseline through 12 months.
  • Biological age: DNA-methylation "clocks" (GrimAge and organ-system Systems Age) from a blood draw at baseline and about 6 months.
  • The delivered cells: concentration, viability, and dose of mesenchymal stromal cells, measured by flow cytometry.
  • Symptoms and function: standard Parkinson's motor, non-motor, cognitive, and quality-of-life scales, plus gait and sit-to-stand tests.
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Last updated on the registry August 7, 2026.

NCT06858254 · SO-ASC-INIVAT Not yet recruiting

Intranasal and intravenous delivery in Parkinson's disease and atypical parkinsonism.

Registered title: Standard Optimization of Autologous Stem Cells by Intranasal and Intravenous Administration to Treat Parkinson's Disease and Atypical Parkinsonism

A randomized crossover study comparing intranasal and intravenous delivery of the participant's own bone marrow-derived biologics, measuring effects on motor and non-motor function. It is a collaboration with the University of Colorado Boulder.

Participants attend seven scheduled visits over 18 months, every three months, alternating in-person and remote. At the first two treatment visits (day 0 and 6 months), each participant receives one route and a sham of the other, in a randomized order. At 12 months, everyone receives both.

PhasePhase 1 / 2
DesignRandomized crossover; participant-blinded
Planned enrollment60 participants (40 Parkinson's, 20 Parkinson-plus)
Ages40 to 75
Duration18 months per participant
Est. completionApril 2028
Principal investigatorJason Glowney, MD, MSc
Sponsor · collaboratorApeiron Research Center · University of Colorado Boulder

What the study measures

  • Motor function: MDS-UPDRS Part III motor exam, 10-meter walk, five-times sit-to-stand, Mini-BESTest balance, and Hoehn & Yahr stage.
  • Cognition: Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), among other standardized scales.
  • Brain activity: resting and task-based functional MRI.
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Last updated on the registry March 5, 2025.

Titles are shown as registered; the Apeiron Research Center is a separate non-profit from the Boulder Biologics clinic, and trial participation follows IRB-approved protocols and informed consent.

Schedule a call → All clinical trials

Talking it through

A consultation is how we figure that out.

We work out together, case by case, whether this makes sense for you. That usually takes a few visits, including a review of your records and, where relevant, a case conference.

What we look at together

  • Your Parkinson's diagnosis, and who made it
  • Your current medications and how they are working for you
  • Your symptom history, including when symptoms began and how they have changed
  • Prior imaging or other records, if you have them
  • Your questions about the procedure and what a multi-visit evaluation involves

Rationale

Why investigators are studying MSC-containing biologics.

Bone marrow as a cell source.

Mesenchymal stromal cells are found in bone marrow. In the body, they appear to act mainly by releasing signals that adjust the immune system.

Bone marrow holds several types of stem and stromal cells, and researchers have examined which of them suit cell-based approaches in neurodegenerative disorders.2

The full mechanism is described on our Brain & neurological conditions page.

A recent laboratory study.

In 2023, Mendes-Pinheiro and colleagues studied the secretome, the set of factors that bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells release. The cells themselves were not used.3 The work was preclinical: lab-grown human midbrain organoids and animal models of Parkinson's disease.

The secretome protected dopamine-producing neurons from loss, and the effect was more evident in the animal models. In the animal models it led to recovery of motor function, and repeated whole-body (systemic) doses had larger effects than a single injection into the brain.

This was lab and animal research. It was not a study in people, and it did not test this clinic's procedure.

Parkinson's disease, answered

Questions we hear most often.

What does the procedure involve? +

We draw bone marrow from the back of the hip under local anesthesia and image guidance. The aspirate is filtered and minimally processed in our on-site lab, then given the same visit by IV and, in selected cases, intranasally. Structured symptom tracking continues over time.

Does it use donor cells? +

No. Only autologous (patient-derived) cellular material is used. No donor cells are administered. No culture expansion, genetic modification, or manufacturing of cells occurs. At Boulder Biologics, we use autologous biologic material only: no donor-derived, umbilical cord, placental, or amniotic products.

How do the IV and intranasal routes work? +

Intravenous (IV) delivery goes through a vein. Intranasal delivery goes through the nose, for CNS access via olfactory / trigeminal pathways. CNS means the central nervous system, the brain and spinal cord. We go over which routes make sense for you at your consultation.

How is this different from the Apeiron Research Center studies? +

The Apeiron Research Center is a separate non-profit from the Boulder Biologics clinic. Its studies are registered with ClinicalTrials.gov and follow IRB-approved protocols and informed consent. The procedure on this page is given at the clinic, not through those studies, and the trials are separate from clinic care.

Where do you see patients? +

We see patients from Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, and across the United States. The clinic is at 4745 Arapahoe Ave, Suite 300, Boulder, CO 80303.

References

Selected literature.

  1. Galeano C, Qiu Z, Mishra A, et al. The route by which intranasally delivered stem cells enter the central nervous system. Cell Transplant. 2018;27(3):501–514.
  2. Wislet-Gendebien S, Laudet E, Neirinckx V, Rogister B. Adult bone marrow: which stem cells for cellular therapy protocols in neurodegenerative disorders? J Biomed Biotechnol. 2012;2012:601560.
  3. Mendes-Pinheiro B, Campos J, Marote A, et al. Treating Parkinson's disease with human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell secretome: a translational investigation using human brain organoids and different routes of in vivo administration. Cells. 2023;12(21):2565. doi:10.3390/cells12212565. PMID 37947643.

Safety

What we tell patients about safety.

Autologous biologics reduce immune rejection risks seen with donor-derived products. Patients are screened carefully. Full safety information is on our Brain & neurological conditions page.

Regulatory Disclaimer

Regulatory status

  • No stem cell or cellular therapy is FDA-approved for Parkinson's disease.
  • The procedures described are investigational.
  • No claims are made regarding cure, neuroregeneration, or disease modification.
  • Outcomes vary; no benefit is guaranteed.

We describe these treatments only as far as the published evidence goes.

Terminology and scientific accuracy

Consistent with FDA guidance and current scientific consensus, we avoid claims that mesenchymal stromal cells differentiate into functional brain cells in vivo. Any potential benefit is described as paracrine signaling, immune modulation, and support for endogenous repair, consistent with the prevailing literature.

References to "stem cells" on this page reflect cellular populations contained within autologous bone marrow–derived biologic material, not manufactured or expanded stem cell products.

Autologous vs donor-derived cells

The FDA has raised particular concern regarding allogeneic (donor-derived) stem cell products, including umbilical cord, placental, and amniotic products, marketed outside of approved clinical trials.

At Boulder Biologics:

  • Only autologous (patient-derived) cellular material is used
  • No donor cells are administered
  • No culture expansion, genetic modification, or manufacturing of cells occurs

Investigational nature and informed consent

  • Patients are informed that this approach is experimental.
  • Clinical response is variable and unpredictable.
  • Some patients may experience no benefit.
  • Long-term efficacy data for Parkinson's disease are not yet established.

Participation is voluntary, and treatment is undertaken only after a comprehensive informed-consent process.

Intranasal delivery, investigational

As with Long COVID-associated cognitive dysfunction, intranasal delivery is explored as a route to allow biologic signaling molecules to access the central nervous system via olfactory and trigeminal pathways. Intranasal delivery remains investigational and is not FDA-approved for neurological disease.

Related

Related pages.

Brain & neurological conditions

The overview of our work with brain and neurological conditions, including the steps of the procedure.

Read the overview →

Clinical trials

The Apeiron Research Center's registered studies, summarized from ClinicalTrials.gov.

See the studies →

Bone marrow cellular therapy

How we draw and process your own bone marrow.

Read more →

Schedule a call about Parkinson's disease

Tell us about your situation.

Our team will review your history, records, and current symptoms, and go over what the procedure involves and which next step makes sense for you.

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