Source: Read the original article, Medical Xpress, 22 Jun 2026. Summary written by Future Health GCC.

What happened

Doctors have reported the long-term results of two people with a severe form of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) who were treated with a stem cell transplant from a donor. The report was published in the journal Med in 2026.

The condition

NMOSD is a rare autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the optic nerves and the spinal cord. Attacks can cause loss of vision and paralysis. Both patients had a form of the disease driven by an antibody called AQP4-IgG that had not responded to other treatments.

What they did and found

The patients received chemotherapy and an antibody treatment to clear out their existing immune system, followed by blood-forming stem cells from a healthy donor to rebuild it.

Both have now been free of attacks for 15 and 16 years. The antibody that causes the disease became undetectable and has stayed that way, and neither needs ongoing immune-suppressing treatment. Their quality of life improved; one has since become a father.

How far along it is

This is a report on just two patients. A donor stem cell transplant is an intensive treatment with serious risks, and the authors say larger studies are needed to understand who might benefit and how safe it is over the long term.

What it means for families

It is a striking example of blood-forming stem cells being used to reset the immune system in a severe autoimmune disease. It does not mean the treatment is suitable for most people with NMOSD.

Read the original article on Medical Xpress →

This is a summary of published research, written by Future Health GCC. It is not medical advice. Speak to your doctor about any treatment.

Photo: Westmead Hospital, CSIRO, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0).