Source: China launches first large-scale stem cell antiaging trial, Longevity.Technology, 11 Jun 2026. Summary written by Future Health GCC.
What happened
The Second Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital in Beijing, widely known as 301 Hospital, has started recruiting for what is described as China’s first large-scale clinical study of stem cells for ageing. It plans to enrol 2,000 adults aged 50 and over who have, or are at risk of, age-related decline in their physical abilities.
What is being tested
The treatment is amimestrocel (brand name Ruibosheng), made from mesenchymal stem cells taken from human umbilical cord tissue. These cells are studied because they appear to help regulate inflammation and support tissue repair, both of which matter more as the body gets older.
It is not new to patients. In January 2025 it became China’s first approved stem cell drug, with conditional approval for acute graft-versus-host disease, a serious complication of stem cell transplants.
How the trial works
The study is a multicentre randomised controlled trial. Comparing people who receive the treatment with people who do not is designed to separate real biological effects from hope, expectation and marketing. The question is not whether stem cells can “reverse” ageing, but whether they can help people keep their function and quality of life for longer.
How far along it is
Recruitment has only just begun, so there are no results yet. Stem cells are not an approved treatment for ageing anywhere, and the article notes that the field has been clouded by clinics making promises the science has not backed up.
What it means for families
It is one of the most serious attempts so far to test umbilical cord tissue cells in healthy ageing, using a proper controlled trial. Until the results are published, any claim that stem cells can slow ageing should be treated with caution.
Read the original article on Longevity.Technology →
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: Bill Branson, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain).