A Landmark Transplant: First Stem Cell Transplant from Deceased Donor

A 68-year-old woman with relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) underwent what appears to be the first successful stem cell transplant using stem cells recovered from a deceased donor. The procedure was performed at Henry Ford Health in Detroit and is notable because it may expand access for people who cannot find a suitable living donor, a barrier that mainly affects people from racial and ethnic minorities.

How stem cell transplantation works

Stem cell transplantation, also called a bone marrow transplant, replaces unhealthy blood-forming cells with healthy ones. Before the infusion, conditioning treatment lowers leukemia cells and temporarily weakens the immune system. Donor stem cells then travel through the bloodstream to the recipient’s bone marrow and begin making new blood cells. This is a process called engraftment. Engraftment means the donor cells are producing white cells, red cells, and platelets again. 

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Why matching is hard and why this approach could help

Donor selection relies on human leukocyte antigen matching, often abbreviated as HLA. HLA typing checks immune markers that help the body recognize self from non-self. Close matches reduce complications after transplant. Many people, especially those who are Black, Hispanic, Asian, or of mixed ancestry, never find an appropriate match in living donor registries. Using banked marrow recovered from deceased organ and tissue donors may broaden the pool and speed finding a match.

Where stem cells come from and how they are stored

Ossium Health partners with organ procurement organizations to recover vertebral bones shortly after death. Bone marrow is processed and cryopreserved at ultra-low temperatures so it can be typed, stored, and shipped on demand. Laboratory and process-development research shows these cryopreserved products can be produced under good manufacturing practice standards with cell doses adequate for transplantation. 

What happened in Detroit and what followed

When no living donor match was available in time, a 68-year-old African American woman had the opportunity to receive a first-in-the-world treatment. This was a stem cell transplant, with the marrow cells being cryopreserved from a deceased donor. Her transplant engrafted, and she was reported to be doing well afterward. 

Additional media coverage and company statements note other early cases, including a man of mixed Hispanic and Asian ancestry who received a similar transplant and is recovering. While having a successful result is encouraging, individual cases do not replace clinical trial evidence. 

An ongoing trial that evaluates how feasible and safe it is to use cryopreserved bone marrow from deceased donors 

A first-in-human study, PRESERVE I, is evaluating the safety and feasibility of allogeneic transplantation using cryopreserved bone marrow from deceased donors for patients with acute and chronic leukemias, myelodysplastic syndromes, and certain lymphomas. Key objectives include timely neutrophil engraftment and product safety. 

This study (NCT05580896) is ongoing and the listings are in multiple sites in the United States. I For people who do not meet study criteria, Ossium’s HOPE Program offers a compassionate-use pathway at select centers.

Whether it comes from a live donor or a deceased donor, any allogeneic transplant has safety considerations

As with any allogeneic transplant, potential risks include infections, organ damage, and graft-versus-host disease, which occurs when donor immune cells react to the recipient’s tissues. Deceased-donor marrow undergoes communicable disease screening and processing to meet regulatory and quality standards, but long-term outcomes still need to be determined through ongoing clinical trials. 

What this could mean for access and timelines

Because banked marrow has already been collected, typed, and stored, it can be matched and shipped quickly. Shortening the donor search may matter for patients with aggressive disease where weeks count. Early reports also suggest each deceased donor may provide larger cell quantities than a living donor, which could support dosing needs or multiple recipients, but definitive clinical data are still being gathered. 

For people who struggle to find a suitable living donor, deceased-donor bone marrow is an emerging option being tested in clinical studies. If you are facing a transplant decision, ask your care team which options are available and if you should consider a clinical trial. You can also explore additional educational resources on HealthTree to prepare questions for your next appointment. 

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Ready to receive your transplantation? Check the patient and caregiver guide to stem cell transplantation. 

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Sources: 

• Historic Deceased-Donor Stem Cell Transplant Holds Promise for People with Blood Disease 
• A First-in-Human Study of HLA-Partially to Fully Matched Allogenic Cryopreserved Deceased Donor Bone Marrow Transplantation for Patients With Hematologic Malignancies
• HPC Offered for PRESERVE Expansion
• Ossium's HOPE Program
• Bone Marrow Donors Can Be Hard to Find. One Company Is Turning to Cadavers