Updated sasineprocel formulation makes it easier to manufacture, deliver
Written by Andrea Lobo | July 2, 2026
- Sasineprocel, a cell therapy for Parkinson's, uses patient's reprogrammed skin cells to replace lost dopamine neurons.
- A new "thaw-and-inject" formulation is being tested for easier manufacturing and delivery.
- Early trial data shows the therapy is safe and improves motor symptoms and daily functioning.
Aspen Neuroscience has expanded its ongoing Phase 1/2a clinical trial by dosing two new groups of Parkinson’s disease patients with sasineprocel (ANPD001). For the first time in the study, these participants received a new, commercial-ready formulation of the cell therapy designed to make future manufacturing and treatment delivery much easier to scale.
This formulation utilizes cryopreserved, “thaw-and-inject” cells that are ready for dosing at the clinical site.
The open-label ASPIRO study (NCT06344026) is testing the safety and tolerability of sasineprocel over one year in adults with moderate-to-severe Parkinson’s.
“We are proud to reach this important milestone, which reflects meaningful progress in the sasineprocel program and underscores the growing clinical experience with our personalized, autologous approach,” Damien McDevitt, PhD, Aspen’s president and CEO, said in a company press release. “Importantly, the use of our commercial formulation in these cohorts represents a critical step toward scalable manufacturing and commercial readiness as we prepare for Phase 3 initiation.”
Replacing lost dopamine neurons
Parkinson’s is caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons, which are the nerve cells that produce dopamine, a brain signaling molecule involved in motor control. Impaired dopamine signaling in the brain leads to Parkinson’s symptoms, including slowed movements, rigidity, tremors, and balance issues.
Sasineprocel is an autologous cell therapy designed to replace these gradually lost dopaminergic neurons. The process begins by collecting skin cells from the patient, which are then reprogrammed in the lab into induced pluripotent stem cells.
These cells are then guided to develop into dopaminergic neuronal precursors, which are delivered to the patient via MRI-guided injection into the putamen, a brain region involved in Parkinson’s disease, where they’re expected to mature into functional dopaminergic neurons.
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