February 28, 2026
Published in The Lancet (February 2026)
Diana Farmer, MD, University of California, Davis, 2022 Harrington Scholar-Innovator, and her team have published groundbreaking first‑in‑human results from the CuRe Trial, a pioneering study exploring whether adding a stem‑cell–based therapy to fetal surgery can improve outcomes for babies diagnosed with myelomeningocele, the most severe form of spina bifida.
In this Phase 1 clinical study, surgeons performed the standard in‑utero repair and added a layer of placenta‑derived mesenchymal stem cells placed over the spinal defect. The goal was to strengthen the repair, protect developing nerves, and potentially improve long‑term mobility.
The first six babies treated showed encouraging safety results: all were born with intact surgical repair, no infections or abnormal tissue growth, and no cell‑related complications. Early MRI findings also showed reversal of hindbrain herniation, a common complication of the condition.
These promising outcomes allowed the team to advance to a larger Phase 1/2a trial. This work represents a major step toward improving the lives of children born with myelomeningocele and offers hope for a future where early intervention can prevent lifelong disability.
Neuroscience, Regenerative
University of California, Davis
Harrington Scholar-Innovator
January 27, 2025
At 18 weeks pregnant, Lindsey learned her baby had severe spina bifida. She joined UC Davis’s groundbreaking CuRe Trial combining fetal surgery and stem cells. Over a year later, her son is thriving. Continue Reading