According to an announcement from Iran's Ministry of Health, the drug WhartoCell has been officially approved for use in treating knee osteoarthritis.
WhartoCell is a product developed from mesenchymal stem cells derived from umbilical cord tissue (WJ-MSCs), researched and manufactured by Iranian scientists. This is the first time a drug based on umbilical cord stem cells has been licensed in the country.
Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of chronic pain and reduced mobility in the elderly. Current treatments mainly focus on symptom relief, with no effective method yet to repair cartilage damage.
Clinical trial results show that WhartoCell significantly improves pain, increases joint range of motion, and partially regenerates cartilage in patients with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis. The drug has been deemed safe, with no serious side effects reported during the study.
The approval of WhartoCell opens a new treatment avenue for millions of osteoarthritis patients in Iran and holds potential for widespread global application once international registration procedures are completed.
