Celularity Announces Peer-Reviewed Publication of Phase 2 Clinical Trial Results Demonstrating the Safety and Efficacy of Human Placenta-Derived Cells (PDA-002) for Diabetic Foot Ulcers Complicated by Peripheral Artery Disease
- First-in-class regenerative therapy for diabetic foot ulcers complicated by peripheral artery disease
- Celularity PDA-002 achieved durable wound healing with just two intramuscular doses
- As a qualified stem cell therapy under Florida statute (§ 458.3245), effective July 1, 2025 authorizing use in wound care, orthopedics, and pain management, PDA-002 may offer licensed Florida physicians an important new tool in treating DFU patients.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J., Oct. 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Celularity Inc. (NASDAQ:CELU) ("Celularity"), a regenerative and cellular medicine company addressing age-related and degenerative diseases, today announced the publication of its Phase 2 study titled "Human Placenta-Derived Cells (PDA-002) in Diabetic Foot Ulcer Patients With and Without Peripheral Artery Disease: A Phase 2 Multi-Center, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial," in the International Wound Journal. Results of this study demonstrated safety and efficacy in a complex type of serious wounds in the setting of diabetes and peripheral vascular disease. Celularity's Chairman and CEO, Robert J. Hariri, M.D., Ph.D., also commented on PDA-002 as a stem cell therapy which qualifies under a recently enacted Florida law expanding access in the state to stem cell therapies not yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Approximately two million individuals in the United States are affected each year by diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), nearly half of whom have coexisting peripheral artery disease (PAD). DFU complicated by PAD represents one of the most difficult and costly challenges in wound care. Currently, there are no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapies specifically indicated for DFU with PAD. The estimated annual economic burden of treating DFU alone exceeds $9 billion in the United States. The presence of PAD significantly compromises lower-extremity perfusion, leading to chronic tissue ischemia, impaired angiogenesis, and delayed wound repair. PAD-associated DFUs are further characterized by persistent inflammation, altered immune response, and diminished responsiveness to standard wound care interventions. Despite five FDA-approved DFU therapies, none are currently approved for DFU complicated by PAD, underscoring the need for novel regenerative approaches that restore tissue perfusion and accelerate wound closure.
The published study included 159 adult patients with chronic diabetic foot ulcers (both with and without PAD) and was conducted across 35 clinical sites in the United States. Participants received two intramuscular doses of either PDA-002, a placenta-derived cell therapy developed by Celularity, at one of three dosage levels (3 × 10⁶, 10 × 10⁶, or 30 × 10⁶ cells), or a placebo. The primary efficacy endpoint was the number of patients who achieved complete wound closure within three months with healing that remained intact for at least four additional weeks—a more rigorous measure of durability than the standard FDA definition, which requires only two weeks of durable healing.
In patients with PAD, the highest rates of wound closure were observed with the lowest PDA-002 dose (3 × 10⁶ cells), where 38.5% of ulcers completely healed versus 22.6% in the placebo group. The data also showed faster and more sustained healing in treated patients along with fewer cases of new gangrene and foot infections compared to those who received a placebo. Across all groups, PDA-002 was well tolerated, with no serious side effects linked to the treatment. This favorable safety profile remained consistent through two years of follow-up.
The study's findings highlight the regenerative and angiogenic potential of PDA-002 in promoting durable ulcer closure in patients with DFUs complicated by PAD, using only two doses and no retreatment.
"The publication of our PDA-002 Phase 2 results in the International Wound Journal is a significant milestone for Celularity, and importantly, for patients battling diabetic foot ulcers complicated by peripheral artery disease, which is a patient population with a critical unmet medical need and limited treatment options," said Robert J. Hariri, M.D., Ph.D., Celularity's Chairman and CEO. "Our data show that our investigational therapy, PDA-002, a placenta-derived, mesenchymal stromal-like cell therapy, can drive meaningful wound closure rates, reduce serious complications, and do so with a favorable safety profile. We believe PDA-002 has potential to transform the future of ischemic wound care, and these findings position us for a confirmatory Phase 3 trial aimed at delivering the first FDA-approved targeted therapy in regenerative wound care for DFU/PAD patients with this urgent and unmet need. We also believe these clinical results support additional development in clinical indications where underlying microvascular disease is a contributing factor."
Commenting on recent developments, Dr. Hariri said, "Celularity is actively assessing opportunities to apply these findings in jurisdictions such as Florida, where PDA-002 qualifies as a stem cell therapy under a new law authorizing use by Florida physicians in wound care, orthopedics, and pain management." Diabetes afflicts an estimated 2.1 million Floridians according to a January 2025 Florida Diabetes Advisory Council report, which found that the percentage of adult Floridians diagnosed with diabetes grew by almost half since 2002 and is now above the national average (12.2% versus 11.6%). That percentage jumps to 25.4% among Floridians ages 65 and older, or some 1.25 million people, a fifth to a third of whom will go on to develop a DFU, for which the 5-year recurrence rate is 65%. "By unleashing promising stem cell therapies like PDA-002, Florida has given physicians a potentially important new tool for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers, a serious condition that afflicts over a quarter of a million Floridians ages 65 and older," said Dr. Hariri.
About PDA-002
PDA-002 is a mesenchymal stromal-like cell therapy product derived from the postpartum placenta. These cells possess potent angiogenic, immunomodulatory, and tissue-repair properties, offering a novel approach to wound healing in patients for whom current therapies are inadequate.
About Celularity Inc.
Celularity Inc. (NASDAQ:CELU) is a regenerative and aging-related cellular medicine company developing, manufacturing, and commercializing advanced biomaterial products and allogeneic and autologous cell therapies, all derived from the postpartum placenta. Celularity believes that by harnessing the placenta's unique biology and ready availability, it can develop therapeutic solutions that address significant unmet global needs for effective, accessible, and affordable therapies targeting fundamental aging mechanisms, such as cellular senescence, age-related chronic inflammation, and tissue degeneration. For more information about Celularity and its cutting-edge regenerative medicine solutions, please visit www.celularity.com.
Forward Looking Statements
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Carlos Ramirez
Senior Vice President, Celularity Inc.
[email protected]
(908) 845-4181
