"The flares keep coming back."
Crohn’s that settles, then flares again
Weeks of pain, urgency and tiredness, then a calm spell, then it starts again. You want to explore something that works on the inflammation itself.
Crohn’s disease · Medellín, Colombia
Stem cell therapy for Crohn’s diseaseStem cells for Crohn’s disease, given through a vein.
Mesenchymal stem cells are studied for their ability to calm an overactive immune system, the same system that keeps inflaming the gut in Crohn’s disease. Here they are given intravenously, over three days in Medellín, after the medical team reviews your blood work. It is for adults with Crohn’s who want to explore one more option alongside the care they already have.
- 3 days in Medellín
- IV protocol
- Cancer markers included
3 daysfor the intravenous protocol
6tests the doctor asks for
3–6 mowhen results are usually seen
2visits usually recommended, 6–8 weeks apart
Who it helps
If one of these is you, keep reading.
"My biologic stopped working."
Treatments that helped for a while, then less
Many people with Crohn’s go through more than one medicine. You want to know what else is being studied before the next change.
"I can’t get off steroids."
Steroids you would like to depend on less
Every time the dose goes down, the symptoms come back. That goal is one your own gastroenterologist should guide, and it is one the research has looked at.
"I’m tired all the time."
Low energy, anemia or weight loss
Crohn’s is not only in the gut. Chronic inflammation can drain your energy, your iron and your appetite.
"I want a doctor to look at my case first."
A clear answer before you book
A doctor reads your blood work and gives you a clear plan, before you book anything.
What the cells do
What stem cells may do in Crohn’s disease
In Crohn’s disease the immune system attacks the lining of the gut again and again. Mesenchymal stem cells send signals that are studied for calming that attack.
They talk to the immune system
Mesenchymal stem cells release signaling molecules, small chemical messages, that can slow down overactive immune cells called T cells. In Crohn’s, those cells keep the gut inflamed. Turning their activity down could mean fewer or milder flares.
They support the “peacekeeper” cells
In lab and early human studies, these cells encourage regulatory T cells, the part of the immune system whose job is to say “stop”. More of that brake may help the inflammation settle instead of feeding itself.
They lower inflammatory signals
The cells are studied for reducing inflammatory messengers such as TNF-alpha, the same target many Crohn’s medicines block. Less of these signals in the blood may mean a calmer gut and less of the whole-body tiredness that comes with it.
They support the healing environment
Through growth factors and tiny particles called exosomes, the cells may help create conditions in which damaged tissue can repair itself. This is the idea behind the fistula studies below, where the cells were placed directly into the fistula.
What patients hope to change
- Fewer flares, and milder ones when they come
- Less abdominal pain and fewer urgent trips to the bathroom
- More energy for work, family and the things you enjoy
- Lower inflammation markers, such as CRP or fecal calprotectin, on your next labs
- With your gastroenterologist, possibly less need for steroids over time
These mechanisms, seen in laboratory work and human trials, are why the cells are studied for Crohn’s disease, and why the research keeps growing.
Before your consultation
Six tests. Tick them off.
These are the studies the doctor asks for to review a Crohn’s case. Tick the ones you already have; send them on WhatsApp and your coordinator tells you what is missing.
0 of 6 ready
What the evidence says
What the research shows so far
Two kinds of research exist. Intravenous studies, like the Stem Cells Colombia protocol, for active Crohn’s in the gut. And a different approach: cells from fat injected straight into a perianal fistula. Both appear here, each clearly labeled.
People with Crohn’s who received umbilical cord stem cells through a vein had lower disease activity and needed less steroid a year later than those who did not.
Randomized controlled trial, 82 adults with Crohn’s on long-term steroids, in China; four weekly intravenous infusions of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells. No serious side effects were reported.
Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell Treatment for Crohn's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. · Gut and Liver, 2018 ↗In people whose Crohn’s no longer responded to biologics, donor mesenchymal stem cells given intravenously were followed by lower symptom scores, and about half showed improvement on colonoscopy.
Phase 2 open study, 16 adults in Australia with active Crohn’s refractory to infliximab or adalimumab; four weekly intravenous infusions.
A phase 2 study of allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells for luminal Crohn's disease refractory to biologic therapy. · Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2013 ↗Stem cells from donor fat, injected directly into complex perianal fistulas, closed more fistulas than placebo in a large European trial.
Phase 3 randomized, double-blind trial (ADMIRE-CD), 212 adults in Europe and Israel; one local injection of adipose-derived cells (darvadstrocel) into the fistula during surgery. This is a local, fat-derived treatment, different from the Stem Cells Colombia intravenous protocol with umbilical cord cells.
Expanded allogeneic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (Cx601) for complex perianal fistulas in Crohn's disease: a phase 3 randomised, double-blind controlled trial. · The Lancet, 2016 ↗In short: The intravenous studies in Crohn’s are encouraging, including a randomized trial with umbilical cord cells, and a large European trial showed fistula healing with a local injection of fat-derived cells. Stem cells work alongside your gastroenterologist’s care, and your doctor reviews your blood work and explains what you can expect.
Your treatment & price
Three days.
The infusion runs slowly, over three hours or more, with a physician present. Afterwards you rest with your coordinator checking on you; if you add the Marriott Hotel, it is one elevator away. Results are usually expected between 3 and 6 months.
Two visits are usually recommended: one now and a second 6 to 8 weeks later, with the same protocol.
The trip works like every treatment: Evaluation by the specialist, online consultation, and your days in Medellín. See your journey.
Crohn’s disease · from $4,000
From $4,000
USD · final price confirmed after your medical consultation
- Stem cells IV, with a dose designed for you
- Cancer markers and premedication
- A consultation with the specialist for your condition
- A bilingual coordinator
- Can be added: exosomes, a blood detox IV, the Marriott Hotel in the same building and airport transfers
Flights and meals not included.
Your medical team
Your blood work comes first.
Before you travel, Dr. Luisa Mejía, functional medicine physician, reviews your blood work and your current treatment, and designs the intravenous protocol for your Crohn’s. In Medellín, a physician oversees every infusion, and you are followed online after you go home.
Questions
Your questions, answered.
Am I a candidate?
Adults with a confirmed diagnosis of Crohn’s disease may be candidates. Send your latest blood work on WhatsApp; the medical team reviews it, together with your current treatment, so your plan is designed for you.
What do stem cells do in Crohn’s disease?
Mesenchymal stem cells release signals that may help calm the overactive immune response that inflames the gut, and may support the gut’s own healing. The aim is to reduce the activity of Crohn’s disease and slow its progression.
Is this the same as the stem cell treatment for fistulas I read about?
They are different treatments. The fistula treatment in the large European trial used cells from donor fat, injected directly into the fistula during surgery. The Stem Cells Colombia protocol uses umbilical cord (Wharton’s jelly) cells given through a vein, to act on the whole immune system. If fistulas are your main concern, say so, and the doctor explains how the protocol fits your case.
When will I see results?
Improvement is usually expected between 3 and 6 months after treatment, and every body responds at its own pace. Repeating your CRP and fecal calprotectin with your own doctor shows you the change in numbers.
How many visits will I need?
Two visits are usually recommended, 6 to 8 weeks apart, repeating the same three-day protocol.
What studies do you need?
Six blood and stool tests: a CBC with differential, a comprehensive metabolic panel, CRP or ESR, serum albumin, fecal calprotectin and iron studies. Cancer markers are done on day one in Medellín.
Do I stop my current treatment?
Never on your own. Keep taking your Crohn’s medication; your doctor reviews it in your consultation, and any change is for you and your gastroenterologist to decide together.
Why do you check cancer markers first?
Every intravenous protocol starts with cancer markers, on day one, for your safety: the protocol is designed for people without active cancer.
Is it legal and safe?
Stem cell therapy is not approved by the FDA, but in Colombia it is legal. The infusion runs slowly, over three hours or more, with a physician present. Afterwards you rest at the hotel, one elevator away, with your coordinator checking on you.
How much does it cost?
The three-day intravenous protocol for Crohn’s disease starts from $4,000 USD: the stem cells IV, premedication, cancer markers and a consultation with the doctor. Exosomes, a blood detox IV, the Marriott Hotel in the same building and airport transfers can be added to your plan, and your coordinator sends that price in writing. Your exact price is confirmed after your consultation.
Your next step
Send your latest blood work.
A doctor reviews it and tells you how the intravenous protocol can help your Crohn’s, before you spend anything.