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EHL Thailand · Treatment example

Care journey example: chronic kidney disease

Preparation and screening steps for people with chronic kidney disease who are interested in stem cell research.

KDSTEM Inj. · Last updated 3 Sept 2026

Direct answer

Blood pressure, diabetes and proteinuria control plus kidney-protective medicines remain the core of care. Stem cell research in chronic kidney disease is mostly early-stage and safety-focused; restored kidney function is not established.

Step by step

  1. 01. Send your question and basic information (Day 1)

    Complete the information-consultation form with your symptoms, how long you have had them, current medicines and previous treatments. The EHL Thailand information team replies in your dashboard. This step is educational information, not a diagnosis.

    Who is involved: You + EHL Thailand information team

  2. 02. Collect your medical documents (Week 1–2)

    Prepare discharge/treatment summaries, blood results, X-ray or MRI images and your medicine list. The more complete the records, the more accurate the eligibility review. Documents are used only with your consent (PDPA).

    Who is involved: You + your current treating doctor

  3. 03. Review the research evidence together (Week 2)

    The team summarises that existing MSC studies in chronic kidney disease are small phase 1–2 trials, and EHL BIO's urine-derived stem cell and Klotho work is preclinical.

    Who is involved: Information team + content review panel

  4. 04. Clinical eligibility screening (Week 3–4)

    A nephrologist reviews eGFR, its slope, proteinuria, complications and any dialysis/transplant plan. People with rapidly declining function may not be suited to waiting on research.

    Who is involved: The doctor or clinic responsible for care in Korea

  5. 05. Informed consent before deciding (Before travelling)

    Before deciding you should receive documents stating that the treatment is investigational and not registered in Thailand, the risks, the alternatives, the full costs, and what is still unknown. No outcome guarantee should ever be given.

    Who is involved: You + the treating doctor

  6. 06. Treatment and follow-up (From treatment day to 12 months)

    eGFR, proteinuria, blood pressure and complications are followed at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months by a nephrologist in Thailand.

    Who is involved: Treating doctor + your doctor in Thailand

Documents to prepare

  • Latest blood panel: creatinine, eGFR, albumin, potassium
  • Urinalysis and protein/creatinine ratio
  • Diabetes and hypertension history with control values
  • Full medicine list including herbal products and supplements

Questions to ask your doctor

  • How fast is my eGFR changing?
  • Which kidney-protective medicines should I be on?
  • Would joining a study affect my dialysis or transplant plan?
  • Do any medicines need to stop first, and what are the risks?

Limits you must know

  • Stem cell treatment for these conditions remains investigational; it is not standard care.
  • EHL Thailand is an information and consultation channel, not a clinic, and does not diagnose or prescribe.
  • EHL BIO pipeline cell products have no published Thai registration status.
  • The timings shown are a general example and may change with documents, extra tests and clinical judgement.

Experts involved

  • EHL BIO Stem Cell Research Institute — Stem cell therapeutics research and development team

    ADSTEM (atopic dermatitis), KDSTEM (chronic kidney disease), RASTEM (rheumatoid arthritis), PDSTEM (Parkinson's disease) and adipose-derived exosome programmes

    • The hospital's affiliated research centre states ADSTEM Phase 1–2 trials were conducted and a KDSTEM Phase 1 trial started in Korea.
    • The hospital's affiliated research centre states it holds know-how and patents in stem cell isolation and culture.
    • Individual researcher names are not published publicly, so this is shown at team level.

    Source: EHL BIO — Stem cell treatment — https://www.ehlbio.co.kr/eng/rd/institute/

  • EHL Thailand Research Desk — Reviews articles, research summaries and clinical trial status

    Careful reading of study results, including sample size, trial phase and limitations

    • Checks that every claim links to an openly viewable source.
    • Never uses cure or guarantee language, or claims approvals without documentation.

Reviewed by: EHL Thailand Research Desk — Clinical research reading and summarising

Research cited

  • MSC in chronic kidney disease: early studies · phase1 · 2024
    Focused on safety and eGFR decline in small numbers of participants; no evidence of nephron regeneration.
    https://clinicaltrials.gov/search?intr=mesenchymal%20stem%20cell&cond=Chronic%20Kidney%20Disease
  • EHL BIO patents and research papers · review · 2026
    EHL BIO publishes a list of patents and research papers in the R&D section of its corporate website. Readers should verify the current list at the source before citing.
    https://www.ehlbio.co.kr/eng/rd/patent/
  • KDSTEM Inj.: Phase 1 trial in chronic kidney disease (hospital information) · phase1 · 2023
    The hospital's affiliated research centre states IND approval and Phase 1 initiation in 2023, with selection for the KFRM programme in 2022 and 2024. A Phase 1 trial targets safety, not proof of efficacy.
    https://www.ehlbio.co.kr/eng/rd/institute/

Related disease page

Chronic Kidney Disease — Progressive loss of kidney function, commonly linked to diabetes and hypertension.