Two stem-cell milestones landed as ISSCR 2026 highlighted continued progress in CNS cell replacement. First, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital reported that STEM-PD, an off-the-shelf stem-cell-derived dopamine progenitor therapy, was feasible and safe in a Phase I/II trial after three-year follow-up, with no serious side effects linked to the cells in the first year. In parallel, new ISSCR 2026 clinical data added longer-term support for iPSC-derived neural progenitor cell approaches in chronic ischemic stroke, extending beyond early safety snapshots and tightening the evidence base for continued development.