There is no good therapy for macular degeneration, a form of progressive blindness characterized by dysfunction and death of vital cells in the retina, and particularly for the "dry" form of the condition in which retinal blood vessels have not yet become dysfunctional. Cell therapies represent one possible form of restorative therapy, but it has proven challenging to deliver new retinal cells and have them survive to take over lost function. The publicity materials here report briefly on the state of one cell therapy program, in which researcher employed an engineered patch to support the delivered cells.
Researchers are launching a phase 2b clinical trial examining if stem cells bioengineered to replace failing cells in the retina damaged by macular degeneration could restore eyesight. The cells are attached to an implant - an ultra-thin patch, thinner than a strand of hair - which holds the cells in place. The clinical trial follows early research conducted on a small patient population that showed the implant was well-tolerated, stayed put in the eye and was successfully absorbed into the tissue of the retina. Additionally, 27% of patients had some improved vision.
Age-related macular degeneration affects the eye's macula, which is located in the center of the retina and is responsible for central vision. In advanced cases, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, which line the macula and are key in helping the retina produce clear vision, become damaged or destroyed, which leads to vision loss. The retinal implant used in the clinical trial is derived from embryonic stem cells grown into RPE cells in a lab. During an outpatient surgical procedure, surgeons will implant a tiny layer of the lab-produced RPE cells into the retina. Patients will be monitored for at least one year to determine how the implant is tolerated and for any changes in vision. The trial is hoping to enroll 24 patients.
Link: https://news.keckmedicine.org/can-a-retinal-implant-reverse-macular-degeneration/
View the full article at FightAging
