Positive results for ACT stem cell treatment
A stem cell-derived eye treatment from Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) of Marlborough has been found to have long-term safety in a study where some patients showed improved vision.
The study, published in “The Lancet,” followed 18 patients to evaluate the safety and tolerability of human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) cells following sub-retinal transplantation into patients, according to a release from ACT. The proprietary cells from ACT were implanted for the treatment of Stargardt’s macular degeneration (SMD) and dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The study demonstrated positive long-term safety results, according to ACT.
“These study results represent an important milestone and strengthen our leadership position in regenerative ophthalmology,” Paul Wotton, Ph.D., president and CEO of ACT said in a statement. “Our findings underscore the potential to repair or replace tissues damaged from diseases. We plan to initiate comprehensive Phase-2 clinical trials for the treatment of both AMD and SMD, two disease states where there is currently no effective treatment.”
Despite the degenerative nature of these diseases, Robert Lanza, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer of ACT and co-senior author of the paper said in a statement that the vision of 10 of 18 patients showed measurable improvement at the six month follow-up after transplantation of the RPE. The cells were also well tolerated, he said.
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