Retinal tissue successfully regrown in patients in clinical trial

Three age-related macular degeneration patients (AMD) with geographic atrophy or with dry AMD who are participating in a Phase1/11a study have had retinal tissue successfully regrown. 

Lineage Cell Therapeutics is conducting the Phase I/IIa study on their OpRegen® allogeneic retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell transplant therapy. There are twelve study participants who were diagnosed with dry AMD. The patients received a one-time treatment and the the regrown cells have continued in the earliest-treated patients for more than five years. 83% of the patients reported the vision in the treated eye was at or above baseline while that same percentage reported that vision had worsened in the untreated eye. 

The therapy involves transplantation of the RPE cells into the eye during a 30-minute surgery using local anesthesia. Researchers are encouraged by the current study results as they show promise that the OpRegen® is capable of reversing the damage to the retinal tissue. Additional studies will be conducted.