Autologous Corneal Stem Cell Transplant Shows High Success in Repairing Corneal Injuries, Finds Study
USA: A clinical study has demonstrated that transplanted autologous corneal stem cells effectively repaired irreversible corneal injuries, restoring at least partial vision in over 90% of patients. The procedure was deemed safe, with no serious adverse events reported.
"transplanted epithelial stem cells from a healthy eye successfully repaired irreversible corneal injury, restoring at least partial vision in over 90% of patients. Within three months, seven out of 14 patients had fully restored corneas, which increased to 11 by the 12-month mark," the researchers reported in Nature Communications. "By 12 and 18 months, more than 90% of the patients showed successful outcomes, including complete and partial improvements, demonstrating the potential of this approach in treating corneal damage."
The researchers note that limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) is a serious ocular condition caused by damage or loss of limbal stem cells, leading to vision impairment, chronic pain, and corneal scarring. Current treatment options are limited, and many involve donor tissues that carry the risk of immune rejection.
Against the above background, Ula V. Jurkunas, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA, and colleagues developed a two-stage manufacturing process using cultivated autologous limbal epithelial cells (CALEC), introducing the first xenobiotic-free, serum-free, and antibiotic-free protocol in the United States to treat blindness caused by unilateral limbal stem cell deficiency. They conducted a single-center, single-arm Phase I/II clinical trial to evaluate its safety and feasibility.
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