California’s Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has announced the completion of patient enrollment in a study testing a stem cell derived therapy for retinitis pigmentosa (RP) patients. The treatment involves injecting human retinal progenitor cells into the damaged area of the retina to improve vision. These progenitor cells could either replace the damaged photoreceptors in the eye, or prevent them from being destroyed.
Dr. Henry Klassen of UC Irvine has initiated an FDA approved stem cell based clinical trial for the treatment of Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) through the regeneration of damaged retinal tissue. RP is caused by the slow decay of photoreceptors in the retina, which provide vital chemical communication to the brain. The disease is thought to derive from mutations in genes responsible for rods and cones, which ultimately lead to blindness. There is no current treatment for RP.