In a pioneering clinical trial, a patient with macular degeneration has been treated using lab-grown stem cells at University College London. The trial will test if it is safe and effective to transplant a type of eye cell grown from stem cells in the lab to restore sight in people with severe visual loss from wet AMD.

Surgery involves inserting a specially developed patch at the back of the eye behind the retina in order to replace diseased cells. A female patient underwent surgery in August 2015, and a further nine patients are due to be recruited to the trail over the next year and a half subject to assessment of the success of the initial operation.

Co-leader of the research Professor Pete Coffey says: “Although we recognise this clinical trial focuses on a small group of AMD patients who have experienced sudden severe visual loss, we hope that many patients may benefit in the future.”

Sources:

1. MCR:
   First patient treated with stem cell therapy for wet age-related macular degeneration.
2. The Guardian:
   First UK patient receives stem cell treatment to cure loss of vision.