Breakthrough Stem Cell Therapy Could Restore Vision for AMD Patients
A study suggests that patients with wet AMD may regain vision through a novel approach — removing abnormal blood vessels and transplanting stem cell-derived retinal cells.
Patients with complete vessel removal saw better outcomes, hinting at a potential game-changer for vision restoration.
The Devastating Impact of Wet AMD
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in older adults. In its more severe form, known as wet AMD, abnormal blood vessels grow in the macula — the central part of the retina responsible for sharp, detailed vision. These fragile blood vessels can leak fluid and blood, damaging the macula and impairing vision. Although wet AMD makes up a smaller portion of overall AMD cases, it is responsible for 90% of AMD-related blindness.
A New Hope: Stem Cell Transplantation
Early-stage wet AMD can be managed with medications that slow abnormal blood vessel growth. However, these treatments become less effective once the disease progresses. A newstudy, led by Yong Liu and colleagues at Third Military Medical University Southwest Hospital in China and published today (February 27) in Stem Cell Reports, suggests a potential alternative for advanced cases. The approach involves surgically removing the abnormal blood vessels and transplanting stem cell-derived retinal cells to replace damaged tissue, offering hope for improved treatment outcomes.
Clinical Study Shows Promising Results
In their clinical study, involving 10 patients with wet AMD, the researchers first developed a method for safely removing the newly formed blood vessels followed by the transplantation of stem cell-derived retinal cells to replace the patients’ damaged or lost retinal cells.
The retinal structure improved in those patients where blood vessel patches were completely removed during surgery, suggesting that the transplanted cells survived and repaired the damaged retina. Further, visual acuity remained stable or improved in those patients during the 12-month follow-up, with limited side effects.
In contrast, patients where the blood vessel patches could only partially be removed experienced persistent bleeding and inflammation in the eye and an incomplete regeneration of the retina, and vision did not improve in those patients. The researchers concluded that complete and safe removal of the blood vessel patches prevents inflammation and generates a milieu favorable for transplant survival and integration.
Follow-up studies with larger groups of patients are required to confirm the clinical efficacy and favorable safety profile of this type of treatment.
Reference: “Safe CNV removal is crucial for successful hESC-RPE transplantation in wet age-related macular degeneration” by Ying Xue Lv, Qi You Li, Ping Duan, Min Fang Zhang, Bo Liu, Shi Ying Li, Tong Tao Zhao, Hao Wang, Yong Liu and Zheng Qin Yin, 27 February 2025, Stem Cell Reports.