World-first stem-cell treatment restores vision in people

Researchers have achieved a significant breakthrough in treating severely impaired vision using stem-cell transplants. Three out of four patients who received transplants made from reprogrammed stem cells experienced substantial and lasting improvements in their sight. These transplants, derived from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, were used to treat damaged corneas caused by limbal stem-cell deficiency (LSCD), a condition that can lead to blindness.

The study, published in The Lancet, involved scraping off scar tissue from the damaged cornea and stitching on epithelial sheets derived from reprogrammed cells. The results showed immediate vision improvements in all four recipients, with three maintaining these gains for over a year. The transplants did not form tumors or show signs of immune rejection, even in patients who did not receive immunosuppressant drugs.

Nature 635, 533-534 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-03656-z

References

1. Soma, T. et al. Lancet https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01764-1 (2024).