DENVER — In a phase 1b trial, subretinal delivery of a human stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium yielded visual improvements in patients with advanced geographic atrophy, according to a speaker.
“This study looked at subretinal stem cell implants through a pars plana vitrectomy surgery, where we created a bleb directly over the site of geographic atrophy,” Vivienne S. Hau, MD, PhD, told Healio at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology meeting. “Through that, it was hoped that the human embryonic stem cells would integrate and form [retinal pigment epithelium] cells,