Hope for Elders Losing Vision: Clinical Trial Reverses AMD

Manama: Imagine a world where the faces of loved ones, the words on a page and the vibrant colours of life are nothing but a blur. This is the reality for millions of adults living with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition that slowly eats away at the sharp, central vision we rely on every day. Current treatments can only slow the progression or temporarily improve vision, but the damage is often irreversible. Or at least, it was. A groundbreaking clinical trial has recently offered a glimmer of hope: stem cell transplants may be able to reverse the damage and restore vision.

A recent stem cell-based clinical trial has demonstrated encouraging results in treating dry AMD, a leading cause of vision loss worldwide. Researchers have successfully used adult stem cells to replace damaged retinal cells, restoring vision in patients. The breakthrough led by University of Michigan scientist Rajesh C. Rao and his team was published in the journal Cell Stem Cell recently.

In a first-in-human clinical trial, six patients received a low-dose treatment of the stem cell-derived therapy, resulting in significant improvements with no serious side effects or inflammation. Vision improved in all patients, with three patients with worse vision gaining an average of 21.67 letters at 12 months, and three patients with better vision gaining an average of 3 letters at 6 months.

The success of the low-dose treatment has led to the next phase of the trial, which will test a mid-dose treatment. This breakthrough brings hope to millions of people worldwide suffering from AMD, offering a potential solution to restore vision and improve quality of life.