26 November 2025
New research published in Cell Stem Cell has described the use of stem cell therapy in six patients with advanced dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
The patients received a low dose of the therapy – 50,000 cells – sourced from eye bank tissue.
The treatment proved safe in these patients, with patients experiencing vision improvements in the treated eye that were not experienced in the untreated eye.
A year following treatment, the three patients with the worst vision at the outset of the study were able to see an additional 21 letters on average compared to before treatment.
Professor Rajesh Rao, of Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan, highlighted that it was positive to see improvements in vision in addition to positive safety data.
“We were surprised by the magnitude of vision gain in the most severely affected patients who received the adult stem cell-derived RPE transplants. This level of vision gain has not been seen in this group of patients with advanced dry AMD,” he said.
Three patients with comparatively stronger vision at the start of the study saw an average improvement of three letters six months after treatment.
The study group is now monitoring 12 participants who have received a higher dose of stem cell treatment – between 150,000 and 250,000 cells.
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