Fight for Sight comments on the first clinical trial using embryonic stem cells for macular degeneration

Media Contact: Lizzie Webster
Telephone: 0207 264 9004
Email address: lizzie@fightforsight.org.uk

 Commenting on the first clinical trial of patients with the first embryonic stem cells for macular degeneration, Dr Dolores Conroy, Director of Research at Fight for Sight said: “These preliminary findings, which suggest that the method of using embryonic stem cells to treat diseases of the eye can be safe, is a vital next step in bringing hope to millions of people living with untreatable sight conditions such as dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Stargardt’s disease.

“The results show that in two patients - one diagnosed with AMD and another with Stargardt’s disease - the transplantation of human embryonic cell derived retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) is safe, and appears to be effective at restoring some vision at a short-term follow up.

“Whilst this study is still at a very early stage, this represents a significant advancement for embryonic stem cell research.”
 
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Notes to Editors:

1. For more information, please contact Lizzie Webster, Media and Communications Officer at Fight for Sight on 0207 264 3904 or at liize@fightforsight.org.uk
2. Fight for Sight is the leading UK charity dedicated to funding pioneering research to prevent sight loss and treat eye disease.
3. Fight for Sight is funding research at leading universities and hospitals throughout the UK. Major achievements to date include:
• saving the sight of thousands of premature babies through understanding and controlling levels of oxygen delivery
• restoring sight by establishing the UK Corneal Transplant Service enabling over 52,000 corneal transplants to take place
• providing the funding for the research leading to the world’s first clinical trial for choroideremia
• bringing hope to children with inherited eye disease by helping to fund the team responsible for the world’s first gene therapy clinical trial
• identifying new genes responsible for keratoconus and Nance-Horan syndrome
4. Fight for Sight’s current research programme is focusing on preventing and treating age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataract. We are also funding research into the causes of childhood blindness and a large number of rare eye diseases.
5. Fight for Sight is committed to tackling inherited eye conditions including Stargardt’s disease. The charity is currently funding research into a gene replacement therapy for this disease led by Professor Robert MacLaren and his team at the University of Oxford.
6. Funding from Fight for Sight through the Tommy Salisbury Choroideremia Fund have supported research into another inherited eye disease, choroideremia, at Imperial College London that has been vital in getting the first gene replacement trial for this condition underway.