First patients picked for next stem cell experiment
Share with others:
WASHINGTON -- Scientists in California have begun selecting patients to participate in the second research project approved in the United States to evaluate a therapy made from human embryonic stem cells.
A team led by Steven Schwartz at the University of California, Los Angeles, started picking volunteers for the studies that will treat two forms of progressive blindness, Advanced Cell Technology Inc. of Marlborough, Mass., the study sponsor, announced Thursday.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in November approved the company's plans to test cells created from human embryonic stem cells on patients suffering from Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy, a progressive form of blindness that usually begins in childhood, and Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the developed world.
Twelve patients suffering from each condition will undergo a procedure in which between 50,000 and 200,000 cells known as retinal pigmented epithelial cells will be injected into their eyes. Researchers hope that the cells, created from human embryonic stem cells, will replace those ravaged by the diseases.
Both studies aim primarily to test for safety, but researchers will evaluate the subjects for signs that the cells may be helping their vision. In rats, the cells helped prevent further vision loss and even restored some sight.
So far, the research team has selected for further testing about five people from among about 30 or 40 who volunteered, UCLA's Dr. Schwartz said. He said the first patients could be treated within months.
Human embryonic stem cell research is highly controversial. Many scientists believe that the cells may revolutionize medicine by leading to new treatments for many diseases. But days-old embryos have been destroyed to obtain the cells, which some critics consider to be immoral.
First Published June 17, 2011 12:00 am
