Vision Archives - Page 2 of 2

15 still unanswered interview questions for stem cells for vision SCOTS trial docs

May 29, 2018 May 17, 2023 / By Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 4 Comments

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What is the SCOTS Trial and why are some of its participants raising concerns? There’s a lot going on in Florida with non-FDA approved stem cell offerings. Even just related to stem cells for vision problems alone. While US Stem Cell has drawn the most attention related to patient allegations of severe vision loss in Florida …

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Perspectives on new stem cells for vision loss paper

April 8, 2018 December 22, 2023 / By Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 11 Comments

F2-Kashani-et-al.-Stem-cells-for-vision-loss

Do stem cells for vision loss offer real hope? I believe so, but it’s a long road and must be done right. A new paper in this area generated some buzz on top of an earlier recent pub (mentioned in this post) just a week or so ago about the potential of stem cells for vision …

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Seeing isn’t always believing: a cautionary tale on GFP transfer when trying to restore vision

November 27, 2017 February 1, 2021 / By Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 4 Comments

By Samantha Yammine When our TV stops working, it’s usually because one of the wires has come unplugged. We begrudgingly huff and puff over to the back of the TV, track down the loose culprit, plug it back in, and boom: back to Netflix. If you multiply all those wires in the back of your …

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Negative stem cell clinic outcomes include 3 blinded women

September 8, 2016 February 1, 2021 / By Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 6 Comments

What can go wrong with unapproved stem cell clinic offerings? The answer including from presentations at the FDA today turns out to be very serious, negative results right here in the U.S. Thomas Albini, MD gave a talk entitled, “Severe Visual Loss After Intravitreal Injection of Autologous Adipose Tissue-derived Stem Cells for Age-related Macular Degeneration”. …

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US stem cell clinic sued for injection into eyes

January 25, 2016 February 1, 2021 / By Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 15 Comments

For the first time to my knowledge, a patient has sued an American stem cell clinic, US Stem Cell, alleging damage to her eyes from fat stem cell injections. Just a few months ago, there was a report of a Japanese patient who sued a fat stem cell clinic and won, but I’m not aware …

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New UK trial & Ocata: stem cell hope on vision impairment

September 30, 2015 February 1, 2021 / By Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 2 Comments

We’ve been hearing a lot this week about an important new clinical study for vision loss (macular degeneration) in the UK. This team is using retinal pigmented epithelial cells (RPEs) made from embryonic stem cells (ESC). They are now testing safety. The new work in the UK is Moorfields Eye Hospital is a great addition …

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Advanced Cell Technology pub: Trial for Macular Degeneration

October 14, 2014 February 1, 2021 / By Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 8 Comments

The stem cell biotech Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) reported new, positive data in a paper in Lancet from their clinical trials using retinal pigmented epithelial cells (RPEs) made from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) for treatment of different forms of macular degeneration (MD). The paper was entitled “Human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium in patients with age-related …

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Landmark: patient receives first ever iPS cell based transplant

September 12, 2014 February 1, 2021 / By Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 10 Comments

In a major first for the stem cell and regenerative medicine fields, a patient in Japan today received a pioneering transplant of a retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) sheet made from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, also known by the acronym IPSC. This is the first ever iPS cell-based transplant into a human. The patient is …

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Meet Retina Institute of Japan: translating iPS cells

April 29, 2013 February 1, 2021 / By Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D. / 6 Comments

If you are wondering, “How will iPS cells get to help patients?” part of the answer is perhaps the big player and Japanese Institution, Riken and its arm Retina Institute of Japan. The stem cell field is still abuzz about induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells 7 years after their discovery. This amazing embryonic stem cell-like cells can …

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Great news: FDA gives ACT the green light bringing hope to millions of people with blindness

November 22, 2010 February 1, 2021 / By Professor Paul Knoepfler, Ph.D.

The FDA has given Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) the go ahead to begin their clinical trial using retinal progenitor cells derived from hESC by clearing the company’s IND application, bringing hope to those with vision loss and even blindness. The trial will be a combined Phase I/II to treat Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy and has huge …

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