Early stem cell trials in the US show promise

Promising initial results have been published from a stem cell trial in the US after two patients reported improved vision.

Early findings were published in medical journal The Lancet to demonstrate the safety of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) for the treatment of Stargardt's macular dystrophy (SMD) and dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD).

Neither patient experienced safety issues during the trial, conducted by biotechnology firm Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) and the University of California, while both patients had measurable improvements in their vision that persisted for more than four months.

Visual acuity of the Stargardt's patient had improved from hand motions only to 20/800 vision, it was reported. Before treatment, the patient was unable to read any letter on a visual acuity chart, but by two weeks started reading letters, improving to five letters at one to three months in the treated eye.