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A stem cell patch developed for patients with macular degeneration will soon be tested in a phase 2b clinical trial.
This milestone was made possible by a combined $21 million support from a state organization, a nonprofit foundation and the university.
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) awarded $12.4m to the USC-supported startup Regenerative Patch Technologies.
Phase 2b trial will evaluate the efficacy of the implant in 24 patients who suffered vision loss from geographic atrophy.
With geographic atrophy, retinal pigment epithelium cells degenerate over time, leading to photoreceptor loss, impaired vision & blindness for many.
Research on the patch so far has indicated positive results.
It appears to restore the structure and function of the retina to improve vision.
