A clinical study into the use of lab-grown retina cells to treat age-related macular degeneration has been slated for fiscal 2013, a senior staffer of the research body planning to undertake the project said Saturday.
The project might be the world's first to use induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells, for the treatment of human diseases. The Center for Developmental Biology of Riken will report its plan to the health ministry in fiscal 2012 starting in April.
The study will initially target several patients with the eye disease whose vision cannot be sufficiently restored through existing medication. It will then be expanded to include earlier-stage patients once the safety of the iPS cell treatment can be determined.