"For the first time, the team utilized a substance that inhibits the inflammatory factor EZH2, which contributes to retinal degeneration, along with an anti-inflammatory agent. When mice with retinal degeneration were injected with the anti-inflammatory drug, the progression of retinal degeneration slowed down."

A new and promising retinal implant to restore vision -

Developing artificial retinas in space!

More promising work using stem cells to treat inherited retinal diseases -

This is very promising research because it demonstrates successful use of a split gene dual vector approach, the same approach that is yielding successful results for Usher 1F in our labs.

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health has launched the Transplantation of Human Eye Allografts program, which aims to transplant whole human eyes to restore vision, according to a press release.

The goal of the Transplantation of Human Eye Allografts (THEA) program is to restore vision in patients who are blind or visually impaired by reconnecting the nerves, muscles and blood vessels of whole donor eyes to the brain.

At First Sight
Three companies – Cardinal Health, REGENXBIO, and Beacon Therapeutics – help us explore gene therapy development in the ophthalmic space

Highlights


Allogeneic iPSC-derived retinal organoid sheets were transplanted in 2 RP patients

The grafts survived without immune rejection or tumor formation for 2 years

Response to full-field light stimulus possibly improved in one of the two patients

The company’s molecule is designed to restore some vision to people with ultra-low or no vision caused by advanced retinitis pigmentosa and other retinal diseases.

Our Harvard researcher, David Corey, has already been developing this approach for Usher 1F and plans to revisit this strategy with updated techniques.