Luxa Biotechnology (LuxaBio), a joint venture between Y2 Solution Co. Ltd, Seoul, South Korea and the Neural Stem Cell Institute (NSCI), Rensselaer, New York, today announced transplantation of the cell product RPESC-RPE-4W into the first participant with dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD) in its Phase 1/2a clinical trial (NCT04627428) being conducted at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center.
RPESC-RPE-4W is a cell product derived from the retinal pigment epithelium stem cell (RPESC) that is present in the adult human retina. This adult stem cell produces retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) cell progeny (RPESC-RPE). The cell product being used in the clinical trial is a progenitor stage RPESC-RPE cell obtained after 4 weeks of differentiation (RPESC-RPE-4W). The RPESC-RPE-4W progenitor stage cell has shown increased engraftment and vision rescue compared to more mature RPE cell products.
