Official announcements from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

World-First Stem-Cell Treatment Restores Vision to 20/20 for Four Patients with Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency in Japan

Nov 8, 2024, 09:42 PM

A groundbreaking treatment using corneal epithelial cell sheets derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has restored vision in patients with limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). This world-first procedure was conducted in Japan as part of a single-arm, open-label, first-in-human interventional study. Four individuals with damaged corneas received the stem-cell transplants, and initial results indicate that the treatment is safe, although further testing in larger trials is necessary. Notably, one patient, previously legally blind, has achieved better than 20/20 vision following the procedure. The study highlights the potential of stem-cell therapies in restoring vision and addressing severe ocular conditions.