Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a genetic illness that causes vision loss and eventually blindness. Gene therapy, stem cell therapy, and visual prosthesis are some of the therapeutic options. However, none of these techniques can overcome their inherent limits in a short amount of time. Patients with RP have lower levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF) in their aqueous humour. However, exogenous nerve growth factors (NGFs) were previously thought to be immunogenic proteins that may induce inflammation. Because autoserum contains so many active components, it will not produce an exclusive response. The goal of this research is to examine and evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of autoserum injections in the retrobulbar area for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa.
RP is a rare hereditary condition that causes the rods and cones, the light-sensing cells at the rear of the eye, to progressively die. The picture on the left depicts normal vision, whereas the one on the right depicts what occurs with RP. You lose your night vision first, then other aspects of your eyesight deteriorate until you are legally blind.
People with RP are typically diagnosed in their teens and are legally blind by the time they reach middle age. There is no therapy or cure for this disease. It is believed that 100,000 individuals in the United States and two million people globally have RP.
The safety profile of a new stem-cell-derived therapy intended to maintain and possibly restore eyesight in individuals with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) has been shown in an ongoing study.
Given that this is one of the first trials of a stem-cell-derived treatment for RP, this safety data is welcome news and a significant step forward. As the experiment progresses, we at the Foundation anticipate further findings from this study in the following years.
The treatment entails injecting retinal progenitors, which are stem cells in the process of developing into retinal cells, into the vitreous, the gel-like material in the centre of the eye. The cells are expected to produce proteins that will maintain the patient’s current photoreceptors healthy, avoiding degeneration and preserving eyesight, according to the researchers. The proteins may also help cones that have ceased processing light but haven’t completely deteriorated, according to the researchers. Cones are photoreceptors that allow us to read, identify faces, and see in dimly lit environments. Viezec offers the best stem cell therapy for Retinitis Pigmentosa.