Groups such as Osaka University have announced that they have recovered their eyesight to the extent that they do not interfere with their daily lives as a result of transplanting the corneal tissue of the eye made from iPS cells into four patients with severe eye diseases. did.


The group hopes to begin clinical trials for national approval as a treatment next year, given the safety and efficacy results.

This was revealed by a group of Professor Koji Nishida of Osaka University and others at a press conference on the 4th.


The group transplanted sheet-shaped corneal tissue made from iPS cells to a total of four patients in their 30s and 70s whose eyesight was significantly impaired due to a disease called "corneal epithelial stem cell exhaustion" in which the cornea of ​​the eye became cloudy. We have been conducting clinical research for 3 years.



At the press conference, the results of the evaluation were shown one year after the transplantation, and there were no serious side effects such as rejection or infectious diseases in terms of safety, and in terms of efficacy, 3 out of 4 people did not interfere with daily life. It means that my eyesight has recovered to a certain extent.


The remaining one said that although the cornea was no longer turbid, the results of the visual acuity test were uneven and difficult to evaluate.



This method using iPS cells is said to have a lower risk of rejection than transplanting a cornea donated by a donor, and is even better than using a corneal sheet made from the mucous membrane of the mouth. It is highly transparent.



Professor Nishida said, "It is a very significant result because it can show a clear effect. We would like to promptly put it into practical use through clinical trials so that we can deliver better treatment to patients all over the world." rice field.


The group hopes to begin clinical trials for national approval as a treatment next year with results showing safety and efficacy.

Patient who received a transplant "I saw a distant character that I couldn't see"

In this clinical study, a female patient in her 40s who received a transplant of corneal tissue made from iPS cells was interviewed for the first time.



A woman in her 40s living in Osaka Prefecture was diagnosed with "corneal epithelial stem cell exhaustion" about 6 years ago when her eyesight became blurred and her eyesight became cloudy and her eyesight deteriorated. received.


She had been following her for a while, but her eyesight was getting worse and her vision became darker, which made her more anxious.


The woman looked back at the time and said, "It was pitch black at night and I couldn't see people walking from the front, and sometimes I got stuck in a ditch on the side of the road. I was so anxious that I went to several hospitals, but my symptoms improved. I was wondering what to do if I couldn't see it. "



The woman then participated in this clinical study, and three years ago as her first patient, she underwent the world's first transplant surgery on her left eye.


As a result, her left eye's visual acuity improved, and her visual acuity, which was about 0.04 with the naked eye, became 0.6 when examined six months after surgery, and has recovered to the extent that it does not interfere with daily life. am.


On the other hand, her right eye, which has not undergone her surgery, is that her cornea is still cloudy and has little vision.



The woman said, "When I took off my eyepatch a while after the surgery, I felt a different brightness than usual. I was very happy to see it, "he said.


With her eyesight restored, she says she is now able to enjoy her previously reserved outings and trips with her family.



Women commented on their expectations for iPS cells: "It is thanks to iPS cells that we can see what we thought we might lose our eyesight. If research progresses and as many patients as possible get well. It ’s okay. ”

iPS cell clinical research and clinical trials

Clinical research and clinical trials for the practical application of new treatment methods using iPS cells have begun at universities and research institutes around the world.

[Eye treatment]

In 2014, a group such as RIKEN in Kobe City conducted clinical research using iPS cells for the first time in the world.


We transplanted eye retinal tissue made from iPS cells into a patient with a serious eye disease called "age-related macular degeneration."



In 2019, groups such as Osaka University are conducting clinical research to transplant sheet-shaped corneal tissue made from iPS cells into patients with severe corneal diseases.

[Nerve treatment]

A group at Kyoto University is conducting a clinical trial to transplant cells that are the source of nerves made from iPS cells into the brain of patients with Parkinson's disease, and is aiming for approval as a new treatment method.



A group at Keio University conducted the first surgery last year in a clinical study in which cells that are the source of nerves made from iPS cells are transplanted into patients with spinal cord injuries.

[Heart treatment]

A group at Osaka University conducted a clinical trial to attach a "myocardial sheet," which is a sheet of heart muscle cells made from iPS cells, to the heart of a patient with severe heart disease.



The Keio University group is preparing for surgery in a clinical study in which heart muscle cells made from iPS cells are processed into spheres and injected into the patient's heart, and a university-launched venture is also preparing for clinical trials. increase.

[Blood treatment]

A group at Kyoto University is conducting clinical research to administer platelets made from iPS cells to patients with intractable blood diseases.



A bio-venture company in Kyoto City is also preparing for a clinical trial to produce platelets from iPS cells and administer them to patients with low platelets.