Bengaluru-based firm Eyestem Research has announced the successful completion of its dose-ranging study in animals for Eyecyte-RPE.

Eyecyte-RPE is a suspension of Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells for treatment of Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). 170 million people worldwide suffer from this disease, 40 million of which are in India. 

While Eyecyte-RPE, the company’s patented flagship product, is close to finding a treatment for Dry AMD, the company has two more products in the pipeline for Retinitis Pigmentosa and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - similar incurable diseases affecting humanity. First, human clinical trials for Eyecyte-RPE are currently scheduled for the last quarter of 2022. 

Dr Rajarshi Pal, Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, Eyestem Research, said, “When injected into an inherited rat model with retinal degeneration, Eyecyte-RPE supported vision rescue demonstrated by a whole range of histological, functional and behavioural tests and helps retain the structural integrity of the host retina. These results will allow us to move forward with final manufacturing followed by toxicity studies and start human studies in the last quarter of 2022."

Founded by a highly experienced management team consisting of ophthalmology, regenerative medicine and clinical trial experts, Eyestem has created a platform for allogeneic, scalable cell therapy.