Modena University spin-out Holostem Advanced Therapies has secured clearance from the European Commission for stem-cell based eye therapy.
The decision marks a milestone for the use of stem cell therapies, which will be used by the Italy-based company to restore the eyesight of people who have suffered from severe cornea damage.
Clearance for the therapy has been twenty years in the making, and is specifically aimed at people who have damaged their corneas through chemical damage or other burns. Once damaged, injuries can be irreversible, with the white part of the eye, the conjunctiva, gradually beginning to cover the cornea, creating chronic pain and inflammation along with loss of sight. Stem cells can regenerate the border between the cornea and conjunctiva, and lead to a complete recovery.
Andrea Chiesi, CEO of Holostem Advanced Therapies. Said: “Holoclar is the very first medicinal product based on stem cells to be approved and formally registered in the Western world. This record shows that the partnership between the public and private sectors is not only possible, but is probably the best strategy for the development of stem cell-based regenerative medicine, particularly when autologous cells are used. Holostem is now considered as a business model to translate into clinics the results obtained by scientific research in this field”.
