Welcome to Regenerative Patch Technologies

 South San Francisco, CA – The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the world’s largest institution dedicated to regenerative medicine, today awarded $50.1 million to fund clinical-stage research projects aimed at advancing stem cell and gene therapy treatments for a variety conditions ranging from neurodegenerative diseases and blood cancers to HIV/AIDS.

The awards will support six projects in the Agency’s clinical program which provides funding for eligible stem cell and gene therapy-based projects through any stage of clinical trial activity.

 Among the awards is a $12.4 million grant to support Regenerative Patch Technologies LLC in a Phase 2b clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) implant. The implant will be evaluated in patients with geographic atrophy, a late-stage form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common condition that can lead to vision loss in older adults.

The RPE is an important cell layer that supports the retina and plays a critical role in maintaining vision. In geographic atrophy, RPE cells break down over time, leading to impaired vision and a loss of independence.

The stem cell-based implant aims to promote the survival and function of the retina, protecting the eye from disease progression and potentially improving vision.

“This award supplies critical funding to support a Phase 2b clinical trial to achieve our goal of improving vision in patients with geographic atrophy”, said Jane Lebkowski, PhD, President of Regenerative Patch Technologies. “We want to thank CIRM for their support of this program.”

Geographic atrophy affects more than 8 million people worldwide and an estimated 1 million people in the United States. There are currently no approved therapies that are effective in improving vision in patients with geographic atrophy.