Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29553577›Full record

ArticleNature biotechnology2018

Phase 1 clinical study of an embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium patch in age-related macular degeneration.

Lyndon da Cruz, Kate Fynes, Odysseas Georgiadis, Julie Kerby, Yvonne H Luo, Ahmad Ahmado, Amanda Vernon, Julie T Daniels, Britta Nommiste, Shazeen M Hasan and 18 more

Abstract readClinical Trial, Phase I
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature biotechnology, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 388 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
388citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
31.3field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

388 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 708 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Trial
  7. Trial
  8. Review
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  10. 3D epigenomic landscape of the human retinal pigment epithelium.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2026
    Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Review
  15. A literature review of macular holes in age-related macular degeneration: insights into the pathogenesis, prognosis and surgical outcomes.Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie · 2026
    Review
  16. Article
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  18. Article
  19. Review
  20. Article

328 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

28 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Lyndon da CruzThe London Project to Cure Blindness, ORBIT, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
Kate FynesThe London Project to Cure Blindness, ORBIT, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
Odysseas GeorgiadisThe London Project to Cure Blindness, ORBIT, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
Julie KerbyPfizer, Granta Park, Cambridge, UK.
Yvonne H LuoThe London Project to Cure Blindness, ORBIT, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
Ahmad AhmadoThe London Project to Cure Blindness, ORBIT, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
Amanda VernonCells for Sight, Transplantation & Research Program, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK.
Julie T DanielsCells for Sight, Transplantation & Research Program, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK.
Britta NommisteThe London Project to Cure Blindness, ORBIT, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
Shazeen M HasanThe London Project to Cure Blindness, ORBIT, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
Sakina B GooljarThe London Project to Cure Blindness, ORBIT, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
Amanda-Jayne F CarrThe London Project to Cure Blindness, ORBIT, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London (UCL), London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-5469-0030
Anthony VuglerThe London Project to Cure Blindness, ORBIT, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
Conor M RamsdenThe London Project to Cure Blindness, ORBIT, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
Magda BictashPfizer, Granta Park, Cambridge, UK.
Mike FensterPfizer, Granta Park, Cambridge, UK.
Juliette SteerPfizer, Granta Park, Cambridge, UK.
Tricia HarbinsonPfizer, Granta Park, Cambridge, UK.
Anna WilbreyPfizer, Granta Park, Cambridge, UK.
Adnan TufailNIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK.
Gang FengPfizer, Granta Park, Cambridge, UK.
Mark WhitlockPfizer, Granta Park, Cambridge, UK.
Anthony G RobsonNIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK.
Graham E HolderNIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK.
Mandeep S SagooNIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK.
Peter T LoudonPfizer, Granta Park, Cambridge, UK.
Paul WhitingPfizer, Granta Park, Cambridge, UK.
Peter J CoffeyThe London Project to Cure Blindness, ORBIT, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
Pfizer (United Kingdom) · GBMoorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust · GBUniversity College London · GB

Funding

Medical Research Council G1000730
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) remains a major cause of blindness, with dysfunction and loss of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) central to disease progression. We engineered an RPE patch comprising a fully differentiated, human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived RPE monolayer on a coated, synthetic basement membrane. We delivered the patch, using a purpose-designed microsurgical tool, into the subretinal space of one eye in each of two patients with severe exudative AMD. Primary endpoints were incidence and severity of adverse events and proportion of subjects with improved best-corrected visual acuity of 15 letters or more. We report successful delivery and survival of the RPE patch by biomicroscopy and optical coherence tomography, and a visual acuity gain of 29 and 21 letters in the two patients, respectively, over 12 months. Only local immunosuppression was used long-term. We also present the preclinical surgical, cell safety and tumorigenicity studies leading to trial approval. This work supports the feasibility and safety of hESC-RPE patch transplantation as a regenerative strategy for AMD.

Indexed as

AgedAnimalsBasement MembraneCell DifferentiationFemaleHuman Embryonic Stem CellsHumansMacular DegenerationMaleMiceMiddle AgedRetinal Pigment EpitheliumStem Cell TransplantationSwineTomography, Optical CoherenceVisual Acuity

Identifiers

PMID29553577
OpenAlexW2791013442

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.