New stem cell breakthrough offers hope for vision loss

A new clinical trial from Michigan Medicine has shown that adult stem-cell transplants may restore vision in people with advanced dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) — a condition previously considered irreversible.
This early-phase trial represents a major step forward in regenerative medicine and provides a powerful reminder of why preserving stem cells today may be valuable for tomorrow’s therapies.

Breakthrough trial shows meaningful vision improvement

In this study, researchers transplanted retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) stem cells into the eyes of people with advanced dry AMD. Key findings include:

• Patients who received the lowest dose (50,000 cells) experienced significant vision improvement in the treated eye compared to the untreated eye.
• One participant gained 21 extra letters on a standard eye chart one year post-treatment — equivalent to several lines of improved vision.
• Importantly, the procedure showed a strong safety profile, with no serious inflammation or tumour formation.
• Higher-dose groups are now being evaluated to determine whether the therapy can be scaled for widespread use.

This is one of the most encouraging developments in the treatment of dry AMD, which currently affects millions and has no cure.

What does this have to do with cord blood and cord tissue banking?

Although the therapy in this trial used adult donor eye-derived stem cells, breakthroughs like this demonstrate something essential:

Stem-cell therapies are rapidly expanding into new areas of medicine — including conditions once thought untreatable.

Dry AMD, spinal cord injury, type 1 diabetes, cerebral palsy, congenital heart disease and many other conditions are now being studied in regenerative medicine trials.
As the field grows, the value of having a preserved, ethically collected source of your child’s own stem cells becomes increasingly evident.

Why newborn stem cells matter for future therapies

Cord blood stem cells (haematopoietic stem cells) and cord tissue stem cells (mesenchymal stem cells) each play different roles in medicine:

Cord Blood (HSCs)

Used today in the treatment of more than 80 conditions, including:

• Leukaemia
• Lymphoma
• Bone marrow failure syndromes
• Inherited blood disorders

Cord Tissue (MSCs)

MSCs are currently being studied in clinical trials for:

• Neurological conditions (e.g., cerebral palsy, autism)
• Orthopaedic repair
• Autoimmune diseases
• Cardiovascular repair
• Inflammatory conditions
• Ophthalmic applications, including retinal and ocular repair research, similar to the mechanisms explored in the AMD study

This new AMD breakthrough is based on regenerating lost tissue using stem cells — the same regenerative principle that underpins much of today’s cord-tissue research.

How this breakthrough reinforces the value of banking newborn stem cells

The AMD study illustrates three key principles that directly support the case for cord blood and cord tissue banking:

1. Regenerative medicine is accelerating

Therapies that seemed impossible a decade ago are now entering human trials.
Preserving newborn stem cells today offers families the opportunity to benefit from tomorrow’s breakthroughs.

2. Younger stem cells are more powerful

Cord blood and cord tissue contain young, flexible stem cells with higher proliferative capacity and lower immunogenicity — making them useful candidates for future regenerative therapies.

3. Having your child’s own stem cells removes barriers

If, in the future, a therapy requires personalised or matched cells:

• You already have a safe, compatible source
• Avoiding donor search delays
• With fewer rejection risks

This AMD trial is a clear example of how stem-cell-based regenerative medicine continues to expand into diseases of ageing and degeneration — strengthening the argument for saving healthy cells at birth.

References

Michigan Medicine – University of Michigan Health System. “Stem cell transplantation shows vision improvement in patients with advanced dry AMD.” ScienceDaily, 21 November 2025. Available at: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251121090736.htm