NEWARK, Calif., June 21, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StemCells, Inc. (STEM) today announced initiation of a Phase I/II clinical trial of the Company's proprietary HuCNS-SC(R) product candidate (purified human neural stem cells) in dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) referred to as Geographic Atrophy. There are no approved treatments for dry AMD.

The trial is being conducted at the Retina Foundation of the Southwest's (RFSW) Anderson Vision Research Center in Dallas, Texas, one of the leading independent vision research centers in the United States. David G. Birch, Ph.D., Chief Scientific and Executive Officer of the RFSW and Director of the Rose-Silverthorne Retinal Degenerations Laboratory, is the principal investigator of the study.

"Dry AMD is the most common form of macular degeneration, and has a very debilitating effect on quality of life," said Dr. Birch. "Transplanting neural stem cells to protect photoreceptors in patients diagnosed with AMD is an innovative, but logical, approach, well supported by the Company's recently published preclinical data. We are very excited to be conducting this trial at RFSW."

A summary of the Company's preclinical data was featured in the February 2012 issue of the international peer-reviewed European Journal of Neuroscience (available online at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1460-9568.2011.07970.x/abstract). The data demonstrated that HuCNS-SC cells protect host photoreceptors and preserve vision in the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat, a well-established animal model of retinal disease which has been used extensively to evaluate potential cell therapies. Transplantation of HuCNS-SC cells significantly protects photoreceptors from degeneration. Moreover, the number of cone photoreceptors, which are responsible for central vision, remained constant over an extended period, consistent with the sustained visual acuity and light sensitivity observed in the study. In humans, degeneration of the cone photoreceptors accounts for the unique pattern of vision loss in dry AMD.

"Unlike others in the field, our clinical strategy is to preserve visual function before it is lost," said Stephen Huhn, MD, FACS, FAAP, Vice President and Head of the CNS Program at StemCells, Inc. "Our published preclinical data provides a strong rationale for this approach in dry AMD and we hope to replicate these results in this clinical trial. We are very pleased to be working with Dr. Birch and the Retina Foundation of the Southwest, who have the expertise and referral base to undertake this important study. We anticipate that we will be able to accrue the requisite number of patients for this trial in relatively short order."

About Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration refers to a loss of photoreceptors (rods and cones) from the macula, the central part of the retina. AMD is a degenerative retinal disease that typically strikes adults in their 50s or early 60s, and progresses painlessly, gradually destroying central vision. According to the RFSW website, there are approximately 1.75 million Americans age 40 years and older with some form of age-related macular degeneration, and the disease continues to be the number one cause of irreversible vision loss among senior citizens in the US with more than seven million at risk of developing AMD.

About the Trial

The Phase I/II trial will evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of HuCNS-SC cells as a treatment for dry AMD. The trial will be an open-label, dose-escalation study, and is expected to enroll a total of 16 patients. The HuCNS-SC cells will be administered by a single injection into the space beneath the retina in the most affected eye. Patients' vision will be evaluated using both conventional and advanced state-of-the-art methods of ophthalmological assessment. Evaluations will be performed at predetermined intervals over a one-year period to assess safety and signs of visual benefit. Patients will then be followed for an additional four years in a separate observational study. Patients interested in participating in the clinical trial should contact the site at (214) 363 3911.

About HuCNS-SC Cells

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StemCells, Inc. Initiates Phase I/II Clinical Trial in Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration