EEBA 2023 Session VII – Surgical Innovations And Clinical Outcomes

P47-A153 Transplantation of cultured human corneal endothelial cells

Abstract

Multiple research groups now theorize that tissue engineering will provide novel therapies for treating corneal endothelial cell (CEC) decompensation. In 2013, we initiated first-in-man clinical research (not an Investigational New Drug [IND] clinical trial) of a CEC injection therapy at the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine in Japan. In a clinical trial, cultured CECs (CECs) supplemented with a rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitor were injected into the anterior chamber. In all of our first 11 cases, the corneal transparency was restored with the regeneration of a monolayer sheet structure of corneal endothelium. As proof of concept of CEC injection therapy was obtained, we are currently developing a cellular product to deliver this therapy to all patients. To that end, we have established an efficient cell culture protocol and ‘ready-to-use’ frozen cells. In this presentation, I will introduce the current status of our developments to provide a platform for discussing future therapies for treating corneal endothelial decompensation.

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