First Patients in Arizona Receive Experimental Stem Cell Treatment for Eye

Disease

Phoenix, AZ, February 11, 2019 --(PR.com)-- Retinal Consultants of Arizona & the Retinal Research
Institute - one of the nation's leading retina & vitreous clinical research and patient treatment facilities - is
proud to announce that Dr. Pravin U. Dugel has conducted the first stem cell therapy treatment for
patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in Arizona.

The stem cell therapy - human retinal progenitor cells (hRPC) - is being investigated for the treatment of
RP. RP is a disease affecting the nerve cells involved in vision that are found in the retina (tissue of the
eye used to see). hRPC is being investigated in subjects with RP to see if hRPC, when injected into the
retina, can slow the degeneration of, or even possibly replace these retinal cells that are used for vision.

“This clinical trial is an exciting step forward in stem cell therapy,” said Dr. Pravin U. Dugel, managing
partner, Retinal Consultants of Arizona & Retinal Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ; clinical professor,
USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.
“Our goal as physicians is to advance the diagnosis and treatment of retina diseases affecting millions of
people globally. Advancements like hRPC are critical to the treatment of patients who experience vision
loss or blindness due to retinitis pigmentosa and are currently without hope."

According to the trial sponsor, UK biotechnology company ReNeuron, pre-clinical studies have
demonstrated that retinal implantation of human retinal progenitor cells (hRPC) have the potential to
preserve existing photoreceptors, potentially reducing or halting further deterioration of vision. In
addition, the progenitor cells have been shown to mature into functional photoreceptors that engraft into
the photoreceptor layer, bringing the possibility of restored vision.

The hRPC used in this study is investigational. “Investigational” means the hRPC is a study agent being
tested and has not yet been approved for use as a medicine by the United States Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). See full study details at ClinicalTrials.gov:
(
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02464436?cond=human+retinal+progenitor+cells+%28hRPC%29
&rank=1)

Patients interested in learning more about this study, please contact the Retinal Research Institute at
602-682-2770. For media inquiries, please contact Perry Athanason at
pathanason@retinalconsultantsaz.com.

About Retinal Consultants of Arizona

Retinal Consultants of Arizona (RCA) was established in 1980 in central Phoenix. Since then, we have
grown to include more than 30 locations throughout Arizona, providing improved access to the highest
quality medical eye care. RCA also manages the country's leading independent clinical research & trials
facility, Retinal Research Institute, where RCA physicians contribute to the advancement of new
therapies by participating in clinical research studies - www.retinalconsultantsaz.com.

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Contact Information:
Retinal Consultants of Arizona
Perry Athanason
917-319-2126
Contact via Email
www.retinalconsultantsaz.com

Online Version of Press Release:

You can read the online version of this press release at: https://www.pr.com/press-release/776857

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