ACT Receives Approval for First Human Embryonic Stem Cell Trial in Europe

Advanced Cell Technology ACTC announced today that it has received clearance from the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to begin treating patients as part of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy (SMD) using retinal pigment epithelium derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). ACT received similar approval from the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee, which has responsibility for the ethical oversight of proposals to conduct clinical trials involving gene or stem cell therapies in the U.K. The European Medicines Agency previously granted Orphan Drug designation for the company's RPE cell product for use in treating SMD.