CLEpSCs are pluripotent and have the capability of being differentiated into all different epithelial cell types. CLEpSCs are considered a key resource for epidermal and skin regeneration as they have demonstrated the potential in the treatment of skin wounds, ocular surface disorders and eyes with Persistent Corneal Epithelial Defect.

EC, EpSC or CLEpSC Clinical Trials – Global Institutions

EC, EpSC or CLEpSC Application Reports

Wound Healing

• Treatment trial was conducted by Singapore General Hospital, Burn Centre;
• 8 patients with 10 skin wounds were treated with autologous and allogenic skin epithelium (keratinocytes) cultured and transplanted with polymer dressing aid;
• Rapid re-epithelialization, closure and healing of wounds were observed.

Source: Tay AG et al. Cultured subconfluent keratinocytes on wound polymer dressings in the treatment of burns and chronic wounds. Wounds 2000 12(5):127-133.

Ocular Surface Disorders

• Study 1
• Treatment trial was conducted by Singapore Eye Research Centre;
• 7 patients in Singapore with various ocular surface disorders received treatment;
• Autologous harvesting and cultivation of conjunctival epithelial stem cells were used;
• Transplantation of cultured stem cells on human amniotic membrane;
• All patients fully recovered: disease resolution and complication free.

Source: Tan DT et al. Reconstruction of the ocular surface by transplantation of a serum-free derived cultivated conjunctival epithelial equivalent. Transplantation 2004 77(11): 1729-1734.

• Study 2
• 9 patients with severe ocular surface disorders received treatment under a clinical trial conducted by Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan;
• Cultivation of both autologous and allogeneic corneal stem cells and subsequent transplantation on human amniotic membrane;
• Rapid corneal epithelialisation achieved with improvement in visual acuity. Stable and transparent corneas in patients were also observed.

Source: Nakamura T, et al. Transplantation of autologous serum-derived cultivated corneal epithelial equivalents for the treatment of severe ocular surface disease. Ophthalmology 2006;113(10):1765-1772.

Ischemic stroke

• A research project in Australia led by La Trobe University has proven that human amnion epithelial cells can help to reduce brain injury and aided recovery in mice.
• As a result of the successful pre-clinical study, the research team is currently running an approved Phase 1 human clinical trial in Australia.
• A patient who suffered from a stroke in February 2019 was reported to have remarkable recovery about a day after he received the treatment.
• The patient had significant speech problems and arm weakness post-stroke but after the treatment, he only suffered mild facial droop with no further damage to his brain tissue.

Source: Evans MA, Lim R, Kim HA, et al. Acute or delayed systemic administration of human amnion epithelial cells improves outcomes in experimental stroke. Stroke. 2018;49:700-709.

Source: Australia’s Science Channel page. La Trobe University. https://australiascience.tv/world-first-stem-cell-therapy-trial-begins-in-melbourne/. Accessed 3 March 2020.

Lung Injury

• Human amnion epithelial cells have been shown to prevent acute lung injury but to assess if these cells can repair existing lung damage, a group of researchers administered the cells in mice with induced lung damage either 7 or 14 days after damage induction.
• Their research showed that human amnion epithelial cells delivered in 14 days after damage induction were capable of repairing the established lung injury.

Source: Vosdoganes P, Wallace EM, Chan ST, Acharya R, Moss T, Lim R. Human amnion epithelial cells repair established lung injury. Cell Transplant. 2013;22:1337-49.

Persistent Corneal Epithelial Defect

• A study was carried out on 37 patients with persistent corneal epithelial defect (PED) at the Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology.
• All of these patients suffered from corneal defects at the period time from 4 to 28 weeks, and the period time of PED was from 2 to 13 weeks.
• 34 of 37 patients were healed with the success rate of 91.9%. 22 patients with this eye problem healed within a week.

Source: Ngan ND, Chau HM, Dong PN, et al. Tissue-Cultured Human Cord Lining Epithelial Cells in Treatment of Persistent Corneal Epithelial Defect. Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2019;7(24):4266-4271.

DCR No. 4218, Version A, May 2021