MD Stem Cells Begins the Largest Stem Cell Eye Treatment Study to Date

RIDGEFIELD, Conn., Sept. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- For patients with serious eye disease, going blind is a constant fear. The loss of vision experienced from retinal or optic nerve problems may be progressive with devastating impact on a person's ability to live a full life. Treatment with Bone Marrow Derived Stem Cells may hold the key to reversing blindness and restoring vision. But the concern has been whether such stem cell treatments have enough published reports and studies to show effectiveness in a convincing way. MD Stem Cells hopes to help provide that evidence.

MD Stem Cells is Collaborator for the new Stem Cell Ophthalmology Treatment Study, abbreviated as SCOTS. Dr. Steven Levy, President of MD Stem Cells, will function as Study Director for the clinical trial expected to continue through August 2017. The Retinal Associates of South Florida is the study Sponsor and Dr. Jeffrey Weiss, retinal surgeon and physician, is the Principle Investigator and provider of the ophthalmic stem cell treatments.

"We are extremely pleased to have helped design and implement this broadly encompassing retinal and optic nerve disease study," Dr. Levy exclaimed. "We believe ours is the largest, most comprehensive registered ophthalmology stem cell study to date. We have taken great care in powering the study and expect to obtain statistically meaningful results. SCOTS is being conducted under an Institutional Review Board whose evaluation was rigorous."

SCOTS is registered with the National Institutes of Health and listed on their website www.clinicaltrials.gov with identifier NCT01920867. Patients interested in whether they may participate and healthcare providers may reach Dr. Levy at [email protected] or 203-423-9494 Eastern Time USA.

"We hope that the treatment will be shown to improve vision in the vast majority of individuals who are enrolled in SCOTS. Patients considering treatment should understand that this is clinical research and individual responses cannot be predicted," stated Dr. Levy. He added, "Our previous anecdotal experience with eye disease treated with stem cells has been positive. With SCOTS we hope to provide strong evidence of the effectiveness of these treatments to the medical community."

SOURCE MD Stem Cells