ISSCR 2021 | jCell: allogeneic cell therapy for retinitis pigmentosa

Gil Carrasquinho, MD, MBA, Santen Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., discusses the mechanism of action of jCell Therapy, an investigational allogeneic cell therapy for retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a degenerative retinal disease. Human retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) are administered via intravitreal injection causing the release neurotropic factors, resulting in a reduction in photoreceptor cell death and restoration of surviving photoreceptor and retinal ganglion cell function. A Phase IIb trial (NCT04604899) evaluating jCell in patients with RP demonstrated promising efficacy and tolerability data. This interview took place at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2021 Annual Meeting.