ReNeuron Group PLC (LOM:RENE) said its treatment for a hereditary form of progressive blindness has been shown to have a “meaningful effect” for all points measured up to 18 months.
Its study of its human retinal progenitor cell (hRPC) therapy showed the single retinitis pigmentosa patient dosed a year and a half ago was able to read 16 more letters from a standard chart with the treated eye than with the untreated eye.
Chief executive Olav Hellebø said: “The persistence of the observed clinical benefit is particularly encouraging.”
The update built on the data from February which assessed the efficacy of the treatment to 12 months.
Earlier this month ReNeuron said both the US and UK drug regulators had approved an expansion of the company’s phase IIa clinical study to treat a further nine patients at higher dose levels with work set to begin shortly.
It said it expects to release updates from the expanded trial during the next 12 months, and, crucially, hopes to seek approval for a pivotal study in the second half of next year.