We often take our eyesight for granted until it’s too late. More than 1.7 million people over the age of 65 are afflicted with age-related macular degeneration, taking away the precious gift of sight. The loss of function in retinal cells can lead to impairment or total loss of vision. While scientific advances to treat diseases of the eye are constantly being made, approximately 65,000 people in the United States are affected by the most common types of retinitis pigmentosa.

As its name implies, StemCells Inc. (Nasdaq: STEM) concentrates on the discovery, development and commercialization of cell-based therapeutics to treat diseases affecting the central nervous system and liver. The company today announced that its HuCNS-SC product candidate, when transplanted into a well-established animal model, can protect the retina from progressive degeneration, which can lead to the loss of vision in age-related eye diseases.

The study was conducted by Dr.