Is stem cell therapy about to transform medicine and reverse ageing?

image via New Scientist

April 24, 2026, 9:00 AM

• •Partial reprogramming using stem cells is being tested in a clinical trial for age-related vision conditions.
• •The trial uses Yamanaka factors (minus c-Myc) delivered via a non-infectious virus.
• •The goal is to reverse degeneration and potentially treat other age-related diseases.
• •The approach builds on a major discovery in aging and regeneration made 20 years ago.

A clinical trial is underway to test the effectiveness of partial reprogramming using stem cell treatment for age-related vision conditions like glaucoma and NAION. This approach, which involves using Yamanaka factors without c-Myc, aims to rejuvenate cells and potentially reverse degeneration. If successful, this method could revolutionize the treatment of numerous age-related diseases. The trial is a phase I trial, so the primary goal is to ensure the treatment's safety before moving on to evaluate its effectiveness in stalling or reversing the degeneration.

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