Intravitreal use of bone marrow mononuclear fraction containing CD34 + stem cells in patients with atrophic age-related macular degeneration

To evaluate the therapeutic potential and safety of intravitreal injections of bone marrow mononuclear fraction (BMMF) containing CD34 cells in patients with atrophic age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Ten patients with atrophic AMD and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the worse-seeing eye of ≤20/100 were enrolled in this study. The bone marrow from all patients was aspirated and processed for mononuclear cell separation. A 0.1 mL suspension of BMMF CD34 cells was injected into the vitreous cavity of the worse-seeing eye. Patients were evaluated at Baseline and 1,3,6,9 and 12 months after injection. Ophthalmic evaluation included BCVA measurement, microperimetry, infrared imaging, fundus autofluorescence and SD-optical coherence tomography at all study visits. Fluorescein angiography was performed at Baseline and at 6 and 12 months after intravitreal therapy. All patients completed the 6-month follow-up, and six completed the 12-month follow-up. Prior to the injection, mean BCVA was 1.18 logMAR (20/320 ), ranging from 20/125 to 20/640 , and improved significantly at every follow-up visit, including the 12-month one, when BCVA was 1.0 logMAR (20/200) (