Advanced Cell Technology Achieves Clinical Milestone

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (“ACT”; OTCBB: ACTC or the “Company”), a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, announced today that investigators for the Company’s Phase I/II clinical trials for Stargardt’s macular dystrophy (SMD) and dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD) have observed evidence of engraftment of the transplanted human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and visual acuity gain in patients treated over the 18 months since the trials were first initiated. The Company believes this observation of engraftment and persistence is clinically important because engraftment of cells in the proper area, and recapitulation of normal RPE cell layer structure is important to the ultimate efficacy of the RPE cells in the treatments. Additionally, investigators have not observed any issues of safety relating to the transplanted human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived RPE cells in any of the 18 patients treated. The company believes this warrants early (though cautious) optimism as the company looks forward to initiating the second half of the three trials.