In
this Department, development
is being conducted of
new treatment methods
for patients suffering
from severe ocular surface
disease whose treatment
had been considered difficult.
Cornea transplants are
effective in the treatment
of patients with ocular
surface disease but there
is a shortage of donors
and there are problems
associated with rejection
after transplant. Therefore,
the Department set out
to culture corneal cells
on the amnion to produce
corneal sheets for transplant
purposes. Clinical research
so far has obtained good
results even for long-term
observation of more than
three years. This can
be said to be an effective
treatment of patients
who were in the inflammatory
phase, patients who had
been difficult to treat
up till now.
ArBlast
has
received
clinical
backup
from
Kyoto
Prefectural
University
of
Medicine
and
is
aiming
to
develop
products
that
are
safe
and
stable
so
that
amnion
refinement
know-how
can
be
put
to
effect
in
new
treatments
in
ophthalmology.
The
Department aims to develop
regenerative treatment
that utilizes tissues
(amniotic membrane, umbilical
cord, umbilical cord
blood, and placenta itself)
appertaining to the placenta
that is discharged as
afterbirth. Noting the
fact that the amniotic
tissues incorporate undivided
cells and stem cells,
the Department is currently
engaged in finding solutions
to the problems of chronic
organ failure or severe
organ function impairment
and malfunction that
are difficult to treat,
using these cells and
trying to establish regenerative
therapy that would be
the alternative to organ
transplants.
The
placental
tissues,
which
are
relatively
easily
accessible
ethically
and
technically
compared
to
ES
cells
and
tissue
stem
cells,
are
a
new
source
of
cells
that
merit
due
attention,
with
expectations
of
divisions
making
them
into
various
organs.
ArBlast
has
obtained
the
cooperation
of
Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical
University
and
is
set
to
undertake
the
application
of
placental
materials
including
the
amniotic
membrane
to
diverse
fields.
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