What research stage is stem-cell therapy for Macular Degeneration & Vision at?
The ladder for this condition: 0 Phase 3 or 4 records out of 44 registrations in total, snapshot 2026-08-29.
Phase distribution
| Phase label | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 26 | 42% |
| Phase 2 | 19 | 31% |
| Not applicable | 17 | 27% |
What the phase mix means for Macular Degeneration & Vision
The field is early in phase terms but sophisticated in method: small, carefully monitored surgical studies. Small numbers here reflect surgical complexity rather than a lack of scientific seriousness.
The later-phase studies themselves
No registered study for this condition carries a Phase 3 or Phase 4 label in this snapshot. That is the single most useful fact on this page: the confirmatory stage has not been reached.
How to read phase labels
The ladder runs from tolerability through signal-finding to a controlled, adequately powered test of benefit. Cell-therapy records frequently carry no phase at all, because observational designs and some tissue-based protocols sit outside the drug framework entirely. Read that as a classification gap, not a verdict.
Median planned enrolment across sampled studies here is 15 participants. Small single-arm studies can flag safety problems; they cannot separate a treatment effect from natural fluctuation, placebo response or regression to the mean.
The largest studies by planned enrolment
Size is a crude proxy for what a study can detect, but it separates a serious attempt from a case series presented as evidence.
| Study | Phase | Status | Planned n | Lead sponsor | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT04270604 — Biological Sample Collection for Research and Biobanking | n/a | Terminated | 1,279 | New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute | 2012-02-06 |
| NCT01432847 — Cell Collection to Study Eye Diseases | n/a | Recruiting | 930 | National Eye Institute (NEI) | 2011-09-07 |
| NCT03011541 — Stem Cell Ophthalmology Treatment Study II | n/a | Recruiting | 500 | MD Stem Cells | 2016-01 |
| NCT01920867 — Stem Cell Ophthalmology Treatment Study | n/a | Unknown | 300 | MD Stem Cells | 2012-08 |
| NCT03372746 — Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cell Lines From Skin Fibroblast Cells of Participants With Age-Related Macular Degeneration | n/a | Completed | 187 | National Eye Institute (NEI) | 2018-05-23 |
Frequently asked
What research stage is stem-cell therapy for Macular Degeneration & Vision at?
0 of 44 records are labelled Phase 3 or 4 (2026-08-29).
Is a Phase 3 trial proof that it works?
No — it is a design capable of testing that question. Proof depends on the reported result, replication, and whether the outcome measured matters to patients.
Why do so many records have no phase?
Observational studies and some cell-therapy protocols are registered without a phase label. It is a registry field, not a quality rating.
Registry and literature counts retrieved 2026-08-29 (ClinicalTrials.gov API v2; PubMed E-utilities). Registration or publication volume measures research activity, not effectiveness or approval. Educational information — not medical advice; verify product, indication, legal pathway and evidence with an independent qualified physician. Page generated 2026-08-29. See our editorial standards.
More on this condition
- Macular Degeneration & Vision: cell-therapy evidence and registered trials
- How much does stem cell therapy for Macular Degeneration & Vision cost? (2026)
- Macular Degeneration & Vision stem cell therapy — your questions answered (2026)
- Macular Degeneration & Vision: cell-therapy evidence by therapy class