Stem Cell Treatment for Optic Nerve Atrophy (ONA)

A combination of stem cells and extensive therapies giving the patient real chances of improvement

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CELLAAX is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, research, development and commercialization of Regenerative Medicine.

Optic Nerve Atrophy

Is Stem Cell Treatment for Optic Nerve Atrophy Effective?

Are you considering Stem Cell Treatment for Optic Nerve Atrophy or Retinal Disorders?

Optic nerve atrophy and/or retinal degeneration are disabling eye disorders that have limited curative treatment options, with most only focusing on delaying disease progression and preventing further eye damage in order to ensure a better quality of life for such individuals. Stem Cell Treatment however offers hope, with studies showing stem cell therapy can reverse and improve different visual symptoms associated with different optic nerve and retinal disorders.

Read on to see if Optic Nerve Atrophy Stem Cell Treatment might be right for you.

Stem Cell Treatment for Damage to the Optic Nerve: An Encouraging Development

Stem cell therapy has become a ground-breaking method for treating optic nerve damage in recent years. Stem cells are injected as part of this groundbreaking treatment because they possess a remarkable ability to repair and/or regenerate damaged optic nerve cells. Stem cell therapy has the potential to improve vision and quality of life by considerably slowing down the advancement of diseases that damage the optic nerve.

Addressing Damage to Optic Nerves

Damage to the optic nerve, which is in charge of sending visual information from the eye to the brain, can lead to degeneration or injury, which can cause partial or total blindness. Damage to the optic nerve can result from a number of factors, such as:

Compressive Lesions: Growths or tumors close to the optic nerve may put pressure on it and harm it. One common example of such a lesion is a pituitary tumor.

Hereditary Conditions: Damage to the optic nerve can result from genetic disorders such as Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON).

Trauma: A physical blow to the head or eye can cause direct damage to the optic nerve or disrupt blood flow to it.

Medication: The optic nerve may be harmed by some medications.

Lifestyle Factors: Drinking alcohol and tobacco can aggravate optic nerve damage.

Glaucoma: Over time, increased intraocular pressure can progressively harm the optic nerve.

Optic neuropathy: Inflammation, toxins, trauma, and other factors can cause damage to the optic nerve in this condition.

Ischemic Optic Neuropathy: The optic nerve’s blood supply is diminished in this type of optic neuropathy.

Optic Neuritis: Optic neuritis is the inflammation of the optic nerve, which is frequently linked to multiple sclerosis (MS).

Identifying the Signs of Damage to the Optic Nerve

While the signs of optic nerve damage can differ, they frequently consist of:

  • flickering or flashing lights when the eyes are moved
  • persistent vision loss in one or both eyes
  • either gradual or abrupt loss of vision
  • Diminished peripheral vision
  • Pain within the eye, in the eye socket, or on the face (a common sign of optic neuritis)
  • reduced clarity of vision
  • Diminished ability to perceive color
  • unusual reactions of the students to light
  • Variations in the optic disc’s appearance

Stem cell therapy has the potential to significantly change the optic nerve damage treatment landscape and provide hope to those afflicted by this difficult condition as research and clinical trials progress.

Patient Outcome Data - ONA

The table below illustrates the findings from a questionnaire answered by 132 patients who underwent stem cell treatment with Cellax Therapy for Optic Nerve Atrophy. This survey was designed to gather insights on patient satisfaction, the perceived effectiveness of the stem cell treatment, and any potential areas in need of improvement.

The compiled responses have been systematically organized to provide a comprehensive perspective on the patients’ experiences and the outcomes of their treatment.

Data as of 12/5/2025

% of Patients who noticed Improvement % of Patients who noticed a Small Improvement % of Patients who noticed a Moderate Improvement % of Patients who noticed a Large Improvement
Light perception 57% 37% 8% 12%
Ability to see hand movement 56% 35% 6% 10%
Visual field 51% 35% 6% 10%
Vision in right eye 48% 28% 10% 9%
Vision in left eye 49% 28% 10% 9%
Blindness 51% 38% 6% 7%
Ability to see things clearly 41% 22% 12% 7%
Ability to see things at a close distance 41% 21% 12% 9%
Colour vision 44% 27% 6% 10%
Ability to focus eyes quickly 39% 22% 10% 7%
Able to count fingers 41% 23% 7% 12%
Night vision 38% 24% 8% 6%
Ability to keep eyes focused for a long time 37% 16% 12% 9%
Pain in the eyes 53% 22% 12% 19%
Nystagmus (uncontrolled eye movement) 46% 15% 12% 18%
Ability to see things at a far distance 35% 19% 9% 7%
Strabismus (side glances) 45% 22% 9% 14%
Droopy eye lids 37% 16% 8% 13%
Do you feel as though your stem cell treatment has improved the quality of life?
No38%
Yes, has slightly improved33%
Yes, has moderately improved14%
Yes, has significantly improved15%
% of patients with some level of positive result62%

Are you currently satisfied with the outcome of the treatment?
No18%
No comment23%
Somewhat satisfied30%
Yes29%
% of patients a positive level of satisfaction59%

Are you currently experiencing any improvements in your general physical condition?
No 29%
Yes, small improvements 29%
Yes, moderate improvements 18%
Yes, significant improvements 15%
% of Patients with ongoing improvements 63%
How Stem Cell Therapy Improves Symptoms of Retinal or Optic Nerve Disorders

Stem cells are cells that are “pluripotent”, meaning they can differentiate into all other cells due to their self-renewing abilities. They can develop into ectodermal (ex. skin and some neurological structures), mesodermal (ex. bones, cartilages, and blood cells), or endodermal cells (ex. cells of internal body organs).

Therefore, injecting stem cells – from a donor – should theoretically allow them to differentiate and “replace” the damaged retina or optic nerve seen in different ophthalmological disorders (7). Stem cell therapy has provided a new hope in curing or at least improving the sight-related symptoms associated with retinal or optic degeneration in order to provide patients a better quality of life. Following the testing of stem cell treatment on people with retinal and/or optic nerve atrophy, in addition to their self-renewing abilities, stem cells have proven to have additional benefits other than tissue replacement; including (8-10):

  • Replacing and repairing the damaged optic cells: As mentioned, this is their original function; to replace the damaged tissue – i.e. retinal cells in case of retinal damage and optic neurons in case of optic nerve atrophy – through the conversion of one cell type to another.
  • Increasing the production of neurotrophic factors that promote nervous cell proliferation and differentiation (ex. glia derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)). These factors can locally enhance cellular recruitment, proliferation and maturation within the damaged or affected retinal/optic nerve neurons.
  • Modulating the immune system and the ongoing inflammatory process: Stem cells produce different antioxidants; thereby reducing the neurodestructive and atrophic process characterizing retinal degeneration and optic nerve atrophy.
  • Preventing cell death: Through releasing substances that can inhibit the process of apoptosis, or programmed cell death, of the damaged cells until they are adequately repaired by stem cells.
What are the Benefits of Stem Cell Therapy in Cerebral Palsy

The efficacy of stem cell transplantation reaches as high as 85% – which is a dramatic improvement from the currently-used treatments. It can repair and stop the ongoing neurological destructive process, and it might even reverse the original brain insult responsible for CP. Stem cells have proven benefits in improving (4, 5):

  • Gross motor functions: Such as walking, jumping, kneeling, sitting, and crawling
  • Fine motor functions: Such as different hand functions
  • Muscle tone: Muscle tone significantly decreases after stem cell therapy – therefore allowing better range of motion
  • Cognitive functions: Such as alertness and concentration
  • Speech and language
  • Swallowing and drooling
  • Self-dependence
  • Social-adaptability
  • Visual acuity
  • Psychiatric and physical health: Including better mood

Although stem cell therapy provides significant benefits in CP as mentioned, it should still be used in combination with other treatment modalities including physiotherapy; psychiatric therapy; and speech therapy – all of which are available at Beike Technology – in order to achieve the highest possible response out of treatment.

Side Effects and Factors Affecting Response to Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cell therapy has limited side effects if used correctly, with comparable side effect risks to those associated with regular blood transfusion (ex. allergic reactions or fever). Also, given that this might be a difficult decision to make, and you might need to weigh the benefits versus risks prior to starting this journey, we will discuss with you different factors that might affect your child’s response to stem cell therapy, and how we at Beike Technology address each factor to ensure that we provide you with the highest efficacy using the safest procedure possible (7, 12).

  • Dose/Number of stem cells: The higher the dose of stem cells – within limits of course – the better the response. At Beike Technology, we administer an optimum dose of around 120-400 Million Cells (depending on the child’s weight).
  • Route/Method of administration: Studies have shown that intrathecal injection (through lumbar puncture directly within the brain’s CSF) provides a better response than the traditional intravenous route (which causes stem cells to go to other organs than the brain before reaching it). At Beike Technology, we use both intravenous and intrathecal routes concomitantly in order to obtain maximal efficacy; while ensuring the least possible side effects of toxicity.
  • Age of transplant: There is some suggestion that the younger age of intervention has better results to stem cell therapy.
  • Type of Stem Cells used: As previously mentioned, umbilical cord-based stem cells have better-proven efficacy in CP compared to other types of stem cells. At Beike Technology, we use both forms of umbilical cord-based samples in patients with CP; umbilical cord blood and umbilical cord tissue.
  • Follow-up Time: Significant benefits from stem cell therapy begin appearing around three months after stem cell therapy, and most people reach their full potential around 6-12 months after treatment. At Beike Technology, even after discharge, we provide you with a full follow-up program beginning as early as one month and up to one year after transplantation. You have complete access to our professional team even after you leave our center.
Benefits of Stem Cell Therapy in Optic Nerve Atrophy and Retinal Disorders

Studies testing stem cell therapy in people with retinal and/or optic nerve disorders have reported that the use of stem cell therapy in affected infants has shown improvement in (8):

  • Visual Acuity
  • Color perception
  • Visual field
  • Light perception
  • Depth perception
  • Night vision

 

Improvement rates following stem cell transplantation reach as high as 83%; with improvement being seen in both eyes simultaneously (8). These results could be seen as miraculous in such optic disorders with otherwise irreversible neurological damage.