Keratitis is an inflammation of the cornea, which, despite available treatments, often gets complicated by ulceration of the eye, development of cataract, reduction of  vision.

Aimed at increase the effectiveness of treatment of keratitis of various etiology the scientists of the Institute of Cell Therapy (Kiev), together with researchers of the State Institution “Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy n.a. V.P. Filatov of NAMS of Ukraine” (Odessa) have developed a new method of treatment of keratitis using cryopreserved human amniotic membrane of the placenta.

Coordination Center of Transplantation of Organs, Tissues and Cells of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine has recently granted permission to the Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy n.a. V.P. Filatov of NAMS of Ukraine and the Institute of Cell Therapy for the beginning of the clinical trial “Effectiveness of cryopreserved human amniotic membrane in the treatment of keratitis of infectious and neurotrophic etiology”. Approval of the clinical trial was preceded by primary and specialized expertise of the clinical trial materials (№1 Protocol of 24 January 2017).

Clinical trial on the evaluation of efficacy of cryopreserved amniotic membrane of human placenta  in the treatment of keratitis of infectious and neurotrophic etiology will be conducted on the clinical base of the Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy n.a. V.P. Filatov of NAMS in accordance with the approved clinical trial protocol.

If clinical trials prove the efficacy of cryopreserved amniotic membrane of the placenta in the treatment of keratitis of various etiology, this therapy will be introduced in ophthalmic practice.

The achievements of Ukrainian scientists in the evaluation of the biological properties of the placenta and production of placental drugs are known worldwide. In particular, the papers of the scientists of the Cryobank of the Institute of Cell Therapy, a co-founder and active member of the Association of cryobanks,  devoted to the study of the placenta, were repeatedy published in leading international scientific journals and included in the programs of the most prestigious specialized scientific conferences. Also Ukrainian biotechnological enterprise “Institute of Cell Therapy” is a full member of the International Society of Placental Stem Cells.