Japan Approves the World’s First Treatment Made With Reprogrammed Human Cells

Japan's Ministry of Health granted conditional marketing authorization to two regenerative medical products derived from reprogrammed iPS cells, marking the world's first practical application of iPS cell-derived products. One product, ReHeart, is a sheet of cardiomyocytes for severe heart failure patients, while the second, Amusepri, involves neurons implanted into the brain. The approval comes exactly 20 years after the creation of mouse iPS cells, with iPS Cell Research Institute director emeritus Shinya Yamanaka emphasizing the need for continued scientific caution.