stem cell news 111122-28

kittybruce

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* e) }/ e  r# _5 K"As the stem cell sector has grown, and treatments for diseases with significantly larger markets are becoming a reality, the financial rationale for Geron’s approach has weakened. The market size for spinal cord injury is simply too small, and could not support the cost of development...The contribution of Geron’s spinal cord injury program to the stem cell field can not be overstated. As the first such stem cell program approved by the FDA, it established precedent for the field and allowed all others to follow at reduced risk to sponsor companies."--Hans Keirstead from California Stem Cell, Inc.
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& e# m& M9 ^( ]- n: p"Getting the business case right is as important as getting the science right for each stem cell therapy that we develop." --Anthony Hollander, a professor of Rheumatology and Tissue Engineering at the University of Bristol.
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“In fact, things are much difficult now compared to when Hwang carried out his research because we are now not allowed to use fresh eggs to duplicate embryos.”--Professor Park Se-pill at Jeju National University.
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2 c: i& s2 F1 ~+ a8 n: N1 e“The Geron trial had no real chance of success because of the design and the disease targeted. It was an intrinsically flawed study… The first trials of stem cell that will give an answer are our own in the heart. The heart is an organ that can give quantitative data of quality.”--John Martin, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at University College London.) \" \6 v5 _, C
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“The rationale for our approach is somewhat analogous to planting seeds in fertile soil versus trying to grow plants in sand.”--John M. Canty Jr., professor of medicine and chief of cardiovascular medicine at the University at Buffalo.
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"Many of us were surprised Geron selected spinal-cord injury in the first place. It didn’t really make a lot of sense, either commercially or biologically. So it’s not too surprising they didn’t obtain any biological effect. Although treating spinal-cord injury has a kind of sex appeal, you have to take reality into account, including not only the market but the chances of success."--Robert Lanza of Advanced Cell Technology.
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“Geron has been in trouble for a while. Former CEO Thomas Okarma, who left abruptly in February, was the subject of ridicule for his repeated announcements that ESC-based clinical trials would begin “next year” — that is, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 — and the trial they eventually came up with was so dubious that Arthur Caplan called it “nuts and hugely risky.”--Pete Shanks, a regular contributor to the Berkeley center’s Biopolitical Times.
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“Geron's ignominious reputation as a serial money-raiser that only succeeded in leaving investors holding the bag may forever tarnish the entire embryonic stem cell field in Wall Street's eyes. The risk it too great, the payoff (if it ever comes) is too far off.”--The Street, a financial news service.
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. {8 g; {2 ]0 v1 PThis issue:/ \1 y: R1 K  _0 x
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9 }2 B4 t- h) e* T+ h5 L' F7 i: gVideo news:
- w+ b/ q, `' r2 K9 WBorn blind, stem cell therapy helped 2-year-old gain sight9 p# @' @7 h$ P# U/ t! _
http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/local_news/born-blind,-stem-cell-therapy-helped-sight0 z7 Y& m5 z8 L) S

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$ @. x" U* R7 \( o0 @9 d4 r% eRadio:
1 o: M# {' y& Q8 Q9 L1 ?) QAre stem cells the end of disease?
, M: h+ ?. _; d5 ?" B1 Ghttp://blogs.abc.net.au/nsw/2011 ... p;program=702_drive