Geron leveraging its human embryonic stem cell platform, develops new products

By Lisa Kerner

Charlotte, N.C., July 5 - Geron Corp. said it continues to leverage its human embryonic stem cell platform with the development of four therapeutic products.

The company presented an update on its products from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) for the treatment of degenerative diseases at the International Society for Stem Cell Research's annual meeting in Toronto.

Highlighted at the meeting were oligodendroglial progenitor cells for acute spinal cord injury (GRNOPC1), islet clusters for diabetes (GRNCM1), cardiomyocytes for myocardial infarction and osteoprogenitor cells for bone fractures and osteoporosis.

Also highlighted were Geron's advances in hESC culture and derivation techniques and hESC-derived hepatocytes for liver failure and drug metabolism testing.

"Our most advanced product, GRNOPC1 for acute spinal cord injury, is in multiple Investigational New Drug-enabling studies," president and chief executive officer Thomas B. Okarma said in a company news release.

"Its in vivo mechanism of action includes myelination and trophic support of damaged spinal cord neurons, resulting in significant locomotor recovery of spinal cord injured rodents."

Geron said studies showed its method to produce ventricular cardiomyocytes (GRNCM1) can be scaled, and yields cells which can be cryopreserved and thawed.

When transplanted into infarcted nude rats, these cardiomyocytes engrafted and survived.

Geron is a Menlo Park, Calif.-based biopharmaceutical company that is developing therapeutic products for the treatment of cancer and degenerative diseases, including spinal cord injury, heart failure, diabetes and HIV/AIDS.

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