Geron announces launch of telomerase-immortalized cell line

By Lisa Kerner

Erie, Pa., Feb. 7 - Geron Corp. announced the launch of T HESC, a human endometrium fibroblast-like cell line immortalized with human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT).

The new immortalized human cell line is available through the nonprofit organization ATCC (American Type Culture Collection), according to a company news release.

The T HESC cell line (ATCC CRL-4003) is the fourth telomerase-immortalized cell line offered by ATCC as part of its Cell Immortalization Program.

For cell-based research, telomerase-immortalized cell lines provide significant advantages over primary cells or cells transformed with oncogenes, the company said. The cells provide a stable, uniform population for functional cell-based assays and long-term gene expression studies.

Because these immortalized cell lines can undergo repeated rounds of genetic engineering, they have potential uses in biological studies, cell-based screens and drug toxicity testing.

"We are pleased that our partner, ATCC, has launched another telomerase-immortalized cell line," David L. Greenwood, Geron's chief financial officer, said in the release.

"Over time, we continue to demonstrate the utility of telomerase: first, in research and development applications such as immortalized cell lines; and second, in therapeutic applications for the treatment of cancer and chronic diseases."

Geron said its telomerase inhibitor drug and telomerase-dendritic cell vaccine are in multiple clinical trials in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma and other hematological malignancies.

Geron is a biopharmaceutical company based in Menlo Park, Calif.

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