Geron, Corning to develop synthetic surfaces for growth of embryonic stem cells

By Lisa Kerner

Charlotte, N.C., June 22 - Geron Corp. said it has entered into a collaboration and license agreement with Corning Inc. to develop and commercialize synthetic surface matrices to replace the biological surface coatings widely used to grow human embryonic stem cells (hESCs).

Under the agreement, Corning receives a license under Geron patents covering hESC growth and a sublicense under the hESC patents held by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.

Corning will also sell products resulting from the collaboration, with Geron receiving royalties.

"Techniques for scalable and cost-effective hESC manufacturing are key to our product-based business model for hESC therapies for degenerative diseases," Geron president and chief executive officer Thomas B. Okarma said in a company news release.

One advantage of hESCs compared to other stem cell types is their ability to maintain pluripotency and proliferative capacity indefinitely in culture. They also are believed to offer more uniformity as well as a cost savings, the company said.

Based in Corning, N.Y., Corning develops products for the life science industries and other markets.

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

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