Geron Says Its Embryonic Cells Won't Make Immune System React
By Rob Waters
June 12 (Bloomberg) -- Geron Corp. said it may be able to inject its
experimental stem cells into people to treat heart failure without
triggering a life-threatening response by the body's immune system,
in research presented today.
Menlo Park, California-based Geron's bid to become the first to test
human embryonic stem cells in people with spinal cord injury was
delayed last month by U.S. regulators. The company is also developing
treatments for diabetes and osteoporosis using cells derived from
human embryos.
Transplanted organs and tissue often trigger a life- threatening
attack by the recipient's immune system. Stem cell therapies may also
come from other people, so researchers worry they also could be
rejected by the body. Geron's research, presented at a meeting of the
International Society for Stem Cell Research in Philadelphia, found
that when the cells were injected into people's blood, they didn't
boost the number of infection- fighting white blood cells.
``This is now the second differentiated cell type we've shown to be
immune privileged,'
officer, in a telephone interview today. ``It augurs well for the
general notion of being able to do this therapy'' using only a short
course of low-dose drugs that suppress an immune response.
To prevent serious immune responses when transplanting other tissues
and organs, doctors often prescribe high doses of immune suppressing
drugs that can cause debilitating side effects. Geron previously
presented findings showing the cells it hopes to use to treat spinal
damage also were unlikely to trigger an immune response.
`Off-The-Shelf'
``These results suggest that off-the-shelf human embryonic stem cell-
derived cell therapies could be a viable treatment option in the
future,'' said Ren Benjamin, an analyst with Rodman & Renshaw in New
York, in a note sent today to investors.
While ``Geron continues to advance the promise and versatility'
stem cell therapies, ``the results are early and will likely require
long-term safety studies before the chance to be evaluated in the
clinic,'' Benjamin said.
Geron was unchanged today at $3.90 at 4 p.m. in Nasdaq Stock Market
trading.
The company also presented findings from other studies showing that
human embryonic cells coaxed to turn into cartilage- forming cells
corrected defects in the knees of rats and that liver cells made from
human stem cells lodged in the livers of mice and connected with
other tissue.
To contact the reporter on this story: Rob Waters in Philadelphia at
rwaters5@bloomberg.
Last Updated: June 12, 2008 17:58 EDT
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StemCells subscribers may also be interested in these sites:
Children's Neurobiological Solutions
http://www.CNSfoundation.org/
Cord Blood Registry
http://www.CordBlood.com/at.cgi?a=150123
The CNS Healing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CNS_Healing
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