MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 7, 2004--Geron
Corporation (Nasdaq:GERN) today announced that it has granted a
nonexclusive license to The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG)
relating to Geron's human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)
technology for research applications.
Under the terms of the agreement, Procter & Gamble will use hTERT
to create immortalized cell lines from specified types of skin cells.
Procter & Gamble plans to use the immortalized cells to study the
regulation of cell function and develop biological assays for
screening purposes. The financial terms of the agreement were not
disclosed.
"Telomerase has a unique value in biopharmaceutical research,
which this agreement reflects," said Calvin B. Harley, Ph.D., Geron's
chief scientific officer. "Cell lines immortalized with hTERT can
proliferate indefinitely while maintaining normal physical and
biological characteristics. That means that Procter & Gamble will be
able to conduct repeated or long-term studies on the biology and
function of the cells that would be impossible with mortal cells or
with cells immortalized in ways that change their morphology or
function."
Geron's telomerase platform is supported by a broad intellectual
property portfolio of more than 180 issued patents and over 95 pending
applications worldwide. Issued U.S. patents include claims covering
the cloned genes that encode the RNA component (hTR) and the catalytic
protein component (hTERT) of human telomerase, as well as cells that
are immortalized by expression of recombinant hTERT.
This news release may contain forward-looking statements made
pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such
forward-looking statements in this press release regarding potential
applications of Geron's technology constitute forward-looking
statements involving risks and uncertainties, including, without
limitation, risks inherent in the development and commercialization of
potential products, reliance on collaborators, need for additional
capital, need for regulatory approvals or clearances, and the
maintenance of our intellectual property rights. Actual results may
differ materially from the results anticipated in these
forward-looking statements. Additional information on potential
factors that could affect our results and other risks and
uncertainties are detailed from time to time in Geron's periodic
reports, including the quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended March 31, 2004. |
