Geron Corporation Receives U.S. Patent for Differentiating Human Embryonic Stem Cells Into Neural Cells
MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 21, 2004--Geron
Corporation (Nasdaq:GERN) announced today that it has been granted
U.S. Patent No. 6,833,269, covering the production of human neural
cells from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs).
The new patent covers a method of producing neural cells by
culturing hESCs in the presence of a mitogen and a neurotrophin. Geron
scientists developed the method using a combination of these two types
of biological factors to induce hESCs to differentiate into neural
cells. In particular, the technology covered by the patent can be used
to produce dopaminergic neurons, the dopamine-producing cells that are
lost in Parkinson's disease.
"Geron and its collaborators have developed techniques to produce
eight different types of differentiated cells from hESCs, each with
unique therapeutic applications. Moreover the company has developed
technologies to scalably produce hESCs in quantities suitable for the
production of cell therapeutics," said Thomas B. Okarma, Ph.D., M.D.,
Geron's president and chief executive officer. "The technology covered
by the new patent is of particular therapeutic relevance since there
is broad interest in the potential to treat Parkinson's disease using
cell therapies. For example, clinical trials have been reported in
which neural cells from fetal brains were transplanted into patients.
However, those cell populations were highly heterogeneous and are
challenging to source. In contrast, Geron's hESCs technology offers
the potential to reproducibly generate large quantities of
well-characterized dopamine-producing neural cell populations."
"The patent is a significant addition to Geron's worldwide
intellectual property rights in the stem cell field," noted David J.
Earp, J.D., Ph.D., Geron's chief patent counsel and senior vice
president of business development. "Notably, the Australian patent
corresponding to the new U.S. case has already been accepted, and the
claims of the corresponding U.K. patent application have been allowed.
Our stem cell patent portfolio now includes over 240 filings worldwide
that are either owned by, or licensed to, Geron. The primary purpose
of our patent estate is to protect our substantial investments in
Geron's lead product opportunities. But, just as the stem cell
technologies that we have developed should be broadly useful in the
hESC field, the scope of Geron's patent estate extends beyond the
product opportunities on which we are focused. As the number of hESC
academic researchers continues to expand, and companies enter the
field, we look forward to making our patented technologies available
to collaborators, development partners and licensees."
Geron is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and
commercializing therapeutic and diagnostic products for cancer based
on its telomerase technology, and cell-based therapeutics using its
human embryonic stem cell technology.
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 future
applications of Geron Corporation's hESC 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 September 30, 2004.
CONTACT: Geron Corporation
David L. Greenwood, 650-473-7765
KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA |
