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Biotech / Medical : Geron Corp. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: blackmerlin who wrote (2223)	1/19/2000 10:12:00 AM
From: PHILLIP FLOTOW	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3576

Geron Corporation Announces Issuance of Nuclear Transfer Patents MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--January 19, 2000--Geron Corporation (Nasdaq:GERN - news) announced today the issuance of two U.K. patents covering nuclear transfer technology. Geron also announced that the U.S. Patent Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for a U.S. patent application encompassing the same technology. The patents cover nuclear transfer technology using donor nuclei from quiescent cells. This technology was developed by Drs. Keith Campbell and Ian Wilmut at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland (``Roslin') and was used to produce Dolly, the cloned sheep. The same technology has subsequently been used successfully by a number of other research groups to produce cloned mammals. The patents and the underlying technologies are licensed to Geron from Roslin for a wide range of applications, including use in human regenerative medicine and animal cloning. The license rights, which were obtained as part of Geron's acquisition of Roslin Bio-Med Ltd. (now Geron Bio-Med Ltd.) from Roslin, include rights to the ``quiescence' and ``MAGIC' nuclear transfer technologies, as well as intellectual property arising from Geron's ongoing funding of research at Roslin. The first U.K. patent, patent number GB 2318578, has 31 claims directed to methods of nuclear transfer. The claims include broad generic claims to methods of nuclear transfer in which the nucleus of a quiescent donor cell is transferred into a suitable recipient cell. The claims specifically cover instances where scientists might use a somatic cell as the nuclear donor. The patent also covers methods of producing cloned non-human animals and methods of producing animal (i.e., human and non-human) cells by nuclear transfer. This is consistent with a joint recommendation of the U.K. Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the Human Genetics Advisory Committee that human therapeutic cloning should be added as a permitted area of embryo research under U.K. law. This recommendation is currently under review. The second U.K. patent, patent number GB 2331751, has 28 claims directed to compositions of matter. The claims of this patent include claims to non-human animal embryos and cloned non-human animals produced using nuclear transfer. In addition, the patent covers non-human and human cell lines made using this technology. Both of the U.K. patents have a priority date of August, 1995. The allowed U.S. application includes claims pertaining to the use of the nuclear transfer technology to produce cloned non-human mammals, including cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. The claims also cover the use of this technology to produce cell lines. Geron will provide further information concerning this allowed application upon issuance of the patent. ``These are the first patents to issue from Geron's international portfolio of intellectual property directed to nuclear transfer,' commented David J. Earp, J.D., Ph.D., Geron's vice president of intellectual property. ``The claims of these patents cover the most fundamental aspects of the quiescence technology. We will continue to expand our proprietary position in this field with additional patent filings for this and other aspects of nuclear transfer technology, including MAGIC.' Thomas Okarma, Ph.D., M.D., Geron's president and chief executive officer noted that the patents represent a multi-faceted asset for Geron: ``We expect the nuclear transfer technology to be of significant value in Geron's regenerative medicine program, which is focused on producing cells and tissues in vitro for treatment of a wide range of degenerative diseases. The integration of nuclear transfer with our pluripotent stem cell and telomerase immortalization technologies may allow the in vitro production of replacement cells and tissues that would not be rejected by the patient's immune system. This would be a major advance for medicine because it could eliminate the need for toxic immunosuppressive drugs that are typically needed with conventional transplantation. Because the patent coverage extends to the use of the technology in human cells, it provides Geron with the lead proprietary position for such human regenerative medicine techniques.' ``In addition,' he noted, ``the patents cover the use of the technology for animal cloning. There is currently much interest in animal cloning technology for agricultural uses -- for example, to preserve high-performing or rare animals for use in breeding programs -- as well as in the pharmaceutical industry, where transgenic animals might be used to produce medicines or organs for human use. The combination of the intellectual property asset that we are announcing today, together with our ongoing collaboration with the Roslin Institute, places Geron in a strong position to develop the technology for such applications.' These patents and the underlying technologies are licensed to Geron for all applications with one exception: PPL Therapeutics Ltd. holds a license to use the technology for producing human proteins in the milk of ruminants and rabbits for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical uses. In addition, the license prohibits use of the technology for human reproductive cloning. Geron fully supports the ban on human reproductive cloning. Geron Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company focusing on discovering, developing and commercializing therapeutic and diagnostic products to treat cancer and other age-related chronic degenerative diseases. Geron's technology platform includes the discovery of small molecule inhibitors of telomerase for cancer therapy; telomere and telomerase-based research and diagnostic tools; telomerase activation to extend the replicative lifespan of normal cells; and complementary stem cell, gene therapy and nuclear transfer approaches to restore the function of degenerating organs. Statements in this press release regarding product development and future applications of Geron's technology constitute forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements. Additional information on potential factors that could affect the company's results is included in the company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1999. To receive an index and copies of recent press releases, call Geron's News On Demand toll-free fax service, 800/782-3279. Additional information about Geron Corporation can be obtained at geron.com. Contact: Geron Corporation Nancy Robinson, 650/473-7700 (Investors & Media ) Dennis Schwartz, New York Burns McClellan, 212/213-0006 (Investor Inquiries) PHIL