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• GERN
Geron Acquires Roslin Bio-Med and Forms Research Collaboration With The Roslin Institute
May 4, 1999 7:32 AM EDT
MENLO PARK, Calif. and ROSLIN, MIDLOTHIAN, Scotland--(BW HealthWire)--May 4, 1999-- *T
-- Alliance brings together three complementary breakthrough technologies: human pluripotent stem cells, telomerase expression and nuclear transfer.
-- The combined technologies are expected to enhance and accelerate the development of new transplantation therapies for numerous degenerative diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's disease, cancer and heart disease.
-- Geron and the Roslin Institute are pioneers in these technologies and together are in a strong position to capitalize on their potential.
Geron (Nasdaq: GERN) and Roslin Bio-Med, a company formed by the
Roslin Institute, today announced that Geron has purchased all
outstanding shares of Roslin Bio-Med in exchange for 2.1 million
shares of Geron common stock. Under the terms of the agreement, Roslin
Bio-Med will become a wholly owned UK subsidiary of Geron. Simon Best,
the chief executive officer of Roslin Bio-Med, will become managing
director of the subsidiary. The subsidiary, which will be known as
Geron Bio-Med, will utilize the state-of-the-art research facilities
of the Roslin Institute where Geron has committed (pound)12.50 million
in applied research funding over the next six years. Drs. Ian Wilmut
and John Clark will head the Geron funded research at the Roslin
Institute.
"This unites two leading organizations with significant
intellectual property positions in complementary technologies with
breakthrough medical potential," said Ronald Eastman, Geron president
and chief executive officer.
Alex Barkas, chairman of Geron and managing partner of Prospect
Venture Partners added, "This alliance makes both organizations
stronger scientifically and better prepared to attract and build
partnerships with large pharmaceutical companies."
According to Simon Best, "We are now in a better position to
realize the full potential of our respective technologies and product
development programs."
Grahame Bulfield, the director of the Roslin Institute added, "We
are delighted that this agreement ensures a key role for UK scientists
in the development of human stem cell therapies -- potentially the most
exciting application of the nuclear transfer technology that produced
Dolly."
Alliance brings together three complementary technologies.
Geron and Roslin Bio-Med have three synergistic platform
technologies with broad potential for transforming the treatment of
patients suffering from numerous degenerative diseases.
1. Human pluripotent stem cells: These cells are different from
every other human stem cell isolated. They have an unlimited
ability to divide and the capability to turn into virtually all
cell types and tissues in the body. Thus they are an infinite and
universal supply of cells for transplant medicine. Geron
announced in November 1998 the first derivation of human
pluripotent stem cells by its collaborators. These discoveries
are protected by issued patents and pending patent applications
licensed to Geron.
2. Telomerase expression: Geron and its collaborators have
demonstrated that telomerase is a cellular immortalizing enzyme
which, when reactivated in normal cells, significantly extends
their healthy replicative lifespan. Extending the replicative
lifespan of transplantable cells derived from human pluripotent
stem cells has the potential to provide durable cell replacement
therapies for many chronic degenerative diseases. Geron was the
first to clone the critical molecular components of human
telomerase. Geron owns and has licensed numerous issued patents
and pending patent applications protecting this technology.
3. Nuclear transfer: In early 1997, Dr. Ian Wilmut and his
colleagues at the Roslin Institute demonstrated for the first time
with the birth of Dolly the sheep that the nucleus of an adult
cell can be transferred to an enucleated egg to create cloned
offspring. This technology supports the production of genetically
identical and genetically modified animals and human cell lines.
In the latter context, this technology could allow individuals in
need of particular cell types for organ repair to receive cells of
a perfect genetic match, thereby eliminating the risk of
rejection. The patent applications covering these discoveries were
licensed from the Roslin Institute by Roslin Bio-Med and will be
transferred to Geron Corporation.
Technologies are complementary and are expected to enhance and
accelerate development of new transplantation therapies.
Combining these breakthrough technologies offers an extraordinary
and unique opportunity for revolutionizing transplantation medicine.
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) provide an unlimited source for
virtually all cells and tissues. Nuclear transfer ensures that the
cells and tissues will not be rejected when transplanted. Telomerase
expression can provide the transplanted cells and tissues with an
extended lifespan for durable therapeutic benefit. While it will be
technologically challenging and time consuming to realize the
potential of combining these technologies, there is already
considerable evidence from animal and human experiments that this
medical potential can be realized. Further, the potential medical
applications are numerous, including:
Cells derivable from hPSCs Target Diseases
Insulin-producing cells Diabetes Nerve cells Stroke, Parkinson's disease,
Alzheimer's disease, Spinal cord
injury Heart muscle cells Heart attacks, Congestive heart
failure Liver cells Hepatitis, Cirrhosis Blood cells Cancer, Immunodeficiencies Bone cells Osteoporosis Cartilage cells Osteoarthritis Eye cells Macular degeneration Skin cells Burns, wound healing Skeletal muscle cells Muscular dystrophy
Geron and the Roslin Institute are pioneers and leaders in these
three technologies. The combined scientific resources, know-how and
intellectual property portfolios are expected to enhance the quality
of the scientific effort and accelerate progress toward treating
patients. Together, Geron and the Roslin Institute will focus on
generating genetically matched human cells and tissues with extended
replicative capacity for use in repairing organ damage caused by a
range of degenerative diseases. They will also focus on advancing work
underway at the Roslin Institute on the development of animal-derived
cells, tissues and organs as replacement therapies for degenerative
diseases.
In addition, work will continue at both locations on generating a
variety of different cell types for use in drug screening and
toxicology testing as well as creating in vivo models of human disease
for drug development. These applications, together with the use of
human pluripotent stem cells and their derivatives to pursue the
genomics of human developmental biology, offer shorter term
commercialization opportunities for the combined technologies.
Finally, these technologies should also further our understanding of
embryonic development with potential applications toward the treatment
of infertility and premature pregnancy loss, and the diagnosis and
prevention of birth defects.
Dr. Ian Wilmut commented, "Individually, human pluripotent stem
cells, telomerase expression and nuclear transfer have the potential
to significantly improve our ability to treat and even cure many
diseases. Together, that potential is enhanced dramatically."
Dr. Thomas Okarma, Geron vice president of research and
development added, "Geron is eager to begin working with the
scientists at the Roslin Institute. We have identified a number of
therapeutic opportunities for our combined technologies. Together, we
also look forward to establishing many additional academic and
corporate collaborations to expand the applications of these
technologies. Of course, we are sensitive to the ethical issues
surrounding our respective technologies. Both our organizations have
been and remain committed to pursuing these technologies in an open
and responsible manner that is consistent with regulatory guidelines
and the recommendations of our Ethics Advisory Board. In particular,
both Geron and the Roslin Institute support the current ban on human
reproductive cloning."
Roslin Bio-Med was established on the basis of an exclusive
license from the Roslin Institute to develop its nuclear transfer
technology for all animal and human-based biomedical applications
excluding human reproductive cloning. This license also excludes the
production of therapeutic proteins in the milk of transgenic ruminants
and rabbits, and the modification of milk composition for
nutraceutical use, rights to which were previously conveyed to PPL
Therapeutics, Inc. The majority shareholders in Roslin Bio-Med are the
Roslin Institute (Edinburgh) and 3i Group plc, the UK's leading
venture capital firm.
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 is uniquely positioned to pursue this goal given its
breakthrough discoveries surrounding telomeres, telomerase and human
pluripotent stem cells. Geron common stock is traded on the NASDAQ
stock market under the symbol GERN.
The company desires to take advantage of the "safe harbor"
provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Specifically, the company wishes to alert readers that the matters
discussed in this press release may 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 annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
1998.
Note to Editors: Further information on this announcement and
Geron Corporation can be obtained at geron.com.
To receive an index and copies of recent press releases, call
Geron's News On Demand toll-free fax service, 1-800-782-3279.
© Business Wire. All rights reserved.
And in conclusion, (music in background), "Why Hello Dolly..."
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