CIRM Grants $20M for Blood Disorder, Diabetes Research
On Thursday, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine announced two grant awards to private biotechnology companies ViaCyte in La Jolla and Bluebird Bio in Massachusetts. CIRM provided $10.1 million to help ViaCyte develop a stem cell treatment for insulin-dependent diabetes patients. It also provided $9.3 million to help Bluebird Bio with stem cell and gene therapy work on "B-thalassemia," a rare genetic blood disorder.
- "CIRM Grants Two Biotech Firms Nearly $20 Million for Possible Treatments for Diabetes and a Rare Blood Disorder" (O'Neill, "KPCC News," KPCC, 10/25).