Geron Halts First Human Embryonic Stem Cell Trial
On Monday, officials at Menlo Park-based biotechnology firm Geron announced the company is halting the first government-approved clinical trial of a human embryonic stem cell therapy. Geron will continue to follow the four patients it has been treating, but it will stop accepting new patients. Citing economic challenges, the company said it does not intend to pursue further research in the stem cell field. Officials said Geron will focus solely on developing its oncology therapies. Company officials noted that the decision is not a reflection of the promise of human embryonic stem cell therapy. The announcement is expected to have significant implications on the biotechnology research field, observers say.
- "First Test of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Therapy in People Discontinued" (Stein, Washington Post, 11/14).
- "Geron Is Shutting Down Its Stem Cell Clinical Trial" (Pollack, New York Times, 11/14).