Stem Cell Agency To Announce 10-Year Plan
The governing board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine on Thursday will meet to approve a 10-year plan that includes a timeline for stem cell research and development of treatments and therapies, the AP/San Jose Mercury News reports (AP/San Jose Mercury News, 12/1).
CIRM was created in 2004 when California voters approved Proposition 71. The measure provides $3 billion over 10 years for stem cell research (California Healthline, 11/16).
The CIRM plan states that it is unlikely the institute will "fully develop stem cell therapy for routine clinical use" during the plan's timeline. However, the institute's primary goal is to establish that a therapy developed from human embryonic stem cells can "restore function for at least one disease," the Los Angeles Times reports.
The institute also plans to find treatments for two to four more diseases in developmental stages within the next 10 years (Engel, Los Angeles Times, 12/3).
Another goal in the plan calls for the institute to be the first to conduct preliminary human embryonic stem cell tests on patients.
The institute in February 2007 will award 30 stem cell research grants, worth a combined $24 million, to scientists who are new to the field of stem cell research. The second round of 25 research grants, totaling $80 million, in March 2007 will be awarded to "established stem cell scientists," according to the AP/Mercury News (AP/San Jose Mercury News, 12/1).
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