Company Halts First Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Trial

by Rebecca Taylor
11/15/11

This is gigantic news that should be on the front page but is instead relegated to the business section. (I am telling you. You want accurate stem cell news without all the hype? Read the business news.) Geron, the California company that was the first to get FDA approval for human trials with cells derived from embryonic stem cells has decided to shut down the trial and leave embryonic stem cells behind. From the New York Times:

The company conducting the world’s first clinical trial of a therapy using human embryonic stem cells said on Monday that it was halting that trial and leaving the stem cell business entirely.

The company, Geron, said that its move did not reflect a lack of promise for the controversial field. Rather, it said, with money scarce, it had decided to focus on its experimental cancer therapies, which are further along in development.

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