Geron indicates potential in stem cell treatment for heart attacks

Geron Corporation, a biotechnology company, founded in 1990 by Dr. Michael West, has reportedly indicated potential in stem cell treatment for heart-attack victims. Geron Corporation has been known for focusing on treatments based on telomere and stem cell research.

Stem cells are special cells found in all multi-cellular organisms, which have the capability to renew themselves through cell division. These cells can differentiate into a diverse range of specialized cell types. As these cells can be grown into specialized cells with specific functions, their use in treatments and therapies is highly promising.

For the treatment of heart-attack patients, the company has carried out research in tandem with the University of Washington. The study, which has been published in ‘Nature Biotechnology’, states that human embryonic stem cells were used for the first time to re-generate diseased heart muscles in rats, which had experienced heart attacks.

Geron, based in Menlo Park, California, specializes in developing products in three areas. These include therapeutic products for cancer; drugs which treat cell aging, cell injury, & degenerative diseases; and stem cell-based treatments derived from human embryos.

Presently, Geron’s two anti-cancer products are in human clinical trials stage. Geron also plans to begin testing of an embryonic stem cell based drug that is designed to treat spinal cord injuries. The company is also involved in the development of a telomerase based treatment for HIV.

Though the recent research & study on heart-attack patients may be only preliminary, it has encouraged Geron to carry out the research further. According to the current CEO, Dr, Thomas B. Okarma, “Geron expects to gather enough data on the technique to ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in late 2008 or early 2009 for permission to test the concept on people”.

For its stem-cell based therapy being developed for spinal injuries, the company has inched closer to seeking a FDA approval for human tests, according to Okarma. He also said that the company had planned to carry out such tests last year, but will, now ask for permission from the FDA in the coming months.

Stem cells can be categorized into three-embryonic, adult, and cord blood stem cells. Each of these differs in the source from where these are taken. Embryonic stem cells are collected from blastocyst -an early stage in the development of the human embryo. Adult stem cells are collected from adult tissues, and cord blood stem cells are collected from the umbilical cord.

While there are various researches ongoing as far as treatments based on adult stem cells are concerned, the FDA is yet to approve any human tests based on embryonic stem cells. While adult stem cells can be transformed only into certain types of cells or tissues, embryonic stem cells can be re-directed to form any tissue.

Another reason responsible for the difference in treatment of therapies involving embryonic stem cells by the FDA is the harshly restricted federal financing available for projects involving embryonic stem cell research. The Bush administration has issued severe directives such projects as embryonic stem cells are collected from discarded embryos.

Inspite of the strict measures adopted by the administration, Okarma is hopeful of getting permission to conduct tests by the FDA. "We have absolutely zero evidence that the White House policy that is so restrictive on embryonic stem-cell research has had any influence on the FDA," he said.

Geron was included in the SCCC index in 2003, when the index was created. The index, which comprises stocks for 15 companies, was specially created for companies belonging to the field of stem cell, cloning, and cell transplantation research and medicine. Geron constituted 18.42% of the index, as reported in July 2006. It has been granted 260 patents, since its inception in 1990.