F.D.A. Clears Way for Embryonic Stem Cell Trial Using Patients

[babylonsister]

This is progress!!!


F.D.A. Clears Way for Embryonic Stem Cell Trial Using Patients
By ANDREW POLLACK


The world’s first authorized test in people of a treatment derived from human embryonic stem cells has been cleared to begin by the Food and Drug Administration.

The trial will test cells developed by Geron Corporation and the University of California, Irvine in patients with new spinal cord injuries.

The F.D.A. had initially cleared the clinical trial in January, 2009, in what was viewed at the time as a research milestone.

But before the study could begin, the agency then put a so-called hold on the trial after cysts were discovered in some mice injected with the cells. Geron had to do another mouse study and develop better ways to check the purity of its cells.

On Friday, the company announced in a press release that the F.D.A. had lifted the hold. Geron shares rose in morning trading.

more...

http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/30/f-d-a-clears-way-for-embryonic-stem-cell-trial-using-patients/?hp

[SunsetDreams]

1. K&R great news

[DevonRex]

2. That's wonderful.

I wonder if they'll be able to give me an immune system someday.

[SpartanDem]

3. K&R

[ShadowLiberal]

4. Awesome, I didn't think we'd make progress quite this fast on stem cell research

I thought it would take at least a decade for us to see enough serious progress on stem cell research for the government to approve of trials on people. Research is just one of those things that can take a lot of time.

Lets hope the test results on people come back looking great.