Geron announces improved production method for human embryonic stem cell-derived islet cells
Geron Corporation announced the presentation of a new production protocol to differentiate islet cells from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) for the treatment of diabetes. Dr. Anish Majumdar, Geron's Senior Director of Cell Therapy Research, presented an improved method of deriving islet cells that secrete insulin and glucagon and express the appropriate set of genetic markers confirming them to be human islet cells. Moreover, the new production method generates islet-like clusters that contain proliferating precursors, which if isolated, could potentially enable the scalable production of hESC-derived islets.
Geron scientists and collaborators previously described animal studies using transplanted hESC-derived islet-like clusters made by an earlier, less efficient method that nevertheless i) significantly extended the life of diabetic animals and ii) produced both insulin and glucagon in vivo, generating detectable human insulin in the animal's bloodstream. Animal studies using islet cells made by the new method are currently in progress at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, Geron's academic collaborators for the program.
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