Geron announces improved production method for human embryonic stem cell-derived islet cells

Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN) announced today the presentation of a new production protocol to differentiate islet cells from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) for the treatment of diabetes. Presented at the Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine Meeting in San Francisco by Dr. Anish Majumdar, Geron’s Senior Director of Cell Therapy Research, the presentation described 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. "Source":[ http://www.geron.com/pressview.asp?id=737]

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