A second company has requested permission from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct a human clinical trial using embryonic stem cells.
linkurl:Advanced Cell Technology;http://www.advancedcell.com/ (ACT) filed an Investigational New Drug (IND) application yesterday (November 18) to conduct a phase I/II trial using hESCs to treat a genetic eye disease. "I'm cautiously optimistic," said linkurl:Marco Zarbin;http://njms2.umdnj.edu/eyeweb/CVs/zarbin.html of the Institute of Ophthalmology & Visual Science of University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, who would participate in the proposed trial. "Of all the places in the body where I can imagine cell-based therapy working, first -- because it's so seemingly simple -- is in the eye." If approved, this would be only the second clinical trial involving hESCs. The first -- Geron's study of stem cell treatment for spinal cord injury -- has been linkurl:on hold;http://www.the-scientist.com/blog/display/55898/ by the FDA...
 |
Image: Wikimedia commons, Nissim Benvenisty |
Interested in reading more?
Become a Member of
Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!
