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Hi, Everyone, Just in case you haven't seen this: From the SACRAMENTO BEE, I think 1/11-Associated Press, no byline Geron won't monopolize stem-cell work Geron Corp. once claimed to have a near-monopoly on the commercial prospects of human embryonic stem cells. Scientists outside the company feared geron would shut them out of the research. That's no longer the case. On Thursday, Chief Executive Thomas Okarma told investors and analysts attending the J. P. Morgan H& Q Healthcare Conference that Geron was content to focus its stem-cell efforts in just a few key areas that include developing heart and nerve cells to treat heart and neurological disorders as well as insulin-producing cells for diabetes. "All are large markets," Okarma said. Work with Parkinson's disease is the furthest along, Okarma told the conference. Geron is also experimenting with genetic modifications of the stem cells so they won't be rejected by immune systems, a requirement to mass-produce therapies Okarma said Geron soon plans to meet with Food and Drug Administration officials to discuss experimentation with stem cells in people through actual human trials are still years away........... Okarma said Geron researchers have coaxed stem cells to develop into seven specific cells including neurons, bone and spinal cord cells. Until Wednesday, there was a widespread fear that Geron had control over much of the research. Geron relinquished its b road commercial claims when it settled a lawsuit filed by the University of Wisconsin's patent agency in 1998. Geron financed much of the early research and was granted commercial rights to the university's patent on stem cells. Just how extensive those rights are was hammered out Wednesday with Geron agreeing it had exclusive commercial rights to develop only the heart, nerve, and insulin producing cells. The university is free to license development of the remaining human cells of which there are more than 200, to other companies. E of the headdress ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn