$243 M Investment for Stem Cell Disease Teams
California’s stem cell research funding agency will fund up to $243 M to help move therapies into clinical trials. Up to 12 “disease teams” of researchers from companies and academia could receive as much as $20 million each, according to the San Francisco-based California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, or CIRM.
The last of those funds was sent out 3 or 4 months ago to 14 teams.
- With this 2nd round of grants, CIRM initially will fund about 35 grants of up to $110,000 to lead investigators that will assemble teams that will plan and prepare for the disease team awards,
- Only those teams awarded money for planning can submit an application for the full disease team award,
- CIRM will post its request for applications in 11/10,
- Like the 1st round of $250 M in disease team awards, aimed at multidisciplinary teams rather than individual researchers, CIRM said it expects the teams to file a request to begin clinical trials or complete Phase I or Phase II trials within 4 years.
The funding could prove critical in moving stem cell research — including that involving embryonic stem cell or induced pluripotent stem cells — closer to treatments or cures for diseases like Alzheimer’s, spinal cord injuries or diabetes. CIRM is funded by $3 B in bonds sold by the state after California voters 6 years ago approved Proposition 71. “(HWM and R Leuty, SF Business Times)
