First Human Clinical Trial of Embryonic Stem Cell Therapy Approved (broadcast Friday, January 23rd, 2009)

The FDA has given biotech company Geron permission to proceed with a human clinical trial of a therapy based on embryonic stem cells. The approval is the first of its kind in the world. The therapy to be tested in the Phase I trials, known as 'GRNOPC1,' will be used on human patients with acute spinal cord injury. GRNOPC1 contains oligodendrocyte progenitor cells derived from human embryonic stem cells. It will be injected directly into the lesion site of the patient's injured spinal cord in an attempt to restore spinal cord function.