Today the Supreme Court announced it would not hear the Sherley v Sebelius case, ending the court battle that has left embryonic stem cell research (ESCR) in what I’ve called a “big chill”. This is great news. It is all over the mainstream media.
Even the rampant anti-science, pro-lifers have declared defeat. I’m not going to link to them, take my word for it they are depressed big time. Don’t count them out yet though as they are smart and powerful as well as backed by big money. This is a victory in one battle (admittedly a big one), but not in their “war” that they have declared on us and on patients. Still, great news.
Today’s decision opens the door to the Obama Administration including more lines in the registry and I believe it will stimulate more ESCR.
Also today there was more good news as BioTime and Geron signed a “definitive agreement”, according to the San Francisco Business Times, for BioTime to acquire Geron’s ESCR program.
Included in the program?
More than 400 patents and Geron’s Phase I clinical trials for treatment of spinal cord injury. This is great news for the stem cell field and advocates for spinal cord injury research.
Still unknown (publicly at least…ahem) is the identity of the private investor who is teaming up with the newly created BioTime subsidiary, BioTime Acquisitions Corp (BAC), for the deal.