Rick Perry’s Paid Board Position at Controversial Stem Cell Clinic Celltex

If you rewind the stem cell clock several years, the big news in the stem cell clinic arena was dominated for quite some time by a single stem cell clinic called Celltex in Texas in part because their most famous customer was Governor (at that time) Rick Perry. You can read the many past posts I’ve done on Celltex here.

Today the stem cell clinics are making news more for their sheer numbers (nearly 600 in the U.S. alone), but a few years back Celltex and Perry were stirring things up and getting noticed in large part because they were tangling with the FDA. Celltex and their former partner RNL Bio were cooking up a stem cell product that did not have FDA approval and the agency issued Celltex a warning letter. Perry was a supporter of Celltex.

Now Perry is more than just a supporter or patient of Celltex, he reportedly has a paid position on the stem cell clinic’s board. No longer governor nor running for president, perhaps Perry wants to devote more time to stem cells?

The Celltex of today remains a Texas business, but is selling stem cell treatments only (to my knowledge) administered across the border in Mexico. The change in clinical location was it seems an attempt to get outside the range of authority of the FDA. What will Perry’s actual operational role be? I don’t know. The AP got this quote:

“I’m a big believer in adult stem cells,” Perry told The Associated Press by phone Thursday. “My reputation is important to me and I want to be associated with companies I believe in.”

I actually met and talked with Governor Perry a few years back when Celltex was more on the radar screen and he was still governor. The meeting was down at Scripps in a meeting set up by Jeanne Loring. Several other physicians and scientists were present. He struck me as very excited about stem cells and eager to get businesses to move to Texas.

ABC News has this quote from Celltex on this development:

“Celltex CEO David Eller said in an emailed statement. “Given this passion, it is natural he joined the board of a premier U.S.-based biotechnology company that is known for its unparalleled adult stem cell technology now that he has left public service.”

I’m curious what the future holds for Celltex and every now and then I hear rumors of them potentially doing some treatments in the US or getting an IND from the FDA or something like that.  I did note that at least one of their patients spoke at the recent FDA stem cell meeting.

Anyone heard other news on Celltex?