An embryonic stem cell therapy from California-based Geron would not spark immune rejection in patients according to recent research from the company. It's a big deal because many researchers say that patients receiving embryonic stem cells will need to take immunosuppression drugs similar to an organ transplant patient.
Geron's CEO Tom Okarma has long promised his cells wouldn't trigger the immune system. His declarations have met with a fair amount of skepticism, but now he has additional data to back up his claims.
Okarma also still believes his spinal cord therapy will be the first embryonic stem cell treatment in a clinical trial, although he's been postponing his estimates for the last several years.
