A Massachusetts firm called Verastem, Inc., heard some bad
news recently about its pitch for $9.9 million from the $3 billion California
stem cell agency.
The Cambridge firm sought the cash from the agency to help
out with a clinical trial dealing with breast cancer.
However, the agency’s directors were told in a memo on the
CIRM Web site,
“Weaknesses in the scientific merit of the proposal combined with portfolio considerations led to a staff recommendation NOT to fund.“
By portfolio considerations, the staff seemed to mean that
the agency had already awarded funds in the same scientific area.
The agency’s reviewers, who come from outside California,
gave the application of score of 74. Formal action will be taken on the application at Thursday’sboard meeting in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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