Another winner in last week's California stem cell awards was scientist Shaomei Wang of Cedars-Sinai, who
will receive nearly $5 million for her work to find a treatment for retinitis
pigmentosa.
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| Shaomei Wang, Cedars photo |
The board last Thursday ratified the decision of 15 reviewers who
unanimously approved the Wang application. It was one of two awards approved in
the first round of CIRM 2.0, the new effort by the agency to speed cash to
researchers. It was the first agency award to Wang.
(The other award last week was for nearly $18 million to NeoStem, Inc., of New York.)
CIRM, as the agency is known, said in a press release that the funds will go for "the late-stage research needed to apply
to the Food and Drug Administration for approval for a clinical trial in
people. The therapy will involve injecting neural progenitor cells under the
retina at the back of the eye. The hope is that this will slow or even halt the
progress of the disease."
The press release oddly,
however, did not identify Wang as the recipient, only mentioning that the award
went to Cedars. In the past, the agency has identified researchers by name in
award press releases and has provided information that has included links to
summary information about the research.
Cedars has been awarded $43 million by the agency, not including the latest $5 million. It has had a representative on the CIRM governing board since its inception as do nearly all
of the recipients of funds from the $3 billion state program.
Here is a link to a summary of the review of Wang's proposal. Here
is Cedars' press release on the award.
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