1. Stem Cell Therapy
  2. ViaCyte Wins Another $3 Million

ViaCyte Wins Another $3 Million from California Stem Cell Agency

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The California stem cell agency, which
has awarded ViaCyte, Inc., $36 million, today pumped another $3
million in the firm following the collapse of an alliance between the
San Diego firm and GlaxoSmithKline.

The now failed ViaCyte-Glaxo-CIRM
arrangement was ballyhooed by the CIRM in October because it would
have been the first deal involving Big Pharma and the stem cell
agency. The resources of Big Pharma are needed to pursue the
expensive path of turning stem cell research into cures.
Meeting in Los Angeles, the CIRM
governing board approved the additional funds on a 13-0 vote with two abstentions.  The action came following a closed door session to discuss how the funds would be spent. No details were provided publicly on that matter.

ViaCyte
has also told Biocentury that it is pursuing even more funding after
the alliance with Glaxo broke down. CIRM President Alan Trounson said ViaCyte is likely to receive another $3 million from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Trounson also said that other sources are being examined as well. 

Patricia Olson, executive director of
CIRM, scientific activities said the agency's advisors continue to have faith in ViaCyte's effort to develop a treatment for diabetes. The company plans to start a clinical trial on its product in
2014.
The ViaCyte-Glaxo-CIRM deal was cause for
celebration last fall. Alan Trounson, CIRM's president, said the
deal would “resound” globally. He told directors,

 “This is
verification of our program. To have (the head of Glaxo regenerative
medicine program) join us through a partnership arrangement with GSK
means that a project that we've shepherded from the basic science
through to the preclinical work and is heading to the clinic we're
now going to do in partnership with a very major organization.”

Source:
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  1. Stem Cell Therapy
  2. ViaCyte Wins Another $3 Million