Abstract: Synthetic surfaces capable of supporting culture of eukaryotic cells including stem cells and undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells in a chemically defined medium include a swellable (meth)acrylate layer and a polypeptide conjugated to the swellable (meth)acrylate layer. The swellable (meth)acrylate layer may be formed by polymerizing monomers in a composition that includes a carboxyl group-containing (meth)acrylate monomer, a cross-linking (di- or higher-functional) (meth)acrylate monomer, and a hydrophilic monomer capable of polymerizing with the carboxyl group-containing (meth)acrylate monomer and the cross-linking (meth)acrylate monomer. The swellable (meth)acrylate layer has an equilibrium water content in water of between about 5% and about 70%. The conjugated peptide may include an RGD amino acid sequence.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 30, 2009
Date of Patent:
January 15, 2013
Assignee:
Geron Corporation
Inventors:
Andrei Gennadyevich Fadeev, Jennifer Gehman, Zara Melkoumian, David Michael Weber, Yue Zhou
Abstract: Synthetic surfaces capable of supporting culture of undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells in a chemically defined medium include a swellable (meth)acrylate layer and a peptide conjugated to the swellable (meth)acrylate layer. The swellable (meth)acrylate layer may be formed by polymerizing monomers in a composition that includes hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 2-carboxyehylacrylate, and tetra(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate. The conjugated peptide may include an amino acid sequence of XaanProGlnValThrArgGlyAspValPheThrMetPro, where n is an integer from 0 to 3 and where Xaa is any amino acid. Further, disclosed herein is a swellable (meth)acrylate synthetic surface which can be sterilized by gamma irradiation.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 30, 2009
Date of Patent:
December 11, 2012
Assignee:
Geron Corporation
Inventors:
Andrei G. Fadeev, Jennifer Gehman, Arthur Winston Martin, Zara Melkoumian, Christopher B. Shogbon, David Michael Weber, Yue Zhou
Abstract: The invention provides methods for depleting extraneous phenotypes from a mixed population of cells comprising the in vitro differentiated progeny of primate pluripotent stem cells. The invention also provides mixed cell populations enriched for a target cell phenotype where the mixed cell population comprises the differentiated in vitro progeny of primate embryonic stem cells.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 25, 2010
Date of Patent:
December 4, 2012
Assignee:
Geron Corporation
Inventors:
Jane S. Lebkowski, Catherine A. Priest, Ross M. Okamura
Abstract: This invention provides a system for efficiently producing differentiated cells from pluripotent cells, such as human embryonic stem cells. Rather than permitting the cells to form embryoid bodies according to established techniques, differentiation is effected directly in monolayer culture on a suitable solid surface. The cells are either plated directly onto a differentiation-promoting surface, or grown initially on the solid surface in the absence of feeder cells and then exchanged into a medium that assists in the differentiation process. The solid surface and the culture medium can be chosen to direct differentiation down a particular pathway, generating a cell population that is remarkably uniform. The methodology is well adapted to bulk production of committed precursor and terminally differentiated cells for use in drug screening or regenerative medicine.
Abstract: This invention provides populations of neural progenitor cells, differentiated neurons, glial cells, and astrocytes. The populations are obtained by culturing stem cell populations (such as embryonic stem cells) in a cocktail of growth conditions that initiates differentiation, and establishes the neural progenitor population. The progenitors can be further differentiated in culture into a variety of different neural phenotypes, including dopaminergic neurons. The differentiated cell populations or the neural progenitors can be generated in large quantities for use in drug screening and the treatment of neurological disorders.
Abstract: Synthetic surfaces suitable for culturing stem cell derived cardiomyocytes contain acrylate polymers formed from one or more acrylate monomers. The acrylate surfaces, in many cases, are suitable for culturing stem cell derived cardiomyocytes in chemically defined media.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 29, 2009
Date of Patent:
August 14, 2012
Assignee:
Geron Corporation
Inventors:
Christopher Bankole Shogbon, Yue Zhou, Ralph Brandenberger
Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods related to human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT), the catalytic protein subunit of human telomerase. The polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention are useful for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of human diseases, for changing the proliferative capacity of cells and organisms, and for identification and screening of compounds and treatments useful for treatment of diseases such as cancers.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 21, 2009
Date of Patent:
August 7, 2012
Assignee:
Geron Corporation
Inventors:
Thomas R. Cech, Joachim Lingner, Toru Nakamura, Karen B. Chapman, Gregg B. Morin, Calvin B. Harley, William H. Andrews
Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods related to human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT), the catalytic protein subunit of human telomerase. The polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention are useful for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of human diseases, for changing the proliferative capacity of cells and organisms, and for identification and screening of compounds and treatments useful for treatment of diseases such as cancers.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 20, 2007
Date of Patent:
July 17, 2012
Assignees:
Geron Corporation, The Regents of the University of Colorado
Inventors:
Thomas R. Cech, Joachim Lingner, Toru M. Nakamura, Karen B. Chapman, Gregg B. Morin, Calvin B. Harley, William H. Andrews
Abstract: The invention provides methods of differentiating primate pluripotent stem cells into cells of hematopoeitic lineage. The invention further provides hematopoietic lineage cells differentiated from primate pluripotent stem cells, as well as methods of using the same and kits comprising the same.
Type:
Application
Filed:
December 6, 2011
Publication date:
May 3, 2012
Applicant:
Geron Corporation
Inventors:
Suyi Tseng, Anish Sen Majumdar, Kevin Nishimoto, Anita Reddy, Jane S. Lebkowski
Abstract: A method, aerosol composition, and aerosolizing device for treating a brain tumor in a subject are disclosed. The method includes intranasally administering to the subject, an amount of a telomerase inhibitor, such as an oligonucleotide telomerase inhibitor, effective to inhibit growth of the tumor in the subject.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 23, 2007
Date of Patent:
April 10, 2012
Assignees:
Geron Corporation, HealthPartners Research Foundation, The Regents of the University of California
Inventors:
Dennis F. Deen, William H. Frey, II, Sergei Gryaznov
Abstract: This invention provides a system for efficiently producing differentiated cells from pluripotent cells, such as human embryonic stem cells. Rather than permitting the cells to form embryoid bodies according to established techniques, differentiation is effected directly in monolayer culture on a suitable solid surface. The cells are either plated directly onto a differentiation-promoting surface, or grown initially on the solid surface in the absence of feeder cells and then exchanged into a medium that assists in the differentiation process. The solid surface and the culture medium can be chosen to direct differentiation down a particular pathway, generating a cell population that is remarkably uniform. The methodology is well adapted to bulk production of committed precursor and terminally differentiated cells for use in drug screening or regenerative medicine.
Abstract: This invention provides populations of neural progenitor cells, differentiated neurons, glial cells, and astrocytes. The populations are obtained by culturing stem cell populations (such as embryonic stem cells) in a cocktail of growth conditions that initiates differentiation, and establishes the neural progenitor population. The progenitors can be further differentiated in culture into a variety of different neural phenotypes, including dopaminergic neurons. The differentiated cell populations or the neural progenitors can be generated in large quantities for use in drug screening and the treatment of neurological disorders.
Abstract: Methods for differentiating primate pluripotent stem cells into hepatocyte-lineage cells are provided. In certain embodiments, the methods utilize sequential culturing of the primate pluripotent stem cells in certain growth factors to produce hepatocyte-lineage cells. In certain embodiments, the population of cells produced by the methods is further enriched for hepatocyte-lineage cells.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 1, 2007
Date of Patent:
April 3, 2012
Assignees:
Geron Corporation, The University Court of the University of Edinburgh
Inventors:
Debiao Zhao, Anish Sen Majumdar, David C. Hay, Wei Cui
Abstract: This disclosure provides an improved system for culturing human pluripotent stem cells. Traditionally, pluripotent stem cells are cultured on a layer of feeder cells (such as mouse embryonic fibroblasts) to prevent them from differentiating. In the system described here, the role of feeder cells is replaced by components added to the culture environment that support rapid proliferation without differentiation. Effective features are a suitable support structure for the cells, and an effective medium that can be added fresh to the culture without being preconditioned by another cell type. Culturing human embryonic stem cells in fresh medium according to this invention causes the cells to expand surprisingly rapidly, while retaining the ability to differentiate into cells representing all three embryonic germ layers. This new culture system allows for bulk proliferation of pPS cells for commercial production of important products for use in drug screening and human therapy.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 20, 2010
Date of Patent:
January 17, 2012
Assignee:
Geron Corporation
Inventors:
Ramkumar Mandalam, Chunhui Xu, Joseph D. Gold, Melissa K. Carpenter
Abstract: The invention provides methods of differentiating primate pluripotent stem cells into cells of hematopoietic lineage. The invention further provides hematopoietic lineage cells differentiated from primate pluripotent stem cells, as well as methods of using the same and kits comprising the same.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 26, 2009
Date of Patent:
January 10, 2012
Assignee:
Geron Corporation
Inventors:
Suyi Tseng, Anish Sen Majumdar, Kevin Nishimoto, Anita Reddy, Jane S. Lebkowski
Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods related to human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT), the catalytic protein subunit of human telomerase. The polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention are useful for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of human diseases, for changing the proliferative capacity of cells and organisms, and for identification and screening of compounds and treatments useful for treatment of diseases such as cancers.
Type:
Application
Filed:
August 21, 2009
Publication date:
December 29, 2011
Applicant:
Geron Corporation
Inventors:
Thomas R. Cech, Joachim Lingner, Toru Nakamura, Karen B. Chapman, Gregg B. Morin, Calvin B. Harley, William H. Andrews
Abstract: The invention provides methods for determining the susceptibility of cancer patients to developing adverse reactions if treated with a telomerase inhibitor drug by measurement of telomere length in appropriate cells of the patient prior to initiation of the telomerase inhibitor treatment.
Type:
Application
Filed:
October 13, 2009
Publication date:
October 27, 2011
Applicant:
Geron Corporation
Inventors:
Calvin B. Harley, Laurence Elias, Jennifer Smith, Mark J. Ratain, Fabio Benedetti
Abstract: A method and kit for inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells are disclosed, based on a combination of a proteasome inhibitor and a telomerase inhibitor. When used in cancer therapy, the two compounds in combination enhance the anti-cancer treatment efficacy obtained with the proteasome inhibitor alone or the telomerase inhibitor alone. Preferably, efficacy is supraadditive or synergistic in nature relative to the combined effects of the individual agents, with minimal exacerbation of side effects.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 14, 2006
Date of Patent:
August 16, 2011
Assignees:
Geron Corporation, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Abstract: Oligonucleotides with a novel sugar-phosphate backbone containing at least one 2?-arabino-fluoronucleoside and an internucleoside 3?-NH—P(?O)(OR)—O-5? linkage, where R is a positively charged counter ion or hydrogen, and methods of synthesizing and using the inventive oligonucleotides are provided. The inventive phosphoramidate 2?-arabino-fluorooligonucleotides have a high RNA binding affinity to complementary nucleic acids and are base and acid stable.