Some things are better together. Take for instance macaroni and cheese, eggs and bacon, cookies and ice cream. Each of these things are fine on their own, but together, they become something more powerful and delicious.

The right partnerships can bring out the best in things. At CIRM, we fully embrace this concept. That’s why we’re launching the Industry Alliance Program (IAP). It’s a new partnering opportunity to bring the most promising stem cell, gene therapy, and regenerative medicine programs to market where they can help people with unmet medical needs.

CIRM is the world’s largest stem cell research funding institution dedicated to helping patients by accelerating the development of quality stem cell treatments. We’re currently funding 244 active stem cell research programs including 39 ongoing clinical trials.

The CIRM IAP is designed to give pharma, biotech and VC firms direct access to CIRM’s growing stem cell portfolio. These partners work in the stem cell and regenerative medicine field and will be connected to CIRM-funded scientists working on projects relevant to their interests.

In a news release, CIRM’s President and CEO, Dr. Maria T. Millan, explained:

Maria T. Millan

“The goal of the IAP is to secure industry partnerships and funding for CIRM’s translational and clinical-stage projects. Our Agency provides researchers the initial funding to advance promising projects towards the clinic. Now, we’re going a step further by offering a program that facilitates connections between industry partners and our grantees. These companies can offer support or additional funding needed to give these promising projects the best chance for success and the best chance of helping patients.”

The first two companies to join the IAP are BlueRock Therapeutics and Vivo Capital. BlueRock is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company that is pioneering cell therapies for degenerative diseases while Vivo Capital is a global venture capital firm that invests in life sciences and healthcare companies.

CIRM will continue to selectively recruit new partners to the IAP with the goal of building a collaborative network to support the development and commercialization of CIRM-funded programs.

Neil Littman, CIRM’s Director of Business Development, concluded:

Neil Littman

“The IAP is essentially a built-in concierge service for the stem cell space. Our unique vantage-point both inside and outside of California – spanning discovery, translation, and clinical trials – allows us to effectively match CIRM-funded programs with the strategic objectives of our IAP partners.  We’re excited to work with partners such as BlueRock and Vivo who have a demonstrated commitment to advance stem cell-based therapies to the market.”

For more information about CIRM’s new IAP program, visit our website.