The governing Board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has awarded almost $12 million to carry out a clinical trial targeting brain tumors.
This brings the total number of CIRM-funded clinical trials to 83.
$11,999,984 was awarded to Dr. Jana Portnow at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope. They are using Neural stem cells (NSCs) as a form of delivery vehicle to carry a cancer-killing virus that specifically targets brain tumor cells.
Glioblastoma is the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults and each year about 12,000 Americans are diagnosed. The 5-year survival rate is only about 10%.
The current standard of care involves surgically removing the tumor followed by radiation, chemotherapy, and alternating electric field therapy. Despite these treatments, survival remains low.
The award to Dr. Portnow will fund a clinical trial to assess the safety and effectiveness of this stem cell-based treatment for Glioblastoma.
The Board also awarded $3,111,467 to Dr. Boris Minev of Calidi Biotherapeutics. This award is a CLIN1 grant, intended to complete the testing needed to apply to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for permission to start a clinical trial in people.
This project uses donor fat-derived mesenchymal stem cells loaded with an oncolytic virus to target metastatic melanoma, triple-negative breast cancer, and advanced head & neck squamous cell carcinoma.
“There are few options for patients with advanced solid tumor cancers such as glioblastoma, melanoma, breast cancer, and head & neck cancer,” says Maria T. Millan, M.D., President and CEO of CIRM. “Surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiation are largely ineffective in advanced cases, and survival typically is measured in months. These new awards will support novel approaches to address the unmet medical needs of patients with these devastating cancers.”
The CIRM Board also voted to approve awarding $71,949,539 to expand the CIRM Alpha Clinics Network. The current network consists of six sites, and the Board approved continued funding for those sites and added three more. The funding is to last five years.
The goal of the Alpha Clinics award is to expand existing capacity to deliver stem cell, gene therapies, and other advanced treatments to patients. They also serve as a competency hub for regenerative medicine training, clinical research, and the delivery of approved treatments.
Each applicant was required to submit a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion plan to support and facilitate outreach and study participation by underserved and disproportionately affected populations in the clinical trials they serve.
Awards
| Application | Program Title | Institution/Principal Investigator | Amount awarded |
| INFR4-13579 | The Stanford Alpha Stem Cell Clinic | Stanford University – Matthew Porteus | $7,997,246 |
| INFR4-13581 | UCSF Alpha Stem Cell Clinic | U.C. San Francisco – Mark Walters | $7,994,347 |
| INFR4-13586 | A comprehensive stem cell and gene therapy clinic to advance new therapies for a diverse patient population in California | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center – Michael Lewis | $7,957,966 |
| INFR4-13587 | The City of Hope Alpha Clinic: A roadmap for equitable and inclusive access to regenerative medicine therapies for all Californians | City of Hope – Leo Wang | $8,000,000 |
| INFR4-13596 | Alpha Stem Cell Clinic for Northern and Central California | U.C. Davis – Mehrdad Abedi | $7,999,997 |
| INFR4-13685 | Expansion of the Alpha Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Clinic at UCLA | U.C. Los Angeles – Noah Federman | $8,000,000 |
| INFR4-13878 | Alpha Clinic Network Expansion for Cell and Gene Therapies | University of Southern California – Thomas Buchanan | $7,999,983 |
| INFR4-13952 | A hub and spoke community model to equitably deliver regenerative medicine therapies to diverse populations across four California counties | U.C. Irvine – Daniela Bota | $8,000,000 |
| INFR4-13597 | UC San Diego Health CIRM Alpha Stem Cell Clinic | U.C. San Diego – Catriona Jamieson | $8,000,000 |
Maria Gonzalez Bonneville
The Board unanimously approved Maria Gonzalez Bonneville as its next vice chair.
Bonneville serves as CIRM’s vice president of public outreach and board governance.
The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, and Controller jointly nominated her.
Board member Ysabel Duron supported the nomination:
“I do not think we could choose a better vice chair than Maria Gonzalez Bonneville.
“She understands CIRM, has an excellent record, and treats people with empathy and care.
“She will responsibly manage taxpayer resources and ensure that CIRM serves the public.”
In her application, Bonneville described the experience she would bring to the role:
“CIRM is a unique agency with a large board and a long history.
“My institutional knowledge and understanding of CIRM’s internal processes will help me support the new chair.
“I have worked closely with the chair and vice chair to set agendas, prioritize projects, develop policies, and provide advice.
“I have also built trusted relationships with each of you. These relationships helped me understand your interests and identify ways to support your work.
“For the past decade, I have worked closely with Maria Millan. I greatly value our professional relationship.
“In short, I offer continuity and expertise that can benefit the Board during this transition.”
After accepting the position, Bonneville said:
“I feel truly honored to serve as vice chair of the CIRM Board.
“I have worked at CIRM for 11 years, and I remain deeply committed to its mission.
“This role allows me to support and advance that mission during an exciting period for the agency.
“We face many challenges, but I trust the Board and CIRM team to meet them.
“I look forward to helping the agency achieve its goals.”
Bonneville will officially assume the role in January 2023.
The Board will vote for CIRM’s new chair on December 15.