The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), California’s Stem Cell Agency and the world’s largest institution dedicated to regenerative medicine reached a milestone when it approved funding for its 100th clinical trial.
At the February Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee (ICOC) meeting, the board approved five new clinical trials for Parkinson’s disease, autoimmune conditions, cancers, and other conditions, which brought CIRM’s awards from 98 to 103.
“CIRM has proven how much can be achieved if we invest in cutting-edge research. As we celebrate our 100 clinical-trial funding milestone, we want to thank the people of California for their continued trust as we advance the field and deliver on our mission,” said Jon Thomas, PhD, JD, Interim President and CEO of CIRM.
The voters of California believed in this vision when they passed Proposition 71 in 2004 to establish CIRM as the first ever state-funded institute to advance science for the people. This vote of confidence renewed CIRM’s funding through Prop 14, ensuring the Agency’s important work could continue.
Making an Impact through Investment
CIRM funded its first ever clinical trial in 2011, which was also the first clinical trial to use cells derived from embryonic stem cells. Since then, billions in grants have been deployed towards research projects to address a wide range of health issues, from arthritis to Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, rare diseases in children, heart disease, and stroke. The Agency has funded clinical trials for a variety of conditions that affect millions, including vision loss, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), HIV, brain cancers, and COVID-19.
“CIRM has supported the development of NRTX-1001, our human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived inhibitory interneuron cell therapy for the potential treatment of epilepsy, from discovery through preclinical translation and into clinical development—truly a bench to bedside initiative,” noted Cory R. Nicholas, cofounder, and chief executive officer of Neurona Therapeutics, which is evaluating NRTX-1001 in an ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial in adults with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy.
“CIRM’s support of the NRTX-1001 program has been a great example of the fulfillment of its original mission to fund the development of regenerative hPSC-derived cell therapies that can address unmet medical needs and make a transformative, disease-modifying impact on the lives of patients and their families.”
Photo Courtesy of OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks
CIRM continues to leave an increasing, indelible mark on the fields of stem cell and gene therapy research, actively integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) values into clinical trial applications. All applicants for clinical trial funding at CIRM must submit a DEI plan showing how they will engage and work with underserved populations to include clinical trial participants from these communities. The plans also must outline the applicant’s strategies to foster cultural sensitivity within their teams and partner institutions. The requirement is designed to improve the enrollment of participants from underrepresented racial and ethnic populations in clinical trials.
Beyond funding clinical trials, CIRM continues to push the boundaries of the regenerative medicine field, implementing new programs in manufacturing, data sharing, Community Care Centers of Excellence, and the ReMIND initiative, a vital new program that aims to accelerate discoveries that advance our understanding of Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders.
To learn more about CIRM’s clinical trial research funding, explore this page on our website. For more about diverse representation in clinical trials, see our blog, “Why diversity in clinical trials is essential”.
The Stem Cellar 