CIRM awards $2.8 million to develop a gene therapy for rare neuromuscular disorders 

Credit: Shutterstock The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) announced in January $100 million in funding for a broad range of projects, including four to support clinical programs.  One of these was a $2.8 million award to Patricio Sepulveda, PhD, MBA, CEO of Amplo Biotechnology, Inc. That grant will support the development of a gene … Continue reading CIRM awards $2.8 million to develop a gene therapy for rare neuromuscular disorders 

Breaking barriers in rare disease: A gene therapy transforms cystinosis treatment

A 12 year-old Kurt Gillenberg. Photo courtesy of Kurt Gillenberg. When Kurt Gillenberg was 10 months old, his parents knew something wasn’t right. But it wasn’t until he reached 18 months that they found a doctor at the University of California, San Diego, who diagnosed Kurt with cystinosis – a rare genetic, metabolic defect that … Continue reading Breaking barriers in rare disease: A gene therapy transforms cystinosis treatment

Advancing Heart Health: CIRM Funds Tenaya Therapeutics’ Gene Therapy Trial for ARVC

Histology of human cardiac muscle under microscope. Credit: Shutterstock The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) recently announced funding a series of projects spanning the earliest stages of research through to clinical trials. One of those projects was an $8 million award to Matthew Pollman, MD, MS, Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at Tenaya … Continue reading Advancing Heart Health: CIRM Funds Tenaya Therapeutics’ Gene Therapy Trial for ARVC

Honoring Dr. John Zaia: A Legacy of Science, Leadership, and Kindness 

Photo Courtesy: City of Hope The scientific community lost a true pioneer with the passing of John A. Zaia, MD, a visionary virologist, gene therapy trailblazer, and esteemed leader at City of Hope. Dr. Zaia dedicated over four decades to advancing regenerative medicine, leaving a profound impact on HIV research, pediatric diseases, stem cell transplantation, … Continue reading Honoring Dr. John Zaia: A Legacy of Science, Leadership, and Kindness 

FDA Grants RMAT Designation to Luxa Biotechnology’s CIRM-funded Dry AMD Therapy 

Credit: Shutterstock The FDA has granted Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation for a project focused on vision loss that was funded in part by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). This designation is given to highly promising regenerative medicine therapies that treat serious or life-threatening diseases with the goal of accelerating the path … Continue reading FDA Grants RMAT Designation to Luxa Biotechnology’s CIRM-funded Dry AMD Therapy 

World AIDS Day at the 3rd Annual Timothy Ray Brown Community Cure Symposium

Event recap written by guest writer Jacqueline Hantgan, CIRM Sr. Outreach Advisor for Outreach and Advocacy December is HIV/AIDS Awareness Month. To commemorate this important event, CIRM recently supported the 3rd Annual Timothy Ray Brown Community Cure Symposium which took place at the Palm Springs Art Museum on World AIDS Day−December 1, 2024. It was … Continue reading World AIDS Day at the 3rd Annual Timothy Ray Brown Community Cure Symposium

Remembering CIRM board member and ALS patient advocate Fred Fisher

CIRM would like to honor the contributions of Fred Fisher, MSW, LCSW, a dedicated member of our Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee (ICOC) governing board and an enthusiastic patient advocate. Fred passed away in September.   Fred joined the CIRM ICOC as the ALS patient advocate in June 2021 and held various roles during his tenure, including … Continue reading Remembering CIRM board member and ALS patient advocate Fred Fisher

Celebrating 20 Years of Progress: CIRM’s 2024 Annual Report is Now Available

This year marks an important milestone for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM)—20 years of accelerating innovation in regenerative medicine. To celebrate this achievement, we are excited to release the 2024 Annual Report, “Our Journey Forward: How CIRM Catalyzes Regenerative Medicine Today and Beyond.”  For two decades, CIRM has played a pivotal role in … Continue reading Celebrating 20 Years of Progress: CIRM’s 2024 Annual Report is Now Available

CIRM Showcases Strategic Vision and New Initiatives at 7th Annual Alpha Clinics Network Symposium 

Leveraging CIRM Infrastructure to Improve Accessibility Panel - From left to right: Noah Federman, MD (moderator), Catriona Jamieson, MD, PhD, Mehrdad Abedi, MD, Daniela Bota, MD, PhD, Thomas Buchanan, MD, Brian Fury, MS, Dhruv Sareen, PhD, and Taby Ahsan, PhD The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) recently sponsored the 7th Annual CIRM Alpha Clinics … Continue reading CIRM Showcases Strategic Vision and New Initiatives at 7th Annual Alpha Clinics Network Symposium 

CIRM Recommendations from Strategic Allocation Framework

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), one of the world’s largest institutes dedicated to regenerative medicine, announced key recommendations at the September 26, 2024, Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee Meeting from its Strategic Allocation Framework (SAF), a structured and data-driven effort designed to prioritize resources and maximize the impact of CIRM’s funding. These recommendations mark … Continue reading CIRM Recommendations from Strategic Allocation Framework