Geron Corporation GERN Menlo Park, CA www.geron.com biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing therapeutic and diagnostic products for applications in oncology and regenerative medicine, as well as tools for drug discovery. Thomas Okarma Pres,CEO,director Okarma has worked with Geron since 1997. He was appointed President and CEO in 1999. Okarma founded Applied Immune Sciences (AIS) in 1985. AIS was acquired by Rhone-Poulenc Rorer in 1995 where Okarma served as senior vice president. AIS developed cancer treatments involving bone marrow transplantation and gene therapy. Prior to founding AIS, Okarma was a faculty member of the Stanford University School of Medicine. He has authored over 50 publications on cell and gene therapy and holds numerous patents in the field. GRN163 telomerase inhibitor for treatment of cancer

The inhibition of telomerase induces the death of cancer cells. GRN163 is being co-developed by Geron and Kyowa Hakko. GRN163L is the lipidated form of GRN163.

Geron is organized into four specific business units in order to accelerate product development, partnering and commercialization: 1) oncology, 2) regenerative medicine, 3) R&D technologies, 4) nuclear transfer: Ag/Xeno/Biologics Geron has three validated and complementary technology platforms: telomerase, human embryonic stem cells and nuclear transfer. GRN163 is one of a family of thiophosphoramidate (NPS) oligonucleotide compounds, designed to combine the best features of phosphoramidate (NP) and phosphorothioate (PS) oligonucleotides. Compared to PS compounds, NPS oligonucleotides are more stable and specific telomerase inhibitors. Moreover, they are more acid resistant than similar NP compounds. Geron acquired the intellectual property portfolio covering NP and NPS oligonucleotides from Lynx Therapeutics in 2002. Because GRN163 works like a small molecule drug and interferes directly with the function of the telomerase enzyme, it can be much shorter than most antisense oligonucleotide therapeutics. In fact, GRN163 is only 13 nucleotides long. 4-1-03: Geron scientists publish protocols for the production of human hepatocytes (liver cells) from hESCs. Geron has progressed its human embryonic stem cell (hESC) program substantially with eight different differentiated cell types produced from hESCs: 1) oligodendrocytes (supportive cells for neurons), 2) cardiomyocytes (heart muscle cells), 3) islet cells, 4) dopaminergic neurons, 5) osteoblasts, 6) chondrocytes, 7) hematopoietic cells (cells that form blood), and 8) hepatocyte cells (human liver cells). May 20, 2004