出版社：AHRC Research Centre for Studies in Intellectual Property and Technology Law
摘要：Although scientists have promoted stem cell research as the next pillar of medical care, the field has yet to make any major clinical impact on medical practice.1 After an extremely difficult period in the late 90’s and the early 2000’s, the potential for clinical translation of stem cell therapies has been portrayed in a more positive light for the past three years. In the US, the convergence of public policy support after years of federal opposition, significant funding opportunities at the state and federal level, the first ever clinical trials using human embryonic stem cells, advances in basic science and the emergence of a few burgeoning public-private partnerships have prompted optimistic talk about regenerative medicine 2.0.2 According to these discussions, this dynamic new paradigm of clinical development is generating significant interest in the private sector market.3 However, this overly optimistic picture must be tempered by harsh market realities; evidence demonstrates that the recovery of the stem cell industry is still incomplete and that the recent modest commercial successes still do little to offset the initial collapse of the field.4 Venture capital interest in stem cell science is still limited and start-up biotech companies are struggling to find long term financing that would enable them to navigate past the current global financial crisis.5 Moreover, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies have so far shown only a limited interest in the field.6
