Thanks to funding from Proposition 71, California’s $3 billion investment in stem cell research, and the state funding entity it created, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), there are now 36 human clinical trials in various stages of progress, including a trial for Leukemia

Condition: Leukemia

Accepting Applicants: Yes
Status: Phases 1/2 trials in progress

Description: Clinical trial of stem cell gene therapy for leukemia
CIRM Funding Brief: “A team at UC San Diego is testing the safety of a monoclonal antibody called cirmtuzumab that targets cancer stem cells in a Phase 1 clinical trial. It’s named after CIRM because we helped fund the research that led to its development. Cirmtuzumab is designed to attach to a protein, called ROR1, that is found on the surface of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells but is rarely found on healthy cells. The team hopes cirmtuzumab will target the cancer cells, blocking their ability to grow and/or survive.” Read more at CIRM.
Current Sponsor: UCSD Moores Cancer Center
Principal Investigator: Catriona Jamieson, M.D., Ph.D., and Michael Choi, M.D.
Institution: University of California Medical Center
Phase 1/2 Filed: N/A
Phase 1/2 Approved: N/A
Cell Therapy Type: N/A
NCT No. / Link: NCT02222688
Completion Date: Projected August 2017

Last Updated: October 24, 2016

As this clinical trial moves forward, we will update this page. Check back here for future developments.

As scientists and patient advocates build on the progress that Proposition 71 has enabled, we must keep the momentum going, understanding that there is still much work to be done. We must remember that human trials will celebrate successes; but, barriers will surface, along with complications and challenges, so patience and understanding of the scientific discovery process is essential. Even the setbacks will provide critical knowledge that will bring us closer to curing or mitigating devastating diseases and injuries. Only with continued support for biomedical research can we increase our understanding of the therapeutic potential of stem cells, and translate that understanding into meaningful treatments that help give patients their lives back.