Trail Guide to $3.9 Billion in Looming Changes at California's Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Program

Who wins, who loses? The priority review is laying the groundwork for decisions about dollars.

CIRM’s priority review will mean changes in how it spends its cash. Graphic by Depositphotos

The changing priorities of the $12 billion California stem cell and gene therapy program are likely to affect researchers, patients and patient advocates as well as the fate of a number of cash-starved, biomedical businesses.  

The state stem cell agency has spent months working on its priority review. It has generated loads of information and will generate considerably more. To help wade through it all, the California Stem Cell Report has prepared the following guide to what the agency has done so far concerning how it is likely to spend its last $3.9 billion.

This compendium of information about the far-reaching re-evaluation of CIRM’s direction cannot be found elsewhere on the Internet. It is exclusive to paid subscribers of the California Stem Cell Report.

CIRM’s priority review began nearly one year ago. It will reach a critical moment on Sept. 26, when the 35 members of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) governing board are scheduled to meet in San Diego. The full board will then approve, reject, or alter what its staff has proposed. 

CIRM staffers have been working for many months on the project, which has involved several board committee meetings where initial decisions are being made.