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Effect on stem cell ruling on companies unclear

WASHINGTON

Government officials say they will appeal a U.S. District Court injunction that stops new federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research.

The ruling has no direct effect on researchers or companies working with private funds, but government funding often kick-starts the most basic, and risky biological work.

Scientists are working to use them to repair severed spinal cords, regenerate brain cells lost in Parkinson's disease and restore the tissue destroyed by juvenile diabetes.

Below is a partial list companies working to develop both adult and embryonic stem cells as therapies:

* Geron Corp. recently received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to start testing its experimental human embryonic stem cell therapy in people with new spinal cord injuries -- the first trial of the controversial cells in humans.

* StemCells Inc. recently said its human neural stem cells helped improve movement in mice being treated for spinal injuries. The Palo Alto, California-based company plans to start human trials in 2011.

* Advanced Cell Technology Inc recently received orphan drug status from the FDA for retinal stem cells to treat Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy, which can lead to blindness.

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(Reporting by Toni Clarke in Boston; Editing by Maggie Fox)
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