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GERON CORPORATION'S OKARMA TO DELIVER KEYNOTE AT BIOTECH 2002
Geron and Okarma are at the Forefront of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research
March 11, 2002, Research Triangle Park, NC - Thomas B. Okarma, president and CEO of Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN), was announced as the keynote speaker for Biotech 2002, scheduled for May 20, 2002 in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Geron, a publicly traded company headquartered in Menlo Park, California, is the first company to focus exclusively on the biology of aging and the development of therapeutic products for cancer and degenerative diseases. These therapies are based on three patented core technologies: telomerase, human embryonic stem cells, and nuclear transfer.
An industry leader, Dr. Okarma is the perfect fit for the Biotech conference as it brings together representatives from academia, business, corporate and finance to learn about industry trends and discover new opportunities in the life science market. Co-hosted by the Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED), the North Carolina Biotechnology Center (NCBC), the North Carolina Biosciences Organization (NCBIO), and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), Biotech 2002 is the Southeast's premier life sciences industry conference.
"Dr. Okarma and Geron have been at the forefront of human embryonic stem cell research, and we are privileged to have him share his inside perspective on this important, often controversial, area within the biotech sector," said Ford Worthy, senior vice president, A. M. Pappas & Associates, and co-chair of Biotech 2002. "He is uniquely positioned to address both the enormous potential inherent in stem cell research and the ethical considerations that will shape the future of stem cell research."
Geron has several ties to the North Carolina biotech community, including a research collaboration with MERIX Bioscience of Pittsboro, NC and a clinical trial involving prostate cancer patients being conducted at Duke University.
Dr. Okarma was appointed President and CEO of Geron Corporation in July, 1999. He served as Geron's Vice President of Research and Development in 1998 and Vice President of Cell Therapies in 1997.
Before joining Geron Corporation in 1997, Dr. Okarma was a senior vice president at Rhone-Poulenc Rorer. In 1995, Rhone-Poulenc Rorer acquired Applied Immune Sciences, Inc. (AIS) which was founded by Dr. Okarma in 1985. By the time of its acquisition by Rhone-Poulenc Rorer, AIS was in advanced cell therapy human clinical trials in cancer and bone marrow transplantation and in early gene therapy human trials in breast cancer. Dr. Okarma was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AIS from 1991 until its acquisition.
Prior to founding AIS, Dr. Okarma was a member of the faculty of the Stanford University School of Medicine where he also received both his Ph.D. and M.D. degrees. He is the author of over 50 peer-reviewed publications on cell and gene therapy and is an inventor on numerous patents in the field.
Dr. Okarma will be kicking the Biotech conference off with a keynote address as well as participating on the Stem Cell Symposium panel. The Honorable Congressman Richard Burr will lead a session on Biotechnology in Public Health. In addition, Ken Lee, president of A. M. Pappas & Associates, will moderate a session on International Biotech Strategies. Other sessions on genomics and life science investing will also feature experts in the field.
About Biotech 2002
Biotech 2002 is the 11th annual conference celebrating the thriving life sciences
industry in North Carolina. This daylong event, scheduled for May 20, 2002 at
the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Research Triangle Park, NC, features company
exhibits as well as expert panel discussions on the industry's hottest issues,
including: stem cell research, biotechnology in public health, genomics challenges,
the international marketplace, and life science investing. www.cednc.org/biotech/2002.
About Geron Corporation
Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing
and commercializing therapeutic and diagnostic products for applications in
oncology and regenerative medicine, and research tools for drug discovery. Geron's
product development programs are based upon three patented core technologies:
telomerase, human embryonic stem cells and nuclear transfer. www.geron.com
About CED
The Council for Entrepreneurial Development, located in Research Triangle Park,
NC, is a private, non-profit organization formed in 1984 to stimulate the creation
and growth of high-impact companies in the greater Research Triangle region.
CED provides education, mentoring and capital formation resources to new and
existing high-growth entrepreneurs through annual conferences, seminars, workshops
and monthly programs on entrepreneurial management and finance. CED is the largest
entrepreneurial support organization in the nation with more than 5,000 members
representing 1,200 entrepreneurial companies, financiers and professional firms.
www.cednc.org