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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(00:00:00) - Introduction
(00:01:19) - Hayflick Limit
(00:08:30) - Michael West & Founding of Geron
(00:15:16) - Early Science & IP Strategy
(00:27:25) - Cloning the Telomerase Gene
(00:29:30) - Embryonic Stem Cells & Political Context
(00:44:21) - Okarma, West’s Departure & Corporate Turmoil
(01:05:08) - Spinal Cord Injury Trial
(01:30:45) - Pivot to Blood Cancer
(01:43:08) - Clinical & Commercial Drama
(02:01:45) - Legacy & Lessons
CREDITS
Co-hosted by Alex Kesin and Matthew Pech
Written, edited, and produced by Alex Kesin
Music: “Food” by nerowski
* Special thanks to the team at NFX for the use of their recording studio.
SOURCES
Last updated: March 2026
I. BOOKS
Hall, Stephen S. Merchants of Immortality: Chasing the Dream of Human Life Extension. Houghton Mifflin, 2003.
Williams, Tory. Inevitable Collision: The Inspiring Story That Brought Stem Cell Research to Conservative America.Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., 2014.
II. KEY SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS
Hayflick, L. & Moorhead, P.S. “The serial cultivation of human diploid cell strains.” Experimental Cell Research 25 (1961): 585–621.
Kim, N.W. et al. “Specific association of human telomerase activity with immortal cells and cancer.” Science 266, no. 5193 (1994): 2011–2015.
Feng, J. et al. “The RNA component of human telomerase.” Science 269, no. 5228 (1995): 1236–1241.
Nakamura, T.M. et al. “Telomerase catalytic subunit homologs from fission yeast and human.” Science 277, no. 5328 (1997): 955–959.
Meyerson, M. et al. “hEST2, the putative human telomerase catalytic subunit gene, is up-regulated in tumor cells and during immortalization.” Cell 90, no. 4 (1997): 785–795.
Bodnar, A.G. et al. “Extension of life-span by introduction of telomerase into normal human cells.” Science 279, no. 5349 (1998): 349–352.
Thomson, J.A. et al. “Embryonic stem cell lines derived from human blastocysts.” Science 282, no. 5391 (1998): 1145–1147.
Asai, A. et al. “A novel telomerase template antagonist (GRN163) as a potential anticancer agent.” Cancer Research 63, no. 14 (2003): 3931–3939.
Herbert, B-S et al. “Effect of the lipid modification of GRN163.” Nature: Oncogene 24 (2005): 5765–5772.
Baerlochr, G. et al. “A pilot study of the telomerase inhibitor imetelstat for myelofibrosis.” New England Journal of Medicine 373 (2015): 908–919.
Platzbecker, U. et al. “Imetelstat in patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes who have relapsed or are refractory to erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (IMerge).” The Lancet (2024).
Lennox, A.L et al. “Imetelstat, a novel, first-in-class telomerase inhibitor: Mechanism of action, clinical, and translational science.” Clinical and Translational Science 17, no. 11 (2024).
Scott, C. & Magnus, D. “Wrongful Termination: Lessons From the Geron Clinical Trial” Stem Cell Reports 3, no. 5 (2014): 721–723.
III. REGULATORY & CLINICAL
Prescribing Information (Label) U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “RYTELO (imetelstat) for injection: Highlights of Prescribing Information.” NDA 217779. June 2024.
NDA Approval Letter U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “NDA Approval Letter: RYTELO (imetelstat) for injection.” NDA 217779. June 6, 2024.
Multi-Discipline Review & Evaluation U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “NDA Multi-Disciplinary Review and Evaluation: RYTELO (imetelstat).” NDA 217779Orig1s000. 2024.
ODAC Briefing Document U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “FDA Briefing Document: Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee Meeting, NDA 217779, Imetelstat.” March 14, 2024.
REMS/Risk Assessment Review U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Risk Assessment and Risk Mitigation Review: RYTELO (imetelstat).” NDA 217779Orig1s000. 2024.
Kim, N. et al. “US Food and Drug Administration Approval Summary: Imetelstat for Selected Patients With Low- to Intermediate-1 Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes With Transfusion-Dependent Anemia.” The Oncologist (2025). PMID: 41135032.
FDA. “FDA Approves Imetelstat for Low- to Intermediate-1-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes with Transfusion-Dependent Anemia.” June 2024.
ICER. “Evidence Report: Treatment for Anemia in Myelodysplastic Syndrome.” August 2024.
ICER. Press Release on Imetelstat Evidence Assessment.
ClinicalTrials.gov. GRNOPC1 Phase I Trial. NCT01217008.
Myelodysplastic Syndrome Epidemiology. PMC4553145.
MDS Risk and AML Progression. Blood (2023).
IV. CORPORATE FILINGS & PRESENTATIONS
View all episodes
By Alex Kesin and Matthew PechListen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Listen on YouTube
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(00:00:00) - Introduction
(00:01:19) - Hayflick Limit
(00:08:30) - Michael West & Founding of Geron
(00:15:16) - Early Science & IP Strategy
(00:27:25) - Cloning the Telomerase Gene
(00:29:30) - Embryonic Stem Cells & Political Context
(00:44:21) - Okarma, West’s Departure & Corporate Turmoil
(01:05:08) - Spinal Cord Injury Trial
(01:30:45) - Pivot to Blood Cancer
(01:43:08) - Clinical & Commercial Drama
(02:01:45) - Legacy & Lessons
CREDITS
Co-hosted by Alex Kesin and Matthew Pech
Written, edited, and produced by Alex Kesin
Music: “Food” by nerowski
* Special thanks to the team at NFX for the use of their recording studio.
SOURCES
Last updated: March 2026
I. BOOKS
Hall, Stephen S. Merchants of Immortality: Chasing the Dream of Human Life Extension. Houghton Mifflin, 2003.
Williams, Tory. Inevitable Collision: The Inspiring Story That Brought Stem Cell Research to Conservative America.Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., 2014.
II. KEY SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS
Hayflick, L. & Moorhead, P.S. “The serial cultivation of human diploid cell strains.” Experimental Cell Research 25 (1961): 585–621.
Kim, N.W. et al. “Specific association of human telomerase activity with immortal cells and cancer.” Science 266, no. 5193 (1994): 2011–2015.
Feng, J. et al. “The RNA component of human telomerase.” Science 269, no. 5228 (1995): 1236–1241.
Nakamura, T.M. et al. “Telomerase catalytic subunit homologs from fission yeast and human.” Science 277, no. 5328 (1997): 955–959.
Meyerson, M. et al. “hEST2, the putative human telomerase catalytic subunit gene, is up-regulated in tumor cells and during immortalization.” Cell 90, no. 4 (1997): 785–795.
Bodnar, A.G. et al. “Extension of life-span by introduction of telomerase into normal human cells.” Science 279, no. 5349 (1998): 349–352.
Thomson, J.A. et al. “Embryonic stem cell lines derived from human blastocysts.” Science 282, no. 5391 (1998): 1145–1147.
Asai, A. et al. “A novel telomerase template antagonist (GRN163) as a potential anticancer agent.” Cancer Research 63, no. 14 (2003): 3931–3939.
Herbert, B-S et al. “Effect of the lipid modification of GRN163.” Nature: Oncogene 24 (2005): 5765–5772.
Baerlochr, G. et al. “A pilot study of the telomerase inhibitor imetelstat for myelofibrosis.” New England Journal of Medicine 373 (2015): 908–919.
Platzbecker, U. et al. “Imetelstat in patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes who have relapsed or are refractory to erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (IMerge).” The Lancet (2024).
Lennox, A.L et al. “Imetelstat, a novel, first-in-class telomerase inhibitor: Mechanism of action, clinical, and translational science.” Clinical and Translational Science 17, no. 11 (2024).
Scott, C. & Magnus, D. “Wrongful Termination: Lessons From the Geron Clinical Trial” Stem Cell Reports 3, no. 5 (2014): 721–723.
III. REGULATORY & CLINICAL
Prescribing Information (Label) U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “RYTELO (imetelstat) for injection: Highlights of Prescribing Information.” NDA 217779. June 2024.
NDA Approval Letter U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “NDA Approval Letter: RYTELO (imetelstat) for injection.” NDA 217779. June 6, 2024.
Multi-Discipline Review & Evaluation U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “NDA Multi-Disciplinary Review and Evaluation: RYTELO (imetelstat).” NDA 217779Orig1s000. 2024.
ODAC Briefing Document U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “FDA Briefing Document: Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee Meeting, NDA 217779, Imetelstat.” March 14, 2024.
REMS/Risk Assessment Review U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Risk Assessment and Risk Mitigation Review: RYTELO (imetelstat).” NDA 217779Orig1s000. 2024.
Kim, N. et al. “US Food and Drug Administration Approval Summary: Imetelstat for Selected Patients With Low- to Intermediate-1 Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes With Transfusion-Dependent Anemia.” The Oncologist (2025). PMID: 41135032.
FDA. “FDA Approves Imetelstat for Low- to Intermediate-1-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes with Transfusion-Dependent Anemia.” June 2024.
ICER. “Evidence Report: Treatment for Anemia in Myelodysplastic Syndrome.” August 2024.
ICER. Press Release on Imetelstat Evidence Assessment.
ClinicalTrials.gov. GRNOPC1 Phase I Trial. NCT01217008.
Myelodysplastic Syndrome Epidemiology. PMC4553145.
MDS Risk and AML Progression. Blood (2023).
IV. CORPORATE FILINGS & PRESENTATIONS