Cross posted from Nature’s The Great Beyond blog.
Advanced Cell Technology of Worcester, Massachusetts announced on Tuesday that a human embryonic stem cell therapy it is developing for a rare form of juvenile blindness has been granted orphan drug status by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The special status gives companies tax breaks, access to grant funding for clinical trials, and up to seven years of market exclusivity under the 1983 Orphan Drug Act . The Act is aimed at speeding therapies for diseases afflicting fewer than 200,000 Americans.