STAT December 23, 2019
What’s the best way to measure the real rate of progress in personalized cell therapies, gene therapies, and other advanced therapies?
I’ve been tracking the ever-growing flow of reports about these therapies in scientific journals and press releases for 15 years, ever since I co-led the passage of California’s $3 billion Stem Cell Research and Cures Act in 2004.
But to truly gauge who will benefit from today’s innovations, I’ve learned I also need to study the stream of business and technology announcements that runs in parallel. That might seem more mundane — but to veterans of advanced therapies, making the science “work” actually signals success for these gene-, tissue-, and cell-based advanced therapies.
The reason is simple. My experience...