Novo Nordisk, together with the majority of scientists within
the field of stem cell research, believes it is essential to conduct
research with pluripotent stem cells. This is because it is crucial to
gain basic knowledge about how cells grow and develop to allow us to
confirm the possibility of using stem cells in cell replacement therapies.
1?Vision to cure diabetes
Novo Nordisk has a
vision to find a cure for diabetes, and human stem cell research
with the potential for cell transplantation, is currently the most
promising approach to achieve this goal.
2 Investigation of use of stem cells
Novo Nordisk is
investigating the use of stem cells to treat other serious chronic
diseases and the use of stem cells as a tool to increase disease
understanding and accelerate the drug discovery process.
3 Human pluripotent stem cells
Novo Nordisk has
extended its research on mouse pluripotent stem cells to include
human pluripotent stem cells, in order to move forward in our
efforts to direct human stem cells to mature into insulin-producing
beta cells which can be further developed for transplantation to patients.
4 Use of pluripotent stem cells
Novo Nordisk is
using pluripotent stem cells as it has not yet been demonstrated
that the same scientific results can be obtained by the use of
multipotent adult/tissue-specific stem cells when it comes to
expansion potential and developmental capacity.
5 Human embryonic stem cells
Novo Nordisk only
works with human embryonic stem cells derived from surplus embryos
from in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment that are donated with
freely given informed consent. Such embryos are otherwise destined
by law to be discarded. Novo Nordisk does not support human egg
donation for the creation of human embryos solely for research purposes.
6 Cloning of human beings
Novo Nordisk finds
cloning of human beings (reproductive cloning) unethical and does
not engage in any activity in this area.
7 Patenting of stem cells
Novo Nordisk
supports the position that human embryonic stem cells, as such,
cannot be patented. However, the research-based protocols used to
develop stem cells into therapeutic cells, as well as the mature
cells and tissues developed by these specific protocols, should be patentable.
8 Protection of human embryo
Novo Nordisk
supports a legislative framework around the use of human embryonic
stem cells that adequately protects the human embryo and at the same
time ensures that the knowledge obtained can be used to help
patients with serious chronic diseases such as diabetes.
9 Stem cell therapies
Novo Nordisk
supports stem cell therapies that are only made available after
having been proven to be safe and efficacious in preclinical and
controlled clinical trials.
?
For more information, please see our position on human biosamples
If you have questions, or want to know more about stem cell research, please refer to our comprehensive collection of questions and answers.
?
? ?