NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Nov 21, 2011) - The stem cell industry lost one of its key players earlier this month when industry pioneer Geron Corporation announced its intention to exit the stem cell research market. The company, which was a leader in stem cell research, intends to focus on its oncology programs instead. Geron's exit has left not only the stem cell industry more wide open, but also the spinal cord injury treatment sector. The Bedford Report examines the outlook for companies in the Biotechnology Industry and provides investment research on InVivo Therapeutics Corporation (OTCBB: [ NVIV ]) and Cord Blood America Inc. (OTCBB: [ CBAI ]). Access to the full company reports can be found at:

[ www.bedfordreport.com/NVIV ]

[ www.bedfordreport.com/CBAI ]

Geron didn't cite any clinical or scientific setbacks. The company said one stem-cell therapy had been well-tolerated in a small clinical trial of people with spinal-cord injuries -- the first such trial cleared by US regulators. That trial is being halted, however. Geron also suggested its stem-cell program would be attractive for another company to pick up.

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Geron's withdrawal leaves a handful of US companies pursuing medicines using embryonic stem cells, which are capable of morphing into any of the more than 220 cell types in the human body. Scientists hope that one day stem cells might be used to replace or repair damaged tissue from ailments such as heart disease, Parkinson's and stroke.

Cord Blood America is the parent company of CorCell, which facilitates umbilical cord blood stem cell preservation for expectant parents and their children. Last month the company announced that since it launched a Referral Rewards Program on July 7, 2011, referral sales have risen from 8 to 21 percent of total sales.

InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. is focused on utilizing polymers as a platform technology to develop treatments to improve function in individuals paralyzed as a result of traumatic spinal cord injury. The Company's biopolymer scaffold technology is designed to provide structural support for a damaged spinal cord to promote healing and improve functional recovery and prognosis for SCI patients. Today there is no effective treatment for the spinal cord for paralysis caused by SCIs, and the annual market potential is estimated to be over $10 Billion.

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