Start Licensing, Inc. Welcomes FDA's Finding of Safety of Food From Clon...( AUSTIN Texas Jan. 16 -- Start Li...)

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Start Licensing, Inc. ("Start"), a joint venture of Geron Corporation (Nasdaq:) and Exeter Life Sciences supports the final risk assessment released by the US Food and Drug Administration on January 15. The assessment concluded that meat and dairy products from animal clones and their offspring are safe for human consumption.

"FDA's conclusion is consistent with a report released January 11, 2008 by the European Food Safety Authority and studies in other countries. These findings open the door to widespread adoption of the technology platform to enhance the quality of meat and dairy products" said Jonathan Thatcher, president of Start. "With this safety conclusion, ranchers and livestock producers can look to cloning technology to rapidly increase the best genetics, including quality and health traits, in their herds."

Created in 2005, Start is a joint venture of Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN) and Exeter Life Sciences, Inc. Start manages and licenses a worldwide portfolio of intellectual property rights related to animal reproductive technologies, including foundational nuclear transfer cloning technology developed at the Roslin Institute. The nuclear transfer patents managed by Start have been upheld by the US PTO in three separate patent interference proceedings and in opposition proceedings by patent offices in other countries. Start's licensees are engaged in research and product development in food production, medical applications and other fields.

For more information call Natalie Garrett, Start Licensing/Turner Strategies, 202-466-9633