Trends in stem cell funding are important to identify because year-over-year changes can alert companies to potential changes in product sales volumes. It is also valuable for life science companies to understand the sources from which their clients derive funding.
Within the U.S., the National Institutes of Health (NIH) had an NIH budget of an estimated $1.495 billion into stem cell research projects in 2016, spanning a wide range of fields from cell biology to electrical engineering.[1]
NIH Budget | Stem Cell Research Funding
In this article:
- The NIH Funding Trend
- California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
- International Stem Cell Research Funding
The NIH Funding Trend
This is an increase from $1.391 billion in (actual) spending by the NIH in 2014 and $1.429 billion in (estimated) spending by the NIH in 2015.
By far, the NIH estimates that its most widely funded sub-category of stem cell research was “Stem Cell Research – Nonembryonic – Non-Human,” with $646 million of estimated funding in 2016.
The NIH’s second best-funded category was “Stem Cell Research – Nonembryonic – Human,” with $457 million estimated in 2016.
The human and non-human embryonic stem cell research was funded at much lower rates.
Only 12.0% of federal stem cell research funding was estimated to be allocated to human embryonic stem cell research in 2016 ($172 million out of $1.436 billion).
This demonstrates the relative lack of support given to human embryonic stem cell research by the U.S. government.
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
Several state programs made additional contributions to stem cell research projects, the largest being the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).
In 2004, California residents approved a plan to spend $3 billion over a period of 10 years to support stem cell research. Issuance of the bonds needed to finance this venture was initially stalled by legal opposition, but the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), an agency that manages the state’s stem cell program, was able to secure research funds through a loan from the state’s general fund and the sale of “bond anticipation notes” to private investors.[2]
California by itself has already allocated more than $200 million to human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research, making it a major funding source for hESC research.
International Stem Cell Research Funding
Internationally, stem cell research is supported by significant government investments, with Asia being one of the most favorable regions. Additionally, private sources contributed an estimated $1.7 billion dollars of stem cell funding on a global basis during full-year 2015.[3]
Footnotes
[1] Report.nih.gov,. “NIH Categorical Spending -NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools (Report)”. N.p., 2016. Web. 26 Jan. 2016.
[2] CIRM Provides $40 Million to Support Future Stem Cell Scientists. CA Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Press Release. Available at: http://www.cirm.ca.gov/PressRelease_061809. Accessed Jan 24, 2016.
[2] Stem Cell Research Products – Opportunities, Tools, & Technologies. BioInformant Worldwide, LLC. Available at: http://www.cirm.ca.gov/PressRelease_061809. Accessed Jan 24, 2016.
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