Stem-cell capitalists unnerve scientists

Venture capitalist Sir Chris Evans this week slammed "defensive nay-sayers" in the scientific community as fears grew that his new stem-cell research foundation could put patients at risk by rushing into clinical trials.

Sir Chris's foundation, recently registered as a charity, aims to pump Pounds 100 million into stem-cell research. It will focus on clinical trials in areas such as diabetes and Parkinson's disease.

Sir Chris has won the support of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, but key figures in the research community have privately expressed concerns.

A source close to the Government, who asked not to be named, told The Times Higher: "We are all very worried about the impact of Chris Evans's group on the field.

"He's very engaging, but his confidence about holding clinical trials very soon is misplaced."

The source added: "If we put funds into clinical trials that go wrong in some way, that could set things back disastrously."

Another high-level public figure said: "It is all about venture capitalism.

They are only keen on getting stem-cell research to market."

The foundation - whose trustees include Sir Richard Branson, the Virgin Group chairman, Lord Winston, the fertility expert, and Sir Richard Sykes, rector of Imperial College London - has already begun reviewing several stem-cell project applications.

Stem cells hold great medical promise as they have the potential to develop into other types of cells in the body.

Sir Chris hit back at the accusations this week. He told The Times Higher :

"People should be gathering around the fire, not trying to throw sand on it. As I've said to some of these defensive nay-sayers, 'Why haven't you been bringing fresh money in, like we have, instead of whingeing?'"

He added: "We've had to make things happen instead of flapping around in the wind like existing funding bodies, which are getting quite muddled about what they are doing."

Sir Chris, whose company Merlin Biosciences has 180 clinical trials on the go at a cost of £1.2 billion, said that fears about a rush to the clinic were "completely misplaced".

He argued that his foundation would finance projects that should already be going to clinic but have been held back by a lack of cash.

But he stressed the need for discipline in the process, adding that while it was possible to move forward with adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells were still about ten years away from the market.

Sir Chris said that before any project was approved for funding, it would have been seen by a chain of 58 people - more than they would be subjected to by any research council.

He said: "If someone is going to moan to me, I'd rather it was the Prime Minister. Once we're up and running and people see the benefits, all these nay-sayers will be hiding under the duvet."

Labour MP Ian Gibson, a trustee of the foundation, said: "People are getting carried away. Chris is someone who really does understand the science."