Geron Corporation.
GERN.US | Manufacture of pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemical and botanical products
Geron Corporation is a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapeutics for hematologic malignancies. Their primary focus is on imetelstat, a telomerase inhibitor, which is being developed for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes (M...Show More
Better Health for All
-30
Geron Corporation's core business is dedicated to developing imetelstat (RYTELO) for blood cancers, which provides substantial health benefits. Imetelstat showed a 25% higher rate of 8-week red blood cell transfusion independence compared to placebo, durable for approximately one year.
1
The company's revenue is primarily from collaborations and licensing related to R&D, with no products on the market generating revenue from harmful activities. However, RYTELO has a notable safety record, with 91% of patients experiencing grade 3–4 treatment-emergent adverse events, including 68% neutropenia and 62% thrombocytopenia, though no treatment-related deaths were reported.
2
The company offers the REACH4RYTELO Copay Program, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs to as little as $0 for eligible commercially insured patients, with savings up to $10,650 annually.
3
However, this program is not available to patients with government insurance, and residents of certain states have reduced benefits, limiting equitable access.
4
The company provides comprehensive safety information and advises patients to report side effects.
5
Geron is actively investing in health innovation by exploring imetelstat's potential in additional indications through multiple clinical trials. Preventative measures include administering medicines before treatment to prevent neutropenia, infections, and infusion-related reactions.
6
Clinical trials are generally double-blind, placebo-controlled, and randomized, but the IMpactMF trial is open-label.
7
Fair Money & Economic Opportunity
0
No evidence available to assess Geron Corporation on Fair Money & Economic Opportunity.
Fair Pay & Worker Respect
20
The CEO to median employee pay ratio was 15:1 in 2024.
1
The company's employee rating on Glassdoor is 3.9 out of 5 stars, which translates to 78/100.
2
No regulatory actions, violations, fines, or compliance issues are mentioned in the provided articles.
3
Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing
0
No evidence available to assess Geron Corporation on Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing.
Honest & Fair Business
-20
Geron Corporation has a formal whistleblower policy that applies to all personnel, including an independent third-party hotline for anonymous reporting, and prohibits retaliation.
1
Complaints are investigated by the Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel in consultation with the Audit Committee, with annual reports to the Board.
2
The Board is comprised of a majority of independent directors under NASDAQ listing standards, and the Audit Committee members are required to be independent.
3
The company's Code of Conduct requires compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and other anti-fraud laws.
4
The Audit Committee oversees internal controls to expose illegal or improper payments and reviews the adequacy of management's implementation of these controls.
5
The Audit Committee also receives reports from an independent, third-party supplier for the whistleblower hotline.
6
Kind to Animals
-70
Geron Corporation does not have any products on the market, and the company conducts animal testing
1
, which means no products are certified cruelty-free, aligning with a score of -100 for cruelty_free_cert_share. The company conducts studies of small molecule compounds in animal models and pre-clinical trials on animals.
2
While the use of human embryonic stem cells is mentioned
3
, there is no explicit evidence of the extent to which non-animal methods are employed to replace animal tests, suggesting that alternative assays are used sporadically or not explicitly for replacement, leading to a score of -80 for alt_testing_usage. Geron's policy involves conducting studies in animal models and planning to use PS cells derived from non-human primates
4
, indicating a policy that allows routine non-essential testing, scoring -90 for animal_testing_policy.
No War, No Weapons
0
No specific, factual evidence regarding Geron Corporation's involvement in arms manufacturing, military contracts, or conflict facilitation, or any related peace initiatives, was found in the provided articles. The articles explicitly state a lack of information on specific defense-related metrics relevant to the 'No War, No Weapons' value.
1
Planet-Friendly Business
-80
Geron Corporation has not publicly committed to specific 2030 or 2050 climate goals, nor has it publicly outlined any science-based reduction targets or initiatives.
1
The company does not provide information on TCFD alignment, climate scenario analysis, or climate-related stranded asset risks.
2
Multiple articles consistently state that no environmental compliance violations, fines, or regulatory actions have been mentioned.
3
The company's San Francisco Bay Area headquarters are located in an energy-efficient multi-tenant building, and newly constructed office suites are environmentally friendly in their use of electricity, water, and power.
4
In 2021, the company established a Commuter Benefit Program to encourage public transit use, which has resulted in fewer employees driving and reduced greenhouse gases.
5
The company also encourages electronic proxy materials and increased use of technology to minimize paper documents.
6
Respect for Cultures & Communities
0
No specific, concrete data points were found in the provided articles to assess Geron Corporation against the KPIs for 'Respect for Cultures & Communities'. The articles primarily focus on corporate governance, financial guidance, clinical trials, and general ESG pillars without providing quantitative evidence related to community engagement, cultural preservation, local investment, or incident management as defined by the rubric.
1
General statements about valuing diversity or offering employee volunteer days are not specific enough to meet the quantitative thresholds of the KPIs.
2
Safe & Smart Tech
0
Geron Corporation has no documented data breaches or security leaks reported recently.
1
The company is certified to the EU-U.S. and Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Frameworks by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
2
Its privacy policy outlines user rights to access, correct, delete, and transfer their data, and to opt-out of marketing communications.
3
The policy also states that data is retained only as needed, considering sensitivity and legal requirements.
4
Geron's privacy policy explicitly mentions compliance with GDPR, UK privacy laws, and other applicable laws.
5
Zero Waste & Sustainable Products
0
Geron Corporation has not publicly disclosed specific quantitative data or detailed information regarding its waste management practices or product sustainability in the provided articles. There is no evidence of waste diversion rates, product recyclability, packaging sustainability, or the use of recycled content in its products.
1
The company has not outlined any waste reduction initiatives, hazardous waste management practices, or details on product durability or repairability.
2
Information on waste audit frequency, zero-waste certifications, or waste disposal violations is also unavailable.
3
Furthermore, there is no data on material efficiency, packaging-to-product ratio, waste reduction targets, supplier waste requirements, or customer waste education programs.
4