H. Ralph Snodgress, president and CEO of South San Francisco’s VistaGen Therapeutics Inc., said he welcomed news of a discovery reported this week that allows adult skin cells to be reprogrammed into human universal cells.

While VistaGen uses embryonic stem cells in its work developing treatments for diabetes and neurological disorders, Snodgrass said the new technique would complement the company’s work.

“Any new discovery or technology that enables the generation of diverse embryonic stem cells, especially those unique to specific diseases, is very useful,” he said.