Cell Therapy Catapult and Roslin Cells to create clinical grade stem cells

The Cell Therapy Catapult, which is focused on the development of the UK cell therapy industry, is forming a partnership with Edinburgh-based Roslin Cells, an expert in the production of stem cells, to establish a source of clinical grade induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) banked according to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) in the UK.

With iPS cells gaining in importance as a source of new therapies and the first products soon to enter trials, the establishment of the cell bank with an initial £2m investment provides the UK with an important source of iPS cells acceptable to the regulatory authorities.

These iPS cell lines will be available for clinical research in both academia and industry, with the initial six expected to be available by the end of 2014. Clinical grade iPS cells will be isolated and banked in compliance with GMP in Roslin Cells' manufacturing facility in Edinburgh. From these banks, research grade lines will be created and made available for early stage work and preclinical research.

iPS cells were discovered in 2006, and their significance in the development of new therapies is based on their ability to differentiate into any cell type, opening up the treatment of a large range of diseases. They are produced by reprogramming somatic cells, so they can be produced from a patient's own cells or obtained from donors who have the blood and tissue types that can provide a good match to recipients. Human iPS-based cell therapies are believed to be around 10 years away from launch, with clinical trials starting in Japan next year, and more than 40 preclinical studies underway.