Lonza signs licensing agreement with California Stem Cell
Novel pluripotent stem cell products will be made available to scientists worldwide
Swiss chemical group Lonza has signed a worldwide, exclusive licensing and supply agrrement with California Stem Cell in which novel pluripotent stem cell products will be made available to researchers worldwide.
California Stem Cell’s proprietary methods for scalable production of multiple cell types from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC), combined with the firm’s primary cell expertise, specifically enhance screening tools and improve the predictive strength of current cell based models.
‘This partnership will address the evolving needs of the research community by making broadly available high purity, human pluripotent stem cell-derived cells and related media products, worldwide,’ said Hans Keirstead, chairman of California Stem Cell’s Scientific Advisory Board.
The first products to be marketed under this agreement should include NeuroPlate hPSC-derived Neural Progenitors and MotorPlate hPSC-derived Motor Neuron Progenitors. These highly pure and well-characterised cells have demonstrated utility in drug discovery, toxicity screening, and neurological research programmes. They will be launched together with associated culture media later this year.
In addition to the cell products, Lonza will also begin manufacturing and distributing California Stem Cell’s media portfolio that includes StemBlast Undifferentiated hPSC Culture Medium, EndoBias Endodermal Lineage Differentiation Medium and EctoBias Ectodermal Lineage Differentiation Medium.
Teun van der Heide, head of research solutions at Lonza, said: ‘Lonza’s portfolio of human primary cell systems is greatly enhanced by this partnership and we look forward to providing these important new products to our customers around the world.’
