Cellular Dynamics International In-Licenses Key Patent Portfolio for Using Stem Cell-Derived Cells in Drug Testing Greater Than 90 Percent Cell Type Purification Enabled Through Exclusively Licensed Technology
The license, obtained from Dr. Loren Field and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), covers two important concepts for using stem cell-derived cells for drug screening. First, the Field patents cover a cell purification strategy that enables greater than 90 percent purity of any type of cells. Secondly, the Field patents cover the use of stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes for drug testing. Financial terms of the license were not disclosed.
Brad Fravel, business development manager at Indiana University Research & Technology Corporation said, "As a leader in the pluripotent stem cell field, CDI is a great licensing partner for IUPUI. We are confident CDI will run with this technology, exploiting it to its fullest potential."
The license also covers the use of cardiomyocytes purified through this technology for drug testing. While cardiomyocytes are the company's entree into the market, the company has programs in place for developing multiple cell types, and the Field patents enable the company to develop them into highly purified populations. CDI is using the Field technology in conjunction with the patents it has licensed from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), UW-Madison's tech-transfer vehicle, to create a pipeline that mass produces cells for large-scale drug screening campaigns at pharmaceutical companies and for regenerative medicine applications.
About Cellular Dynamics International, Inc.
Cellular Dynamics International, Inc. (CDI) is a leading developer of next-generation stem cell technologies for drug development and personalized medicine applications. CDI harnesses the power of pluripotent stem cells and their ability to differentiate into any cell type for world-class drug development tools. In addition, it is the leader in iPS technology, the production of pluripotent stem cell lines from adult tissue. CDI was founded in 2004 by Dr. James Thomson, a pioneer in human embryonic stem cell research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Tactics II Ventures, a Wisconsin-based venture capital fund. CDI's facilities are located in Madison, Wisconsin. See www.cellulardynamics.com.
SOURCE Cellular Dynamics International (CDI)
CONTACT: Joleen Rau, Senior Director, Marketing & Communications, Cellular
Dynamics International, Inc., +1-608-310-5142, jrau@cellulardynamics.com;
or Robert E. Flamm, Ph.D., robert.flamm@russopartnersllc.com,
+1-212-845-4226, or Tony Russo, tony.russo@russopartnersllc.com,
+1-212-845-4251, both of Russo Partners LLC, for Cellular Dynamics
International, Inc.
Web site: http://www.cellulardynamics.com/