CAMBRIDGE, England, November 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Stem Cell Sciences plc (AIM:STEM, ASX:STC), a company focused on the commercialisation of stem cells and stem cell technologies, has signed a Master Service Agreement of up to five years with Pfizer Limited, the UK operating unit of the global research-based pharmaceutical company Pfizer, Inc. (NYSE: PFE - News). Under the terms of the agreement, SCS will provide research services, cell lines, media and reagents to support Pfizer’s R&D efforts in this important field.
Dr Alastair Riddell, CEO of SCS, said, “The opening of Pfizer’s new regenerative medicine research facility in Cambridge, UK, last week is very important for stem cell research and reinforces the UK’s position as an international centre of excellence. We are therefore very pleased to be able to support Pfizer’s efforts to advance biomedical research under our new agreement.”
The Pfizer regenerative medicine unit will be led by Chief Scientific Officer, Ruth McKernan, PhD, who said, “I’m very excited to lead this new research unit. While there is still a lot to understand about how stem cells can be used therapeutically, we believe it is one of the most promising areas of scientific research. Building successful partnerships with companies such as Stem Cell Sciences will be important for us.”
About Stem Cell Sciences plc
Stem Cell Sciences (SCS) is an international research and development company focusing on the commercial application of stem cell biology technologies for drug discovery and regenerative medicine research. Stem Cell Sciences is now focussing on building revenues through the sale of products, collaborative research and licensing deals with international biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.
Stem Cell Sciences has a substantial portfolio of patents and patent applications in both adult and embryonic stem cell fields. The Company has been active in the stem cell research field since 1994, principally focused on technologies to grow, differentiate, and purify adult and embryonic stem cells. These include technologies to permit the generation of highly purified stem cells and their differentiated progeny (specialised tissue cell types) for use in genetic, pharmacological and toxicological screens. Moreover, these technologies may be able to provide pure populations of appropriate cell types for transplantation therapies in the future.
The Company has its main research base and headquarters in Cambridge, UK with a second research base in Monash near Melbourne, Australia and a business development office in San Francisco, USA.
For further information on the company please visit: http://www.stemcellsciences.com.
For further information, please contact:
Stem Cell Sciences plc (United Kingdom), Alastair Riddell, CEO, Tim Allsopp, Chief Scientific Officer, +44(0)1223-499160;
Stem Cell Sciences pty ltd (Australia), Paul Bello, Operations Manager, +61(0)400-500-495;
Citigate Dewe Rogerson (For SCS, UK), Mark Swallow / Emma Palmer Foster / Amber Bielecka, +44(0)20-7638-9571;
Talk Biotech (For SCS, Australia), Fay Weston, Director, +61(0)422-206-036;
Daniel Stewart & Company (NOMAD to SCS, UK), Simon Leathers / Simon Starr, +44(0)207-776-6566
Source: Stem Cell Sciences plc
