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Heidelberg, Germany and Carlsbad, USA, March 27, 2013 / B3C newswire / – Medicyte has signed a licensing agreement for the rights to use Lentiviral vector technology from Life Technologies to develop and market next generation, cell-based upcyte® cell products to the biopharma and academic research markets.
Various data, already presented at academic meetings, indicates that Medicyte’s upcyte® hepatocytes combine the benefits of quantity (generation of up to 2000 vials per donor) with the quality of primary hepatocytes. The new generation of upcyte® hepatocytes show more comparable results to primary cells in in-vitro assays (such as CYP 3A4-Induction, genotoxicity or hepato- and cytotoxicity). ‘With the technology we have licensed from Life Technologies, we are capable to bring more predictive, reliable, and standardized cell strains on the market’ commented Dr. Joris Braspenning, CEO of Medicyte GmbH.
Financial terms of the agreement are not being disclosed.
About Medicyte
Medicyte is specialised in the controlled generation and standardisation of human primary cell products in virtually unlimited quantities and of highest quality for cell therapy and cell-based R&D. Medicytes proprietary technologies upcyte® and vericyte® enable to expand in a controlled way human hepatocytes from different donors and other cell types in a standardized procedure, thereby making these cells for the first time commercially available in high numbers and consistent quality. Increasingly pharmaceutical companies consider using upcyte® hepatocytes for in vitro ADMET testing.
About Upcyte® Technology
Currently, the primary cell types commercially available are restricted, and their poor proliferative capacity limits their use in cell-based assays. The use of immortalized cell lines in cell-based models, on the other hand, is compromised by their transformed and not healthy phenotype.
Using Medicyte´s innovative upcyte® technology, primary cells are driven into proliferation, thus allowing controlled induction of cell proliferation without immortalization, uncontrolled cell growth or changing typical characteristics.
Therefore, upcyte® cells and corresponding cell-based assays can become available in sufficient quantities with a consistent quality that can be used for research, screening and drug development. That allows true standardization of cell based assays.
For further information, please contact
Dr.Birgit Tramnitz
Business Development Manager
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Im Neuenheimer Feld 581
69120 Heidelberg / Germany
www.medicyte.com