Otsu/Shiga, Japan – June 1, 2015 - Takara Bio Inc. announced that on June 1, 2015, it launches a new culture medium for iPS cell “Cellartis® DEF-CS 500 Xeno-Free Culture Medium”, a medium suitable for research-use in regenerative medicine field, throughout the world.
Researches of stem cells including iPS cells are expanding its scope from basic researches to drug discovery and regenerative medicine fields. A process to maintain and expand iPS cell is essential for application of iPS cells. Especially in researches in regenerative medicine fields, maintenance and expansion of iPS cells at a high level of safety and stability is crucial.
Culture medium launched by Takara Bio has been developed in an effort to satisfy these needs. It features unique characteristics as listed below.
- It is free from human- and animal-derived ingredients, and necessity of co-culture with mouse cells (feeder cells). This feature minimizes risk of infection attributed to these ingredients, which improves safety of iPS cells culturing.
- It allows a single cell-passaging. This feature improves operability and reproducibility of cultures.
- Self-renewal capability and undifferentiated state, essential characteristics of iPS cells, can be maintained for a long time
- It features high quality with less lot-to-lot variation in performance
Takara Bio will manufacture GMP/GCTP grade medium for iPS cells based on the technology used for “Cellartis DEF-CS 500 Xeno-Free Culture Medium” in its facility, and launch in the near future.
Takara Bio sales initiatives involve expanding lineup of products and services under “Cellartis®” brand in stem cell fields, a field with increasing needs, to boost its business results.
