NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Cellular Dynamics today announced it has expanded its distribution deal with iPS Academia Japan to include iCell Neurons and iCell Endothelial Cells.
The deal builds on a distribution agreement forged by the Madison, Wis.-based stem cell technology firm and the affiliate of Kyoto University in June 2011 covering iCardiomyocytes.
Robert Palay, CEO and chairman of CDI, said in a statement, "We view the expansion of our distribution agreement with iPS Academia Japan as a vote of confidence in our ability to provide human [induced pluripotent stem cell-derived] cells in the quantity, quality, and purity required for scientists to realize the full potential of their experiments."
iPS Academia Japan was originally created to manage the patents and technology based on the work of Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University, and CDI is the first foreign firm to be granted a license to Yamanaka's iPSC patent portfolio by iPS Academia Japan.
Financial and other terms were not disclosed.