NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – The National Institutes of Health Stem Cell Registry has approved 52 human embryonic stem cell lines from Genea Biocells, the Australian company said this week.
The stem cell lines listed with the NIH Stem Cell Registry include 43 disease-specific lines covering 24 different genetic diseases, such as neurodegenerative ailments Huntington's disease, tuberous sclerosis, infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy, and others. They also include neuromuscular disorders, such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, Becker muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy, and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.
Cell lines expressing genes coding for genetic cancers, metabolic conditions, vascular diseases, and eye conditions also were approved, Sydney-based Genea Biocells said. The nine unaffected cell lines that were approved are from varied genetic backgrounds.
All cell lines are derived in compliance with international ethical and regulatory standards, the firm said.
Genea Biocells claims to have the world's largest private bank of pluripotent human embryonic stem cells with more than 100 individual lines that cover almost 30 genetic diseases. The firm said it is preparing applications to NIH for Genea Biocells' other cell lines.