Millipore and Aruna Biomedical Announce Licensing Agreement for ENStem™ Human Embryonic Neural Stem Cells

Millipore Corporation and Aruna Biomedical, Inc. have announced that they have entered into a licensing agreement that will enable Millipore to market and distribute a cell line of human neural progenitor cells and optimized media for neural research.

Under the terms of the agreement, Millipore has acquired an exclusive worldwide license to distribute these neural progenitor cells derived from NIH-registered human embryonic stem cells.

The human neural stem cells will be sold and marketed under the ENStem brand name by Millipore and packaged as a kit with optimized growth media and substrates. Not previously available, the ENStem cells are a source of human neural progenitor cells derived from human embryonic stem cells, which provide an invaluable tool for neural research. The cells can be used in various studies, including Alzheimer’s, spinal cord injury and depression.

“By partnering with Aruna Biomedical, we can offer our customers a vast array of novel stem cell products and technologies,” said Patrick Schneider, Vice President, Millipore Research Reagents Division. “This agreement further supports Millipore’s commitment to providing tools that accelerate stem cell research worldwide.”

“The potential impact of this product on the neural research community could be astounding,” commented Steven Stice, Aruna co-founder and CEO.

“By accelerating the pace of neurological research for tens of thousands of scientists, we hope to provide patients with possible therapies and treatments for debilitating neurological diseases and spinal cord injuries sooner than imagined,” Stice added.