Vitro Forms Strategic Alliance with a Leading Stem Cell Company

HemoGenix® owns patented and patent-pending technology for analysis of stem cells known as the HALO® assay platform which is based on advanced measurement of ATP cellular content. HALO® assays are now industry standard methods for quality and potency determination of hematopoietic stem cells and also allow sophisticated analysis of toxic effects of drugs and new drug candidates including cancer chemotherapeutic agents. The agreement with Vitro will allow expansion of assay platforms from HemoGenix®, in particular, LUMENESC for mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and LumiSTEM for induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). IPS technology allows the use of reprogrammed adult cells to achieve properties of embryonic stem cells including the ability to differentiate into any type of cell in the body without use or sacrifice of embryos and as a consequence, any of the ethical or religious issues involved with the use of embryonic stem cells.

The agreement between Vitro and HemoGenix® provides benefits to each partner including a supply contract for Vitro’s MSC and optimized growth media and thus enhanced sales for Vitro together with a profit sharing from sales of all new products. HemoGenix® gains an expanded market for its products that are gaining clinical relevance in treatment of numerous conditions beyond those of the hematopoietic stem cell system, e.g., treatment of degenerative diseases such as arthritis and potential applications of iPS technology to numerous conditions including Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular disease, along with numerous other diseases.

Dr. Ivan Rich, CEO of HemoGenix®, Inc. said, “We are very pleased with the collaboration with Vitro to expand our product line and very much look forward to moving forward together to target expanded markets in analysis of the total spectrum of stem cell products including iPS cells. We have developed a regulatory-compliant method for stem cell analysis and look forward to establishing our method as the gold standard for new therapies based on advances in stem cell technology.”