Animal-free serum for stem cells

Melbourne-based Stem Cell Sciences (SCS) has signed an exclusive license agreement with the US Millipore Corporation to develop and market SCS' serum-free media for the growth of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs).

The defined media will be the first product available in the industry that offers improved methods for growing hESCs without the need for animal serum.

By eliminating the need for serum, researchers can generate improved experimental results by avoiding interference from animal products in the media, which will improve the ease of use and reliability in growing hESCs, an SCS statement said.

The lack of animal-free, defined media for growing hESCs has been an important technical hurdle in enabling researchers to advance their understanding of the therapeutic value of stem cells.

"As researchers investigate using stem cells to create cures for new diseases, the use of hESCs [is] critical," SCS chief operating officer Hugh Ilyine said.

"By providing serum-free media to grow hESCs, scientists can be confident that the effects they are studying in the laboratory are from the cell itself and not from animal products in the media. The expansion of our agreement with Millipore will allow researchers to now benefit from products offering superior performance in both mouse and human stem cell research."

Under the terms of the agreement, Millipore will manufacture, market and sell the new media under the brand name HEScGRO Embryonic Stem Cell Medium. SCS will receive royalties from all future sales of the product.

The agreement builds on another collaboration between Millipore and SCS, formed in 2005 to commercialise media for the growth of mouse embryonic cells. Millipore's ESGRO Complete is the leading product used by researchers today for mouse stem cell experimentation.

Source: Stem Cell Sciences