DefiniGEN Licences Lung Stem Cell Technology from University of Cambridge

DefiniGEN Ltd., a provider of stem cell life science products and services, has strengthened its IP portfolio with a licence for cutting edge lung stem cell technology from the University of Cambridge. The technology will be used by DefiniGEN to develop new, optimized cell products and services for drug discovery and the study of lung diseases, including cystic fibrosis.

The technology, licensed to DefiniGEN by Cambridge Enterprise, the commercialization arm of the University of Cambridge uses induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells, to recreate embryonic lung development in the lab by activating a process known as gastrulation, in which the cells form distinct layers, from which the lung grows. The technology enables these cells to develop further, into distal airway tissue. The distal airway is the part of the lung responsible for gas exchange and is often implicated in disease, such as cystic fibrosis, some forms of lung cancer and emphysema.

“This license enables us to use stem cells to grow highly functional lung cells on an industrial-scale for the first time,” said Marcus Yeo, chief executive officer, DefiniGEN. “These cell products can then help researchers to elucidate key mechanisms of disease and enable pharmaceutical companies to screen for potential drugs in a reproducible and cost-effective way.”