Promega has entered into an agreement with the manufacturer of human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics to advance novel assay development for drug discovery.
Under the agreement, Fujifilm will provide a broad range of custom differentiated iPSCs combined with Promega biosensor and intracellular bioluminescent reporter capabilities for researchers and scientists to use as part of novel assay development in the drug discovery process.
As part of the collaboration, bioluminescent reporter technology used to study cellular signalling and transcriptional activity in iPSCs will be merged to help researchers to create novel assays to observe cellular biology in a system, which reflects how cells perform in the human body.
As researchers seek new physiological models to move drug discovery tests toward greater human relevance, differentiated cells derived from iPSCs have risen in popularity.
iPSCs may be developed into any type of human cell, including the brain, cardiac, hepatic, immunological, and many other cells important for disease research.
The agreement will enable Fujifilm to access Promega Firefly Luciferase, NanoLuc Luciferase and NanoBiT Technology.
Under a prior arrangement with Promega, Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics also licenced HaloTag Technology, a platform for functional analysis of proteins.
Scientists can use the combination of these technologies to create novel biosensor assays in iPSC-derived cells.
Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics commercial operations senior vice president Keith Olson said: “The market continues to move towards assay formats that best recapitulate human disease, and iPSC-derived cells are a critical part of that movement.
“Adding this robust assay technology from Promega to our cells creates a wealth of possibilities for discovery researchers around the world in their efforts to advance medicine.”
Promega strategic collaborations manager Brad Swanson said: “This agreement opens the possibility of incorporating our best-in-class assays into any type of iPSC-derived cell.
“This combination enables the study of biological mechanisms and pathways in human cell models with a context and precision previously unavailable to researchers.”
