Lonza Enters Pluripotent Stem Cell Market through Distribution Arrangement for Axiogenesis’ Cardiomyocyte Products and Assays

Lonza negotiated exclusive, worldwide rights to distribute Axiogenesis’ Cor.At® mouse embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. Lonza notes that the deal marks its entry into the pluripotent stem cell market. The firm plans to start offering additional differentiated cell types during 2010.

The company maintains the Cor.At offering will complement its existing Clonetics® and Poietics® families of primary cells and optimized media. “The Axiogenesis portfolio is an ideal fit with Lonza’s activities and strengthens the research solutions’ product and service offering, especially in the field of drug discovery,” states Tuen van der Heide, Ph.D., head of research solutions for Lonza’s bioscience business.

Axiogenesis specializes in the development of novel assays based on in vitro differentiated murine embryonic stem cells  or human and murine induced pluripotent stem cells.  The company’s Cor.At cardiomyocytes have been used to generate an assay for predicting cardiac cytotoxicity in drug candidates and for HTS. The Cor.At cells also form the basis of what Axiogenesis claims is the first physiologically relevant disease model of cardiomyopathy. Both types of in vitro assays are offered as a kit or a service. The firm is also working to develop new test systems utilizing ESC-derived hepatocyte, endothelial, neuronal, and dermal cells.

Axiogenesis currently has over 25 individual stem cell lines along with protocols for their cultivation into more than 15 different tissues.