In vitro models for human skin Tox studies to be made in Frederick
Posted by Jim H on April 29, 2008
The news keeps coming in for LifeLine, in Walkersville. I was doing research for another project and saw this on their website today:
International Stem Cell Corporation Obtains Exclusive Rights in the US and Canada to Distribute Approved Human Skin Model for Toxicity Testing
OCEANSIDE, California, April 29, 2008
International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB: ISCO) announced today that it has entered into an exclusive agreement with CellSystems Biotechnologie to distribute laboratory-cultured models of human skin useful for testing the hazardous properties of consumer products and for dermatological and pharmaceutical research. Such testing is likely to be soon required for certain types of consumer products sold into the European Union.
According to International Stem Cell’s (ISCO) President Jeffrey Janus, “This agreement is another positive step in ISCO’s strategic plan to become the primary source of high quality human cells for the therapeutic and research markets by leveraging its manufacturing and distribution resources.”
ISCO’s human cell and cell culture research products are manufactured and distributed under the “Lifeline” brand by wholly-owned subsidiary Lifeline Cell Technology, LLC, based in Walkersville, Maryland (www.lifelinecelltech.com).
The laboratory-cultured models of human skin, called EST-1000 and AST-2000 were developed by CellSystems and contain cells manufactured by Lifeline. These three dimensional skin cell models are used as alternative methods to animal testing in the field of Skin Corrosion, Skin Irritation, Skin Sensitization, Genotoxicity and Phototoxicity.“We have worked with the Lifeline staff and know their abilities to provide excellent
customer service and their ability to consistently produce high quality products; a critical factor for researchers that depend on human cells for the success of their research,” said Horst W. Fuchs, President of CellSystems Biotechnologie. This agreement between our companies opens a distribution channel for CellSystems’ skin model products to scientific researchers throughout the United States and Canada.”
“While the sale of these Lifeline stem cell and research products provides ISCO
immediate cash flow, it also helps embed ISCO’s products into successful therapeutic and quality control procedures worldwide, providing a revenue stream of shared royalties beyond traditional sales,” added Janus.
