Technology to Support Industrial Scale Cell Growth

Lung stem cell technology developed at The University of Cambridge has been licenced to DefiniGEN Ltd, for development of optimised cell products and services for drug discovery, as well as the study of lung diseases, including cystic fibrosis.

The technology 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’. Uniquely, the technology also 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.

Commenting on the announcement, Dr Marcus Yeo, CEO of DefiniGEN, said: “This license enables us to use stem cells to grow highly functional lung cells on an industrial-scale for the first time. 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.”