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Note: The article on this page is taken from Sustainability Report 2017.

< Topics2 > Regenerative Medicine
Accelerating R&D in regenerative medicine using iPS cells

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The Fujifilm Group engages in its regenerative medicine business to provide one of the means to address diseases for which an effective treatment has not yet been found. In 2016, we further expanded our research and development into cell therapy using iPS cells through Celluar Dynamics International, Inc. (CDI), a US Fujifilm subsidiary. CDI now collaborates with the National Eye Institute (NEI) in a joint research and development project on age-related macular degeneration, and CDI will supply autologous iPSC-derived cells for the clinical trials at the NEI. The Fujifilm Group also invested in Cynata Therapeutics Limited (Cynata), an Australian regenerative medicine company. Cynata started clinical trials on GvHD patients with allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from iPSC provided by CDI in May 2017.

The Fujifilm Group continues to contribute to industrialization of regenerative medicine, with iPS cells as key material and combining the world-leading technologies possessed by our Group companies.

Regenerative Medicine Business Summary for 2016 and 2017

Jun 2016 CDI, a leading iPS cell manufacturer, commences joint research with NEI on age-related macular degeneration using iPS cells.
Sep 2016 Invested in Cynata, an Australian regenerative medicine venture company. Concluded a license option agreement concerning GvHD (*1) treatment using allogeneic iPSC-derived (*2) MSCs (*3) conducted by Cynata.
Sep 2016 In partnership with David Gamm, M.D., Ph.D., a world leader and pioneer in iPSC-derived treatment of retinal diseases, CDI established a new venture company to develop cell therapies for retinal diseases, Opsis Therapeutics, LLC in the US.
Oct 2016 CDI was granted a patent in Japan related to the technology required for the safe and efficient generation of iPS cells.
May 2017 Invested in RegCell, a Japanese regenerative medicine venture company that aims at commercialization of new treatments utilizing immune cells.

*1 GvHD: Graft vs. Host Disease. One of a disease complication that occurs following a bone marrow transplant, in which cells in the donor marrow (the graft) attack tissues of the recipient (the host). Cell therapy with MSCs is known to be effective for GvHD.

*2 Allogeneic iPS cells: iPS cells created from cells of individuals other than the patient themselves.

*3 Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs): Stem cells in the human body that have some extent of ability to differentiate and proliferate.

Note: The article on this page is taken from Sustainability Report 2017.


   
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