International Stem Cell Corp. (ISCO) Positions Itself to Lev International Stem Cell Corp. (ISCO) Positions Itself to Leverage Parthenogenesis Technology
International Stem Cell Corp. uses it core technology, parthenogenesis, to create pluripotent human stem cells from unfertilized eggs. By avoiding the use or destruction of viable human embryos, the company is able to dodge ethical issues while producing billions of human cells that can be used to research various neurological disorders, diseases of the liver and blindness caused by corneal damage.
ISCO recently announced the completion of a massive cell bank containing over 2.6 billion human cells, which will allow the company to conduct clinical trials on Parkinson’s disease in the near future. According to Ruslan Semechkin, ISCO’s Chief Scientific Officer, the completion of the cell bank marks one of the company’s final steps before clinical programs can begin.
The company is able to leverage a tremendous strategic advantage over its competitors by producing cells in its own GMP facility. “Because of the complexity involved in manufacturing live human cell products,” stated Semechkin, “having our own GMP facility is not only a strategic advantage, but also allows us to control the production costs.”
The company’s parthenogenetic stem cells present a multitude of inherent benefits. In addition to being pluripotent, which means that they can potentially turn into any of the body’s cells, they also inherit a duplicate set of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes, which can significantly reduce the odds of rejection by patients’ immune systems.
In the past, study of embryonic stem cells has been severely hampered by ethical issues, and significant research has been largely delayed or avoided. However, ISCO’s parthenogenetic cells open the door for research on a variety of diseases and conditions without the need for embryonic growth, which should help to quell ethical concerns.
In addition to its own clinical trials, ISCO also plans to generate revenue by franchising its stem cell technology to multiple cell banks for use in scientific research in a variety of locations. Stem cell research could lead to treatments that save millions of lives and improve overall quality of life for millions more. As ethical hurdles are navigated and research ramps up in the near future, ISCO is strategically positioned to maximize on returns.
For more information, visit www.internationalstemcell.com
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