Fujifilm and Sana Biotechnology Enter Cell Therapy Partnership

Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics, a global developer and manufacturer of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) technologies, and Sana Biotechnology, a company focused on creating and delivering engineered cells as medicines, have entered a license agreement.

Sana has been granted a non-exclusive right to use Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics’ iPSC platform for the development of commercial cell therapies. As a treatment modality, cell therapies have the potential to augment, repair, or replace human biology, including organs, tissues and cells.

Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics will provide iPSC cell lines (including research-grade and/or Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-grade iPSC lines) to Sana. Sana may use the iPSC cell lines, and exercise the licensed intellectual property rights, for the research and development, and with respect to GMP-grade cell lines, clinical and commercial manufacture, and commercialization, of cell therapies derived from such lines. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics is a leading global player in the field of iPSCs. Our history in manufacturing iPSCs for research-purposes has provided us with the foundational expertise to manufacture quality GMP-grade iPSC lines,” said Takeshi Yamamoto, chief executive officer, Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics. “Sana is developing a broad and compelling pipeline of iPSC-derived cellular therapies, and we are pleased to grant them the rights to our iPSC platform with a vision of providing more treatment options for patients.”

Stacey Ma, executive vice president, technical operations, Sana, said, “Sana is committed to the development of engineered cells as medicines that can be manufactured at scale and supplied to patients globally. Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics is a long-standing innovative leader in this field, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to combine their expertise in GMP-grade iPSC cell lines with our investment in differentiating and manufacturing cells at scale for patients across a number of diseases.”