Dynabeads Solution Separates Undifferentiated Stem Cells from Differentiated Cells to Support Translational Research

CARLSBAD, Calif.–Invitrogen, a division of Life Technologies (NASDAQ:LIFE), today announced a new technology to enable the development of safer stem cell therapies. Dynabeads® SSEA-4, addresses a key challenge in translational research by separating undifferentiated stem cells from those that are differentiated. Scientists from Invitrogen and the Buck Institute for Age Research, located in Novato, Calif., collaborated in developing this innovative solution that depletes greater than 99% of undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells from differentiated populations. They are presenting data on this new technology at the International Society for Cellular Therapy Meeting in San Diego.

Human embryonic stem cell research is one of the fastest growing areas in cell biology. These cells have unlimited proliferative capacity and can differentiate into multiple types, providing an infinite resource for many potential translational medicine applications. A key issue for translational stem cell researchers is the ability to reliably identify and isolate undifferentiated hESCs, which are not considered as suitable for transplantation as those which are differentiated, because of the potential of unregulated cell growth. Their objective is to obtain pure and homogenous cell populations, which will help to ensure the safe development and manufacturing of therapeutics.

Dynabeads SSEA-4 achieves this by utilizing magnetic beads that latch onto a common marker on embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells, removing them from a culture in less than 45 minutes. This leaves behind highly pure and differentiated cells that are unaffected by the process. This is a significant advancement over typical protocols, which leave a considerable amount of contaminating cells behind.

Paul Pickering, General Manager of Invitrogen Cell Therapy Systems Business at Life Technologies

“Dynabeads SSEA-4 is an innovative and highly effective solution that addresses one of the key challenges in the development of safer stem cell therapies. It was made possible through the collaboration of several technologies and business groups from different parts of the company coming together to offer a single solution to a problem faced by many of our stem cell customers.”

Xianmin Zeng, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Buck Institute

“Using Dynabeads® SSEA-4, we are able to deplete greater than 99% of pluripotent cells in neural cell populations derived from pluripotent cells, which are likely targets for transplant therapy for neurodegenerative disorders.”

Additional Resources:

FDA Briefing Document: Cellular Therapies Derived from Human Embryonic Stem Cells –Considerations for Pre-Clinical Safety Testing and Patient Monitoring

Scientific Abstract: Depletion of SSEA-4+ human embryonal stem cells using Dynabeads®

Stem Cells Fast and Furious: Nature article from April 2009 on induced pluripotent stem cells

About Dynabeads Technology

Invitrogen Leadership in Regenerative Medicine

Invitrogen is a leading provider of platform independent, essential life science technologies for disease and drug research, bioproduction and diagnostics. It is the premier provider of products and services for advancing the field of regenerative medicine. Invitrogen’s efforts are focused on supplying researchers and developers with the most comprehensive suite of products for advancing cell therapy efforts, including the industry’s premier portfolio of tools and reagents for stem cell research. It also focuses on creating unique primary and stem cell models for better and more efficient drug screening. Invitrogen, together with Applied Biosystems ¯ a global leader in providing innovative instrument systems to accelerate academic and clinical research, drug discovery and development, pathogen detection and forensic DNA analysis ¯ is part of Life Technologies Corporation, which markets the life science industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of solutions for molecular and cell biology. Invitrogen and Applied Biosystems products are used in nearly every major laboratory in the world.

For information, please visit: www.invitrogen.com and www.appliedbiosystems.com.

About Life Technologies

Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:LIFE) is a global biotechnology tools company dedicated to improving the human condition. Our systems, consumables and services enable researchers to accelerate scientific exploration, driving to discoveries and developments that make life even better. Life Technologies customers do their work across the biological spectrum, working to advance personalized medicine, regenerative science, molecular diagnostics, agricultural and environmental research, and 21st century forensics. Life Technologies had sales of more than $3 billion in 2008, employs approximately 9,500 people, has a presence in more than 100 countries, and possesses a rapidly growing intellectual property estate of approximately 3,600 patents and exclusive licenses. Life Technologies was created by the combination of Invitrogen Corporation and Applied Biosystems Inc. For more information on how we are making a difference please visit our website: www.lifetechnologies.com.

About the Buck Institute

The Buck Institute is the only freestanding institute in the United States that is devoted solely to basic research on aging and age-associated disease. The Institute is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to extending the healthspan, the healthy years of each individual’s life. The National Institute of Aging designated the Buck a “Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging,” one of just five centers in the country. Buck Institute scientists work in an innovative, interdisciplinary setting to understand the mechanisms of aging and to discover new ways of detecting, preventing and treating conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, cancer and stroke. Collaborative research at the Institute is supported by new developments in genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics technology. For more information: www.buckinstitute.org.

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Copyright 2009. Life Technologies Corporation. All rights reserved. Invitrogen is a trademark of Life Technologies in the US and/or certain other countries. Dynabeads is a registered trademark of Invitrogen and Life Technologies Corporation.