Invitrogen Corp. has created a new business unit in cell therapy. The field of cell therapy offers potential for new, novel therapies in fields such as wound care, neurological and immune disorders, and cardiovascular diseases, according to the company. The new Cell Therapy Systems business will be responsible for integrating relevant technologies — including Dynal magnetic beads for cell isolation, Gibco cell expansion media and Molecular Probes cell characterization tools — to meet the needs of companies and researchers involved in developing cell therapies.
   
“Moving cell therapies through the research, clinical and commercial phases of development presents its own unique challenges, which Invitrogen is uniquely positioned to address,” said Joydeep Goswami, Invitrogen’s vice president, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine. “We bring project management capabilities to the table, pulling together tools, reagents, and services from across the company to meet the specific needs of cell therapy companies. By offering integrated solutions, we can help accelerate the field toward groundbreaking therapies.”
   
Invitrogen also recently announced the acquisition of CellzDirect, Inc. and Cascade Biologics, as well as a minority investment in Q Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company pursuing cell therapeutic indications for the central nervous system.