Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics, a global developer and manufacturer of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), has entered an agreement to grant Novo Nordisk a non-exclusive right to use its iPSC platform for the development and commercialization of iPSC-derived cell therapies with a focus on addressing serious chronic diseases.

Novo Nordisk will have a non-exclusive license to use the iPSC cell lines for research and development purposes, and to utilize GMP-grade cell lines for clinical and commercial manufacture and commercialization of iPSC-derived cell therapies. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics is a global leader in the development and manufacturing of GMP-grade iPSCs for cell therapy applications. Our goal is to drive the iPSC field forward by building strategic partnerships,” said Tomoyuki Hasegawa, CEO, Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics. “Novo Nordisk is strongly positioned to be a pioneer in delivering cell-based treatments to tackle serious chronic diseases based on iPSC-derived therapeutics.”

Jacob Sten Petersen, corporate vice president of cell therapy R&D, Novo Nordisk, said, “Novo Nordisk has been at the forefront of cell therapy research for many years, and we have the ambition to deliver cell therapies with the potential to halt a disease or even reverse its progress for people living with serious chronic diseases. In order to fulfil that ambition, we need access to a variety of GMP-grade pluripotent stem cell lines, and we are very excited about this agreement with Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics that provides us access to their state-of-the-art iPSC platform.”

Over the past few years Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics has licensed its iPSC platform to numerous leading biotech companies including Cynata Therapeutics Limited, Sana Biotechnology, Lonza, among others.