Stem Cells for Sale

摘要

Dozens of biotech companies hope to use stem cell technologies to make products that turn a profit, but very few have. Cellular Dynamics International (CDI), based in Madison, Wisconsin, is an exception. CDI sells cardiomyocytes-heart muscle cells- derived from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells for $1500 per vial. Each vial contains about 1.5 million frozen cells, enough to fill a 96-well plate with beating heart cells that survive longer than 2 weeks in culture, says Chris Parker, CDI vice president and chief commercial officer. There are plenty of buyers. Parker says several dozen pharmaceutical companies are already using the cells to screen new drugs for side effects that affect the heart, one of the most common reasons otherwise promising candidates fail.