Cellular Dynamics International
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Biotechnology |
| Predecessor | Cellular Dynamics International |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Fate | Acquired by Fujifilm Holdings |
| Headquarters | Madison, Wisconsin , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | iCell Cardiomyocytes, Neurons, Endothelial Cells, Hepatocytes, MyCell series, iCell Cardiac Progenitors, Hematopoietic Progenitors, Astrocytes, Skeletal Myoblasts |
| Owner | Fujifilm Holdings |
| Parent | Fujifilm Holdings |
Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics, Inc. (FCDI) stands as a leading producer of human cells generated from induced pluripotent stem cells, catering to sectors such as fundamental research, pharmaceutical development, and regenerative therapies.
History
Initially operating under the name Cellular Dynamics International, the firm went public in July 2013 with the stock symbol ICEL. Fujifilm Holdings acquired the company in March 2015 for $307 million, equivalent to $16.50 per share, subsequently renaming it Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics, Inc.
FCDI offers human cell products that provide more accurate biological models than conventional alternatives like animal-derived cells or immortalized cell lines. Their product lineup features iCell® Cardiomyocytes, Neurons, Endothelial Cells, and Hepatocytes. The MyCell® series enables personalized reprogramming and gene editing of donor-derived samples. Additional developmental items include iCell Cardiac Progenitors, Hematopoietic Progenitors, Astrocytes, and Skeletal Myoblasts.
Based in Madison, Wisconsin, FCDI secured a $16 million agreement in 2013 from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to generate and store iPS cells from a cohort of 3,000 donors. This extensive biobank is administered by FCDI and located at Fujifilm Irvine Scientific’s facility in California.
By 2013, the company had amassed a portfolio containing over 800 patents and licensed technologies.
Recognition
FCDI was recognized as one of MIT Technology Review's "Disruptive Companies" in both 2011 and 2012. The firm also earned accolades from The Scientist for its "Top 10 Innovations," awarded in 2010 for the iCell Cardiomyocyte and again in 2012 for the MyCell product line. The iCell Cardiomyocyte was additionally featured among MIT Technology Reviews "Top 10 Emerging Technologies" in 2010 and received a Gold distinction at The Wall Street Journals 2011 "Technology Innovation Award."
Toxicity
Early on, FCDI focused on drug safety applications by employing its cellular platforms to detect toxicity issues that frequently result in failures during late-stage drug development, thereby minimizing costly setbacks.
Drug discovery
Through its MyCell Products, FCDI utilizes tailored iPS cell reprogramming to produce human cells carrying disease-specific genetic profiles, improving disease modeling and aiding pharmaceutical research. Their iCell and MyCell lines facilitate high-throughput screening processes and have been instrumental in providing data for FDA Investigational New Drug (IND) applications.
Regenerative medicine
The reprogramming technology opens avenues for investigating disease mechanisms and creating therapeutic solutions. FCDI’s iCell and MyCell offerings support research in regenerative medicine fields such as compound screening, both allogeneic and autologous cell therapies, tissue engineering, and transplantation. In tissue engineering contexts, these cells are applied to implantable devices, organ scaffolding through de-cellularization techniques, and three-dimensional bioprinting.
Stem cell banking
FCDI spearheads extensive initiatives for iPS cell reprogramming and banking aimed at establishing comprehensive repositories that reflect normal human diversity as well as various disease conditions and drug responses. In 2013, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine granted $16 million to develop iPS cell lines derived from 3,000 donors encompassing multiple diseases. Earlier funding included a $6.3 million NHLBI grant awarded jointly with the Medical College of Wisconsin to explore mechanisms underlying left ventricular hypertrophy. Within this project, FCDI’s responsibilities involved producing iPS cell lines and cardiomyocytes from 250 donors participating in the Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network (HyperGEN) genome-wide association study (GWAS).
Cardiac
FCDI’s premier offering, iCell Cardiomyocytes, is extensively employed in pharmaceutical research and drug development processes. Competitors in this space include GE Healthcare, Cellectis, and Reprocell. These cardiomyocytes demonstrate electrical characteristics closely resembling those of human heart cells and are primarily used for drug safety evaluations, toxicological assessments, drug discovery initiatives, and Investigational New Drug (IND) submissions. The Cardiac product line also features iCell Cardiac Progenitor Cells (CPCs), introduced in 2014 to support research focused on heart failure.
Neural
The iCell Neurons facilitate investigations into conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, autism spectrum disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, toxicology, and virology. FCDI has broadened its neural offerings by adding iCell Astrocytes and iCell Dopaminergic Neurons to the portfolio. Key competitors in this domain include ArunA Biomedical and Reprocell.
Hepatic
iCell Hepatocytes play a vital role in forecasting hepatotoxicity during the drug development pipeline, tackling one of the primary reasons for drug withdrawals in advanced clinical stages. These cells improve early-stage toxicity detection and complement similar products available from Cellectis and Life Technologies.
Vascular and blood
Vascular-related conditions account for at least half of the leading ten causes of death in the United States. iCell Endothelial cells serve as models for vascular biology research related to disease mechanisms, competing with offerings from ATCC and Life Technologies. Additionally, iCell Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells support studies in cell therapy, autoimmune disorders, and oncology by differentiating into multiple blood cell lineages.
Donor cells
FCDI’s MyCell Products provide tailored services for reprogramming, genetic modification, and differentiation of cells derived from individual donors. This platform utilizes genome editing techniques to investigate or rectify disease phenotypes, delivering valuable insights into disease morphology for sophisticated research purposes.