To date, more than 100 clinical trials with human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived products have been initiated worldwide and an increasing number of potential hPSC-derived clinical products have entered early developmental pipelines. For off-the-shelf (allogeneic) products, the identification and selection of the right hPSC line early on during this process is of utmost importance as failure to do so may delay or completely stall product development. While developers acknowledge the importance of this issue, a comprehensive, accessible listing of globally available hPSC lines to inform cell line selection for clinical use has been elusive until now.
To address this knowledge gap, Tenneille Ludwig, WiCell Research Institute, and Melissa Carpenter, Carpenter Consulting Corporation, have screened the scientific literature, websites, and gathered information from hPSC manufacturers to identify 166 hPSC lines for use in clinical applications which are currently available from 18 global distributors. Critical details about those cell lines including informed consent procedures, donor sex, blood and HLA type, quality standards applied, and modalities for licencing and distribution were compiled into a paper published today in the journal Stem Cell Reports. This unique resource will guide researchers and developers in selecting the optimal cell line for their specific needs with the goal to drive hPSC-derived products towards the clinic.
About Stem Cell Reports
Stem Cell Reports is the open access, peer-reviewed journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians. Stem Cell Reports is a Cell Press partner journal. Find the journal on X: @StemCellReports.
About ISSCR
With nearly 5,000 members from more than 80 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.