Japan based companies Hitachi, Ltd. and ThinkCyte, Inc. have announced that they have entered into a collaboration focused on developing an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven cell analysis and sorting system.

Hitachi provides a broad range of solutions such as automated cell culture technologies to pharmaceutical companies in the value chain of the regenerative medicine and cell therapy industry.

Through the addition of this cell analysis and sorting system to the value chain, Hitachi continues contributing to cost reductions in the manufacturing of regenerative medicine and cell therapy products. 

Further, Hitachi and ThinkCyte are promoting collaboration with pharmaceutical companies and research institutes working in the field of regenerative medicine and cell therapy to expedite the development of the system toward commercialization.

Hitachi and ThinkCyte have initiated a joint development of the AI-driven cell analysis and sorting system based on their respective technologies, expertise, and know-how.

By combining ThinkCyte's high-throughput and high-content label-free single cell sorting technology and Hitachi's know-how and capability to producing stably operative instruments on a large scale, the two companies will together develop a novel reliable system to enable high-speed label-free cell isolation with high accuracy, which has been difficult to achieve with the existing cell sorting techniques, and to realize stable, low-cost and large-scale production of cells for regenerative medicine and cell therapy.

Hitachi and ThinkCyte will further advance partnerships with pharmaceutical companies and research institutes that have been developing and manufacturing regenerative medicines and cell therapy products in Japan and other countries where demand is expected to be significant, such as North America, in order to make this technology a platform for the production of regenerative medicines and cell therapy products.

At the same time, taking advantage of the high-speed digital processing technologies cultivated through the development of information and communication technology by the Hitachi group, Hitachi will integrate this safe and highly reliable instrument in its value chain for regenerative medicine and contribute to the growth of the regenerative medicine and cell therapy industry.