Japan-based FUJIFILM Corporation has reached agreement on core terms with Australian regenerative medicine venture Cynata Therapeutics to manufacture regenerative medicine products using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.

Based on the core terms, Fujifilm will conduct clinical and commercial manufacturing for Cynata’s pipeline of iPS cell-derived regenerative medicine products.

Cynata has used iPS cells supplied by FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics, Inc., a leading company in the development, manufacture and sale of iPS cells, to develop regenerative medicine products including CYP-001 targeting graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) that develops after a bone marrow transplant, and CYP-004 targeting osteoarthritis.

Fujifilm made a minority investment in Cynata in 2017 focusing on its growth potential as a leader in the field of iPS cell-derived cell therapies, and acquired the rights for development, manufacturing and sales of CYP-001 in 2019.

Fujifilm will build a new partnership with Cynata that can maximize the strengths and resources of both companies and further promote industrial application of iPS cell-derived regenerative medicine.

Under this new partnership, Fujifilm has returned the rights to Cynata for the development, manufacturing and sales of CYP-001, and will conduct clinical and commercial manufacturing for Cynata’s pipeline of iPS cell-derived regenerative medicine products, including CYP-001.