Singapore-based SCG Cell Therapy has acquired the rights to human “induced pluripotent stem cell” (iPSC) technology, from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research ("A*STAR")’s Accelerate Technologies Pte Ltd (A*ccelerate).

The technology enables SCG to expand its cell therapy product portfolio and develop off-the-shelf cell-based cancer immunotherapy.

“iPSC is a technology that is derived from skin or blood cells that are reprogrammed back into an embryonic-like pluripotent state that can produce any type of human cell.

This would allow for the production of a steady source of cells for all types of cell therapy,” said Dr. Adrian Teo, Principal Investigator at A*STAR’s Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB). SCG will use the iPSC technology to develop off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell therapy. 

“The advanced iPSC technology developed by A*STAR provides a promising future in mass NK cell production, offering standardized, off-the-shelf cell therapy products at a more affordable cost and more readily available to patients”, said Frank Wang Shuli, Chief Executive Officer of SCG Cell Therapy.