Fujifilm invests in a biotech venture, PuREC

Fujifilm invests in a biotech venture, PuREC Signing a business partnership agreement on contract development and manufacturing of regenerative medicine products

19.06.2019

FUJIFILM Corporation (President: Kenji Sukeno) announces that it has signed an agreement today to invest 300 million yen into a biotech venture, PuREC Co., Ltd., through underwriting its third-party allocation of shares. PuREC is a venture that aims to establish practical applications of regenerative medicine technologies using bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs). Fujifilm has also signed a business partnership agreement with PuREC concerning contract development and manufacturing of regenerative medicine products.

Through the agreements Fujifilm acquires a priority option for the development, manufacture and marketing license for the introduction of a regenerative medicine product in development by PuREC that is designed to treat congenital osteogenesis imperfecta* (OI), a condition which results from low levels of phosphatase. Fujifilm will also provide PuREC services of process development, pharmaceutical consulting and other duties for regenerative medicine products.

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) is a type of stem cell that has differentiation potency towards such as bone cells and fat cells. and is expected to deliver diverse efficacy in tissue repair and immune regulation. Its clinical applications are being explored in various medical conditions including cerebral infarction and cartilage injuries. MSCs are isolated and collected from bone marrow and fat. However, achieving consistent cell quality has been a major challenge, since collected cells typically contain non-MSC cells or characteristically-diverse MSCs.

PuREC, originated from Shimane University in Japan, explores the development and commercialization of regenerative medicine products based on a technology to prepare special MSCs called Rapidly Expanding Cells (RECs) , developed by Prof. Yumi Matsuzaki. RECs are MSCs with outstanding potency in differentiation, proliferation and migration** . They are separated from cells collected from bone marrow, using two types of antibodies. At present, PuREC markets RECs for research use, while undertaking the R&D of regenerative medicine products for treating congenital OI caused by low levels of phosphatase.

Fujifilm is expanding contract services on regenerative medicine business while also accelerating R&D for its own regenerative medicine products, led by Japan Tissue Engineering Co., Ltd. (J-TEC), a Fujifilm subsidiary that developed and introduced Japan's first regenerative medicine product to the market, and FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics, Inc. (FCDI), a leading company in the development and manufacturing of iPS cells. The latest capital and business partnership with PuREC gives Fujifilm an access to REC preparation technology as well as a priority negotiation right for the development, manufacturing and marketing license introduction for a regenerative medicine product, designed to treat congenital OI caused by low levels of phosphatase. J-TEC will also handle process development and pharmaceutical consulting for regenerative medicine products on contract from PuREC, thereby expanding Fujifilm's contract services on regenerative medicine business.

Fujifilm is committed to expanding its business operations and contributing to the establishment of the regenerative medicine industry by utilizing an array of technologies including Fujifilm's high-function materials and engineering technologies, nurtured through the development of broad-ranging products, as well as J-TEC's therapeutic cell production technology, FCDI's world-leading iPSC technologies and expertise, and culturing media technologies of FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation and FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific, Inc.

*Low phosphatase levels occur when the activity of alkaline phosphatase (a type of enzyme) in the blood decreases, triggering hypocalcification of bones. Congenital osteogenesis imperfecta caused by low phosphatase is a condition in which a person has low phosphatase levels by birth and suffers compromised skeletal formation with bone fragility affecting the entire body.

**Migration potency refers to the ability of MSCs to migrate to inflamed areas.

Company namePuREC Co., Ltd.

PresidentShotai Kobayashi

Address89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo-shi, Shimane, Japan

EstablishedJanuary 2016

Paid-in capital45 million yen

Business descriptionConducting R&D for therapeutic REC preparations and marketing REC as research reagent

For inquiries on information in this media release, contact: Media

LINK:	https://www.fujifilm.eu/uk/news/article/fujifilm-invests-in-a-biotech-...
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