SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Allele Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (President and CEO: Jiwu Wang, Ph.D., Allele), a San Diego-based private company, and Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Kenji Yasukawa, Ph.D., Astellas), through its Massachusetts-based subsidiary Astellas Institute for Regenerative Medicine (AIRM), entered into a licensing agreement to expand Astellas access to Alleles induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies for various cell therapy programs.

Astellas, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in Japan and already a leader in the development of cell-based therapeutics, has further dedicated to development of the field through its commitment to state-of-the-art iPS cell generation, modification, and manufacturing. iPSC lines can differentiate into all somatic tissue types, enabling a wide variety of therapeutic applications. The field of iPSC-derived cells has seen dramatic growth in clinical trials recently--the majority of the ~12 clinical trials around the world were initiated within the last 18 months and many more are upcoming.

Allele has been developing its core strength in reprogramming somatic cells into iPSCs with granted patents and the first commercial cGMP system it developed over the past 10 years. Allele also engages in more than a dozen different human tissue derivation activities through its own R&D efforts for internal programs and partnerships. To realize the unparalleled potential of iPSC, Alleles researchers and cGMP team are committed to setting up and validating cell assays for product quality control, genome analysis pipelines, closed-system automation for reprogramming, and machine learning in iPSC-related fields.

Under the terms of the new license agreement, Astellas will pay Allele upfront and milestones, product-based royalties, and potentially manufacture fees.

About AlleleAllele Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals was founded in 1999. In 2015, the company completed an 18,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility in San Diego for the production of GMP-grade human iPSC lines. The facility also supports the production of tissue-specific cells differentiated from these iPSCs, including pancreatic beta cells, neural progenitor cells, and cardiomyocytes.

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Allele and Astellas Enter into an Expanded License for the Development of iPSC Lines - Business Wire