Cambridge stem cell pioneer DefiniGEN is in China this week showcasing technology that arguably gives the UK a world lead in countering liver and pancreatic cancer.

The young company is seeking Chinese partners to broaden the reach of the technology which holds a potentially significant payback in regenerative medicine.

With US global stem cell innovator Roger Pedersen among its technology founders, DefiniGEN was founded two years ago to commercialise a stem cell production platform developed at the University of Cambridge.

The platform generates human liver and pancreatic cell types using Nobel Prize winning human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPSC) technology.

DefiniGEN is visiting Shanghai and Beijing on a trade mission organised by UKTI East of England in partnership with the China-Britain Business Council.

The company is actively looking to partner with Life Science distributors and pharmaceutical drug discovery companies in China. CEO Dr Marcus Yeo and Dr Masashi Matsunaga business development manager for Asia Pacific - are spearheading the initiative.

The visit includes a range of medically-focused ventures from one to one meetings with key players to presentations at UK consulates.

DefiniGEN cells are provided to the drug discovery sector for use in lead optimisation and toxicity programmes.

The companys OptiDIFF platform produces validated libraries of disease-modelled human liver cells for a range of diseases. The phenotype (the composite of an organisms traits) and pathology of the diseases is pre-confirmed in the cells.

The technology provides pharmaceutical companies with more predictive in vitro cell products enabling the development of safer and more effective treatments.

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Cambridge stem cell pioneer targets China partners