News

Jun. 20, 2024Press Release

Sysmex Begins Sales of Protein Assay Kits for Regenerative Cellular Medicine

- Automated Quality Control Testing of Cellular Therapeutics -

Sysmex Corporation (HQ: Kobe, Japan; President: Kaoru Asano) announced the planned launch of HISCL™ VEGF Assay Kit for Research Use and HISCL™ PEDF Assay Kit for Research Use, research reagents for measuring secreted proteins in cell culture media in regenerative cellular medicine, in Japan, starting from June 20, 2024. The use of these products in R&D and cell manufacturing for regenerative cellular medicine is expected to contribute to the automation and greater efficiency of quality control testing of cellular therapeutics.

A challenge in regenerative cellular medicine is that the manufacturing cost is higher than that of common small-molecule drugs. It has been reported that labor costs, including staff-hours, for quality-control testing account for approximately 70% of the manufacturing cost of cellular drugs. In addition, since cultured cells themselves are the raw material for cellular therapeutics, they must be non-destructively inspected and monitored in quality control testing. Currently, however, such an inspection is performed manually, and its automation is a challenge. In combination with the Automated Immunoassay System HISCL™-5000/HISCL™-800, these assay kits can automatically measure secreted proteins, which are indicators of the engraftment ability and functional expression of transplanted cells, in just 17 minutes. This can make a significant contribution to greater efficiency and standardization of work in quality control testing of cellular medicine.

In its long-term corporate strategy, Sysmex has outlined the development of new businesses in domains that straddle the boundaries of diagnostics and treatment, such as regenerative and cellular medicine, as part of its commitment to providing innovative healthcare and to commercializing them quickly through open innovation with academia and industry. We will continue to contribute to promoting the supply of high-quality and safe cellular medicines towards the social implementation of regenerative cellular medicine.

Product Overview

Name of parameter	VEGF¹	PEDF²
Product name	HISCL™ VEGF Assay Kit for Research Use	HISCL™ PEDF Assay Kit for Research Use
Intended use	Measuring the amount of human VEGF in culture supernatant	Measuring the amount of human PEDF in culture supernatant
Manufacturer and seller	Sysmex Corporation
Target market	To be first introduced to the Japanese market and then to other markets
Launch	June 20, 2024

Reference

Katy Spink, Andrew Steinsapir: Cell Gene Therapy Insights, 4(11), 1105-1116, 2018.

Terminology

	1	VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor): A group of glycoproteins involved in vascularization (the formation of new blood vessels in areas with no blood vessels during embryogenesis) and angiogenesis (the formation of blood vessels by branching and elongating from existing vessels)

	2	PEDF (pigment epithelium derived factor): A multifunctional secreted protein with anti-angiogenic, anti-tumorigenic, and neurotrophic functions

About Sysmex Corporation

Sysmex Corporation, headquartered in Kobe, Japan, is a global leader in in vitro diagnostics. Since its foundation in 1968, Sysmex has focused on diagnostics as the core of its business, and today, it supports the health of people in over 190 countries and regions worldwide. Sysmex continues to innovate in diagnostics, and to collaboratively create unique values in the areas of personalized medicine and novel treatments, under its long-term vision of "Together for a better healthcare journey." Through its unique technology, solutions, and co-creation with various partners, Sysmex delivers new value and addresses the universal desire of people to live longer and healthier lives.
For more information about Sysmex, please visit www.sysmex.co.jp/en/.

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The purpose of this news release is to communicate our business activities to our stakeholders. It may or may not include information about Sysmex's products or their research and development, but this is not intended for promotion, advertising or medical advice. The information contained in this news release is current as of the date of the announcement but may be subject to change without prior notice.

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