MADISON, Wis., April 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Cellular Dynamics
International, Inc. (CDI), the world’s only industrial manufacturer
of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and tissue cells,
has closed on a $30 million private equity round. This recent
Series B Preferred Stock financing was led by an entity affiliated
with Tactics II Stem Cell Ventures, which along with its affiliates
led CDI’s prior capital raises. Other investors in this financing
round include Sam Zell’s Equity Group Investments LLC, Sixth Floor
Investors LP and G Force Investments LLC. CDI has raised a total of
$100 million since 2004.
This financing enables the company to launch new iCell® iPSC
lines as well as iCell Endothelial Cells, iCell Neurons, and iCell
Hepatocytes lines for biomedical and pharmaceutical drug
development and safety research, as well as continue to increase
production capacity for its iCell Cardiomyocytes. CDI also plans to
continue to rapidly expand its commercial organization to meet the
growing demand for these iPSC-based products.
CDI’s market-leading production process, which is unique in the
industry, can produce large quantities of human tissue cells while
maintaining their purity, quality and consistency. The company’s
iCell Cardiomyocytes product line is the first commercial product
based on stem cells grown from adult tissue using CDI’s iPSC
technology developed by founder James A.
Thomson. CDI grows its fully pluripotent stem cell lines from
adult human donor blood samples. The company’s iPSC technology
coaxes the blood cells to turn back their developmental clock and
become iPSCs, which then can be directed to develop into any of the
human body’s 200+ cell types.
Thomson, CDI Chief Scientific Officer and recent winner of the
prestigious Albany Medical Award and King Faisal Award, commented,
“Human pluripotent stem cells offer a unique window into human
health a
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