ReproCELL to begin commercialization of human iPS-derived neurons for Alzheimer's

ReproCELL, Inc. (CEO: Chikafumi Yokoyama PhD) announces today that the company will start commercializing human iPS-derived neurons in which an Alzheimer's disease related gene has been incorporated.

ReproCELL's scientists have successfully incorporated a gene related to Alzheimer's disease using homologous recombinant genetic engineering technology into undifferentiated human iPS cells and then differentiated them into neurons. In these cells, it has been confirmed that amyloid beta 42 is accumulated at higher levels compared to normal neurons. This phenomena is similar to what is observed in neurons of Alzheimer's patients. Accordingly, ReproCELL's scientists believe the newly developed iPS cells can be useful for drug screening to identify new therapeutic molecules to treat Alzheimer's disease patients.

The company will start marketing the cells on June 13^th, 2012.

Details of data of the cells will be announced at the 10^th annual meeting of ISSCR (International Society for Stem Cell Research) at Yokohama, Japan (June 13^th-16^th, 2012).