Hyderabad-based Sristi Biosciences and California-based Lifeline Cell Technology have entered into a distribution agreement for the latter's Lifeline, brand name of human cell culture, products in India. Lifeline Cell Technology is wholly-owned subsidiary of International Stem Cell Corporation (ISCO).

Talking about the pact, Dr Sudhir Reddy, Sristi Biosciences' CEO said, “We are pleased to be the first company to introduce the Lifeline products to the growing Indian research market. Our cell culture experience and broad market reach in India will benefit the brand and help Sristi Biosciences further accelerate its commercialization and corporate growth in the biomedical field.”

According to Lifeline's CEO and SVP of Operations at ISCO, Jeffrey Janus, “Sristi Biosciences is part of one of the most experienced biotechnology companies in India and the first to advance cell therapy into human trials in that country. Their network among academic and corporate researchers and experience and capacity to import and handle primary cell cultures, media and growth factors in India will be highly valuable for Lifeline to continue the international commercial expansion of its brand.”

The group sells over 75 standardized products directly and via its distributors in the US and abroad. It also engages in customized product development for its largest customers.

ISCO recently announced the beginning of a collaboration on its human corneal tissue, CytoCor, with leading Indian eye hospital and research center, Sankara Nethralaya, and Letter of Intent with Insight Bioventures India (IBVI) to seek funding and establishment of development and manufacturing operations for ISCO's research and pharmaceutical products in India (ISCO India), including the Lifeline products and CytoCor.

“The Lifeline distribution agreement with Sristi Biosciences is central to ISCO's international expansion. Besides facilitating commercialization of the Lifeline products in India, Sristi Biosciences' cell therapy development, regulatory and manufacturing expertise will be important as ISCO and IBVI seek to establish ISCO India with cost-efficient development and manufacturing of research and pharmaceutical products for the Indian and broader Asian markets,” says Brian Lundstrom, ISCO's president.

Sristi Biosciences Private Limited is a result of twelve years of research and corporate development in the therapeutic space and is the healthcare component of leading biotechnology group, SRI Biotech, in India. Sristi Biosciences' two main divisions include Tissue Engineering and Cell Therapy that has pioneered chondrocytes-based cell therapy in India and Drug Discovery that covers the Indian research product market with natural compound libraries, molecular diagnostics and markers, informatics and cell-based products.

Lifeline specializes in development, manufacture and distribution of primary human cells and media and growth factors for optimized culturing of cells, including stem cells. Lifeline's scientists have over 20 years of experience developing products for the culture of human cells. The company has made significant contributions to the creation and standardization of human cell systems used today for clinical applications and in academic, government and pharmaceutical research laboratories.

International Stem Cell Corporation is a California-based biotechnology company focused on therapeutic and research products. ISCO's core technology, parthenogenesis, results in creation of pluripotent human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs).