MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 24, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Takara Bio USA, Inc., which specializes in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cells and medias for scale-up and differentiation, has expanded its offering of tools for drug discovery and disease modeling. Takara Bio announced today the launch of fully differentiated, Cellartis® hiPS beta cells for research use. These cells are well characterized and can provide physiologically relevant responses that are beneficial for modeling diabetes and beta-cell function, encouraging breakthroughs that advance research in personalized and regenerative medicine.

Cellartis hiPS beta cells are developed and manufactured by Takara Bio Europe AB, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Takara Bio Inc., and will be available worldwide through Takara Bio affiliates and distributors. Kristina Runeberg, Site Head and Senior Director in Business Development at Takara Bio Europe AB, said, "We have developed a standardized method that mimics embryonic development to manufacture industrial quantities of cryopreserved beta cells to be used for in vitro applications." The cells show high expression of insulin/C-peptide, MAFA, NKX6.1, PDX1, and UCN3. They also secrete high amounts of insulin and C-peptide, making the cells an excellent research tool in the field of diabetes and for other beta cell-related studies, such as beta-cell function, screening of compounds that regulate insulin secretion, GSIS studies, incretin response, pancreatitis research, and transdifferentiation studies. Runeberg continued, "Compared with human primary pancreatic islet beta cells, iPS-derived beta cells provide better access to cells and reduced batch-to-batch variability, providing reproducible and biologically relevant data."

Carol Lou, President of Takara Bio USA, Inc., said, "We are committed to providing stem cell researchers with the highest quality tools and services to address current roadblocks in research and drug discovery. With more than 15 years of experience in pluripotent stem cell generation and differentiation, our scientists are well-positioned to develop the types of products needed to support significant advances in stem cell research. As a new addition to our stem cell portfolio, which includes our DEF-CS™ culture system for research- and clinical-grade expansion of hiPS cells, Cellartis hiPS beta cells provide a focused solution for the study of diabetes and other pancreatic disorders."

For more information about Cellartis hiPS beta cells, please visit www.clontech.com/hiPSC-beta-cells.

About Takara Bio USA, Inc.
Takara Bio USA, Inc. (formerly Clontech Laboratories, Inc.), a wholly owned subsidiary of Takara Bio Inc., develops, manufactures, and distributes a wide range of life science reagents under the Takara®, Cellartis, and Clontech® brands. Through the Cellartis brand, Takara Bio USA offers a broad range of iPS cells and highly functional human ES and iPS cell-derived hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes, reagents for iPS cell culture and differentiation, and customizable services ranging from sourcing to generation to differentiation. Other key products include SMART® cDNA synthesis kits for a variety of samples and applications, including NGS; high-performance qPCR and PCR reagents (including the Takara Ex Taq®, Takara LA Taq®, Titanium®, and Advantage® enzymes); RT enzymes and SMART library construction kits; the innovative In-Fusion® Cloning system; Guide-it™ gene editing tools; Tet-based inducible gene expression systems; and Living Colors® fluorescent proteins. These and other products support applications including stem cell research; NGS; gene discovery, regulation, and function studies; protein expression and purification; RNAi and gene editing; and plant and food research. For more information, visit www.clontech.com.

About Takara Bio Europe AB
Takara Bio Europe AB, formerly Cellartis AB, a subsidiary of Takara Bio Europe SAS., is focusing on stem cell-derived products and services for drug discovery, disease modeling, and applications within regenerative medicine. The company leverages long-standing experience in stem cell handling and scale-up together with leading expertise in differentiation of cells into mature and functional human cells. Specifically, the company possesses broad expertise in human pluripotent stem cells, including both hiPSC and hESC and related media. Takara Bio Europe AB is located in state-of-the-art facilities in Göteborg, Sweden. For more information, visit our website: www.clontech.com.

About Takara Bio, Inc.
Takara Bio Inc. is an innovative biotechnology company based in Shiga, Japan. As a world leader in biotechnology research and development, Takara Bio was the first company to market PCR technology in Japan and is also the developer of the RetroNectin® reagent, which is used as a world standard in gene therapy protocols. In addition to providing research reagents and equipment to the life science research market, Takara Bio has active research and product development activities in the fields of gene and cell-based therapy and agricultural biotechnology; and is committed to preventing disease and improving the quality of life for all people through the use of biotechnology. Through strategic alliances with other industry leaders, Takara Bio aims to extend its reach around the world. More information is available at www.takara-bio.com.

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SOURCE Takara Bio USA, Inc.