BioInformatics Reports on Capitalizing on New Opportunities for Stem Cell Products

04-09-2009: BioInformatics, LLC announced the release of its newest report, Capitalizing on New Opportunities for Stem Cell Products. As a result of the March 9, 2009 reversal of the 2001 restrictions on federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research, suppliers of stem cell related products are in need of a fast, accurate assessment of new opportunities in the stem cell products market. In this report, BioInformatics, LLC fielded a detailed 60-question survey to scientists worldwide about their current — and planned — areas of stem cell research, usage of stem cell products and preferred suppliers.

Scientists involved in stem cell research, whether they are more focused on understanding basic stem cell biology, developing cell-based therapies using stem cells, or using stem cells to improve drug target validation and toxicology screening, rely on stem cell research products from major life science suppliers as well as more niche stem cell companies.

In this report, scientists specify percentage of stem cell culture products purchased from each of the following suppliers: ATCC, BD Biosciences (a part of Becton, Dickinson and Co.), CellGenix, Life Technologies, Lonza, Millipore, Miltenyi Biotec, R&D Systems (division of TECHNE Corp.), Sigma-Aldrich (divisions: SAFC Biosciences), Stem Cell Sciences, Stemcell Technologies, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Hyclone) and Zen Bio.

"There is tremendous excitement, especially in the academic community, over the recent Executive Order signed by President Barack Obama rescinding the restriction on federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research," notes Tamara Zemlo, Ph.D., MPH, Vice President of Advisory Services. "However, the exploration of induced pluripotent stem cells and the pursuit of cell-based therapies and drug discovery and development research using adult human stem cells continues to provide great promise."

According to Zemlo, the report provides insights into the origins and sources of stem cells currently used in the lab (adult, embryonic, induced and pluripotent), and those likely to be used over the next several years — in addition to differentiated cell types and associated diseases under investigation — allowing suppliers to anticipate the types of stem cell culture products labs will need to purchase. The report is scheduled to release at the end of April.