December 7, 2022 -- Shenandoah Biotechnology, a Fujifilm Irvine Scientific company, has announced the expansion of its CTGrade portfolio of cytokine and growth factors for cell and gene therapies that are manufactured following current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs).
The expanded range -- now available directly through Fujifilm Irvine Scientific -- includes CTGrade cytokines IL-2, IL-3, IL-6, IL-7, IL-10, IL-15, IL-21, and FLT-3 ligand, with additional proteins in development that optimize cell proliferation and function for new cell and gene therapies applications, according to the company.
Cytokines are used for the expansion, differentiation, and maintenance of cells in most cell therapies. As manufacturers move toward clinical trials, using raw materials manufactured following cGMP guidelines reduces variability and ensures predictable workflow performance.
The CTGrade products are designed to support basic, translational, and clinical research, as well as commercial applications. They are produced from Escherichia coli and are manufactured in a facility that does not use or process beta-lactam containing materials. No animal- or human-derived materials were used during manufacturing or as ingredients, the company said.
"The availability of this expanded range directly through Fujifilm Irvine Scientific provides our customers worldwide with a single point of access for cGMP cell culture solutions, following our acquisition of Shenandoah Biotechnology in March this year," Erik Vaessen, chief business officer of Fujifilm Irvine Scientific, said in a statement.