Stem Cell Theranostics: Betting on diversity

Stem Cell Theranostics Inc. aims to reduce clinical attrition rates for drug developers by using human induced pluripotent stem cells to more accurately predict cardiotoxicity and cardiovascular drug efficacy. The company expects the diversity of its disease- and patient-specific cell banks will improve upon traditional preclinical tools, as well as newer tools centered on the use of iPS cells.

The standard preclinical tools for assessing the effects of drugs on the heart are poorly predictive because they rely on cells that lack the full complement of receptors on human cardiomyocytes, or employ animal hearts, whose cardiomyocytes have different electrophysiological properties (see BioCentury, Aug. 5 & SciBX: Science-Business eXchange, Aug. 8)...