iPSC research is on the rise with more than 14,701 publications released about the cell type on PubMed.gov, the world’s leading database of scientific publications. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are differentiated cells that are reprogrammed back into an embryonic-like state. To understand the competitive nature of the iPSC research products market, it is important to consider the degree of competition that has entered the market since the discovery of the cell type in 2006.

Leading iPSC Research Companies

There are now more than 40 companies offering iPSC research products. The change in the number of companies offering iPSC research products increased substantially from 2013 to 2014, because there were 31 companies offering iPSC research products in 2013, and that number increased to 40 by 2014. In 2015, Pluriomics was a notable newcomer to the iPSC products scene. By 2017, Pluriomics and Axiogenesis merged to become Ncardia.

Other industry acquisitions that merged providers of iPSC research products include Thermo Fisher Scientific’s acquisition of Life Technologies Corporation on February 3, 2014, and ReproCELL’s acquisition of Stemgent, Inc., on September 9, 2014.

Leading companies specializing in iPSC research products include:

• Ncardia
• ReproCELL
• Axol Bioscience
• Cellular Dynamics International (CDI), which was acquired by FUJIFILM Holdings for $307 million in March 2015

In September 2017, Axiogenesis AG and Pluriomics B.V. combined forces to create Ncardia, a global authority in cardiac and neural applications of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

ReproCELL was established in 2009 as a venture company originating from the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University and was the first company to launch a commercial iPSC product. It released a human iPSC-derived cardiomyocyte product, called “ReproCario.” [Read more…]