- BetaLife has acquired the rights to human iPSC technology and cell lines from A*STAR
- BetaLife and A*STAR sign research collaboration agreement to jointly develop a platform for generating islet cells from human iPSCs with the potential of cell replacement therapy for diabetes
Up-and-coming local biotech startup BetaLife Pte Ltd (“BetaLife”) is collaborating with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) to accelerate the development of next generation cell-based therapy for diabetes. BetaLife, a stem cell therapy company focused on developing regenerative medicine for diabetes, has acquired the rights to human induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPSC) technology from A*STAR. This technology enables the generation of iPSCs, which are cells that have similar properties to embryonic stem cells, to provide a renewable and sustainable human stem cell resource to generate any mature cell type of interest. Such iPSC-derived cells can potentially be used to regenerate or replace defective tissues in human patients.
According to the International Diabetes Federation, over 530 million[1] people worldwide live with diabetes, and human iPSC-based technology could potentially provide a curative treatment for this chronic disease. In a healthy individual, food that is taken in is broken down into sugar (glucose), which triggers the pancreas to release insulin. Insulin is produced by a specific cell type in the pancreatic islets known as beta cells, and is responsible for instructing cells in the body to utilise glucose for energy. Diabetes may arise when the beta cells do not release enough insulin. Prolonged periods of high glucose in the blood can give rise to diabetic complications that lead to heart disease, kidney failure and blindness.
“Pancreatic beta cells derived in the lab from human iPSCs not only provide a cell model for diabetes research, but may even be developed into a regenerative medicine product to help patients regain control of their blood glucose levels,” said Dr Adrian Teo, Principal Investigator at A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (A*STAR IMCB) and Scientific Co-Founder of BetaLife.
To accelerate development efforts, BetaLife and A*STAR are embarking on a research collaboration, with the goal of generating highly curated human iPSC banks that capture the genetic diversity of Asian ethnicities, and develop human iPSC-derived pancreatic islet cells. This collaboration combines A*STAR’s capabilities in stem cells and diabetes biology with BetaLife’s infrastructure and proprietary platforms for the scale up and therapeutic development of an off-the-shelf human iPSC-based therapy.
“This collaboration paves the way for a proof-of-concept that islet cell-based therapy can help treat diabetes. Our efforts to extend the excellent science from A*STAR will enable BetaLife to further develop the cells for future human trials,” said Dr Lim Kah Meng, Managing Director of BetaLife.
Professor Hong Wanjin, Executive Director at A*STAR IMCB, said, “Diabetes is very prevalent among Singaporeans. It is heartening to witness how A*STAR’s R&D is able to empower local biotech companies to advance treatment for diabetes patients and contribute towards better health and societal outcomes.”
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For media queries and clarifications, please contact:
Novanne Seah
Director, Investor Relationships
Betalife Pte Ltd
Tel: +65 8511 1466
Email: novanne@betalife.sg
Dione Chew
Assistant Head, Corporate Communications
Agency for Science, Technology and Research
Tel: +65 9325 6580
Email: Dione_Chew@hq.a-star.edu.sg
About BetaLife
BetaLife is a Singapore-based stem cell company, focused on stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine for diabetes. It has core strengths in the generation of human induced Pluripotent Stem Cell( hiPSCs) and cell manufacturing of hiPSC-derived cells for translational research and clinical applications. For more information about BetaLife, please visit www.betalife.sg and follow us on LinkedIn.
About the A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (A*STAR IMCB)
The vision of the A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (A*STAR IMCB) is to be a premier cell and molecular biology institute which addresses the mechanistic basis of human diseases and its mission is to conduct cutting-edge discovery research in disease pathways; to groom early career researchers to be future leaders in research; and to collaborate with the public sector, medical and industry communities for research impact. A*STAR IMCB plays an important role training and recruiting scientific talents, and has contributed to the development of other research entities in Singapore. Its success in fostering a biomedical research culture in Singapore has catalysed Singapore’s transformation into an international hub for biomedical research, development and innovation.
Funded by A*STAR, IMCB’s use-inspired research comprises 4 major programmes: Neurometabolism in Health and Diseases; Cancer Signalling and Therapies; Cell Biology and Therapies; and Innovative Technologies. A*STAR IMCB also has two semi-autonomous programmes, the Disease Intervention Technology Laboratory (DITL), and the Molecular Engineering Laboratory (MEL). A*STAR IMCB’s technologies and platforms focus on Mouse Models of Diseases, Molecular Histopathology, Cellular Microscopy, and Proteomics & Metabolomics. For more information about A*STAR IMCB, please visit www.a-star.edu.sg/imcb.
About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore’s lead public sector R&D agency. Through open innovation, we collaborate with our partners in both the public and private sectors to benefit the economy and society. As a Science and Technology Organisation, A*STAR bridges the gap between academia and industry. Our research creates economic growth and jobs for Singapore, and enhances lives by improving societal outcomes in healthcare, urban living, and sustainability. A*STAR plays a key role in nurturing scientific talent and leaders for the wider research community and industry. A*STAR’s R&D activities span biomedical sciences to physical sciences and engineering, with research entities primarily located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis. For ongoing news, visit www.a-star.edu.sg.
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[1] Source: IDF Diabetes Atlas 10th Edition https://diabetesatlas.org/