Fluidigm said Thursday it has entered a collaboration agreement with the Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center for the development of targeted stem cell therapies and research applications.
The collaboration will use South San Francisco, California-based Fluidigm’s Imaging Mass Cytometry and Maxpar Direct Immune Profiling technologies to analyze the spatial environment of stem cells and profile the immune system in blood samples.
ADSCC, based in the United Arab Emirates, will receive early access to reagents and software under development at Fluidigm and evaluate new materials and products. It will also be involved in development of Fluidigm’s Helios and Hyperion Imaging systems, which use CyTOF technology.
Fluidigm said the partnership will provide a foundation for expansion of its commercial activities throughout the Middle East.
“We seek out the technologies that can most effectively provide meaningful insights as we work to develop new approaches to stem cell therapies, and Fluidigm’s IMC and immune profiling tools are exceptional in this regard,” Yendry Ventura Carmenate, an immunologist and general manager of the ADSCC, said in a statement. “We believe these tools will ultimately accelerate our global expertise in this progressive area of medicine and inform targeted therapies for our patients.”
“In addition to elevating the visibility of CyTOF technology in the region, we believe this collaboration will provide opportunities for new products and workflows,” said Chris Linthwaite, Fluidigm’s president and CEO. “For example, we are reviewing panels ADSCC has developed for stem cell applications across a number of pathologies for potential commercialization.”
Financial and other terms of the deal were not disclosed.