Republishing of: NextCell announces strategic collaboration with FUJIFILM Biosciences

As part of the rebranding of Fujifilm Irvine Scientific to FUJIFILM Biosciences, we are re-publishing the press release originally issued on May 20th to keep our stakeholders informed of the updates. The updated version incorporates Fujifilm’s new name and includes minor adjustments to the content, reflecting the company’s expanded vision within the life sciences sector. This collaboration marks an important milestone for NextCell, and we are excited to continue our collaboration with FUJIFILM Biosciences, a recognised global leader in providing life science solutions.

This re-release also emphasises our shared commitment to accelerating the development of innovative therapies through enhanced collaboration and streamlined workflows. Together, we are providing researchers and developers with reliable reference materials and solutions for MSC culture and cryopreservation. As always, we remain committed to keeping our investors and the wider community updated with the latest developments and ensuring transparency as we move forward.

In 2024, NextCell Pharma AB expanded its portfolio by developing a research-use-only umbilical cord MSC product, manufactured using proprietary in-house expertise for the commercial market. Building on this progress, the company is now initiating a collaboration with FUJIFILM Biosciences Inc. to combine this cell product with established FUJIFILM Biosciences’ PRIME-XV MSC media and cryopreservation product lines.

“FUJIFILM Biosciences is pleased about this collaboration with NextCell Pharma AB and providing life science solutions that solve some of the challenges many researchers and developers face in making new cell therapies more accessible to patients,” commented Yutaka Yamaguchi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, FUJIFILM Biosciences. “We all have an important role to play in bringing faster, more efficient options to patients who need those most.”

FUJIFILM Biosciences is a global leader in the development of cell culture solutions for the life science and medical markets. With over 50 years of industry experience, FUJIFILM Biosciences is recognised for its innovation and commitment to advancing areas such as cell and gene therapy.

This joint offering is expected to provide researchers and industry stakeholders with:

• Standardised, high-quality MSC reference material
• Optimised media and cryopreservation solutions for MSC culture and cold storage
• A reliable reference system for the development and validation of new therapies

This collaboration offers an accelerated, reliable workflow solution coupled with ready-to-use reference source materials and validation, targeted at accelerating crucial steps in the research and development phase and reducing barriers in scaling MSC expansion for therapeutic development.

“We have worked closely together to develop this business relationship and are proud to be able to announce this new opportunity to our shareholders,” said Dr. Lindsay Davies, Chief Scientific Officer at NextCell Pharma AB.

Mathias Svahn, Chief Executive Officer, NextCell Pharma AB added, “This is a new business venture for NextCell Pharma AB, and we are excited to collaborate with FUJIFILM Biosciences, combining our expertise to build a strong partnership for the future.”

About NextCell Pharma AB

NextCell is a cell therapy company in Phase II trials with the drug candidate ProTrans for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. The focus is to obtain market approval of ProTrans via a phase III trial. In addition to type 1 diabetes. NextCell owns Cellaviva AB, Scandinavia’s largest private stem cell bank licensed by the Swedish Health Authority (IVO) to preserve and store stem cells from umbilical cord blood and umbilical cord tissue for family use. NextCell also owns QVance which will offer quality control analytics for advanced therapy developers. Furthermore, NextCell owns 8.5% in FamicordTX, a CAR-T start-up in oncology.

FUJIFILM Biosciences

With a foundation in cell culture that dates back to 1970, FUJIFILM Biosciences is a global, full spectrum supplier to the life sciences market, providing products and services that assist customers in advancing healthcare initiatives. With an expanding portfolio of applications supported that include life science and discovery research, cell and gene therapy, as well as the large-scale production of biotherapeutics and vaccines, the Company is trusted by researchers and manufacturers worldwide. For over 50 years, FUJIFILM Biosciences’ Mission has been to empower all who bring medicines and treatments to life with unmatched quality and responsiveness in its products and custom solutions, providing customers with the vital resources needed to enrich human lives through innovative, accessible therapies. The Company’s facilities adhere to both ISO and FDA regulations, with manufacturing facilities that follow cGMP guidelines in the USA, Japan, and the Netherlands, and a media optimisation centre in China. All sites prioritise strategies that adhere to the FUJIFILM Sustainability Value Plan 2030 for sustainable growth. FUJIFILM Biosciences is a subsidiary of FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation reporting to FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation.

For more information, please visit: fujifilmbiosciences.fujifilm.com