Defined recently received a $1.5M in Phase II SBIR award from the National Institutes of Health to develop defined media over the next two years. The funded project aims to make further improvements on HiDef-B8, the company’s flagship product and fully defined medium supplement for human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. First published by the lab of Defined Bioscience advisor Paul Burridge at Northwestern University under the name B8, this supplement is fully defined, and empirically optimized for iPS culture to high passage counts across more 37 cell lines—as well as compatible with weekend-free use.
“Stem cell media represents a significant cost burden across stem cell industries, including established life science sectors and the blooming cultured meat space,” said Dr. Steven Rees, CEO of Defined Bioscience. “We aim to address this need, while also meeting expectations for reduced animal componentry and removing proprietary or unknown ingredients.”
In addition, the team recently added top tier advisory board members with expertise in stem cells, protein production, and commercialization. Advisors include Paul Burridge (Northwestern University), Alysson Muotri (Director of the UC San Diego Stem Cell Program), Geoffrey Chang (UC San Diego), and Jiwu Wang (Allele Biotech).
Defined Bioscience is now seeking industrial partners and investors to move its current products, including HiDef B8 into the hands of scientists around the world. With recent NIH funding, Defined expects to expand their IP portfolio and product pipeline for new applications. The recent SBIR was funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at the NIH.
About Defined Bioscience: Defined Bioscience aims to advance the way stem cells are grown, particularly in the life sciences and cultured meat sectors. The company was founded in 2019 by a team of biologists and entrepreneurs who envision a world of reduced animal product dependency in cell culture, attainable by developing breakthrough solutions for stem cell research with an emphasis on novel, fully defined reagents, media and optimized workflows.