Sekisui XenoTech has just been issued U.S. Patent No. 9,642,355 for the “cryopreservation of cells and subcellular fractions,” specifically related to Sekisui XenoTech’s CryostaX® test systems. This hepatocyte cryopreservation method was invented by Maciej Czerwinski, Ph.D., Director of Consulting for Sekisui XenoTech.
CryostaX® are the only single-freeze pooled hepatocyte products in the industry. Their single-freeze preparation process minimizes cryoinjury, promoting high viability, cell yield and enzymatic activity for long-term consistent test results. In addition to the benefits of an initial single-freeze preparation, the resulting unique, solid state “pellets” do not require the usual, extra thawing step for laboratory use, and allow the hepatocytes to be pooled without thawing and re-freezing. The CryostaX® hepatocyte pellets can be selected individually or combined from over 200 donors based on the required specific enzyme activities; assured minimum yield; pool size; donor BMI, disease state, age, ethnicity, gender or alcohol, tobacco and drug use, serology, etc. Lots are available for suspension or plating.
The chart below compares the mean CYP activities from 63 individuals versus a CryostaX® pool of ten.
Plateable pools are also available and recommended for use in extended metabolism studies where long incubation times are required, as well as drug transport studies and induction screening. CryostaX® plateable pools have been extensively characterized for clearance of high, medium and low turnover compounds, as well as uptake transporter activities, and CYP induction. They are available as pools of 5 (HPCH05+) and 10 (HPCH10+), 5M cells of mixed gender donors.
Sekisui XenoTech additionally implemented several other improvements over the last year, from technology to methodology, resulting in 20-40% higher cell yield and almost 10% higher viability. Furthermore, the company renegotiated its donated liver contract for access to 3.5 times more livers, allowing the selection of higher quality tissue and specific demographics. Sekisui XenoTech also began providing certificates of quality and sterility for its hepatocyte media.
These hepatocytes are available in large lots with extensive characterization and no minimum order quantity requirements. Cells from a variety of species are available, including human, rodent, monkey, canine, minipig and rabbit, with other species available as custom preparation.
Feel free to contact me for any custom project you would like to submit or for more information about our ADME offer in general. I’ll be happy to assist you.
