BioLamina increases the width of its cell culture tools by in-licensing a unique cryopreservation medium from Vitrolife

Stockholm, Sweden, Jan 14, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE via COMTEX) -- BioLamina (Stockholm, Sweden), which develops and distributes novel tools for cell culturing based on recombinant proteins, has recently entered into an exclusive global distribution agreement with Vitrolife (Gothenburg, Sweden) regarding their cryopreservation medium, F1 OMNI, for various cell types including human pluripotent stem cells. This is an important step enabling BioLamina to diversify its portfolio within the primary cell culture space. BioLamina's objective is to provide a one-stop-shop for superior, defined cell culture reagents for primary cell culture and stem cell therapy.

Vitrolife's F1 OMNI is a novel cryopreservation medium developed to slowly freeze cells at ultra-low temperatures. It supports cryopreservation of a variety of mammalian cell types, including human pluripotent stem cells and human mesenchymal stem cells. This medium is superior to any other media on the market because it is xeno-free, serum-free, produced according to cGMP and it does not contain DMSO, which is toxic and is considered to differentiate stem cells. In addition, tests with multiple stem cell lines and primary cells in several different laboratories have produced consistently excellent results showing high post-thaw viability and low toxicity.

"The addition of F1 OMNI to our portfolio is an important step towards BioLamina being able to provide all necessary superior reagents for scientists working with primary cells including stem cells and differentiated cells", says BioLamina CEO Kristian Tryggvason. "Together with BioLamina's biorelevant cell culture substrates, scientists are now finally able to derive, expand and preserve human pluripotent stem cells in completely defined and animal protein-free environments with easy and user-friendly processes, greatly facilitating new cell therapies" BIOLAMINA AB BioLamina commercializes innovations based on recombinant laminins, from Professor Karl Tryggvason at Karolinska Institutet, which solves all the technical problems with which stem cell culture has been associated. When cell culture dishes are coated with human recombinant laminins, many primary cells including stem cells feel comfortable and do not change their phenotype. This allows, in principle, infinite culture of stem cells and other primary cell types in vitro. This innovation solves the issue of repeatability and low quality experiments, making science and clinical research faster, easier and more reliable. BioLamina has sold different laminins for different cell types world-wide since 2009. BioLamina intends to become the one-stop-shop for superior reagents to scientists working within the primary cell culture and stem cell therapy field. With its proprietary technology, BioLamina believes its reagents could be the key to accelerate the development of new cures and better treatments for many serious diseases. For more information: www.biolamina.com VITROLIFE AB Vitrolife is a global biotechnology/medical device Group. Its fertility product area works with nutrient solutions (media), cryopreservation products and advanced consumable instruments such as needles and pipettes, for the treatment of human infertility.

Vitrolife technologies also enable the use and handling of stem cells for therapeutic purposes.

Vitrolife currently has approximately 220 employees and its products are sold in around 90 markets. Headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, the company has offices in the US, Australia, France, Italy, United Kingdom, China, Japan and Hungary. Vitrolife is listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm, Small Cap.

CONTACT: For more information, please contact: BIOLAMINA AB Kristian Tryggvason, CEO Phone +46 8 5888 5181 Laura Avonius, Communications Phone +35 8 50 4867250 Email: communications@biolamina.com http://media.globenewswire.com/cache/24320/small/17558.png http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/ti nf=MTMjMTAwMTc5OTkjMjQzMjA=

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