EBISC · European Bank for induced pluripotent Stem Cells

EBiSC is designed to address the increasing demand by iPSC researchers for quality-controlled, disease-relevant research grade iPSC lines, data and cell services. Its goal is to demonstrate an operational banking and distribution service of iPSC lines after 3 years and to establish subsequently for Europe a centralised, not-for-profit bank providing all qualified users with access to scalable, cost-efficient and customised products. The EBiSC Consortium including EFPIA partners boasts the leadership, scientific expertise, facilities, networks and experience to achieve these goals and, being representative of all stakeholders from tissue donors to clinical and academic iPSC researchers and industrial users, to respond appropriately to advances in science and society. Led by Pfizer Ltd and managed by Roslin Cells, the Consortium comprises 8 active participant iPSC Centres with clinical and patient networks, a global leader in industrial iPSC supply, international experts in iPSC science, biobanking, bioengineering and regenerative medicine, and scholars in law and ethics. The main facility will be at the Babraham Research Campus (Cambridge, UK) and will undertake cell expansion, QC and characterisation. The European Cell Culture Collection (ECACC) of Public Health England (Department of Health, UK) will coordinate cell line distribution. The Fraunhofer IBMT (Saarbrücken, Germany) will provide comprehensive operational back up. EBiSC’s capacity will be 10,000 cell lines; it will eventually process over 1,000 lines in annual sales. In a phased business strategy EBiSC will hot-start distribution of lines contributed by iPSC Centres in 2014, lines collected based on specified user demand, will reach full scale operations in 2016, and with extended funding will become self-sustaining as a not for profit banking operation by 2019. EBiSC will spearhead Europe in the international standardisation of iPSC banking by forging collaborative links with similar endeavours in the USA and Asia. Through market research, stakeholder engagement, incentives and training, EBiSC will promote wider participation and use, maximise the value of the research resource, and secure its longevity. EBiSC will promote iPSC technology and global iPSC banking, strengthen the competitiveness of European R&D, and enhance the health and wealth of nations.