FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Biosciences
Media Contact:
Alain Fairbank
Phone: (435) 792-8246
Email: Alain.Fairbank@thermofisher.com

Thermo Fisher Scientific Expands Stem-Cell Research Platform
with Tools for Adipogenic Differentiation

Offering Combines Kit and Cell Lines to Save Time in the Lab

LOGAN, Utah, (Feb. 20, 2008) - Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, has introduced a new set of cell-culture products to support differentiation of two important stem-cell lines for research and therapeutic applications. The offering combines the Thermo Scientific AdvanceSTEM™ Adipogenic Differentiation Kit with human bone marrow mesenchymal and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells from Cellular Engineering Technologies (CET).

The AdvanceSTEM™ Adipogenic Differentiation Kit was developed specifically to support the differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells into adipocytes. Adipocytes are fat cells that are important in the study of metabolic dysfunction and fat gain in humans. They are also used to treat burn victims by replacing fat padding that underlies sensitive tissues, and to treat people who have lost fat due to chronic disease.

By using the differentiation kit, scientists can develop adipocytes more quickly and easily than with other methods. The kit includes media that contains specific growth factors to direct the stem cell differentiation, along with a cell-culture supplement. Only one step — mixing the media and supplement together — is required before adding the stem cells for differentiation.

"The kit takes the guesswork out of differentiation and saves valuable time in research and development of adipocytes," said Alain Fairbank, research market manager for BioProcess Production at Thermo Fisher Scientific. "This enables scientists to accelerate work that will ultimately benefit people who are injured or suffer from disease."

Thermo Fisher Scientific has tested and qualified the AdvanceSTEM™ Adipogenic Differentiation Kit with the CET stem cells so researchers do not have to perform additional testing. CET’s human bone marrow-derived and adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells are grown in media and sera without additional growth factors so their differentiation potential is not compromised. All cells are characterized with a panel of known markers and analyzed by flow cytometry to ensure more than 95 percent purity.

'Through an agreement with CET, Thermo Fisher Scientific is marketing and delivering the stem cell lines worldwide as a complementary offering to the differentiation kit. This new offering expands the Thermo Scientific HyClone™ AdvanceSTEM™ range of cell-nutrition products developed specifically for applications in stem-cell research.

The AdvanceSTEM™ Differentiation Kit and CET Cells are part of the Thermo Scientific Stem Cell Excellence portfolio, an end-to-end workflow solution that incorporates essential instruments, equipment, consumables, reagents and media, services and software tailored to the needs of stem-cell laboratories. Learn more at www.thermo.com/stemcell

Thermo Scientific is part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science. About Thermo Fisher Scientific Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. With an annual revenue rate of more than $9 billion, we employ 30,000 people and serve over 350,000 customers within pharmaceutical and biotech companies, hospitals and clinical diagnostic labs, universities, research institutions and government agencies, as well as environmental and industrial process control settings. Serving customers through two premier brands, Thermo Scientific and Fisher Scientific, we help solve analytical challenges from routine testing to complex research and discovery. Thermo Scientific offers customers a complete range of highend analytical instruments as well as laboratory equipment, software, services, consumables and reagents to enable integrated laboratory workflow solutions. Fisher Scientific provides a complete portfolio of laboratory equipment, chemicals, supplies and services used in healthcare, scientific research, safety and education. Together, we offer the most convenient purchasing options to customers and continuously advance our technologies to accelerate the pace of scientific discovery, enhance value for customers and fuel growth for shareholders and employees alike. Visit www.thermofisher.com.

About Cellular Engineering Technologies CET is a biotechnology tissue engineering company, which combines expertise in stem cell science, tissue engineering and preclinical drug discovery applications. CET specializes in stem cells obtained from human non-embryonic sources, such as fat collected during liposuction procedures, umbilical cords, umbilical cord blood, and placentas collected after full-term deliveries. The company was founded by Dr. Alan Moy, CEO, in 2000 and is Iowa's premier nonembryonic stem cell company. Visit www.celleng-tech.com