Teknova and Pluristyx Announce Collaboration to Streamline the Manufacture of Next-Generation Cell Therapies

HOLLISTER, Calif., March 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alpha Teknova, Inc. (“Teknova”) (Nasdaq: TKNO), and Pluristyx, Inc., today announced that the companies are collaborating to produce and commercialize Pluristyx's PluriFreeze™ product line, a cryopreservative and cell wash media system intended for use by customers who are developing next generation allogeneic cell therapies. Teknova is a leading producer of critical reagents for the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies, vaccines, and molecular diagnostics, while Pluristyx is a leading provider of induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs), including immune evading and safety-switch enabled iPSCs, and other innovative technologies designed to shorten the development lifecycle of tomorrow’s cell therapies.

Through their development of iPSCs, Pluristyx recognized the critical importance of cellular biopreservation across the cell therapy workflow. In the process, the company identified a novel cryopreservation formulation for the systematic freezing of cells that streamlines the manufacture of cell products. Pluristyx launched the PluriFreeze product line as a protective wash paired with a cryopreservative designed to simplify the scale-up process for companies working to bring allogeneic cell therapies to market. The collaboration between Pluristyx and Teknova will enable wider customer access to PluriFreeze by making Teknova the exclusive manufacturer and distributor in the United States and Canada.

“We’re excited to announce our collaboration with Pluristyx, a true innovator in the development and commercialization of revolutionary cellular therapies,” said Stephen Gunstream, Teknova’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “By coming together, we’re able to marry Teknova’s operational and commercial scale with their novel cryopreservation solution. Getting the PluriFreeze products into our customers’ hands will help them streamline the manufacture of allogeneic cell therapies as they move from research, to process development, and into clinical manufacturing.”

“With almost 30 years of experience manufacturing high-quality research- and GMP-grade reagents and an established base of more than 3,000 life sciences customers, Teknova is the perfect partner to help us expand access to our proprietary PluriFreeze cryopreservation system,” added Benjamin Fryer, Chief Executive Officer of Pluristyx. “As cell therapy developers focus on scaling their solutions into the clinic, it’s critical to use a trusted and scalable supply of products that ensure high cellular viability and function at multiple holding points across the workflow – not only during storage and transport.”

The PluriFreeze cryopreservation system is entirely synthetic and animal-origin-free, and consists of a base wash and a freezing medium. PluriFreeze Base is a protective wash that mimics intracellular space and provides end-to-end metabolic support. PluriFreeze PF10 is a low viscosity freezing medium with 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) that simplifies scale-up and process automation.

More information about the collaboration and the products, including pricing and availability, will be announced next week at the BioProcess International West conference in San Diego, California, starting on March 19, 2025. Interested parties can also sign up for early access or to request a free product sample by visitingwww.teknova.com.

ABOUT TEKNOVATeknova makes solutions possible. Since 1996, Teknova has been innovating the manufacture of critical reagents for the life sciences industry to accelerate the discovery and development of novel breakthroughs that will help people live longer, healthier lives. We offer fully customizable solutions for every stage of the workflow, supporting industry leaders in molecular diagnostics, synthetic biology, and emerging therapeutic modalities. Our fast turnaround of high-quality agar plates, microbial culture media, buffers and reagents, and water helps our customers scale seamlessly from RUO to GMP. Headquartered in Hollister, California, with over 180,000 square feet of state-of-the-art facilities, Teknova’s modular manufacturing platform was designed by our team of scientists, engineers, and quality control experts to efficiently produce the foundational ingredients for the discovery and commercialization of next-generation therapies.

ABOUT PLURISTYXPluristyx is a privately held biotechnology company offering a wide range of products and services to support the development and manufacture of cell and gene therapies, including iPSC lines, proprietary genetic engineering technologies, differentiation services, iPSC culture kits, and contract development services.  Pluristyx is committed to delivering highest quality products and services to accelerate clinical translation of life-changing cell therapies.

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