Cytori/GH Healthcare partner on StemSource

Cytori Therapeutics and GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Co, have entered into an agreement by which GE will commercialize the  former's StemSource technology in the North American stem-cell banking  and research markets. The StemSource technology includes automated  equipment to process stem and regenerative cells found in adipose  tissue, cryopreserve them or use them directly for research purposes.

In January, Cytori and GE Healthcare formed a separate agreement to  commercialize the former's products in 10 European countries. This  includes selling the Celution 800/CRS System in the European cosmetic  and reconstructive surgery market, as well as StemSource products in the  European cell banking and research markets.

"Expanding our commercialization partnership into North America will  allow us to take advantage of GE Healthcare's established stem-cell  banking and research customer-base," said Christopher Calhoun, chief  executive for Cytori. "Both organizations recognize there is an existing  demand in the United States for these products and we look forward to  making the StemSource technology available in the USA in the first half  of 2009," he added.