Millipore to distribute Novo's insulin for cell culture

USA-based Millipore Corp has announced an expansion of its agreement with Denmark-headquartered Novo Nordisk, the world's leading diabetes care firm, to provide the biopharmaceutical market with recombinant human insulin, a key cell culture supplement used to manufacture biologic drugs.

Under the terms of the agreement, Millipore will have exclusive worldwide rights to market and sell Novo's recombinant human insulin, branded by Millipore as Incelligent SG and Incelligent AF, for cell culture media applications. Incelligent is the world's leading insulin product used in the production of numerous biologic drugs on the market today, says Millipore, noting that the two insulin products are manufactured in separate and independent facilities thereby offering greater supply chain security to customers.

The current long-term supply agreement between Millipore and Novo was extended for several years and ensures that biopharmaceutical manufacturers will have a guaranteed, secure supply of insulin to use in the production of biologic drugs and the development of new cell lines.