PL BioScience GmbH, a German life science company specializing in the production and development of Human Platelet Lysate (HPL) for cell expansion, announced the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) with the Korean biotech company DewCell Biotherapeutics for the supply of artificial platelet raw material.
Under the terms of the agreement, DewCell will provide batches of artificial platelets for PL BioScience’s artificial HPL Solution, strengthening the company’s ability to meet global demand for high-quality, animal-free cell culture media.
“By combining DewCell’s pioneering artificial platelet technology with PL BioScience’s advanced manufacturing expertise, we aim to deliver a high-performance synthetic, animal-free culture medium that sets a new standard in the industry,” said Jungsoo Park, Vice President Marketing and Sales of PL BioScience. “This collaboration represents a significant step toward replacing conventional, animal-derived products.”
Global regulatory agencies—including the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration), EMA (European Medicines Agency), WHO (World Health Organization), and PMDA (Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency of Japan)—are driving the shift to animal-origin-free (AOF) solutions in cell therapy and vaccine manufacturing. The stated goal is to enhance product safety, standardize quality, and align with ethical considerations.
As a result, the use of platelet lysate containing high concentrations of growth factors from human platelets is expanding and attracting attention as a key ingredient for the production of cell-based pharmaceuticals.
“This LOI demonstrates the industrial potential of artificial platelet technology,” added Minwoo Lee, CEO of DewCell Biotherapeutics. “Our goal is to move beyond research applications and expand into GMP-compliant manufacturing and clinical use.”
DewCell produces artificial platelets by using a system to differentiate stem cells into megakaryocytes and optimize them for scalable platelet production.
This Letter of Intent follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on March 27, laying the foundation for close collaboration in developing the world’s first Artificial Platelet Lysate to respond to the increasing worldwide demand for animal-free cell culture media.
The signing ceremony was attended by Jungsoo Park (Vice President), Hatim Hemeda (CEO), and Christian Wilkes (CFO) of PL BioScience as well as Minwoo Lee (CEO) and Chihwa Kim (CTO) of DewCell.