bit.bio launches iPSC-derived cell culture media kits to democratise human cell research

Cambridge-based human cell programming company bit.bio has launched two new cell culture media kits designed to make human cell-based research more accessible and affordable for laboratories around the world.

Developed for use with the company’s human iPSC-derived ioGlutamatergic Neurons and ioMicroglia, the new kits are intended to remove one of the key practical barriers to adopting human cell models by providing researchers with a simple, standardised and cost-effective culture solution.

The launch comes as demand continues to grow for more predictive, reproducible and human-relevant research models, with scientists increasingly seeking alternatives to traditional preclinical approaches, including animal models. However, the cost, technical expertise and time required to establish human cell-based workflows have remained significant challenges for many laboratories.

Reducing cost and complexity

Until now, laboratories preparing equivalent media in-house have typically needed to source and optimise multiple individual components, creating a costly and time-consuming process. According to bit.bio, its new media kits reduce media costs by around 18-fold while requiring only a small number of additional reagents, making human cell culture significantly more accessible and easier to implement.

According to bit.bio, its new media kits reduce media costs by around 18-fold while requiring only a small number of additional reagents

By simplifying cell culture while substantially lowering the cost of media preparation, the company aims to enable more researchers to access programmed human iPSC-derived cells for disease modelling, target discovery and drug development.

Emma Pepperell, CEO at bit.bio, said: “Researchers increasingly recognise the scientific advantages of human cells but practical barriers have slowed wider adoption. Our mission is to democratise access to human cells. Our new media kits make it significantly easier and more affordable for laboratories to get started with consistent, human-relevant models without the complexity and cost traditionally associated with preparing specialist media from scratch.”

Supporting human-relevant research

The media kits have been developed specifically for bit.bio’s ioCells, which are powered by the company’s patented opti-ox deterministic cell programming technology. The technology produces highly consistent, reproducible human iPSC-derived cells that support the generation of reliable, human-relevant data across experiments and between laboratories.

Designed to provide optimised culture conditions while simplifying laboratory workflows, the accompanying media kits enable scientists to culture cells for up to 14 days after thawing.

The ioGlutamatergic Neurons Media Kit supports the rapid generation of mature, functional excitatory neurons for applications including neuroscience research, disease modelling and drug discovery. Meanwhile, the ioMicroglia Media Kit enables researchers to culture functional human microglia for studies into neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

The media kits have been developed specifically for bit.bio’s ioCells, which are powered by the company’s patented opti-ox deterministic cell programming technology

Together, the new products expand bit.bio’s portfolio of human cell solutions and support its mission to democratise access to human cells. The company believes the launch will help accelerate the adoption of new approach methodologies (NAMs), enabling researchers to generate more reproducible, human-relevant data while reducing reliance on traditional preclinical models.

By lowering costs and simplifying laboratory processes, the new media kits have the potential to enable more research organisations to integrate human cell models into their workflows, helping to advance biomedical research and support the development of more effective therapies.