Introduction
Induced pluripotent stem cell iPSC haplobanks represent a groundbreaking advancement in regenerative medicine, offering a scalable and immunecompatible source of stem cells for therapeutic use. By storing iPSC lines derived from donors with common HLA types, these haplobanks enable rapid access to pre-characterized, clinically relevant cells that can be used in a wide range of applications—from disease modeling to allogeneic cell therapy.
What Is an iPSC Haplobank?
An iPSC haplobank is a repository of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines that have been derived from donors with selected human leukocyte antigen (HLA) types. These cell lines are cryopreserved and made available for research or clinical use, enabling the development of immunecompatible, off-the-shelf therapies for a wide patient population.
Why Haplobanks Matter
iPSC haplobanks play a critical role in advancing regenerative medicine by offering ready-to-use, HLA-matched cell lines that reduce the risk of immune rejection. They eliminate the need to generate patient-specific iPSCs for every therapy, saving time and cost. By covering common HLA types, haplobanks can serve large segments of the population with standardized, high-quality cells for therapeutic applications, disease modeling, and drug discovery — ultimately making advanced cell-based treatments more accessible, scalable, and globally equitable.
Clinical and Research Applications
Cell therapy for retinal, cardiac, neural, and immune disorders.
Disease modeling and drug screening with genetic diversity.
HLA-matched allogeneic transplants to reduce immune rejection.
CRISPR gene editing for corrected universal donor lines.
Challenges and Considerations
Ethical and regulatory approval in multiple jurisdictions.
Donor diversity for broader HLA coverage.
Long-term cell stability and clinical-grade production.
Global harmonization of standards and access.