(Palo Alto, California) I Peace, Inc., a Palo Alto-based biotech start-up focusing on Nobel Prizewinning induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology obtains approval from an independent
Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the process of generating iPSCs—including donor recruiting,
screening, blood draw, iPSC generation, storage, and distribution—for commercial use.
The IRB which reviewed I Peace’s process is an Association for the Accreditation of Human Research
Protection Programs (AAHRPP) and ISO 9001:2015 accredited IRB that is routinely inspected by the
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and found to be in good standing and compliant with
federal regulations. In accordance with FDA regulations, an IRB is a group that has the authority to
approve, require modifications (to secure approval), or disapprove study protocols, informed
consent forms, and other related documents. This group review serves an important role in the
protection of the rights and welfare of human research subjects, according to the FDA.
Implications of obtaining IRB approval
IRB review acknowledged that I Peace’s iPSC production process for commercial use and all documents involved in the process, including the content of informed consent and medical history questionnaire, personal information handling protocols, and cell production and storage procedures, meet the FDA’s ethical standards.
This allows research institutions and companies to use our iPSCs for clinical research with confidence. In addition, I Peace has been certified and granted the use of PrivacyMarkÒ by JIPDEC, as an institution with a system established to take appropriate protective measures for personal information. These approvals and certifications allow donors and clients to take part in our iPSC production service with confidence from both a personal information protection perspective and an ethical perspective.
