Company news

Cryo-Save celebrates 10 years of stem cell storage with increasing usage of umbilical cord stem cells

Cryo-Save Group N.V. (“Cryo-Save”) is Europe’s leading stem cell bank, and today announces the 10 year anniversary of storing the first samples of stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood in its laboratories.

Since the first samples were stored, Cryo-Save has grown into one of the world leaders in private stem cell storage, with a record number of over 170,000 customers. The Group now operates in 40 countries on three continents, with five state-of-the-art laboratories processing and storing samples. No other stem cell bank matches Cryo-Save’s geographic spread.

Umbilical cord blood stem cells have been used for over 20 years and have proven their safety and efficacy in many treatments. Currently cord blood stem cells are more used for stem cell transplantations than bone marrow. Currently in the US, cord blood stem cells are the most frequently used source of stem cells for transplantation in the paediatric setting and adult transplantations using cord blood stem cells are on the rise. Furthermore, following years of preclinical research, clinical studies are now being conducted using cord blood stem cells for cellular therapy, for e.g. diabetes type 1, cerebral palsy and spinal cord injuries, with encouraging results.

Over the last decade, cord blood stem cell transplantations using samples released from Cryo-Save’s banks have saved the lives of children for treatments for diseases such as leukaemia and cerebral palsy, and have enabled families to carry out genetic testing.

In 2008, a study* reported comprehensive estimates of the odds of a person in the U.S. receiving a hematopoietic stem cell transplant, including cord blood stem cells, bone marrow stem cells and peripheral blood stem cells. The study estimated the odds of receiving one’s own cells for transplant at approximately 1 in 400.
*Nietfeld JJ. Lifetime probabilities of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the U.S. Biol. Blood Marrow Transplant. 2008, 14:316-322

During the last ten years, Cryo-Save has worked relentlessly to increase the acceptance and awareness of the value of stem cell storage around the world. The Group continues its programme of educating and informing the public and healthcare professionals, to help ensure all expectant parents are aware of the options available to them and opportunity to store their child’s stem cells.

Cryo-Save continues to participate in adult stem cell research projects funded by the European Commission and is the only cord blood bank in Europe to take part in these advanced projects. The Group is also active in clinical studies for stem cell therapies and is pleased to be able to contribute to the medical community, working to improve quality of life.

Arnoud van Tulder, Chief Executive officer, commented:
“Since our start in 2000, quality, reliability and service to our clients have been important pillars on which we have and continue to build our company. As leading stem cell bank in Europe we have extended our services and can offer today the storage of stem cells from umbilical cord and adult fat tissue in addition to stem cells from umbilical cord blood.

“The significance of stem cell storage continues to grow as medical advances widen the potential for its use. Cryo-Save considers therefore supporting the R&D in this area as another important corporate activity. We will continue collaborating with centers of excellence that contribute to saving the lives of children and adults alike by developing additional stem cell treatments.”

Enquiries:

Cryo-Save Group                                                            +31 (0)575 548998
Arnoud van Tulder, Chief Executive Officer 

SPJ Financiële Communicatie Amstelveen (NL)            +31 (0)20 647 8181
Kees Jongsma/Léon Melens

Daniel Stewart & Company plc                                       +44 (0) 20 7776 6550 
Chris Theis 

College Hill (UK)                                                             +44 (0) 20 7457 2020
Adrian Duffield/Rozi Morris

Free footage is available on www.videobankonline.com.

Europe’s Leading Stem Cell Bank launches innovative service for liposuction market

Cryo-Save today announced the European introduction of Cryo-Lip, a new product that allows the collection, processing and storage of a rich mixture of adult stem cells from liposuction aspirate (fatty tissue that is normally discarded). A novel cryopreservation process for fatty tissue has been developed and submitted as an international patent by Cryo-Save.

Adult Stem Cells
The primary roles of adult stem cells are to maintain and repair the tissue in which they are found. There are two main types: Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs), forming all blood cells and Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), able to differentiate into multiple cell types such as bone, fat, muscle and cartilage.

Fat or adipose tissue is an ideal source of adult stem cells:

• It is very rich in MSCs, for example a 500 times higher concentration than in bone marrow
• It is readily available, the 50ml needed for Cryo-Lip can easily be obtained from a liposuction
• It is autologous, adult tissue, and hence no ethical or immunological issues
• It is normally discarded anyway

Clinical Applications
The use of Adipose-derived Stem Cells (ASCs) promises much as testified by the exponential increase in both peer-reviewed medical publications and ongoing clinical trials.

 
Professor Marco Gasparotti, an eminent Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon from Rome and the pioneer of the superficial liposculpture technique , commented: “I am pleased to join the Cryo-Lip Advisory Panel as I believe that adipose-derived stem cells will play an important role in the future of both regenerative medicine and cosmetic surgery. The cryopreservation of such cells from liposuction waste material will further enhance the basis for future therapeutic advances”.

 
The Cryo-Lip service will initially only be available in Europe and will be offered by qualified and trained physicians. “We will focus our communications on plastic surgeons who are experienced in liposuction procedures and have set up a partnership program for physicians under the auspices of our Advisory Panel”, said Dr Henk Snyman, General Manager for Cryo-Lip.

Arnoud van Tulder, the Cryo-Save CEO, added: “The addition of the Cryo-Lip service is an important advance for our company and allows us to leverage our market leadership position in the cryopreservation of adult stem cells”.

For further information, please contact:
Henk Snyman, MD General Manager
Tel.: +41 555 330 122

E-mail info@cryo-lip.com 
Websites : www.cryo-lip.com www.cryo-save.com

Dubai-UAE: 23 November, 2009 – Cryo-Save Arabia, the region's leading provider of umbilical cord blood stem cell processing and storage company, today announced it has become the region's first Cord Blood Stem Cell Bank to be accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB).

Based at Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park (DuBiotech), a member of TECOM Investments, Cryo-Save Arabia has received an official notification from AABB for satisfactorily meeting all requirements during an intensive on-site inspection conducted by specially trained AABB assessors.

The AABB inspection establishes that the level of medical, technical and administrative performance within the Cryo-Save Arabia facility meets the standards set by AABB. Its on-site audits extend to areas of cell processing, cryo-preservation records, document control, inspection and testing, training of lab technicians, sample identification and traceability, and verification of cord blood units when released from storage.

Sarah Al-Hajali, Executive Manager, Cryo-Save Arabia, said:
Cryo-Save Arabia has now been officially recognized for the quality of service provided to our customers. Achieving such a prestigious accreditation is an extremely important validation of our processing methods. It is an important minimum baseline for expectant parents comparing cord blood banks.

The AABB is recognized around the world for its commitment to outstanding quality. Cryo-Save Arabia is proud to be recognized for our high service standards and we pledge to continue offering excellent service to all customers.
Established in 1947, the AABB demands the highest quality standards from accredited facilities and performs on-site audits every two years. The AABB Accreditation Programme strives to improve the quality and safety of collecting, processing, testing, distributing and administering blood and blood products.

AABB accreditation is the recognition of choice for blood banking, transfusion medicine, blood management and cellular therapies as it demonstrates an organization's commitment to advanced learning, continuous improvement and innovation by striving to sustain the highest possible level of patient and donor care.

AABB-accredited organizations are recognized by their peers as leaders in their field and as pivotal voices in the dialogue through which consensus-based, voluntary standards are developed and implemented.

 
Notes to Editors

About Cryo-Save Arabia
Cryo-Save Arabia specializes in the collection, isolation and storage of stem cells from umbilical cord blood. It owns and operates the region’s largest and state-of-the-art private laboratory and cryogenic preservation facility that is dedicated and designed exclusively for the collection, high-quality processing and long-term storage of stem cells found in the umbilical cord blood of newborns.

Cryo-Save Arabia’s facility set-up fully mirrors that of Belgium-based Cryo-Save, the largest, most experienced and trusted newborn cord blood cell bank in Europe. Other than the UAE, Cryo-Save is present in 39 countries and has cord blood stem cell banking facilities in Belgium,Germany, India and France. To-date, over 110,000 parents have chosen Cryo-Save for the storage of their newborns’ cord blood stem cells.

About AABB
Established in 1947, the American Association of Blood Banks is an international association of blood banks, including hospital and community blood centers, transfusion and transplantation services and individuals involved in activities related to transfusion and transplantation medicine. The AABB supports high standards of medical, technical and administrative performance, scientific investigation, clinical application and education. Approximately 2,000 institutions (community and hospital blood banks, hospital transfusion services and laboratories) and 8,000 individuals are members of the AABB, including physicians, scientists, administrators, medical technologists, blood donor recruiters and public relations personnel. Members are located in all 50 states and 80 foreign countries.

About DuBiotech
Established in February 2005, the Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park (DuBiotech) is a leading life sciences cluster in the Middle East, and a member of TECOM Investments. The free zone currently hosts 65 major pharmaceutical firms including Pfizer, Genzyme, Merck-Serono and Amgen, as well as companies specialized in biomedical and scientific devices, biotechnology, cosmesis, and enzymes.

DuBiotech offers flexible laboratory space as one of the key components of the sprawling business park. In addition to hosting a range of assets varying from offices to warehouses and land for manufacturing, the 22 million sq. ft. biotechnology cluster enjoys a strategic location with world-class infrastructure.

A number of free zone-associated incentives such as full ownership, tax-free profit repatriation and business friendly environment that DuBiotech offers makes the cluster an ideal destination for life sciences companies seeking to address the fast growing regional markets.

 
For further information, please call:
Zeba Ahmad
JiWin
Tel: +9714 361 3590 (direct)
+9714 361 3333 (switchboard)
Fax: +9714 388 8001
e-mail: Zeba.Ahmad@jiwin.ae

CORD BLOOD EUROPE CALLS FOR BETTER EDUCATION AMONG PARENTS-TO-BE

Brussels (Belgium) – 1 October 2009 - Cord Blood Europe calls for better education and understanding about the value of cord blood stem cells among parents-to-be. “The long-term storage of stem cells at birth is still far below 5% of the total annual births in many European countries ”, says Dr. Eberhard Lampeter, President of Cord Blood Europe. “Although there are 5.4 million births each year in Europe, less than 400,000 stem cell samples have been stored to date by both private family and public donation banks.” In the United States an increasing number of federal states have adopted legislation that requires health care providers to deliver mandatory information about the advantages of storing and donating stem cells from umbilical cord blood.

Cord blood contains very young and healthy stem cells, which have the potential to cure previously untreatable diseases. More than 100 diseases like cancer, leukemia, brain disease and diabetes type 1 are treated with adult stem cells from cord blood or bone marrow. It has been determined that there is a 1:200 life time probability for need of a stem cell-based treatment. 20.000 people have already been treated with umbilical stem cells and, with over 3,000 clinical trials ongoing, the number of treatments will further increase.

Cord Blood Europe’s mission is to promote awareness about the advantages of adult stem cells and to increase their storage at birth in Europe, so that thousands of potent umbilical stem cell samples are stored and not considered useless any longer. “As the number of clinical trials with adult stem cells is expanding, there is a need for policymakers and healthcare professionals across Europe to focus more and put impetus on raising awareness about the advantages of stem cells”, Lampeter highlights. “There is no second chance to collect cord blood. Hence, impartial and balanced education of the parents-to-be about the potential of their children’s cord blood is required.”

ABOUT CORD BLOOD EUROPE:

Cord Blood Europe A.I.S.B.L. (not-for-profit) is the European Association of Family Cord Blood Banks and has its representation offices in Brussels. Seven leading stem cell storage companies from various European countries– CrioEstaminal (Portugal), Cryo-Save (Netherlands), Future Health Technology (United Kingdom), Polski Bank Komorek Macierzystych (Poland), Stemcare (Denmark), Swiss Stem Cell Bank (Switzerland) and VITA34 (Germany) – have established this new trade association in January 2009.

Cord Blood Europe provides a platform of co-operation and exchange of best practices in the field of stem cell storage and regenerative medicines. The association members encourage and contribute to a harmonized regulatory framework of European policies on cells and tissues, and comply with the highest levels of safety and quality in their laboratories. The members of Cord Blood Europe are active in all EU and EFTA countries.

For more information, visit www.cordbloodeurope.org

Today, Cryo-Save opened a new high-tech laboratory in the research park Waterfront in Niel near Antwerp. Cryo-Save specializes in research into adult stem cells and their long-term storage for medical therapeutic use. The new laboratory facility will be capable of storing up to 1 million samples and is the largest stem cell bank in Europe. The investment amounts to almost €6 million.

25,000 samples per year

Cryo-Save specializes in the long-term storage of ‘adult’ stem cells harvested from umbilical cord blood at birth. The company annually processes more than 25,000 new samples collected according to very strict procedures. With more than 108,000 samples stored in Belgium, Cryo-Save is the European market leader and one of the top five in the world.

In the last two years the company has seen a huge increase in the number of samples received, mainly from southern European countries. “The establishment of a stem cell bank of this size and format is necessary because science is rapidly evolving. There are more and more diseases that are in clinical research for medical treatment with stem cells. This means that in the future ever more storage capacity will be needed,” says Marc Waeterschoot, founder and CEO. “Not only is the number of transplants increasing, but we are also constantly developing new methods for collecting stem cells, which means we expect the demand for storage facilities will also continue to increase.”

The stem cells are used by medical specialists to treat an ever-growing range of diseases. The Cryo-Save approach is unique in so far that the stem cells are stored under the name of the owner and thus remain available to the individual donor him/herself. In some countries, subject to the legislation, Cryo-Save will also collaborate with stem cell banks that use stem cells for patients other than donors.

Firmly established

Cryo-Save has invested almost €6 million in the construction of the new complex of 5000m² in Niel, which combines research laboratories, processing and offices. There are currently 30 highly trained employees working, but staff is expected to grow in the coming years. When it comes to stem cell research, Belgium has a strong international reputation, making it easier to find and attract people with specialized skills. In addition since the transposition of European guidelines in 2008, Belgian legislation offers sufficient legal certainty for Cryo-Save’s activities.

The location in the Waterfront science park associated with the University of Antwerp ensures rapid access from the rest of Europe via Brussels, Antwerp or Amsterdam. Opting for the Waterfront science park also opens up a unique opportunity for collaboration between the University and the company. Up-and-coming researchers get the chance to carry out research in the Cryo-Save laboratories.

OPEN LETTER TO ALL CUSTOMERS

Dear parents,

We are proud to be able to announce that we now have saved the stem cells from over 100,000 children. This significant landmark was reached a few days ago when the stem cells from the one hundred thousandth newborn child were safely stored in our facilities.

By reaching this important milestone, we have underlined our leading position in Europe, not only in terms of market share, but also in setting the highest standards in stem cell storage, and our commitment to research to further improve cryopreservation techniques.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all very much. Your confidence and trust in our company and service has allowed us to become the leading stem cell bank in Europe.

Reaching this milestone is significant to us, but what inspires us most is helping families at need. At this very moment we have several sample release requests with the potential to save just as many lives. Lives of the children themselves either or lives of their family members.

Twenty years ago just one disease could be treated with umbilical cord stem cells; ten years ago only a handful. Today umbilical cord stem cells have been successfully used in the treatment of more than 70 diseases. Since the first successful umbilical cord blood stem cell transplantation in 1988, the total number has now grown to approximately 15,000. Currently about 3,000 transplants are performed each year. We are extremely happy to be able to contribute to the success of these lifesaving developments.

Yours sincerely,

The Cryo-Save Team

Muscat (Oman) Cord blood stem cell storage is now a reality in the Sultanate, offering hope to couples whose offspring may suffer blood disorders or certain types of genetic diseases and cancers.

Cryo-Save, a leading international cord blood stem cell bank, launched the service last week in collaboration with local Omani firm Mustafa Sultan Science and Industry Co.

 
The launch ceremony, held at the Radisson SAS, was attended by the senior physicians and healthcare executives representing a number of leading private and public sector healthcare institutions in Muscat.

 
Speaking at the event, Dr Cherie Daly, Executive Manager of Cryo-Save, said increasing numbers of families around the world are opting to preserve stem cells obtained from the mother’s umbilical cord blood, in the growing realization that stem cells can be used to treat a number of life threatening diseases that may affect their offspring.

 
The umbilical cord, which is usually discarded after birth, holds a large store of stem cells that scientists believe can be used in the treatment of a number of disorders. By storing these stem cells, a child can gain access to their own young stem cells later in life, consequently benefiting from new therapeutic options that would otherwise be impossible. Siblings, parents, grandparents and cousins can also benefit from the same stem cells, it is argued.

 
Couples the sign up for Cryo-Save’s services can have their umbilical cord blood stem cell cryogenically stored for up to 20 years. Prior to the delivery of the new-born, the customer receives a special collection kit with which the doctor or obstetrician collects the umbilical cord blood. A special courier dispatches the cord blood kit to Cryo-Save’s state of the art laboratory in Dubai.

 
In the laboratory, the blood is tested using the latest DNA techniques for the presence of infectious agents and microbiological contamination. The stem cells are then isolated and their quantity and quality determined. Vital stem cells are labeled, split and frozen. A proportion remains in Dubai, while the rest is stored at a second cryogenic storage site in Belgium.

 
Dutch-headquartered Cryo-Save specializes in the processing of cord blood and the preservation of cord blood stem cells based on cryo-technology.

Established in 2000, the company owns or has access to operating laboratory and storage facilities in Belgium, Germany and the United Arab Emirates. Through affiliates and partnerships in 37 countries, the company has already built up a portfolio of nearly 80,000 customers, said Dr. Daly.

 
A non-refundable processing fee of RO 300 entitles a customer to Cryo-Save’s special collection kit, cord blood processing and testing, and maternal blood testing. Against the payment of a further storage fee of RO 1,000, the cord blood stem cells are cryogenically preserved for 20 years at a temperature of -196 degrees centigrade.

 
If the cells are ever needed, they are made available at any desired time to a treating doctor anywhere in the world. At the end of the contracted 20 years, the child – who is an adult by then – can then decide whether to extend storage, says Dr. Daly.

 
According to Cryo-Save, umbilical cord blood stem cell storage has significant potential in Oman, given the high incidence of blood disorders and diseases, such as Thalassaemia, Sickle Cell Anemia, among others.

 
Stem cells derived from cord blood can potentially treat over 75 life-threatening conditions. Cryo-Save stresses. Research is also being conducted to expand future applications to the field of regenerative medicine, which is aimed at repairing damaged or diseased tissues and organs.

Observer, May 2008

Muscat (Oman) – A well known private Omani Company has tied up with the Dutch-headquartered Cryo-Save Group to provide cord blood stem cell storage services for the first time in Oman.

The initiative offers expectant mothers the opportunity to store their umbilical cord blood stem cells, for potential use by their offspring in stem-cell based therapies, according to a senior executive of Mustafa Sultan Science and Industry Co, which represents Cryo-Save in the Sultanate.

“We are delighted to partner with Cryo-Save, the world’s leading provider of cord blood stem cell storage services, in extending this advantage to young couples and the health sector in Oman,” commented Sunil Mansukhani, General Manager of Mustafa Sultan Science and Industry Co. “This service will be formally launched in Muscat on May 26, 2008 in the presence of top physicians from all the leading healthcare institutions in the government and private sectors.”

 
The umbilical cord, which is usually discarded after birth, holds a large store of stem cells that scientists believe can be used in the treatment of a number of disorders. By storing these stem cells, a child can gain access to its own young stem cells later in life, consequently benefiting from new therapeutic options that would otherwise be impossible. Siblings can also benefit from the same stem cells, it is pointed out.

According to Mansukhani, umbilical cord blood stem cell storage offers particular advantages to couples and the medical fraternity in Oman, given the high incidence of blood disorders such as Sickle cell Anaemia, Thalasseamia, leukaemia, and so on.

 
Couples the sign up for Cryo-Save’s services can have their umbilical cord blood stem cells cryogenically stored for up to 20 years.

 
Prior to the delivery of the new-born, the customer receives a special collection kit with which the doctor or obstetrician collects the umbilical cord blood. A special courier dispatches the cord blood kit to Cryo Save’s state of the art laboratory in Dubai.

 
In the laboratory, the blood is tested using the latest DNA techniques for the presence of infectious agents and microbiological contamination. The stem cells are then isolated and their quantity and quality determined. Vital stem cells are labeled, split and frozen. A proportion remains in Dubai, while the rest is stored at a second cryogenic storage site in Belgium.

 
“Using unique barcodes, Cryo-Save can swiftly locate your child’s stem cells and make them available to the doctor treating him or her. The stem cells are kept for 20 years. Your child can then decide whether to extend storage” Mansukhani explained.

 
Cryo-Save specializes in the processing of cord blood and the preservation of cord blood stem cells based on cryo-technology. Established in 2000, the company owns or has access to operating laboratory and storage facilities in Belgium, Germany and the United Arab Emirates. Through affiliates and partnerships in 37 countries, the company has already built up a portfolio of nearly 70,000 customers.

 
In the Middle East, Cryo-Save has set up the region’s first private cord blood stem cell bank Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park.

 
Medical science sees stem cells as the key to a range of therapeutic applications. Many such stem cell applications fall in the category of “regenerative medicine” – the replacement or repair of damaged or lost tissue.

 
Research shows that stem cells can repair heart muscle tissue after a heart attack. Scientists also hope that stem cells will play a role in the treatment of diabetes, lupus, juvenile arthritis, and gene therapy. Tissue engineering – the artificial development of tissue – also holds a promise when involving stem cells.

Observer, May 2008

Dubai (UAE) – The International Cord Blood Society (ICBS), a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of stem cell research, has awarded “Honorary Member” status to Cry-Save Arabia, the Dubai-based private cord blood stem cell bank.

 
The International Cord Blood Society (ICBS) is a Boston, Massachusetts based organization with an emphasis on the enhancement of umbilical cord blood stem cells. In 1995, Curtis L. Cetrulo, M.D. and Anthony J. Sbarra, PhD, both Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Tufts School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts recognized the potential inherent in umbilical cord blood stem cells and founded the ICBS.

 
Dr. Cherie Daly, executive director, Dubai-based Cryo-Save Arabia, said:”It gives us great pleasure to have joined the International Cord Blood Society ICBS. Cryo-Save Arabia takes on a corporate social responsibility of familiarizing members of the community with the life changing benefits of cord blood stem cell storage and will endeavor to regularly enhance its processing and cryo-preservation methods, to always guarantee optimum services for its client for its client base.”

The regional trend towards cord blood stem cell preservation and research is increasing with several key players already engaging the UAE communities with their services and products such as the government run Dubai Cord Blood and Research Center (DCRC), also a member of the International Cord Blood Society.

Gulf Today, February 18, 2008

Dubai (UAE) – Stem cell research has acquired a bad name because most people associate the practice with the use of embryonic stem cells and - considered un-ethical by many religions and cultures. But did you know that there are lots of different types of stem cells - ones that don’t derive from embryos - that are vital to developing life-saving treatments for a wide range of chronic illnesses?

Apart from embryos, stem cells can be extracted from bone marrow and from fat, but the best source is from the umbilical cord blood of a newborn baby - the stuff that is usually disposed of after birth, so using it is completely moral. Even the Catholic Church’s Pope Benedict XVI sent a memo out last year giving stem cell research from cord blood the thumbs up - his church is wholeheartedly against any use of embryos in research.

To find out more about the incredible potential of these stem cells found in cord blood, we caught up with Professor Colin McGuckin at Arab Health Week. McGuckin is an Irish professor of regenerative medicine, who along with a team of researchers in the UK has just developed the first-ever artificial liver grown from umbilical cord blood stem cells.

 
“With cord blood we are the first in the world to have developed a liver from umbilical cord blood stem cells, an insulin secreting pancreas and also nervous tissues from the brain.

 
“What we are doing now is applying this research to see if it is possible to treat people with our developments shortly,” says Professor McGuckin. “The potential to treat numerous common and life-threatening diseases is enormous. These youthful stem cells found in cord blood are the building cells of the body and they have the capacity to adapt to an environment and help develop and build whatever is needed.”

 
Stem cells derived from cord blood can potentially treat more than 75 life-threatening conditions and those who benefit from saving these cord blood stem cells are the family, and most especially the child from whose umbilical cord the blood originally came. Sometimes people outside a family can also be a match for saved cord blood.

 
But the problem, worldwide, is that few parents are aware of the option to preserve their babies cord blood and also many countries are not equipped with the special blood banks that can preserve the blood for up to 20 years. In Dubai there are two options available to save cord blood. One is at the cord blood bank at the Al Wasl Hospital and the other is at a recently opened private blood bank by the name Cryo-save. Professor McGuckin says that every parent should consider it.

“There is nothing complicated about taking cord blood. It’s simple and no risk to the mother or child. Every single member of my team has been trained to do it and it takes about five minutes,” says Professor McGuckin. “If you have a child and store the blood, that blood will be around for a long time to come, in case it is needed. If you do not store then that child’s options are more-limited if they get sick.”

 
In Dubai it costs approximately dhs13, 000 to save umbilical cord blood for 20 years with Cryo-save. Those that cannot afford this are still urged, however, to donate to public cord blood banks.

 
“I would urge people to save cord blood or donate to public banks if you can’t afford to store it, because at a later date, if your cord blood is still in the public bank there is a high chance of getting it back should you need it,” says Professor McGuckin. “Statistically, the more cord blood in the bank, the more chance of matches there are for people that need it.”

 
Saving cord blood does sound like a sound biological investment. Apart from already making massive progress in the treatment of diabetes Type 1, strokes, leukemia and certain cancers using cord blood stem cells, Professor McGuckin and his team say they also hope to discover a treatment for ‘bubble gum children’ - children that have lost their immune systems and have to stay inside pressurised bubbles because if you touch them they die of infection.

 
“All it takes is a few minutes after a baby’s birth to collect these precious cells, but unfortunately not enough parents know that this could be an option for them,” says Professor McGuckin. “It’s not good enough just putting a brochure in a doctor’s lab, we need to really be putting the message out there for people to consider.” “Preserving cord blood could save many lives and lots of money in the very near future.”

7Days, February 4, 2008

Dubai (UAE) – First born baby girls of young mothers provide more samples of cord blood stems as compared to boys, an expert said yesterday.

 
Talking about a study carried out on 50 cord blood samples of newborns in New Castle, UK, in 2007 and published in Science Direct, Dr Nico Forraz, Senior Research Associate, New Castle University and Director ConoWorld Ltd, said the age of the parents, the number of children they have and the gender of the baby affects the quality of stem cells derived from cord blood at the time of birth for storage.

 
Dr Forraz, who was part of the research team, was speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the recent Arab Health Exhibition and Congress that was held in Dubai.

Citing the results and the correlations derived from the study, Dr Forraz said, “The study titled ‘Cord blood revelations’ revealed interesting facts about the number and quality of cells obtained due to change in vital statistics of people.”

“It was also noted that the birth weight also affected the number of collectible cells. If the baby is bigger, the cells are closely clustered,” he said.

 
He also said that the age of the mother at delivery also affected the number. “If the mother is older and the child is not her first, then the number of cells available is lesser as compared to a younger mother delivering her first baby,” he explained.

 
Likewise, the gestational stage also played a major role in the clustering of cells, he added.

 
Dr Forraz and Colin McGuckin, Professor of Regenerative Medicine, Newcastle Centre for Cord Blood, University of Newcastle, UK created the first world’s first artificial liver from stem cells in a breakthrough in 2006.

 
Described as a ‘Eureka moment’ by the Newcastle University researchers, the tissue was created from blood taken from babies’ umbilical cords just a few minutes after birth.

Khaleej Times, February 3, 2008

Dubai (UAE) – The two British scientists, who grew the world’s first artificial liver from stem cells, have urged the UAE authorities to promote cord blood stem cell banking for future cure of the highly prevalent genetic disorders here.

 
Professor Colin P. McGuckin and Dr, Nico Forraz from Newcastle University’s prestigious Center for Life asked the gynecologist and obstetricians in the country to take initiative in this regard in their speeches at the Arab Health Congress, which concluded in Dubai on Thursday.

The scientist-duo, who made the breakthrough invention of “cord-blood-derived embryonic-like stem cells” that have the unique qualities of both adult and embryonic stem cells, later told he Gulf Today that there UAE also needed to promote more public banking of cord blood stem cells.

 
They pointed out that stem cells from umbilical cord blood could be used for either curing or supporting 85 disorders and conditions found mostly in blood and immune system. Cord blood stem cells can be used for tissue engineering, the future of regenerative medicine, they said. By 2008, there will 10,000 patients worldwide who have been successfully cured through cord blood stem cell transplant.

 
“The cord blood sample collection in the UAE is now about 0.05 per cent while countries like Korea collect cord blood samples of about 14 per cent of newborn children. The UAE needs to promote cord blood banking especially because of the high prevalence of genetic disorders in the population,” said McGuckin.

 
There should be better public education, he said, urging physicians to discuss banking options with parents during pregnancy level itself. He also said the hospitals should take the initiative in supporting cord blood banking and training their staff for the procedures.

 
Highlighting the need for legislations to regularize the functioning of these banks, he said, the laws needed to be sensible for adopting the evolving technologies.

 
Forraz said that the perception of parents was increasingly becoming positive as most of them interviewed in some western countries wanted to help patients by donating cord blood stem cells of their children.

 
“There are 130 million babies are born every year. Every mother should be made aware of the benefits of cord blood banking. The awareness among women should start when they are in schools,” he said.

Quoting international studies, he said that the stem cells are very mature by nine months of gestational age and that was over 89 per cent of cord blood samples can be collected for fruitful use. “More cord blood samples means more chances for finding tissue matches for every patient,” he said.

Gulf Today, February 2, 2008

Dubai (UAE) – Parents in Dubai can now store stem cells from the umbilical cord of their newborn baby with a private laboratory.

 
Cryo-Save opened its new facility in Dubai yesterday and revealed that parents would have to pay Dhs 13,000 to have their child's cord blood stored for 20 years. The private cord blood bank has been launched two months after the public Dubai Cord Blood and Research Centre opened.

 
Yesterday's opening ceremony at the centre's temporary home in Knowledge Village it will later move to Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park was attended by Minister of Health, Humaid Mohammad Obaid Al Qutami.

 
Marc Waeterschoot, chief executive of Cryo-Save, said stored cord blood could potentially be used for the treatment of 85 diseases.

 
"There are many therapies around the corner over the next two to five years that it is useful to store stem cells for," he said.

 
Cryo-Save, which launched its first cord blood bank in Belgium in 2000, now operates in 26 countries and has collected cord blood from 46,000 people. Each time a sample of blood is collected in Dubai, half will be stored locally and the other half stored in a Cryo-Save facility in Europe, to reduce the chance of it being lost.

 
Dr Abdulqadar Al Khayat, executive director of Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park, said that private banks, unlike their public counterparts, allowed the parents to retain ownership of their baby's cord blood.

 
He added: "Keeping cord blood is a kind of insurance policy. You can keep your child's stem cells stored in case it has some genetic disease that needs treatment.”

Gulf News, September 13, 2006

Dubai (UAE) – Cryo-Save Arabia, the region’s first private cord blood stem cell bank was officially launched by the UAE Minister of Health, Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qutami at the Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park yesterday.

Cord blood is what remains in the umbilical cord after the baby is born. Although once discarded as medical waste, cord blood is scientifically proven to be rich in stem cells. Stem cells have the ability to regenerate into other cell types, including those that carry oxygen, fight disease and curtail bleeding.

A subsidiary of Cryo-Save, the largest private stem cell bank in Europe, Cryo Save Arabia has been set up to target the Middle East Region.

In June, the first government stem cell centre was set up for the public in Al Wasl Hospital. For the first year, the centre has a storage capacity above 1,000 blood units. In order to reduce the risk of losing the cells, half of the blood sample will be stored in Dubai while the other half will be stored in one of Cryo-Save’s facilities in Europe.

“Though the facility will be more expensive than the government one, there is still need for more such facilities because Dubai is a hub and continues to grow,” said the minister.

Dr. Marc Waeterschoot, CEO Cryo-Save, said: “Cryo-Save Arabia is proud to be the first private storage facility for cord blood stem cells in the region. Over 45,000 parents have used our facilities across the world. Cryo-Save meets the highest global benchmarks in the processing and storing of cord blood stem cells and we are delighted to bring the expertise to Dubai.”

 
Dr. Abdulqader Al Khayat, Executive Director, DuBiotech said: “We are glad to welcome Cryo-Save Arabia to the DuBiotech community. Cryo-Save Arabia will help in providing treatment options for several previously-untreatable critical illnesses. We are seeking to attract many more cutting-edge biotechnology companies similar to Cryo Save to the region. One of our key objectives is to develop a regulatory framework that will give global companies the confidence and security necessary to locate in our cluster.”

 
Treatments using cord blood stem cells have been rapidly developing in the past few years. Cord blood stem cells are either used for the donor baby (autologous transplantation), or for siblings, parents, grandparents, or cousins (allogenic transplantation). Medically accepted as an alternative to bone marrow, stem cells have been used to treat 80 conditions including cancer, blood disorders, and genetic diseases.

 
Cryo-Save Arabia will be located temporarily at the Dubai Media City Boutique Offices before moving to the Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park when the facility is ready by the end of 2007.

 
Khaleej Times, September 13, 2006

Dubai (UAE) – Cryo-Save Arabia, the first private company in the Gulf region to specialize in the collection, isolation and storage fo stem cells from umbilical cord blood has started operations in Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park (DuBiotech). Cryo-Save is the largest cord blood bank in Europe.

 
According to Sarah al-HajAli, laboratory director, Cryo-Save Arabia, the company would afford parents the luxury to access the stored cord blood for their own or a family member’s use.”This is unlike a public storage bank where the parents give up ownership of the cord blood, which can be used for transplants, research or be sold to another bank or research institute,” she said.

Al-HajAli added that Cryo-Save Arabia is storing the cord blood stem cells of a UAE national lady and has signed letters of intent with three UAE hospitals to store cord blood stem cells.

 
Talking about the rules and regulations at Cryo-Save Arabia, Al HajAli said stored cord blood stem cells will not be released without the written consent of the mother, parent or the child’s guardian. She added that Cryo-Save Arabia provided the option of storing cord blood in its laboratories in Dubai, Germany or Belgium.

 
Al-HajAli said the collected stem cells are divided into two batches, with one stored in Dubai and one in Belgium.

 
Al-HajAli said Cryo-Save Arabia was a member of American Association of Blood Banks and is in the process of being accredited by it.

The Emirates Evening Post, September 6, 2006

Dubai (UAE) – Cryo-Save, the largest and longest-established private stem cell bank in Europe, announced that it will set up Cryo-Save Arabia, the region’s first private cord blood cell bank at the Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park (DuBiotech).

 
Parents across the region now have a world-class private facility where they can store their newborn baby’s cord blood cells. Cryo-Save is the only private facility in Europe that stores an individual’s cord blood at two locations, thereby reducing the risk of losing the cells to an absolute minimum.

Cord blood cells, extracted from the umbilical cord at birth, have become an accepted alternative to bone marrow as a source of stem cells for transplantation. Once routinely discarded along with the placenta and considered a waste product, it has been used in more than 6,000 transplants worldwide.

 
Cord blood cells are the building blocks of the body's blood and immune system and the "master cells" that retain the ability to divide and differentiate into other cell types.Cryo-Save uses third-generation computerised storage devices to store cord blood cells.

 
Said Dr. Marc Waeterschoot, CEO of Cryo-Save: “Over 40,000 parents have used our facilities across the world to store the cord blood cells of their new-born children.

 
Stem cell research is one of the key activities which DuBiotech seeks to promote at the biotechnology cluster we are building,” said Dr. Abdulqader Al Khayat, Executive Director of DuBiotech. “Storage facilities that maintain the highest global standards are critical to the development of stem cell research. In addition to attracting global companies, DuBiotech is developing a regulatory framework aimed at maintaining the highest quality standards in our cluster,” he added.

 
Cryo-Save’s facilities at DuBiotech support the increasing use of cord blood cells in stem cell transplants. They are used either for the donor baby (autologous transplantation), or for siblings, parents, grandparents, or cousins (allogenic transplantation). Recent studies have shown a doubling of the survival rate with cord blood cell transplants from a relative, compared with stem cells from unrelated donors.

 
To date, stem cell transplants have been used to treat 80 conditions, including various cancers, blood disorders, and genetic diseases. Cryo-Save Arabia will be operational by early August. It will be located temporarily at the Dubai Media City Boutique Offices before moving to the Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park (DuBiotech) when the facility is ready by the end of 2007.

 
Khaleej Times, June 26, 2006

Dubai (UAE) – Cryo-Save, the largest and longest-established private stem cell bank in Europe, on Saturday announced that it will set up Cryo-Save Arabia, the region's first private cord blood cell bank, in the Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park (DuBiotech).

 
Parents across the region now have a world-class private facility where they can store their newborn baby's cord blood cells. Cryo-Save is the only private facility in Europe that stores an individual's cord blood at two locations, thereby reducing the risk of losing the cells to an absolute minimum.

 
Cord blood cells, extracted from the umbilical cord at birth, have become an accepted alternative to bone marrow as a source of stem cells for transplantation. Once routinely discarded along with the placenta and considered a waste product, it has been used in more than 6,000 transplants worldwide.

 
Cord blood cells are the building blocks of the body's blood and immune system and the "master cells" that retain the ability to divide and differentiate into other cell types.

 
Cryo-Save uses third-generation computerised storage devices to store cord blood cells. The storage facilities meet the highest global standards and have been accredited by European bodies like Beltest.

 
"Cryo-Save Arabia is proud to be the first private storage facility for cord-blood cells in the region," said Dr Marc Waeterschoot, CEO of Cryo-Save. "Over 40,000 parents have used our facilities across the world to store the cord blood cells of their new-born children. Cryo-Save meets the highest global benchmarks in the processing and storing of cord blood cells and we are delighted to bring the same expertise to Dubai," he added.

 
Recent studies have shown a doubling of the survival rate with cord blood cell transplants from a relative, compared with stem cells from others.

Gulf News, June 25, 2006