Manila, 17
October 2013 – Cordlife Philippines, the leading cord
blood and tissue banking service provider in the country, continues its
commitment to innovation with the launch of its newest service: umbilical cord
banking. The offering allows expectant parents to store their newborn’s
umbilical cord—and the stem cells it contains–for potential use in future
therapeutic applications.
“The introduction of umbilical cord banking represents
the latest milestone for Cordlife Philippines—one which reflects our dedication
to introducing pioneering products and services to our customers,” said Jeremy
Yee, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Cordlife Group Limited.
“We take great pride in offering Filipino parents the additional option of
storing their child’s cord tissue to help them further safeguard their family’s
future.”
Banking
on cells
According to Dr. Arvin Faundo, Medical
Director of Cordlife Philippines, the umbilical cord is abundant with two types
of stem cells—epithelial stem cells (EpSCs) and mesenchymal stem cells
(MSCs)—which hold immense potential in repairing injured tissues and organs as
well as treating various diseases.
Epithelial stem cells (EpSCs) form the lining tissues
that connect, support or surround other structures and organs of the body
including cornea, skin, and liver. Based on current research, EpSCs are
considered to be a possible key resource for epidermal and skin regeneration as
they have demonstrated potential in treating surface ulcers, burns and tissue
trauma such as those from accidents. They are also being studied in
regenerative medicine for corneal replacement.
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), meanwhile, are
the building blocks of the structural tissues of the human body such as bone,
cartilage, muscle, fibrous tissues and fat. Current clinical trials are
on-going worldwide to uncover the potential applications of MSCs, which can
possibly include repairing damage caused by stroke, spinal cord injury,
multiple sclerosis, amyotropic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, multiple
system atrophy, liver diseases, diabetic foot ulcers and diabetes.
The cord blood is a proven source of
hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) or blood-forming stem cells used in the
treatment of blood disorders, immunodeficiencies, and certain cancers. MSCs can
also be found in cord blood, though in much smaller quantities.
“In this way, umbilical cord banking
complements cord blood banking,” commented Dr. Faundo. “Both services allow for
the maximum recovery of all types of stem cells, increasing options for
possible future use.”
To facilitate collection, a personalized kit
will be provided to umbilical cord banking customers which can be brought to
the hospital during delivery. The specimen will be picked up by Cordlife up
within 24 hours from actual time of delivery and, afterwards, processed and
stored in cryogenic storage tanks at its UP-Ayalaland Technohub facility in
Quezon City within 48 hours.
Looking forward
Apart from its highly-secure world-class
facility which operates 365 days a year, customers also benefit from Cordlife’s
use of Cell Optima™, an advanced patented technology for stem cell isolation. Developed by Singapore-based
clinician-scientists and exclusively available at Cordlife, the technology can
isolate and expand EpSCs and MSCs from the umbilical cord, giving families more
medical options in the future.
Moreover, unlike other stem cell banks,
Cordlife cryopreserves stem cells in its original form, allowing superior
quality cells to be derived for future medical therapy. This also lets families
take advantage of future advancements in stem cell technology.
“At the heart of umbilical cord banking is helping
parents secure their child’s future well-being,” stated Yee. “Cordlife, with
its expertise and access to best-available technology, allows them to do
exactly this—preparing for any eventuality and safeguarding their family’s
health.”
# # #
ABOUT CORDLIFE MEDICAL
PHILIPPINES, INC.
A wholly-owned subsidiary of Cordlife Group
Limited, Cordlife Medical Philippines,
Inc. (“Cordlife Philippines”) was first established in January 2006 as a marketing office.
In February 2010, Cordlife Philippines
officially opened the country’s first
and only ISO9001:2008 certified cord blood processing and storage facility
to better serve the
Filipino families, who now have more flexible
banking options for their baby’s cord blood - in any of the Cordlife’s
facilities across Asia. Cordlife Philippines is also registered with the
Department of Health.
Located in UP-Ayalaland Technohub in Quezon
City, the local facility has a storage capacity of more than 20,000 cord blood
units, and uses liquid nitrogen for long-term cryopreservation. The
highly-secure world-class facility operates 365 days a year and offers the
world’s only fully automated cord blood processing system, SEPAX™.
In February 2013, Cordlife Philippines
introduced its newest line of service – umbilical
cord tissue banking using Cell Optima™, an advanced patented technology for
stem cell isolation. Developed by Singapore-based clinician-scientists and
exclusively available at Cordlife, the technology can isolate and expand
epithelial stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells from the umbilical cord,
giving families more medical options in the future.
Cordlife
Medical Philippines, Inc.
Unit
101 Building H, U.P.-AyalaLand TechnoHub
Commonwealth
Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 Philippines
Tel.
No.: (02) 470 1735 / 332 1888
E-mail
address: info@ph.cordlife.com
Website
: www.cordlife.ph
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