Regenerative Treatments May Begin with Newborn Stem Cells
SAN BRUNO, Calif., Aug. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The recent groundbreaking
finding of "embryonic-like" stem cells in umbilical cord blood could
dramatically speed up the discovery of improved treatments for conditions such
as diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, stroke, and spinal cord injury.
A team of British and American researchers uncovered a number of stem
cells in umbilical cord blood, with characteristics similar to embryonic stem
cells. In laboratory experiments, the team has successfully turned the
"embryonic-like" stem cells into liver cells. According to Stephen Grant,
Senior Vice President of Cord Blood Registry (CBR), the world's largest cord
blood bank, "the discovery provides added value to the investment made by the
estimated 300,000 families that have opted to cryogenically preserve their
newborns' cord blood for current and emerging uses." Earlier this year the
Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended, and Senate Bill SB2039 requires, that
all pregnant women are educated on the value of saving their baby's cord blood
at birth. Age-old medical practice is to discard cord blood as biological
waste without knowledge or consent of the mother as to its potential future
value.
With four million annual births in the United States, the newly discovered
cells, named "cord-blood-derived embryonic-like stem cells" or CBEs, are
significant in that they may enable researchers and physicians to harness the
potential of embryonic stem cells without the ethical objections.
"This finding would confirm what I have believed all along -- that newborn
stem cells have significant potential to differentiate into other cell types
and are positioned in between true embryonic cells and adult cells in terms of
their regenerative potential," said David Harris, Ph.D., Professor of
Microbiology at the University of Arizona in Tucson and Scientific Director at
CBR. Harris, a noted expert in newborn stem cells and member of the Arizona
Cancer Center and the Children's Research Center, has uncovered similar
findings in his research using newborn stem cells to grow corneas, repair
hearts, and grow nerve tissue. He presented his findings at a recent meeting
of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) in June in San
Francisco.
"As emerging therapies develop, we believe that all families who have
banked newborn stem cells with CBR will be able to take advantage of
regenerative therapies for conditions we could all face throughout our
lifetime," said Grant. "The discovery adds further support to the increasing
body of scientific evidence that newborn stem cells have significant potential
for use in tissue repair. The marked growth in consumer demand for our service
is a direct result of the very rapid progress being achieved with newborn stem
cells."
In the past few months CBR has retrieved cord blood units for newborns
needing to use their own cryopreserved sample for stem cell infusions in an
effort to repair damage from anoxia and traumatic brain injury. Another
newborn stem cell infusion is scheduled for October as therapy for a child
with cerebral palsy. These treatments are believed to be the first of their
kind in the United States.
The study about "cord-blood-derived embryonic-like stem cells," appears in
the August issue of Cell Proliferation.
About Newborn Stem Cells
-- Newborn stem cells are derived from the blood remaining in the
umbilical cord and placenta following delivery of a newborn.
-- Newborn stem cells were first used in 1988 to treat Fanconi anemia.
Today they are used to treat over 75 serious illnesses.
-- Newborn stem cells are biologically unique because they are 8-10 times
more proliferative than adult cells and they are immunologically
immature in comparison to adult cells, which reduces the risk of
rejection
-- Newborn stem cells have the longest telomeres of accessible cells which
may benefit age related medical treatments
-- Newborn stem cells are simple to collect and to cryogenically preserve
for future use.
About CBR
CBR is the world's largest newborn stem cell bank. CBR's laboratory has
been collecting and processing newborn stem cells for family banking since
1992. The company has recorded profits from its operating activities since
1999, with acceleration in profit growth in recent quarters. Over
350,000 units of newborn stem cells for client families are preserved at CBR's
new 80,000-square-foot facility in Tucson, Arizona. The company's research and
development is focused on advancing the collection, processing, and storage
methods to optimize quality and cell yield. Additionally, CBR facilitates
collection of donated research samples which are made available for the nearly
200 research programs worldwide that are focused on stem cell expansion and
cell-based therapies. For more information, visit http://www.cordblood.com ,
or call 1-888-CORD BLOOD. Cord Blood Registry is a registered trademark of
Cbr Systems, Inc.
CONTACT:
Rita Kennen
1-800-588-6377, ext. 239
rkennen@cordblood.com
SOURCE Cbr Systems, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.www.cordblood.com
CONTACT:
media, Rita Kennen of CBR, +1-800-588-6377,
ext. 239, or rkennen@cordblood.com
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