CBR Gains Momentum in First Quarter; Forecasts Strong Enrollment Growth in 2008

SAN BRUNO, Calif. – May 21, 2008 – Cord Blood Registry (CBR), the global leader in cord blood banking, announced today that the company anticipates significant growth in the business for the remainder of 2008, based on first quarter results. Client enrollments in the first quarter were up 24 percent from the previous quarter ended December 2007. In 2007, the market for cord blood banking grew an estimated 15 percent.

First quarter business results were favorably impacted in part by public policy supporting increased education and awareness of cord blood banking. Recently, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington joined a list that now totals 17 states which have passed laws intended to educate expectant parents on the benefits of cord blood stem cells and the options for preserving them. These states represent 61 percent of the four million U.S. births per year.

CBR also reported today a marked increase in the number of stem cell units released for medical use, particularly for children diagnosed with various forms of brain injury including cerebral palsy. These children are being infused with their own cord blood stem cells (also called autologous infusion) in an effort to induce healing in the brain. In the first quarter, the company released the stem cell units for five children with brain injuries and is scheduled to release an additional five units for this use by the - end of May. The company anticipates that it could release another 30 units for brain injury in the second half of the year, for a total of 40 by year’s end. This compares with a total of seven children with brain injury infused in 2007.

In addition to the uses for brain injury in the first quarter, one child whose cord blood was banked with CBR received an infusion of his own cells for type 1 diabetes.

“CBR has been a pioneer in collaborating with some of the world’s leading researchers in regenerative medicine, who are studying the use of a child’s own cord blood stem cells to induce healing and restore damaged or injured tissue in the body,” said Tom Moore, chief executive officer of CBR. “Our expertise and proprietary technology ensures that children who are banked with us and living with type 1 diabetes and cerebral palsy, have access to a high-quality collection of their own cord blood stem cells so they can participate in a treatment option for battling these life-altering and debilitating conditions.”

CBR Transplant Data Released at Major Medical Meeting
At this week’s International Society for Cellular Therapy annual meeting, a report was released reinforcing that regenerative medicine applications account for a significant and growing percent of cord blood collections released by CBR. A summary of this data can be viewed at the following URL: http://www.cordblood.com/cc/ISCT.pdf.

The report summarized the viability and quantity of cord blood stem cells from 23 units that were processed and stored at CBR and used for regenerative medicine applications, including various forms of brain injury, type 1 diabetes and an immune disorder. These cord blood units were stored an average of three years with a mean viability of 94.4 percent at the time of release.

“Cord blood is a preferred source of stem cells for clinical research in regenerative medicine because it contains a diverse population of pristine stem cells that have shown the capability to develop into all of the major cell types in the body,” said David T. Harris, PhD, professor of immunology at the University of Arizona, scientific director at CBR and lead author of the study. “Family banks like CBR are playing a pivotal role in advancing clinical research using an individual’s own cord blood stem cells to repair cells and treat disease.”

About Cord Blood Registry
Cord Blood Registry® (CBR®) is the world's largest and most experienced stem cell bank. The company founded the CBR Center for Regenerative Medicine^SM to support and advance medical research in regenerative treatments and help to link client families with clinical researchers with trials currently in place or on the horizon. CBR has consistently led the industry in technical innovations and safeguards more than 400,000 cord blood and cord tissue collections for individuals and their families. The company was the first family bank accredited by AABB and the company's quality standards have been recognized through ISO 9001:2008 certification—the global business standard for quality. CBR also has released more client cord blood units for specific therapeutic use than any other family cord blood bank. For more information, visit www.cordblood.com.