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Research Analysis: Access to Genetically-Related Cord Blood Stem Cells Increases Odds of Successful Transplant for Family Members

Study Presented at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting Supports Clinical Value of Related Cord Blood Donor Programs

ATLANTA – December 10, 2007 – According to the National Marrow Donor Program, on any given day approximately 6,000 patients in this country need a stem cell transplant, but can’t find a donor. Many die waiting for a suitable match. Data presented today at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting highlights the increasing therapeutic use of autologous (one’s own) cord blood stem cells as well as those classified as related-allogeneic (from a family member) in both traditional transplant and regenerative therapies. The study also reinforces the important role of family (or private) cord blood banks in facilitating genetically-related transplants through related donor programs.

Related donor programs – such as Cord Blood Registry’s (CBR) Designated Transplant Program – allow parents to preserve their newborn’s cord blood stem cells free of charge, for use by a related family member who has been diagnosed with a disease that can be treated with stem cells.

The analysis examined processing, storage and transplant recipient data from CBR, the world’s largest cord blood stem cell bank, including patient diagnosis, age, weight, HLA-match and cell viability. Transplant centers report engraftment and outcomes data following each cord blood transplant. From June 1993 to November 2007, CBR released 59 cord blood stem cell units for transplant. Physicians conducted the transplant procedures at 26 different transplant centers in 15 states.

“Related donor programs are an underutilized resource in transplant medicine,” said Jennifer Willert, MD, senior attending transplant physician and clinical professor at Rady Children’s Hospital, University of California, San Diego and lead author of this study. “It is my hope that this published information encourages more physicians on the front lines of maternity care to educate their patients about their cord blood banking options – particularly for patients who demonstrate a family history of diseases that cord blood is known to treat and who could benefit from a free, related donor cord blood banking program.”

Of the 59 cord blood units released by CBR, 41 units were used in related allogeneic transplant while 18 units were used in autologous treatment. Requested units were used in transplant for a variety of conditions, including malignant and non-malignant cancers, as well as regenerative medicine therapies to treat anoxic brain injury, cerebral palsy, type I diabetes and a rare immune disorder. Transplant recipients ranged in age from four months to 16 years, the exception being one 43-year-old. Time of cord blood storage ranged from one to 114 months. Upon thawing, all cord blood units had a 90 percent or greater viability and showed no infection.

“This analysis confirms that patients who have access to a readily available source of autologous or related allogeneic cord blood stem cells have a better chance of securing a suitable donor match,” said study co-author Joseph Rosenthal, MD, Director, Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, City of Hope. “As transplant medicine advances, we will continue to see the important role family banking plays in allowing us greater access to related cells that provide more therapeutic options for a range of blood disorders, cancers and immune diseases.”

According to published data, transplantation of genetically-related umbilical cord blood has demonstrated clinical advantages over bone marrow and unrelated umbilical cord blood. Stem cell transplants from genetically-related sources result in better survival rates than transplants from an unrelated donor and are associated with less frequent and less severe graft-vs.-host disease, a complication that occurs when the donor cells attack different parts of the body

“The growing number of requests CBR is receiving for release of samples is an important indication that the medical community is increasingly using autologous and genetically-related cord blood stem cells to help save lives,” said Tom Moore, chief executive officer of CBR. “The value of our service is to ensure that families have access to related cord blood stem cells that are viable for transplant. This analysis reaffirms the quality of our processing and, ultimately, the viability of stem cells we release for medical use for the families who have needed them.”

About Cord Blood Registry’s Designated Transplant Program®

The Designated Transplant Program®, a key component of CBR’s corporate responsibility efforts, offers expectant parents the opportunity to bank the cord blood of their newborn at no cost when another family member has been diagnosed with a condition that may require a stem cell transplant. The first charitable cord blood banking program of its kind, the Designated Transplant Program was launched in 1996 and currently has nearly 2,000 newborns enrolled in the program. For a family to qualify for the program, the designated recipient of the cord blood stem cells must be diagnosed with a disease currently treated with a stem cell transplant and be a first-or second-degree blood relative to the newborn (sibling, half-sibling, parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle). Additionally, the recipient’s physician must verify that the stem cells may be used for treatment. For qualified families, Cord Blood Registry will process and store the cord blood stem cells of the newborn in the family at no cost until they are needed for transplant.

About Cord Blood Registry

Cord Blood Registry® (CBR®) is the largest cord blood stem cell processing and cryopreservation service for familial use in transplantation and regenerative medicine and the most recommended cord blood bank by obstetricians. Accredited by AABB, Cord Blood Registry preserves cord blood stem cells for more than 195,000 newborns throughout the world. CBR has released more than 60 client cord blood units for specific therapeutic use, more than any other family cord blood bank. The company's research and development efforts are focused on advancing the medical therapies involving cord blood stem cells as well as the collection, processing and storage technologies to optimize quality and cell yield. Additionally, CBR facilitates collection of donated samples, available for research programs worldwide that are focused on stem cell expansion and other cell-based therapies. For more information about CBR, visit www.CordBlood.com

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