I have read
and hear news about stem cells and what it can do to someone who want to be
younger looking again. But there is more things than beauty as to why a parent
should save a stem cells and that’s for the protection of their children.
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.
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| Cordlife Cryo Tank |
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| Cleaning |
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| Processing |
“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
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| “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.” |
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.
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
