Advanced materials have become pivotal in the transformation of healthcare. They are not merely functional components, they symbolize a significant leap in our ability to diagnose, treat, and manage diseases. [Read more…]
Cord Blood
Because cord blood present within a newborn’s umbilical is rich with stem cells, it can be collected and stored for future medical use.
Venture Capital Funding Flowing into the iPSC Sector by Year
The induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) sector has attracted strong venture capital funding in recent years, reflecting growing confidence in its potential across regenerative medicine, drug development, toxicology testing, personalized medicine, and disease modeling. From 2021 to 2024, numerous companies secured substantial investments, signaling a promising future for iPSC-based innovations.
This article examines key funding events in the sector, analyzing the scale of investments, their trajectory over time, and the companies driving industry growth. [Read more…]
Cord Blood Banking in Latin America – Interview with James Mendez of Cryoholdco
In this interview with James Alexis Mendez, we discuss the market strategy of CryoHoldco, a stem cell bank holding company that is the market leader in Latin America and one of the ten largest cord blood banks in the world. James Alexis Mendez currently serves as the CFO and Board member of CryoHoldco. Approaching 200,000 stem cell units in storage, CryoHoldco is more than 5X larger than any other stem cell bank in Latin America. CryoHoldco owns the cord blood market leaders in both Mexico and Colombia, and plans to expand into other regions of Latin America. [Read more…]
Amniotic Stem Cells: An Extension of the Cord Blood Banking Model
Amniotic stem cells, which can be sourced from the amniotic fluid or the placenta after a live, healthy birth, possess a unique blend of multipotency and lack of tumorigenicity. In an extension of the cord blood banking model, these cells may improve outcomes where long-term cell survival and functionality is important. Recently, I had the honor of interview Dr. Todd McAllister, Executive Director at the Amnion Foundation, a non-profit organization with the mission to build a genetically diverse public cell bank that can provide an immunological match to the majority of the population.
In this interview, we discuss the Amnion Foundation’s vision, research and clinical approach, scale-out strategy, and interest in joint partnerships that will support greater utilization of amniotic stem cells. It is captivating to get an insider look at the Amnion Foundation, a non-profit that is introducing a new extension to the traditional cord blood and tissue banking market.
As the cord blood banking market matures and consolidates and diversifies into new types of perinatal stem cell storage, the Amnion Foundation will be uniquely positioned to advise cord blood banks on how to integrate amniotic stem cell banking into their service portfolio.
Cord Blood Stem Cells, as Compared to Other Stem Cell Alternatives
Since the first stem cell transplant occurred more than 50 years ago (1957), there has been a nearly exponential increase in stem cell transplants, and in late 2012, the millionth stem cell transplant occurred, a landmark event in stem cell medicine. Cord blood stem cells have distinct advantages over other sources, including that they are:
• Younger
• More adaptable
• More pure
These traits result from cord blood stem cells being the earliest (non-controversial) stem cells that can be extracted from a living human, and therefore haven’t been exposed to viruses, chemicals, or pollutants in the environment that can alter cell function.
While bone marrow stem cells are the most commonly recognized type of stem cell used in transplant, cord blood stem cells are increasingly showing advantages over other stem cell sources, including reduced immune reactions (such as GvHD) and a greater flexibility for HLA-mismatched cord blood units to be used in transplant. Although cord blood banks began offering their services in the United States in the mid-1990’s, it is within the past ten-years that the percentage of cord blood transplants has significantly increased.
Today, it is clear that the stem cells contained within cord blood banking have the potential to improve and save lives. Since the first cord blood transplant was performed in 1988, stem cells derived from umbilical blood have been used in more than 30,000 transplants worldwide. However, many expectant parents still do not fully understand the significance of cord blood storage.
Unfortunately, a study published in the 2006 Journal of Reproductive Medicine showed that a third of expectant parents are unaware of the option to preserve cord blood. Of the two-thirds who have some knowledge, 74% describe themselves as “minimally informed.” The study also identified that 84% of prenatal patients expected their obstetricians to be able to provide them with information on the subject of cord blood banking; however, only about 14% were educated about cord blood banking by their nurse or obstetrician.
Subsequently, a 2014 Parent Survey conducted by BioInformant Worldwide, LLC (600+ responses from recent and expectant parents), identified that these percentages have shifted very little since 2006, despite attempts in most countries worldwide to encourage healthcare providers to offer prenatal patients balanced information on public and private cord blood banking options.
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