Cord Blood Developments

With the sudden outbreak of coronavirus, pregnant women have become concerned about how COVID-19 will affect them. As the race to find a fast and effective treatment option continues, many are seeking a solution in cellular therapy. Research in the clinical trial setting is pointing to the fact that the mesenchymal stem cells found in cord tissue may be used to treat patients infected with the virus. With this possibility, the decision to preserve umbilical stem cells becomes even more critical as cellular therapies begin to emerge for various conditions.
 

Among the different types of stem cells that cord blood contains, natural killer (NK) cells exhibit unique properties capable of targeting cancer cells and virus-infected cells. With the sudden outbreak of viruses such as COVID-19, otherwise known as coronavirus, there becomes an even greater need to seek “off-the-shelf” treatments that are quickly accessible to patients. Clinical studies are looking at umbilical cord stem cells as a possible method of treatment.

In the spirit of retrospection, as we have entered a new decade, we wanted to pay homage to the advancements this past decade has seen in regards to cord blood and cord tissue research. The past ten years have yielded a tremendous amount of research in what is possible in the way of regenerative treatments in several conditions that were otherwise thought of as untreatable through the use of umbilical cord blood and cord tissue stem cells.

Mary Webb was joined by her children, Quentin (16) and Jory (11), to speak at Cryo-Cell's Cord Blood Educator Conference this year. At the age of four, Quentin was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Quentin is one of the 3,000 children diagnosed with ALL each year in the United States. She shared her impactful story of dealing with her son’s cancer diagnosis and how, now, she is a strong proponent of umbilical cord stem cells. 

November 15^th was World Cord Blood Day (WCBD), a day organized and hosted by Save the Cord Foundation to promote awareness and education on the topic of cord blood. The day’s presentations centered around sharing new research advancements and the incredible life-saving potential of cord blood stem cells. Don’t fret if you missed the events of the day-- we’re here to provide you with the highlights from the keynote researchers!

This past October, Cryo-Cell’s passionate team of cord blood educators met with Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg, from Duke University Medical Center, to hear about the latest developments in clinical trials using cord blood and cord tissue. Her presentation was centered around recent advancements in stem cell expansion, her work in recent clinical trials, and she also shared successful umbilical cord transplant stories of former patients.

The Apgar test is used by obstetricians and midwives as a way to capture a brief glance into a newborn’s general health in intervals of one minute, five minutes, and ten minutes after birth to determine if immediate medical intervention is needed. We help you understand what the Apgar score means and how umbilical cord stem cells could play a role in the equation.
 

Recently, there has been a proliferation of start-up companies to cryogenically preserve the blood of adults for future use. These companies have come under recent scrutiny after the International Society of Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) issued a consumer alert. What did the ISCT determine? In a nutshell, storing adult stem cells for future use is unwise. We support the ruling of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and ISCT’s stance. Let’s address the what, how, and why.

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a type of congenital heart disease which affects 1 to 3 of every 10,000 children. Treatment for this condition consists of three rounds of surgery. However, clinical trials in regenerative medicine are being explored for alternative forms of treatment that are less invasive. The answer may lie in cord blood stem cells.

When it comes to parenthood, expecting parents have many questions and concerns as to what is best for their little one. Cord blood banking should be an aspect of consideration. Many understand the importance of umbilical cord stem cells and the potential these cells hold, but may still have some reservations about cord blood banking. We are here to answer the top five, lesser-known, questions about cord blood banking to help you make an informed decision.