Banking of Non-Controversial Neonatal Stem Cells Increases
Institut J. Bordet (ULB) Brussels, Belgium becomes the fourth cord blood bank in Belgium and the tenth in Europe to adopt THERMOGENESIS CORP.'s BioArchive® System
RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--Aug. 6, 2001-- THERMOGENESIS CORP. (Nasdaq:KOOL - news) announced the receipt of an order for a BioArchive System from the Institut J. Bordet (``ULB'') in Brussels, Belgium under the direction of Dr. Alain Del Forge. The system was purchased to process and archive units of neonatal stem cells sourced from placental/cord blood (``PCB'') as part of a joint project with the Catholic University of Louvain (``UCL'') in Brussels. This will be the fourth BioArchive System chosen by a PCB stem cell bank in Belgium, joining identical systems at the UCL and university hospitals in Liege and Leuven.
According to Philip Coelho, chairman and CEO of THERMOGENESIS CORP., ``There are in fact three distinct sources of stem cells: embryonic (from embryos and fetuses), adult (from donations of adult tissue, bone marrow or blood), and neonatal (from placenta and umbilical cord blood). What particularly distinguishes the stem cells in donated cord blood is that, in biological age and proliferative capacity, these neonatal stem cells are much closer to embryonic tissue than adult stem cells and, since the placenta and umbilical cord are normally discarded, it is the only source of stem cells that can be collected without risk to any donor.''
Elsewhere in Europe, BioArchive Systems have been placed at the major Cord Blood Stem Cell Banks in Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain and Finland. In North America, BioArchive Systems are placed at the New York Blood Center, Duke University Medical Center, San Diego Blood Bank, NuStem Technologies, Inc., Coriell Institute for Medical Research pursuant to IND regulations, and the National Transfusion Service Cord Blood Bank in Mexico. Elsewhere, BioArchive Systems have been chosen in Japan, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, South Korea, Malaysia, India and Israel.
The company estimates that more than 70% of the cord blood stem cell transplants performed to date are from Cord Blood Banks that are now using the BioArchive System, which demonstrates that the BioArchive System is the international choice for collecting, processing, and archiving cryopreserved hematopoietic stem cells sourced from PCB. PCB stem cells are used to restore immune systems of patients who have undergone high-dose chemotherapy and radiation to combat diseases such as leukemias, lymphomas, diverse inherited anemias, such as sickle cell anemia and thalassemia, and other genetic diseases.
Dr. James Godsey, president and COO of THERMOGENESIS CORP. commented, ``We are pleased that the ULB has chosen to use the BioArchive System for their cord blood banking program.'' Dr. Godsey further noted, ``We continue to implement our strategic plan of installing a worldwide base of BioArchive Systems. We derive additional disposable product revenue and equipment revenue as these customers continue to grow their PCB cell therapy programs. Since many of these programs are government funded, gaining entry puts us in the favorable position of securing the customers because of the desire for standardization.''
Regulatory Status
The BioArchive System is a Class II blood component freezer exempt from the pre-market notification procedures. The BioArchive System has potential applications involving archiving, storing, managing and retrieving other kinds of biological specimens, that may include stem cells, dendritic cells, T-cells, cell lines, male sperm cells, female eggs, heart valves, corneas, virus samples, biopsy samples and other blood, tissue and saliva samples. The BioArchive System is currently intended for preservation of blood components and blood products and would require FDA pre-market clearance or approval for additional indications for use in the United States.
About THERMOGENESIS CORP.
THERMOGENESIS CORP. has been a pioneer in designing, manufacturing and distributing equipment to collect, cryopreserve and archive highly sensitive blood products and biological tissue for more than 10 years. |
