Stem Cell Collections on the Rise

NEW YORK, Dec. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Americord, one of the fastest growing private cord blood banks in the United States, reached a new milestone in November when its collections of mesenchymal stem cells from umbilical cord tissue and placenta tissue accounted for roughly 30% of overall stem cell collections, the highest percentage ever. Mesenchymal stem cells are considered to be particularly valuable as a result of their ability to differentiate into a broad range of other cells found in the human body. Americord, which is committed to advancing the science behind stem cell preservation and therapy, recently validated a new method of collecting and isolating mesenchymal stem cells from placenta tissue.

The new collection process puts the company at the forefront of the development of mesenchymal stem cell collection technology and introduces an additional source of the potentially valuable cells. Mesenchymal stem cells are found in both cord tissue and placenta tissue.

Mesenchymal stem cells are currently the subject of over 40 clinical trials and researchers believe that one day they could be useful in numerous regenerative therapies to treat cartilage damage, diabetes, heart disease, HIV, liver disease, stroke, and spinal cord injuries among many other diseases and conditions.

Americord is continuing to develop additional stem cell collection products, including CordAdvantage, which is in the final stages of development. CordAdvantage will utilize a proprietary process to maximize the volume of stem cells that can be harvested from cord blood found in the placenta immediately following the birth of a baby. CordAdvantage will provide parents the opportunity to collect many more stem cells than originally thought possible from cord blood, offering the possibility of collecting enough stem cells from a newborn to potentially treat an adult.  

About Americord
Americord is a leader in the advancement of umbilical cord blood, cord tissue and placenta tissue banking. Americord collects, processes, and stores newborn stem cells from umbilical cord blood for future medical or therapeutic use, including the treatment of more than 80 blood diseases such as sickle cell anemia and leukemia. Founded in 2008, Americord is registered with the FDA and operates in all 50 states. The company's laboratory is CLIA Certified, accredited by the AABB and complies with all federal and state guidelines and applicable licenses. Americord is headquartered in New York, NY. You may visit Americord's website at cordadvantage.com for more information. You may also find Americord on Facebook and follow the company on Twitter.

Contact: Andrew Flook
Americord Registry
866-503-6005
[email protected]

SOURCE Americord