It is important to thoroughly research the private cord blood bank that you are interested in before choosing one. After all — your child’s umbilical cord blood is an important medical resource that could someday save their life. To help you learn more about Cells4Life, here are 5 important facts you should know about us.

1. Cells4Life has released cord blood and cord tissue samples for transplant

When comparing umbilical cord blood banks, one of the most important considerations is the company’s track record for maintaining therapeutically useful cord blood stem cells. You should make sure that the bank has a record of providing viable samples when they were needed.

Cells4Life cord blood bank has been processing and storing cord blood samples since 2002. Our company was the first to offer a stem cell storage and collection service in the UK. We have released cord blood and cord tissue samples for transplant since 2012:

We currently have more than 150,000 cord blood samples in storage, ready to be quickly retrieved whenever parents require them for a medical procedure. If needed for transplant, we’ll ship your cord blood sample to the treatment facility free of charge for approved treatment or therapy, anywhere in the world.

2. We use a state-of-the-art cord blood collection kit

Safely and efficiently moving the collected cord blood sample from the hospital to the processing facility is crucial. If the sample is exposed to temperatures that are too high or too low, the sample’s viability might be affected, and it can also be damaged or destroyed.

Cells4Life is the first cord blood bank to use a state-of-the-art cord blood collection kit with an award winning design. Our kit has a built-in cooling device called NanoCool that keeps the temperature of between 2 to 8 degrees Celsius and can last up to 72 hours – maintaining the sample’s viability as it is transported to our laboratory in the UK for testing and processing.

The Cells4Life collection kit is packaged in compliance with IATA Packing Instruction 650:

• The primary receptacle — the cord blood collection bags and a bio-pouch.
• Secondary packaging that protects and insulates the sample — cardboard, vacuum insulated panels and a rigid plastic cooler that serves as a mini-fridge, maintaining the temperature at between 2-8 degrees Celsius during the journey.
• A sturdy outer box — a properly labeled external box for shipping.

Our cord blood collection kit includes collection materials needed to extract the cord blood from the umbilical cord. We also added a simple instruction manual with useful images to show how the collection is done and how to use the kit properly.

WATCH VIDEO: CORD BLOOD & TISSUE COLLECTION USING CELLS4LIFE KIT

3. Cells4Life stores cord blood samples in 2 geographically separate locations in the UK and in multiple subdivisions

Cells4Life provides the unique option of preserving the cord blood samples in 2 geographically separate storage labs in the UK, which are both licensed and approved by the HTA. Storing samples separately provides insurance against an unforeseeable accident or natural disaster at a storage facility.

We are also the only cord blood bank in the UK to store samples in multiple subdivisions which makes it easier to retrieve the appropriate sample size and minimise wastage. Multiple samples also provide more opportunities for use as you have the option to release just a portion of the sample as required for treatment and keep the remaining sample in storage until needed. It also allows more than one patient to benefit from the samples stored.

Our processing lab is open 24/7, 365 days a year – To obtain the maximum number of viable stem cells, cord blood samples should be processed as soon as possible. The Cells4Life cord blood bank processing facilities are always open and ready to deal with samples 24/7, 365 days each year.

4. New and ground-breaking blood processing technology

Our latest service CellsPlus uses a new and ground-breaking cord blood processing technology called TotiCyte. This unique technology delivers 3 times more stem cells at the point of treatment than any other method. It is patented by and is exclusive to Cells4Life. In 2018, TotiCyte is voted as the Most Innovative Blood Processing Technology by Parent & Baby Awards, UK.

TotiCyte removes 99% of red blood cells which means there’s no need to ‘wash’ the cord blood sample before using it for a transplant procedure. It safeguards more cells, making a successful transplant more likely.

WATCH VIDEO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TOTICYTE TECHNOLOGY

5. Cells4Life is the only stem cell bank that offers Placental Cells and Amnion banking in the UK & Middle East

Placenta is rich in amnion and placental cells that are at the forefront of regenerative medicine.

With placental cells banking, we specifically store the stem cells found within the Chorionic Villi (the three-like structures in the outer membrane of the amniotic sac). Placental cells are currently being used in clinical trials for conditions such as osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, Chrohn’s disease, ischaemic stroke, and more.

For Amnion banking, we collect the stem cells from the amnion (a thin sheet of epithelial and stromal cells that line the placental sac) which are known to have healing components like collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid. It also contains growth factors, anti-inflammatory proteins, and anti-microbial proteins.

Amnion has been proven effective for healing diabetic foot ulcers and it can support would healing and can reduce the formation of scar tissue. It is also currently being used in clinical trials for conditions such as dry eye, cardiovascular conditions, lung ang liver fibrosis, brain injury, and more.

More than 5 million families have stored their baby’s cord blood privately as a biological insurance to protect their child and family’s health in the future. By saving the cord blood, as well as other newborn stem cells – cord tissue, placental cells, amnion – your baby and your family will have access to even more cutting-edge regenerative therapies as they become available.

Cells4Life is the first and only stem cell bank in Europe and the Middle East licensed and regulated by both the HTA and AABB to collect, process and store Cord Blood, Cord Tissue, Placental Cells and Amnion for therapeutic use.