What is Stem Cell Banking?

Stem Cell banking is steadily gaining popularity in India. Let’s take a look at the scenario in India today such as the leading companies, their costs, the facilities they provide and so on.

The Popularity of Stem Cell Banks in India

The first stem cell transplant in the world was performed in 1988. But cord blood banking came to India much later, in 1990. It started at the Cancer Research Institute in Mumbai.

Stem cell stem cell treatment in India did not initially receive much support from the government which is why the first private stem cell bank in India was set up only in 2002.

Even now, the stem cell therapy in India is at a nascent stage but it is growing slowly so much so that the market that was valued at around USD 60 Million in 2013 is expected to rise to USD 400 Million by 2018.

In India storing cord blood cells for 18 to 21 years costs around Rs. 70,000-80,000. However, by making the costs more affordable for the middle class (who possess the largest spending power) and by introducing different EMI schemes, more market penetration is possible.

Tips to Choose a Stem Cell Company in India

Cord blood stem cell banking is a highly specialized industry. Do not decide a cord blood banking company just based on low costs that they might be offering.

These are the factors that you should bear in mind while making your decision:

  • It should have a good reputation. In this regard speak to your doctor, friends and family and even read up on the net about the options that you have.
  • It should be certified and have the required technological expertise and experience. After all collecting, transporting and preserving is a very specialized process.
  • The laboratory and storage facility should be owned by the cord blood bank itself.
  • Find out about the collection and the storage method because your sample will become useless in case of any contamination by virus or bacteria.
  • Find out if the storage facility has adequate power back up and fire fighting facility.
  • Know about your contract with the stem cell banking company and also when it will expire.
  • Find out that in case of expiry of the contract what happens to your sample.
  • The stem cell banking company should have a good tie up with the hospital where you would be having your delivery.
  • Choose a bank that has processed a number of cord blood samples successfully and have also used them for transplants.

Top Private Stem Cell Companies in India

The top three stem cell banking companies in India today are

  • LifeCell
  • Cordlife Sciences India Pvt. Limited
  • Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd.

LifeCell

IL SCB_LifeCell

About:

LifeCell is India’s first and largest stem cell bank and has over 100 centres acroos India. .

It has laboratories at Chennai and Gurgaon and was formed with the technology that was licensed from Cryo-Cell International.

LifeCell provides comprehensive stem cell solutions starting from cord blood banking to R&D and various stem cell therapies for orthopaedic and cardiovascular specialties.

Experience:

LifeCell began its operations in 2004. Since then it has collected and preserved cord blood samples of more than 85,000 children.

Prices:

LifeCell offers different cord blood banking plans. As per the standard plan the fees are:

  • Rs. 5,000 for enrollment
  • Rs. 9,990 is the umbilical cord blood processing fee (does not include collection fee)
  • Rs. 5,000 is the umbilical cord tissue processing fee

Rs. 19,990 is the total amount that needs to be paid at the time of enrolment.

The annual storage fee is:

  • Rs. 3,500 for a single site storage either at Chennai or Gurgaon
  • Rs. 4,000 for a dual storage at Chennai and at Gurgaon

Collection:

LifeCell’s collection kit comes with

  • 2 alcohol prep-pads
  • 1 set of sterile gloves
  • 1 sterile sheet
  • 1 iodine swab

It can be used in the operating room during a cesarean because it uses the Terumo Penpol 150 ml sterile blood bag. This bag is prefilled with the anti-coagulant CPD and also has a safety lock to avoid needle pricks and damage during collection.

Transportation:

The containers in which the units are transported have foam bricks. These maintain temperature for longer periods as compared to gel packs.

The temperature is recorded at the time the units are received.

LifeCell has a partnership with the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This ensures that the samples are transported at the earliest available flight even during weekends and on public holidays.

If shipping of the units is required, then that too is provided at the minimal base price within India.

Processing:

LifeCell has employed trained technicians who manually do the processing of the samples.

The processing is carried out in a closed system with proper codes such that errors are minimal.

Storage:

The final units are stored in in a multi-compartment cryo-bag encased in an overwrap. Initially these bags are kept in a quarantine freezer till it clears all the tests for various infectious diseases.

Then they are moved to a long-term storage freezer. This freezer is kept cold using cryogenic nitrogen.

Once the units have been stored the parents are provided with a preservation certificate. This certificate describes:

  • The blood group
  • The Rh type
  • Counts of various types of cells like the Total Nucleated Cell, MonoNuclear Cell, CD34+ cell and CD34+ stem cell

The mother’s blood is also screened for HIV, Syphilis, Malaria and additional tests as are required by AABB and the national regulatory authorities.

Licensing:

LifeCell holds licenses and accreditations from the likes of:

  • AABB (formerly American Association of Blood Banks) for Cord Blood
  • AABB for Somatic Cell Therapies
  • CAP Accredited (College of American Pathologists)
  • DCGI (Drug Control General of India) licensed
  • DSIR (Department of Scientific and Industrial Research) licensed for R&D
  • ICCBBA Registered (International Council for Commonality in Blood Banking Automation)
  • WHO GMP for Blood Establishment

It is also the first to be US FDA Registered (United States Food and Drug Administration) in India.

Guarantees:

It guarantees that if LifeCell is unable to provide the required stem cells when the need arises, it will find a matching sample within 14 days from any public bank in the world. If it cannot do so then it would pay the parents Rs.10 lakh as compensation.

LifeCell has a Disaster Relief Program through which it insures the sample against any disasters.

LifeCell’s storage insurance scheme ensures that it will continue to store the sample at its own cost for the entire tenure as mentioned in the Agreement in case of the demise or physical disability of the parent.

LifeCell has a full refund policy in which the entire money is refunded if the sample is finally not collected either because of health related issues of the mother and / or the child.

Community Service:

In association with the Rotary Club of Chennai Galaxy, LifeCell has started the Project Siranjeevi. The vision of this project is to bring down the number of thalassemia births in India to zero by 2020.

Other Services Offered:

LifeCell offers several additional services

  • Umbilical Cord Tissue Banking
  • Newborn Genetic Testing
  • Menstrual Blood Banking

Cordlife Sciences India Pvt. Limited

IL SCB_3Cordlife Sciences India Pvt. Limited

About:

Cordlife Sciences India Pvt. Limited is a member of the Cordlife Group Limited family of companies.

The group owns five cord blood laboratories in Singapore, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia and the Philippines with Kolkata being its main centre in India.

Experience:

Cordlife Group Limited is listed on the Mainboard of the Singapore Exchange.

The group also has a direct investment in China Cord Blood Corporation and is one of the top banks in China.

In 2011 Cordlife introduced the patented technology CellOptima wherein two types of stem cells can be isolated from the umbilical cord. These are the:

  • Epithelial stem cells
  • Mesenchymal stem cells

Cordlife Sciences India Pvt Limited began in 2013.

It is the only bank in India that cultures the stem cells in the laboratories such that their count can be expanded.

Prices:

The initial enrollment fee at Cordlife India is Rs. 5000. Thereafter a collection and storage fee for storing the sample for a period of 21 years is Rs. 50,000.

For a storage option for 25 years it has a scheme called Cordsure. This is at a cost of Rs. 60,000.

All the payment options come with a flexible paying option too for all those parents who are unable to pay it as a lump sum amount at one time.

Collection:

The collection kit is a closed blood bag (brand Terumo Penpol) that is pre-loaded with the anti-coagulant CPDA-1.

The kit also comes with a disinfectant Isopropyl alcohol swab.

Transportation:

The collection kit contains gel packs. This first needs to be cooled before they can be shipped.

Once the courier service team picks up the kit for shipping, room temperature is maintained till they reach the laboratory for processing.

Processing:

Cordlife India is the first bank in India to use a fully automated and sterile Sepax processing system from Biosafe to process the blood samples.

Storage:

The final units of the cord blood are stored in 25 ml blood (cryo) bag that has been encased in an overwrap.

Initially these bags are kept in a quarantine freezer till it clears all the tests for various infectious diseases. Then they are moved to a long-term storage freezer. This freezer is kept cold using cryogenic nitrogen.

Once the units have been stored the parents are provided with a preservation certificate. This certificate describes the counts of various types of cells like the Total Nucleated Cell, MonoNuclear Cell, CD34+ cell and CD34+ stem cell.

The mother’s blood is also screened for HIV, Syphilis, Malaria and additional tests as are required by AABB and the national regulatory authorities.

Licensing:

Cordlife India is certified by Drugs Controller General of India and is accredited by AABB and ISO 9001:2000.

Guarantees:

A client of Cordlife India is guaranteed that during a transplant the cord blood stem cells will engraft. Else the company will find a matching replacement.

The agreement also guarantees that it will continue to store the sample at its own cost for the entire tenure as mentioned in the Agreement in case of the demise or physical disability of the parent.

Community Service:

Cordlife India offers free banking if a sibling has a diagnosed with a disease for which transplantation needed.

Other Services Offered:

Cordlife India can store two different types of stem cells separately: epithelial stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells. Parents who choose CordPLus or the enhanced service can bank both the cells separately.

BabyCell

IL SCB_BabyCell

About:

Babycell’s motto is ‘The Life Saving Cord Blood Bank’. It maintains the best standards in its collection, processing and storage procedures.

Babycell’s Cell Preservation Centre is located at Lonavala in Maharashtra.

Experience:

Babycell was established by Mr. Yash Sanghavi and his son Mr. Satyen Sanghavi in 2009 in Maharashtra. It has expanded to more than 25 centres across the country since then.

It has preserved cord blood samples of over 10,000 children till date.

Prices:

The total initial cost for registration with Babycell is Rs. 5000. Thereafter the banking of the cord blood comes at a cost of Rs. 59000. This includes collection, processing and storage for 21 years.

Babycell offers various instalment plan options.

Collection:

Babycell’s collection kit includes:

  • A USFDA approved collection bag with haemostatic clamps containing anti-coagulant (CPD)
  • Plain and EDTA tube for maternal blood collection
  • Parafilm for cord tissue collection tube sealing
  • Client ID labels so that the contents are not mixed with other samples
  • Pair of gloves
  • Alcohol swabs for cleaning of the cord
  • Sterile gauze pieces for covering cord blood bag
  • Zip lock bags to avoid leakages and contamination
  • Sample collection forms

The collection kit is properly sterilized and can be used even in the operation theatre during a cesarean delivery.

Babycell’s collection kit maintains a cold chain right from the collection during birthing till the sample reaches the laboratory.

During transit the kit is kept at a temperature of 18-25 degrees C.

Transportation:

The samples bubble wrapped and then transported in gel packs to as to maintain the temperature of 18-25 degrees C during transit.

Babycell makes shipping arrangements for the transport of the unit to its center at no extra cost.

Processing:

Babycell uses the method of double sedimentation spin technology. This allows the recovery of maximum stem cells from the cord blood sample.

The cryopreservation chambers uses a double bar-coded identification system, which keeps the blood units fully, secure.

Storage:

The final units of the cord blood are stored in cyro bags that have been encased in an overwrap.

Initially these bags are kept in a quarantine freezer till it clears all the tests for various infectious diseases. Then they are moved to a long-term storage freezer. This freezer is kept cold using cryogenic nitrogen.

Once the units have been stored the parents are provided with a preservation certificate. This certificate describes the counts of various types of cells like the Total Nucleated Cell, MonoNuclear Cell, CD34+ cell and CD34+ stem cell.

It also provides information on the colony forming unit assay to know the proliferation capacity of stem cells stored. Babycell is the only cord blood bank to do so in India.

The mother’s blood is also screened for HIV, Syphilis and other additional tests as are required by AABB and the national regulatory authorities.

Licensing:

British Standard Institution (BSI) certifies Babycell for ISO 13485:2003.

Guarantees:

In case of engrafting issues, Babycell guarantees its client another matching sample or a compensation of USD 25000

After collection of the sample if the child or her family is diagnosed with hematological malignancy and needs cryopreserved specimen, then under Babycell Philanthropy Program, the parents can avail USD 17000 to offset actual transplantation cost.

Community Service:

If you are expecting and your first child needs stem cell therapy then first Babycells’s panel of experts will assesses it. On confirmation Babycell will provide cord blood collection, processing and storage free of cost for five years for the new baby.

Other Services Offered:

Babycell offers other services like:

  • Newborn genetic screening
  • Storage of umbilical cord tissue

Here are a few other Stem Cell Banks that you can consider:

Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd.

Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd is located in Mumbai and is a part of the Reliance Group of companies. It was the first cord blood repository to be established in South East Asia.

Relicord is its subsidiary that has already stored over 3,500 cord blood samples at its repository.

It conforms to the AABB and USFDA guidelines.

International Stem cell Services Ltd

This bank was founded by Dr. S. G. A. Rao, the former Head of Department of Chemotherapy and Stem Cell Biology at the Cancer Research Institute.

It is located in Bangalore and is one of the first companies to preserve the umbilical cord blood stem cells. It is also the only company that provides the facility of stem cell banking from all major sources of adult stem cells like the bone marrow and the peripheral blood.

StemCyte India

Located in Gujarat, it began in 2010 and is the only bank in India that has the facility of both private and public cord blood banking.

It is a joint venture between StemCyte Inc., Apollo Hospital Enterprises Ltd., and Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd. StemCyte Inc has stored over 72,000 private cord blood units till now and performed about 2,000 transplants of which 30 are from India.

Public Stem Cell Bank in India

Public cord blood banks are those where samples can be donated by anybody and can be bought for use by anybody.

The advantages of public cord blood stem cell banking are:

  • The chances of self-use are very slim. And when stored in private banks, any outsider cannot use it either.
  • The condition that needs cure could already exist in the cord blood. Hence cure becomes difficult which is why an outsider’s samples could be needed. This can only be done through a public stem cell banking company.

Public cord blood banking in India got a great fillip after the Chennai based Jeevan Stem Cell Bank was set up in 1995 and thereafter got the license to collect cord blood units.

In the past fifteen years it has collected over 100,000 blood samples and made over 220,000 units of safe blood available to the community.

Despite the advantages of public stem cell banking, Jeevan Stem Cell Bank still largely depends on private sample collection to fund its public operations. It charges around Rs.70,000 for private banking and funds the public banking through donations.