News

A) How do you evaluate the global cord blood banking industry trend?

Worldwide, the two big trends in the cord blood banking industry are that public banks are struggling to stay in business and family banks have been consolidating.

In Western countries, the number of cord blood units released from public banks for transplants is less than half of what it was a decade ago. Many banks are seeking new applications for their inventory in advanced cell therapies derived from cord blood cells.  Royan may be shielded from these trends by unique factors in Iran. The desire to find stem cell donors within the country will drive more patients in Iran to consider cord blood transplants. Also the high rate of Thalassemia in the native population creates an ongoing need for sibling donors for pediatric stem cell transplants.

Family cord blood banks in several major markets are dropping their prices. These include the United States, Brazil, and parts of Europe. The pace at which large multinational companies are buying up small banks has increased. This is not a concern for Royan, because you are not competing against other banks. Really, for Royan the challenge is to improve on your own past accomplishments and try to reach deeper penetration among the mothers giving birth.

References:

https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/news/sustainability-public-cord-blood-banks-and-challenges-biotherapy-applications

https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/news/cord-blood-banking-affordability-usa

B) The applications of cord blood stem cells

The status of research with cord blood remains at a bit of a status quo. There are about 80 diseases that can be cured with cord blood transplants, including Thalassemia. There are a number of treatments for neurological conditions that are in clinical trials, but the progress of that pipeline of trials is slow, which is why we are in a status quo. The promising clinical trials cover oxygen deprivation at birth (hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy), cerebral palsy, autism, multiple sclerosis, and stroke. Any one of these conditions impacts many more people than all the childhood cancers combined.

Reference: https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/odds

C) The latest clinical trial performed taking advantage of cord blood stem cells

The most interesting recent clinical trial that uses cells from cord blood is a study that hopes to repair damaged nerve sheaths in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis. The trial was registered by Dr. Kurtzberg’s team at Duke University in summer 2021.

Reference: https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/news/cord-blood-therapy-multiple-sclerosis

D) How do you predict the future development and applications of cord blood stem cells? 

It is always difficult to predict the future, but I believe that a decade from now the medical applications of cord blood will be more diverse than just transplants. I believe some of the cord blood therapies for neurological conditions will have achieve mainstream acceptance, and that some cell therapy products manufactured from cord blood will be brought to market.

E) Your opinion about Royan Cord Blood Stem Cell Technology Company

I have always been impressed with the quantity and quality of stem cell research in Iran, and our hearts are warmed by the stories of lives saved through the work of Royan. During the Coronavirus pandemic, our group at CellTrials.org has been compiling all cell therapy clinical trials for COVID-19 worldwide. For the 18 months from January 2020 through June 2021, we have 185 trials, more than double the number in any other compilation. We find that the top 3 countries in the world for numbers of COVID-19 cell therapy trials are: United States (50), China (42), and Iran (18). Yes, Iran is #3 in the world. Most people do not realize this because they do not search the Iran trial registry when they collect trials, but we are following your work.

Reference: https://stemcellsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/sct3.13002

Data download: https://celltrials.org/public-cells-data/celltrials.org-covid-19-clinical-trials-/79

F) A brief history about yourself, Parents' Guide organization and if possible your photo, please.

I started the Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood in 1998, in memory of my daughter Shai that died of childhood cancer. It has grown to become the most well-known international organization in the field of cord blood banking. I eventually left my job as a scientist at NASA to work full time running this Foundation.

 

 A private hospital announced that just during the first month of the year Iranian Calendar (1400), there was 3 to 4 times more in delivery rate in the form of cesarean happening on the first days of this year. On the date 1400/4/4, the process lab of Royan Stem Cell Technology Company observed the highest peak in number of samples delivered to this lab, pointing to this fact that there has been a high rate of birth on this date. The number of samples went up to 140 ones showing a 50% increase in comparison with the number of samples registered last year on the same date which is recorded 90 samples.

On the arrival of a new baby, the only wish parents make is the kid to be safe and sound. The sex is not that matter of concern, rather the quality of what they are gifted is the core of worries and anxiety. But the world does not show a fair play and at times it turns to be so cruel to us in order to assess our resistance, endeavor and hope. 
Ava’s mother says:” She was born in full health but didn’t sleep well at nights and even screamed. Doctors did not recognize any abnormalities and considered it usual stating that there is nothing to be worry about. Since I myself am a night owl, I brought her conditions under specific attention and found out there is something abnormal as she stayed awake longer at nights. Sometimes, I had to use sedatives to make her sleep.
After receiving her second month vaccine, we found some inflammation on the left side of her throat. I found it sort of abnormal and kept my husband informed of it. But he said that she is getting fat and it wouldn’t be a matter of worries.
We took her to some doctors also and they considered it as the side effects of vaccine. But there was one who paid a different attention to this inflammation and asked us to do some tests. The test results revealed that there was something wrong with her blood white cells.

 

 

To make sure, we repeated the tests and the results appeared to be the same and she got hospitalized. She was recognized with cancer.
 
We were baffled and found ourselves trapped with an unknown and mysterious problem. She was hospitalized and just received serum as we were waiting for some more tests results to come from the capital of Iran, Tehran. On my insistence, we transferred Ava to Tehran as her health condition was getting worse with an abnormal liver in bigger size, the whole body looked bruise in color and she looked like a corpse lying down on bed. The rate of white blood cells and platelets were dwindling down and she showed no symptom of life and health. We were losing our hope and our kid in the4 meantime.
God Took us in hand
Ava’s father says that she was diagnosed with Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia (JMML). Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a rare and serious form of childhood leukemia (blood cancer). Blood stem cells are made in the bone marrow. JMML occurs when too many blood stem cells become white blood cells called monocytes and myelocytes. The only treatment method for this disease is bone marrow transplantation but at that time and to our great disappointment we did not find any match donor in bone marrow and peripheral stem cells.
 
Finding ourselves surrounded with great misery and dogged by misfortune, we were following her chemotherapy treatment which came with no success and the only treatment was bone marrow transplantation. In 2014, Dr.Hamidieh, a well-known and famous oncologist and scientist in the realm of stem cells transplantation in pediatric Hospital, proposed to take advantage of Cord Blood Stem Cells cryopreserved with Royan Stem Cell Technology Company. In the light of God’s help and to our great surprise, we could find a blood unit sample with the match rate of 6/5 for Ava. 
Ava stayed in hospital for one month and some 6 months in Mahak Hospital where they take care of children who are infected by cancer. After 6 months, Ava’s health got revived thoroughly and now she is in grade two primary school. She is so cute, happy, full of energy and clever student.
We intended to save Ava’s Cord Blood but ….
Ava’s father states that we were supposed to save her cord blood but we didn’t have enough information. When my wife was pregnant we had made this decision. We thought that we should proceed with required procedures and file the application forms at the time of delivery while it was a false belief and we were on the wrong track. It had got too late ……..
 

The story of Mojtaba’s life is among those to be read not once; rather for a couple of times, reminding us that every cloud has a silver lining. Life compiles new story for us every day and turns into an immense fortune while we find ourselves deep down in misery. Mojtaba’s life is the one intermingled with misfortune but a miracle turned it into a great luck and happiness. What follows is the story of Mr.Abedi’s life, living in Iranshahr, Sistan and Bluchestan Province and parents who were not aware of being involved with Thalassemia minor prior to their first child birth. 

 
Mojtaba’s mother passed a healthy pregnancy period, being delighted to see her first baby. It was their first child and parents were counting down to see their first child birth which is the outcome of a pure love and nine months of burdening. They are going to stare at him as he grows up and make sweet memories of every single moment of his growth.
Nine-month expectation is over and Mojtaba is born in 2005. He looked so healthy during his first 3 months of birth but he got sick suddenly which made that sound baby so weak. This led the parents to have a consultation with a pediatrics which was followed by performing some medical tests. To their great disappointment, the test results revealed that the child is involved with Thalassemia major.   
Mojtaba’s father says:” I and my wife were not aware of being involved with Thalassemia minor and when we found out of our child sickness, we found ourselves in a chaos, full of distress. But we never lost our hope and did not stop trying all treatment methods.
 
He continues saying:” To find a treatment for Mojtaba, we went to Shariati Hospital to find appropriate stem cells for transplantation. Unfortunately, no bone marrow match was found among family and relatives or even in public bank. While Mojtaba was under medical supervision and treatment, my wife got pregnant again and Mojtaba’s sister was born in 2007. As per doctors’ suggestions, we proceeded with the steps required to save our daughter’s, Fatemeh Zahra, cord blood and on the date of her birth her cord blood was collected and sent to Royan Stem Cell Technology Company to be processed and cryopreserved. Being tested for further genetic tests, such as HLA Typing, we found out that this sample unit does not match with the ones of her brother and hence we donated it for further applications either in research or transplantations purposes. We were so worried as Mojtaba was deeply sick and he received blood platelets and we were always concerned with keeping him away from being infected with viruses.”  

Mojtaba’s second sister’s cord blood stem cells came to help his brother

Mojtaba’s father says:” We stayed hopeful through all these years. In 2016, our second daughter, Tahoura, was born. We saved her cord blood stem cells as well and this me t HLA Typing tests came with miracle. Tahoura’s HLA Typing was match 10/10 with the ones of his brother, Mojtaba.”
 
Finally, early in year 2017, Tahouraaa’s stem cells transplantation to her brother was performed and they were accepted with the host in full success, with no negative side effects by far.
In regard with Mojtaba’s new life, his father states:” He enjoys a great IQ following his school programs and lessons successfully as his peers. During his absence, he was taught remotely and he could pass all his courses.” 
 
Mojtaba is studying in grade 10 high school in natural science and is deeply fond of medical courses and subjects. He is going to study dentistry or nursing at university or maybe he applies other medical courses. He is following an ordinary life after transplantation in full health and he is not considered as a sick person any more.

His father talks about the career through which his son suffered from cancer and his mother was the only person taking care of him while he went into convulsion due to high temperature and fever and his father was away on mission. Mr.Ghalandari, Mohammad’s father, and the family live in Bandar Abbass, Kuhestak Harbor.
Mohammad’s father states:” We have got 8 children, 6 boys and 2 girls. Mohammad is our fourth child. His health problem arose when he was 6 years old. He had fever at nights but not during the day. His gum had inflammation. In the hope of finding a cure to his illness, we went to Minab where he received so many tests but with no result to diagnose his illness. In full disappointment, we went to Bandar Abbass where doctors performed some more specific tests and found out that the rate of platelet in his blood is so low. He was hospitalized in Bandar Abbass for 3 days but doctors suggested we take him to Yazd in order to receive more medications and treatment.
He was hospitalized in oncology ward of Shahid Sadooghi Hospital in Yazd and some more tests were performed. Seeking for the results, I was told that his doctor will keep you updated more.
Chemotherapy couldn’t cope with the illness
He was ultimately diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) which is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes abnormal myeloblasts (a type of white blood cell), red blood cells, or platelets and chemotherapy was placed into the treatment order. Finding our son involved with such a painful disease was so torturing for us either while we were surrounded by all such misery doing nothing. He was hospitalized periodically and since late December of 2006 the treatment was started which took about 2 years. However, covering a two-year treatment phase, it was revealed that chemotherapy could not suppress disease and hence some more treatment methods and solutions should be applied.
As per doctors’ suggestions we took Mohammad to Shariati Hospital in Tehran where we were told that he should receive stem cell transplantation as the treatment to his disease. All family members performed bone marrow test to find a suitable donor but to our great disappointment none of us was found the proper match with the ones of Mohammad based on genetic criteria and thus we could not donate our stem cells.
We were told that another treatment solution to get him rid of such a distressing illness would be cord blood stem cells but in cord blood bank we found no sample to be match with the ones of Mohammad as well. There remained no solution but continuing chemotherapy treatment while in the meantime doctors were debating and baffling about performing the transplantation of Mohammd’s peripheral blood stem cells to himself. But destiny was compiling another story for our son.
Have faith to miracles …… 
We had two more children after Mohammad but to our misfortune, their blood samples were found mismatch with Mohammad’s blood. Once my wife was beside Mohammad at hospital, a nurse came to her asking if she was pregnant. My wife answered no but the nurse recommended she perform a pregnancy test because in case the test result would be positive it would be harmful for the fetus staying in this ward due to hazardous rays and diseases.
The child we were ignorant of
My wife took the nurse’s advice and the test result was positive; she was pregnant. Doctors advised mom cannot stay at hospital due to hazardous rays but they also suggested we bank the cord blood of coming baby. Perhaps the baby we were ignorant of his existence would be the savior of Mohammad.
I was in full doubt if the blood of the coming baby would be in full match with Mohammad’s but doctors told me how come it wouldn’t be.
Prior to the day of delivery, I proceeded with making required arrangements for saving the cord blood of coming baby and enrolled at Royan Stem Cell Technology Company where cryopreserved cord blood stem cells in Iran. AT the day of delivery, collecting technician was present and after collecting the cord blood, it was sent to the company. As per their comments, it took 3 weeks to prepare the HLA test results (Human Leukocyte Antigen) but Dr.Hamidiyeh, the head of treatment team was concerned about time shortage and stated that we should accelerate the treatment procedures. So the HLA test results came in a short time and to our great surprise and cheer, Mohammad and his brother were found in full match genetically.
 We were if deep faith to God and miracles and his mother prayed to God. Happiness and hope came back to our family and we were more optimist to future, waiting for much better days in horizon. Finding out about the HLA test result, we took Mohammad to Tehran and got him hospitalized at Shariati Hospital. The volume of Benyamin’s cord blood, Mohammad’s brother, was below standard rate and hence we had to apply for another cord blood unit. In other words, Mohammad had to receive a double cord blood unit for his treatment. We rented a house in Tehran for 6 months and had to stay there till the end of treatment procedures.
Mohammad defeated the toughest game of the life
It’s about 12 years after all those days of difficulties and misfortune. Our story child has grown up in full health and defeated the most difficult game that life and destiny has placed onto his way of life. In an interview with us, Mohammad stated: “I am studying at human science course in high school and is getting ready to participate in university entrance exam. I am deeply interested in football and the disease I suffered from previously does not cause any problem foe me at present. I am following all my school lessons and assignments and do sport activities just like my classmates and peers, and even better than them. My father is a fisherman and I sometimes help him and owes my life to him and praises all his endeavors.