According to the public relation, the new products and achievements introduced through this ceremony included the first storage tank domestically manufactured, amniotic membrane bandage, cord tissue banking, cord blood serum and smart temperature cooling system.
Royan Stem Cell Technology Company (RSCT) was founded in 2005 to collect, process and cryopreserve cord blood stem cells of new born babies. Taking advantage of its hybrid character, so far, RSCT has stored more than 180,000 cord blood units in its both public and private banks. Through its nationwide network and 32 representatives around the country and observing all the latest international standards and criteria coming along close cooperation with transplantation centers in the country, RSCT has taken constructive steps toward chronic diseases treatment, saving people lives, increasing life expectancy among the nation and creating a profitable revenue for the country.
Cord Blood Storage at -196 0 C
During this ceremony, Managing Director of RSCT, Dr.Morteza Zarrabi stated that umbilical cord blood is a rich source in stem cells which can be applied in treatment of diseases used to be thought as incurable ones. Pointing to this fact that cord blood contains 80 to 200 ml of blood which should be collected in 5 to 7 minutes through delivery process, emphasized that the samples collected are carried to Royan Cord Blood Bank facility to be processed and stored in liquid nitrogen tanks. He continued to say that the stem cells of cord blood are extracted and stored in -196 degree.
Stating that the samples are stored either in public or private banks, Dr.Zarrabi said:” Right now, there are about 5100 cord blood units stored in our community bank and 181,000 ones in our private sector. That is why RSCT is known as a hybrid bank. RSCT has got 45 offices in all provinces which can store the samples in each sector separately.”
Managing Director of RSCT went on saying that according to the number of cord blood units stored at RSCT, this is the biggest cord blood facility in Western Asia and some provinces have made great progresses in the number of cord blood stored by their representatives among which we can refer to Khorasan Razavi, Isfahan, Khoozestan, Fars, East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Kerman, Hamedan, Alborz and Kermanshah.
Referring to the samples stored gender, he said 55% of samples goes to the boy babies while 45% of them goes to girl babies. It was also stated that 17% of samples come from normal delivery and 83% comes from caesarean
Regarding the application of cord blood stem cells, Dr.Zarrabi said:” Cord blood stem cells are applied in treating more than 80 types of diseases originating in blood or other sources. However, the most current applications of cord blood stem cells are concerned with curing some diseases such as thalassemia, types of blood cancer, immune system deficiency and congenital anemia.
Going on in his speech, Dr.Zarrabi announced the establishment of refinery plant of maternity products which is going to be launched in Pardis Technology Park.
Treatment of incurable diseases applying cord blood stem cells
Considering the transplantation performed taking advantage of cord blood stem cells, Managing Director of RSCT said:” 31 patients suffering from blood diseases (thalassemia, blood cancer, immunology system deficiency and Anemia Aplasty), 55 cerebral palsy cases and 5 autism patients have been cured by cord blood stem cells.” He also added that more than 400 clinical trials applying cord blood stem cells are under the way all around the world for both children and adults among which we can refer to some diseases such as cerebral palsy, autism, new born heart failure, SMS, diabetes, brain stroke, Alzheimer, asphyxia, MS, Parkinson, arteries, cord harms, artrit rheumatoid and heart stroke. He also pointed to some clinical trials starting last year for Cerebral palsy (starting phase 3 last year) and autism and Arteries YLS (starting last year) in country.
Among other achievements publicized through the ceremony, Dr.Zarrabi pointed to: A) amniotic membrane bandage which is used rich in protein and growth factor and is used for tissue regenerating. B) Cord tissue which is full of mesenchymal stem cells applying for diseases originating from other sources and does not need to observe HLA typing tests C) cord blood serum which is extracted from cord blood and has got both research and treatment potentials. This serum is the animal one and is easily compatible with culture media, D) cord blood and biological samples are so sensitive to temperature fluctuations and keeping the such products in a stable temperature is so vital. Smart temperature control system is another achievement made to keep the temperature of such biological products fixed and hence transferring of such products will be conducted in ease and full safety.