Many in Ahmedabad want stem cells preserved

Awareness regarding the application and preservation of stem cells is growing day by day, leading to a rise in demand for preservation of cord blood and cord lining.

Preserved cord material, at present, is being used to cure thalassemia, leukaemia, diabetes (type 2), cerebral palsy and spine problems.

Besides, research is on and there is a possibility that it may be used to cure 85 more diseases in the near future.   

"The main reason behind the increase in demand for cord material storage is the growing awareness regarding its use in curing diseases," said Jack Mark Pinto, director of sales and marketing at Cryo-Save. Cryo -Save, one of Europe's leading stem cell banks, announced their future plans and service offerings in India.

Pinto, who was is the city to address a press briefing, announced that Cryo -Save is entering new markets. The Netherlands-based company started its operations in India with Bangalore as their first destination, and has 15 branches in India including in Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, among other places.

To cope with the demand, Cryo-Save has decided on expansion. They have estimated that their stem cell storage will increase from 1065 samples in 2009-10 to 2230 by 2011 in India.

On this occasion, Pinto said, "We have set up one of Asia's biggest laboratories in India, that can store around 1,50,000 samples initially." Cryo-save, which has an automated stem cell banking facility as also a dual storage system, has also initiated research and development activities in new therapies with umbilical cord blood cells.