The moment a child is born offers a unique medical opportunity: the collection of umbilical cord blood. This blood, which remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after the umbilical cord is cut, is rich in hematopoietic stem cells - cells that have the potential to regenerate a person's entire hematopoietic system.
Umbilical cord blood stem cells have been used successfully since the late 1980s to treat over 80 different diseases, including leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia and severe immunodeficiencies. For many parents, the decision to store umbilical cord blood is therefore a form of biological life insurance for their child and potentially for the whole family.
However, in order for this life insurance to retain its value, the umbilical cord blood must remain cryopreserved to the highest quality for decades. This is where the task of specialized cryotechnology companies such as Consarctic® begins.
The umbilical cord blood is collected immediately after birth and is completely painless and risk-free for mother and child. A specially trained team punctures the umbilical cord vein and collects the blood in a sterile bag.
The collected blood is transported under controlled conditions in a cryo-transport container to the processing laboratory. Time is a critical factor here: processing should ideally begin within 24-48 hours of collection.
In the laboratory, the stem cells are isolated from the whole blood and transferred to a cryomedium (typically with DMSO as a cryoprotectant). The samples are then frozen in a controlled rate freezer such as the BIOFREEZE® from Consarctic®. The TC-Active function ensures that the critical phase of crystallization heat is optimally managed.
Once frozen, the stem cell samples are stored in nitrogen tanks at -196°C. Studies have shown that cryopreserved stem cells are still viable and transplantable after more than 25 years of storage - provided that the storage conditions were stable throughout.
Here, umbilical cord blood is donated anonymously and is available to any compatible patient worldwide. Public banks make an invaluable contribution to the care of patients who are dependent on a stem cell transplant.
Private banks store the umbilical cord blood exclusively for the child and its family. If necessary, the sample is available immediately and without any waiting time.
Both models place high demands on cryopreservation and infrastructure. Consarctic® supplies both public and private cord blood banks with freezers, storage tanks and monitoring systems.
In the European Union, umbilical cord blood stem cells intended for therapeutic purposes are subject to the Tissue Directive (2004/23/EC) and the national laws derived from it (in Germany, the Transplantation Act TPG). Among other things, this requires GMP-compliant facilities and validated processes.
Umbilical cord blood banking is an investment in the health of the next generation. Cryotechnology from Consarctic® ensures that this investment is protected for decades to come - with technology made in Germany and a service that knows no compromise.
Do you operate a cord blood bank or are you planning to set one up? Contact our team for a customized solution that perfectly meets your regulatory and capacity requirements.