The world’s first and largest company specializing in the research of the global market for stem cell preparations, Bioinformant in September 2023 published an up-to-date overview of umbilical cord blood and umbilical cord tissue banking.
The first umbilical cord blood stem cell transplant was performed in 1988 to treat Fanconi anemia, and over the next 35 years, umbilical cord blood became an important cell source for the treatment of blood disorders, inborn errors of metabolism, primary immunodeficiencies, oncological and neurological diseases. Accordingly, the biobanking of umbilical cord blood, and later perinatal tissues (umbilical cord, placenta), was formed as an important sector of the world health service.
Today, almost 7 million units of umbilical cord blood are stored in private family-type banks (a type of biological insurance), and about a million – in public (allogeneic) banks financed from state budgets.
Today, the main indications for the use of umbilical cord blood are leukemia and sickle cell anemia, as well as regenerative medicine (from cardiovascular diseases to cerebral palsy).
In 2001, umbilical cord blood was recognized as an alternative to bone marrow a hematopoietic stem cell transplant for children and adults, and between 2001 and 2012, the number of umbilical cord blood applications increased significantly. Since 2012, there has been an increase in the number of clinical trials in which umbilical cord blood is used in regenerative medicine.
A number of biotechnological companies have launched innovative drugs based on components of umbilical cord blood, as well as tissue preparations. These drugs have shown promise in the treatment of spinal cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, and even skin conditions. There is a growing popularity of umbilical cord tissue as a source of mesenchymal stem cells.
According to data from the World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA), between 1997 and 2021, 357,646 hematopoietic stem cell transplants were performed in the world. The source of stem cells in 208,186 of these transplants was peripheral blood and in 87,854 cases – bone marrow. Umbilical cord blood was used in 17.23% of cases (61,606) of transplants.
As previously reported, a historic event in the field of clinical use of umbilical cord blood was the issuance of a permit for the expansion of umbilical cord blood hematopoietic stem cells (April 17, 2023) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This opens up new possibilities for the use of umbilical cord blood in adults. Vitamin B3 (nicotinamide) is used for the expansion of hematopoietic stem cells in umbilical cord blood.
Scientists note the potential of umbilical cord blood stem cells and umbilical cord tissue in the treatment of cerebral palsy, autism, neurodegenerative diseases and others. One of the most prominent experts in the field of clinical use of umbilical cord blood in the world today is Dr. Joan Kurtzberg from Duke University (USA), who is developing a number of innovative treatment methods, particularly in neurology. Umbilical cord blood is also considered a valuable source of stem cells for genetic manipulation.
Clinical studies involving the use of umbilical cord blood stem cells in the regenerative therapy of dementia, liver cirrhosis, complications of diabetes and other socially important diseases have been registered.
In Ukraine, the Institute of Cell Therapy is a leader in the field of therapeutic use of umbilical cord blood stem cells in the framework of clinical research. The first cryobank of umbilical cord blood stem cells, other human cells and tissues is being operated at the Institute of Cell Therapy. In the conditions of a full-scale invasion, the Institute of Cell Therapy is making every effort to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of the enterprise and to provide expectant parents with the highest quality cryopreservation services of biological material collected during childbirth.
Source: https://bioinformant.com/therapeutic-applications-of-cord-blood-tissu/; https://bioinformant.com/utilization-of-cord-blood-hsct-regenerative-medicine/
