FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 21, 2011
PerkinElmer's ViaCord® Cord Blood Banking Business Collaborates with Miracle Babies to Improve Collection of Stem Cells from Premature Births for Potential Therapeutic Use
Collaboration will investigate non-controversial source of potential stem cell therapies for premature babies
WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- PerkinElmer, Inc., a global leader focused on improving the health and safety of people and the environment, announced today that its family cord blood banking business,
ViaCord®, entered into a collaborative study with Miracle Babies, a non-profit organization supporting families with newborns in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU).
This collaboration will study and promote the discovery of methods for optimizing collection of umbilical cord blood and cord tissue stem cells following premature births, providing a valuable resource for potential therapeutic use. Participating families will benefit from complimentary collection of their baby's umbilical cord blood, which has been shown to treat nearly 80 life-threatening diseases, and cord tissue, a rich source of mesenchymal stem cells expected to play an important role in regenerative medicine.
The study will focus on infants born prior to the 34th week of pregnancy and findings will provide insight into the unique characteristics of umbilical cord blood and tissue stem cells of babies born prematurely. Throughout the study, researchers will obtain data surrounding cord blood and cord tissue stem cell collection in premature infants, including volume, tissue mass, cellular composition and other variables. Collections for the study will be taken at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns in San Diego.
"The therapeutic benefits of umbilical cord blood and cord tissue stem cells have the potential to address significant unmet need in the treatment of severe illnesses in premature babies," said Morey Kraus, Chief Scientific Officer, ViaCord. "By understanding the conditions surrounding stem cell collection and the characteristics of stem cells from premature babies, we hope to improve therapeutic options in this particular demographic where access to stem cell therapies has been historically challenging, yet have the potential to be especially beneficial."
"Our collaboration with ViaCord aligns with our goal of holistically providing support for families with premature infants," said Sean Daneshmand, MD, founder of Miracle Babies. "This effort will have significant implications in improving treatment access for the one in eight babies born prematurely in the U.S. every year."
Individuals born prematurely have shown to be more susceptible to a range of health complications, including intellectual disability, lung problems and vision and hearing loss. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association also found that babies born prematurely are at an especially increased risk for cerebral palsy1, an indication which is currently under investigation in FDA sanctioned clinical protocols using cord blood stem cells. Current research is determining the role of umbilical cord-derived stem cells in the treatment of a variety of other diseases with no known cure, such as Type 1 Diabetes and leukemia. This advancement of stem cell research and extraction in preterm births may improve the availability of future therapeutic options for individuals born prematurely.
For more information about the study and collaboration between ViaCord and Miracle Babies, please visit www.miraclebabies.org.
ViaCord's family cord blood banking services currently offers expectant families the opportunity to preserve their baby's umbilical cord blood and cord tissue for potential medical use by the child or a related family member. To date, ViaCord has preserved the umbilical cord blood of more than 250,000 newborns. Twenty years ago, cord blood stem cells were used to treat just one disease, Fanconi's anemia. Today there are nearly 80 diseases treatable with cord blood stem cells, including cancers, certain blood disorders and immunodeficiencies. Please visit www.viacord.com for more information.
About Miracle Babies
Our mission is to provide education, support, and financial assistance to families with newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Every year more than 500,000 babies are born prematurely. As overwhelmed families grapple with the terrifying uncertainties, they often find themselves faced with unexpected financial difficulties. With something so precious to lose, it is important that we give as much as we can. To learn more about how you can help Miracle Babies, please visit http://www.miraclebabies.org.
About PerkinElmer, Inc.
PerkinElmer, Inc. is a global leader focused on improving the health and safety of people and the environment. The Company reported revenue of approximately $1.7 billion in 2010, has about 7,000 employees serving customers in more than 150 countries, and is a component of the S&P 500 Index. Additional information is available through 1-877-PKI-NYSE, or at www.perkinelmer.com.
1 Moster, D., et. al. (2010). Cerebral Palsy Among Term and Postterm Births. Journal of the American Medical Association. 304 (9), 976 — 982.
Edelman (On behalf of PerkinElmer, Inc.)
Amanda L. Connolly, 404-832-6785
Amanda.Connolly@edelman.com
Source: PerkinElmer, Inc.
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