Stem cells, the answer to radiation sickness?
Cryo-Save offers to store stem cells for Japan
Cryo-Save Group NV (Euronext: CRYO, “Cryo-Save,” “the Group”), the leading international family stem cell bank, is offering to store . Japan is looking to store stem cells of rescue workers that are likely to be exposed to high levels of radiation at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Recent scientific studies have shown that stem cells are able to repair the damage caused by high radiation exposure. Japan, however, fears that it may run out of storage capacity and is asking for help. At the same time, this raises the question whether such a preventive and potentially life-saving measure should not be made available to all workers at nuclear power plants.
Currently iodine tablets are the measure of last resort for protecting people who come into contact with radioactivity. These pills are indeed effective against radioactive iodine, but this is just one of many radioactive materials released during a nuclear disaster. So far, no one has come up with a true cure for radiation sickness.
This could change quickly, however. Biotech companies are working on new therapies, for example by letting autologous adult stem cells mature into blood cells, including white blood cells – our frontline defense against infection. The nuclear radiation released during a nuclear disaster destroys all blood cells, in the process annihilating the immune system. This causes victims to become extremely susceptible to infections, often resulting in death.
Cryo-Save wants to offer Japan a helping hand by storing stem cells from the teams working at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, who are exposed to massive radiation. “We heard that Japan is worried that it is not sufficiently equipped to handle the storage of stem cells on its own. Cryo-Save, as the largest international stem cell bank, has the necessary capacity and expertise to act quickly,” said Marc Waeterschoot, who as Executive Director is responsible for all Cryo-Save’s storage activities.
Stem cell expert Professor Schroyens, Assistant Director, Department of Hematology, University Hospital Antwerp (UZA), confirmed the importance of storing stem cells of people who are to be exposed to high radioactivity, explaining that, “Heavy radiation destroys bone marrow, which is responsible for the production of blood cells. This puts the immune system of the victims almost completely out of commission. Storing and administering healthy stem cells could save lives.”
Arnoud van Tulder, Chief Executive Officer, commented: “The disaster in Fukushima shows the risks workers at a nuclear power plant may face. In case of a nuclear disaster, they are the only ones who can offer assistance. It wouldn’t be a luxury to remove stem cells from these people and store them preventively. For European governments this could also be an occasion to discuss taking this preventive and potentially life-saving measure for the employees of the 143 nuclear plants in Europe with the people in charge. Cryo-Save is thanks to its presence in Europe and Asia very well-positioned to help governments with this.”
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For more information:
Cryo-Save Group + 31 (0) 575 548 998
Arnoud van Tulder, Chief Executive Officer
Marc Waeterschoot, Executive Director
Stem Cell Expert
Wilfried Schroyens, Assistant Director Department of + 32 (0) 3 821 3250
Hematology UZA and Program Director Stem Cell
Transplantation
SPJ Financiële Communicatie (The Netherlands) +31 (0)20 647 8181
Kees Jongsma/Leon Melens
Daniel Stewart & Company plc (UK) + 44 (0) 20 7776 6550
Christopher Theis
College Hill (UK) + 44 (0) 20 7457 2020
Rozi Morris/ Adrian Duffield
Free footage is available on www.videobankonline.com.
TIME Magazine article: 10 Ideas That Will Change the World
How stem cells are changing the way we think about disease…read full article from TIME Magazine on Cryo-Lip website
Girl recovers from a malignant brain tumor after stem cells rebuild her immune system
Cryo-Save Group N.V. (Euronext: CRYO, ‘Cryo-Save’, or ‘the Group’), of Zutphen, The Netherlands, Europe’s leading adult stem cell storage bank, today with joy announces the successful treatment of a potentially fatal disease with adult stem cells stored by Cryo-Save.
Alba, a girl from Cadiz in Spain, has recovered from Medulloblastoma, a highly malignant brain tumor after being treated with stem cells from her umbilical cord, which were cryopreserved by Cryo-Save in Niel, Belgium. After surgery and chemotherapy a stem cell transplantation fully rebuilt her immune system. The now four year old girl was treated in the Niño Jesús Hospital in Madrid starting at the age of two. At present she has been declared completely cured and lives a normal life.
Arnoud van Tulder, Cryo-Save’s CEO reacts alated on the news.
“I am delighted to hear that Alba has been fully cured and very proud that Cryo-Save was able to participate in her healing process. This is exactly the reason we offer parents the service of storage of their newborns’ stem cells.”
“This also confirms that cord blood contains excellent stem cells. These cord blood cells are the youngest in the human body, and therefore have a greater potential for medical applications. Recent studies confirm the exponential increase in the use of these stem cells throughout the world. Results obtained in applications for umbilical cord blood stem cells are encouraging in treatments for many diseases, including leukemia, lymphomas, and inborn errors of bone marrow.”
“This successful treatment shows our commitment to the well being of our customers and underpins the usefulness of storing your own stem cells, as well as the quality of Cryo-Save’s processing and storage procedures.”
Dr. Luis Madero, head of the Department of Oncology of The madrid Hospital Niño Jesus, was responsible for the treatment of Alba and her subsequent monitoring.
“This is a unique case in Spain. The use of stem cells to regenerate the blood system is a very long treatment for this type of cancer. What makes this case unique is that, for the first time in our country stem cells used for the treatment came from the baby’s umbilical cord blood. In recent years, transplantation of stem cells from umbilical cord blood saw substantial growth. Particularly in the case of siblings, these stem cells are the best treatment option” says Dr. Madero.
Alba’s disease and treatment
When Alba was born in 2007, her parents decided to store stem cells from her umbilical cord blood with Cryo-Save. Two years later Alba was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma, a very rare highly malignant primary tumor in the central nervous system.
The healing process for medulloblastoma began with surgery to remove most of the brain tumor. Following this surgery, Alba was treated with chemotherapy to reduce the residual tumor, and eliminate the remaining cancer cells. Chemotherapy though not only destroys cancer cells, but also the patiënt’s blood and immune system. That is why Alba’s immune system needed to be rebuilt with a stem cell transplant.
The transplant was performed using stem cells from Alba’s umbilical cord, which were released by Cryo-Save’s main storage facility in Belgium to the treating physician of the Madrid hospital. After the transplant, the stem cells migrated to the bone marrow, where they start producing white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets, thus starting the regeneration of the blood system. Then, after 60 days from transplanting, new stem cells were transplanted, this time from the peripheral blood of Alba in order to accelerate the platelet system. Fourteen months after transplantation, the child had completely rebuilt her blood system and started to enjoy a normal life, despite the necessary periodic medical checks.
Enquiries:
Cryo-Save Group +31 (0) 575 548 998
Arnoud van Tulder, Chief Executive Officer
SPJ Financiële Communicatie (The Netherlands) +31 (0)20 647 8181
Kees Jongsma/Leon Melens
Daniel Stewart & Company plc (UK) +44 (0) 20 7776 6550
Christopher Theis
College Hill (UK) +44 (0) 20 7457 2020
Rozi Morris/ Adrian Duffield
Free footage is available on www.videobankonline.com
ENQUIRIES: