LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Generate
Life Sciences is announcing that more than 10,000 families have
been enrolled in the Newborn Possibilities Program (NPP) offered by
the company's newborn stem cell preservation bank, Cord Blood
Registry (CBR®).
Children diagnosed with serious conditions and those born with
low Apgar scores indicating the potential for future pediatric
developmental disability — where preserving their umbilical cord
for future use is crucial — can take advantage of umbilical cord
preservation and newborn stem cell treatments through the NPP. The
program also supports the training of healthcare providers, which
will help them identify infants who could benefit from potential
newborn stem cell treatments. Throughout its life, the NPP has
provided access to traditional newborn stem cell transplant
therapies to hundreds of families and connected hundreds more to
innovative regenerative medicine clinical trials.
"Generate is committed to increasing access to regenerative
medicine therapies so that families who might need these treatments
can more easily gain access to them," commented Dr. Jaime Shamonki, Chief Medical Officer at
Generate. "Having more than 10,000 families enrolled through the
NPP — in addition to the thousands enrolled in similar programs at
CBR and across the whole Generate family of companies — is a
significant milestone."
Newborn stem cells consist of all stem cell types that are
contained within the infant's preserved umbilical cord, including
hematopoietic stem cells from cord blood and mesenchymal stem cells
from cord tissue. Both kinds of stem cells are being researched for
myriad treatment applications from transplant therapies to
regenerative medicine. In addition to the NPP, Generate offers many
programs aimed at increasing awareness of these treatments, such as
the Family Health Registry, which is connecting 200,000 families to
active stem cell clinical trials.
"Stem cells play an important role throughout our lives,"
commented Dr. Lance Holemon, a
Phoenix-based
obstetrician/gynecologist, whose grandchildren have banked newborn
stem cells with CBR. "They can be recruited to help repair damaged
tissue and are vital to the natural turnover of various tissues in
our body, such as blood. When you preserve them at birth and later
reintroduce them into the body, they can stimulate the body to heal
itself in multiple ways, which is useful for a large number of
degenerative or inflammatory-mediated diseases. For this reason, I
like to compare saving newborn stem cells to investing in a child's
future health."
Sickle Cell Patient to Stem Cell Advocate: Carol Mulumba's Story
Through the NPP, Generate has had the honor of serving many
children and families by providing newborn stem cell preservation.
One such person is Carol Mulumba,
who was diagnosed with sickle cell disease shortly after her
birth.
Sickle cell disease is an inherited condition that causes the
red blood cells to become hard, sticky, and crescent shaped. The
cells die early, clogging the blood vessels and causing pain and
other serious issues. Nearly 300,000 people are diagnosed with a
variant of sickle cell disease every year, and many people
afflicted with the severe forms of this disease die before they
reach forty years old.
When Carol was five, her condition worsened and her doctor
suggested that the family explore newborn stem cell transplants,
especially since they qualified for the NPP. Carol's younger
brother was born soon after, and his umbilical cord was preserved
through CBR.
In 2008, Carol received transplant therapy with the stem cells
contained within her brother's cord. Nearly 13 years later, she is
a healthy and ambitious young woman pursuing a degree in
microbiology at the University of California,
Los Angeles. She has also co-founded the Uganda-American
Sickle Cell Rescue Fund, which aims to raise awareness of sickle
cell disease, while erasing the negative stigma surrounding the
illness in Uganda, Carol's native
country. She has chronicled her journey in her book, "I Am a Sickle
Cell Survivor: Ten Years and Still Counting."
To hear more about Carol's story, watch the video at
https://blog.cordblood.com/2021/07/from-sickle-cell-patient-to-microbiology-major/
For more information on the NPP, visit
https://www.cordblood.com/benefits-cord-blood/free-cord-blood-banking
About Generate Life Sciences
Generate Life Sciences™ is a global life sciences company
helping families setting out to grow and protect their future,
through guidance anchored in scientific advancements and services
ranging from preconception into adulthood. Our longstanding brands
— which include CBR® (Cord Blood Registry®), Insception Lifebank,
Cells for Life, Cell Care, California Cryobank™, Donor Egg Bank
USA™, NW Cryobank™, ReadyGen™,
Kitazato USA™, and Donor
Application™ — are pioneering leaders that have helped nearly one
million families through reproductive, newborn stem cell, genetic
screening, medical device, and healthcare technology services.
Headquartered in Los Angeles,
Generate operates facilities spanning from the United States and Canada to Australia, alongside frozen donor gamete
distribution to more than 40 countries. Generate is a portfolio
company of GI Partners, a private investment firm based in
San Francisco.
Media Contact
Azeem Zeekrya
HDMZ
azeem.zeekrya@hdmz.com
312-506-5244
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SOURCE Generate Life Sciences