6 March 2020 – Stemlife Berhad (“Stemlife” or the “Company”), the pioneer and largest cord blood bank in Malaysia has opened a Stem Cell Banking Resource Centre in Jerudong Park Medical Centre (“JPMC”) to help expectant families in Brunei acquire a deeper understanding of stem cell banking as well as how their family members can benefit from stem cell treatment and therapies.
The Stemlife Stem Cell Banking Resource Centre is situated in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinic located at Level 3 of JPMC. The room provides a convenient access for expectant families to gather information about the lifesaving clinical applications of stem cells from cord blood and the umbilical cord, right before or after the consultation with their obstetrician. This setting allows expectant families to make an informed decision before the arrival of their baby.
Cord blood and the umbilical cord are two of the best sources of stem cells but they must be collected at birth. The collection process is quick and painless. Upon collection, the cord blood and the umbilical cord will be sent immediately to Stemlife’s American Association of Blood Bank (AABB) accredited facility in Malaysia for processing and long-term cryopreservation. Once harvested and frozen, cord blood remains viable for use for decades, so parents storing their babies’ cells today will be able to benefit from not just current advancements in research and therapies, but also the potential discoveries to be made in years to come.
Cord blood stem cells have already been proven useful in the treatment of more than 80 conditions, such as leukaemia, lymphoma and neuroblastoma. As evidenced by the phenomenal growth in the number of clinical trials conducted worldwide, scientists believe the true potential of stem cells has yet to be tapped and can be extended to include neurological disorders such as autism and cerebral palsy. More than 1,500 clinical trials involving stem cells that can be found in the umbilical cord are also underway for incurable conditions such as stroke and heart attack.
“JPMC and Stemlife have enjoyed robust working relations since our foundational partnership in year 2016. The newly opened Stemlife Stem Cell Banking Resource Centre within JPMC facility will further strengthen our operational efficiency to meet the rising demand for stem cell banking among expectant parents in Brunei. Furthermore, Bruneians can also enjoy the confidence knowing that they are receiving the world-class standard services jointly provided by Stemlife and JPMC,” said Dr Meera Sahib Kabeer, Medical Director of JPMC.
“This collaboration exemplifies Stemlife’s longstanding commitment to expand our geographical footprints in Asia and to offer internationally-accredited cord blood banking services to expectant families in the region. AABB is the de facto international quality yardstick in the industry and most transplant physicians around the world trust that cord blood handed by AABB accredited banks were properly collected, tested, processed and stored in a way that is consistent with enhancing the chances of a successful transplant. Essentially, this accreditation strengthens the confidence of Bruneian clients and prospects, reassuring them that their babies’ cord blood will be properly handled and carefully cryopreserved for future medical use,” said Mr Zahrein Redza, Chief Operating Officer of Stemlife Berhad.
