News & Buzz: Cordlife’s Cord Blood Banking Facility in India Attains AABB and NABL Accreditation

Cordlife's Cord Blood Banking Facility in India Attains AABB and NABL Accreditation

SINGAPORE, 29 July 2021 – Singapore Exchange mainboard listed company, Cordlife Group Limited (“Cordlife”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”) announced today that its Indian subsidiary, Cordlife Sciences India Pvt. Ltd. (“Cordlife India” or the “Company”), has received the prestigious AABB re-accreditation status for the fifth time since its first in 2013 and NABL accreditation for the first time. This makes Cordlife India one of the four private cord blood banks in India to be accredited by AABB and one of the only two medical laboratories in West Bengal to be holding accreditations from NABL and CAP.

Cordlife Singapore Debuts a Second Pediatric Vision Screening Lab at Thomson Paediatric Centre

SINGAPORE: Cordlife Singapore has expanded its number of pediatric vision screening labs in Singapore with the addition of a new location at Thomson Paediatric Centre in Thomson Medical Centre. Their first lab is housed within Cordlife Singapore's flagship store at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital.

Eyescreen™ is a safe and non-invasive vision screening test that detects potential vision problems in children as young as 6 months old to 6 years old. Unlike conventional visual testing, Eyescreen™ does not require physical contact with the child or the use of dilating eye drops. Using a special device built with photoscreening technology, Eyescreen™ can detect 11 eye conditions such as strabismus (crossed eyes) and amblyopia (lazy eye).

Undiagnosed eye problems in children typically go unnoticed until they reach school age. As children process new information visually, such vision problems can impede academic learning. Children with undiagnosed vision problems may even be misunderstood as learning disabilities. Early detection and appropriate preventive measures are critical not only for the children's academic success but also for their overall quality of life. According to a joint study conducted by the Singapore National Eye Centre, the Singapore Eye Research Institute and the National University of Singapore, at least five million people in Singapore are likely to be myopic by 2050

Eyescreen™ is performed by a certified optometrist and endorsed by a Senior Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmologist. This service adheres to the American Academy of Paediatrics' recommendation for routine eye screening in infancy and childhood to aid in the early detection and treatment of eye problems.

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Gifts of Love from Cordlife Indonesia

INDONESIA: Cordlife Indonesia and Indonesia Care for Cancer Kids Foundation (YKAKI) held a series of awareness activities to commemorate Blood Cancer Awareness Month in September. The team at Cordlife Indonesia also donated gifts of love to YKAKI to show their support for cancer children in Indonesia.

According to the World Health Organization, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is the most common type of blood cancer in children, accounting for nearly 69% of all cases in Southeast Asia. The majority of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia become anaemic and prone to infection.

Haematopoietic stem cells, which can be found in cord blood, can be used in the treatment of blood-related cancers, solid tumours and immunodeficiency disorders. These cells are infused intravenously into the patient’s bloodstream to initiate the regeneration of the blood and immune system.

Cordlife is celebrating 20 years of cord blood banking, innovation, technological advancement and commitment to quality. Watch the video to learn about our accomplishments and milestones over the years.

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Researchers Studying COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Enter Phase 3 of Stem Cell Clinical Trial

UNITED STATES: The Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami has started a Phase 3 multicentre clinical trial to determine if umbilical cord tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSC) can safely reduce the risk of death and shorten time to recovery for COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

In their Phase 1/2a trial, which concluded last December, 24 COVID-19 patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome were enrolled. Each patient was given two infusions of either UC-MSC or a placebo. Each subject in the treatment group received two infusions of 100 million stem cells over the course of three days. The treatment was determined to be safe with no significant infusion related side effects.

The Phase 1/2a research found that patients in the stem cell treatment group had a 91 percent one-month survival rate compared to 42 percent in the control group. At one month, all of the patients treated with UC-MSC who were under the age of 85 survived.

"This has been an incredibly challenging effort, during unprecedented times, and we will continue to work to deliver this cell therapy to patients in need," said Dr. Ricordi. "The FDA authorisation of this Phase 3 trial will also facilitate opportunities for other countries worldwide, to duplicate our protocol for their own emergency situations."

Hellboy Actress Selma Blair in Remission From Multiple Sclerosis After Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant

UNITED STATES: Selma Blair has revealed that she is in remission from multiple sclerosis following a stem cell transplant. She underwent a haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, which involves using stem cells that can be found in umbilical cord blood, bone marrow or peripheral blood.

The 49-year-old actress, who has starred in films such as "Cruel Intentions", "Legally Blonde" and "Hellboy", was diagnosed with the disease in 2018.

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, resulting in a variety of symptoms such as vision, arm or leg movement, sensation and balance. This chronic illness can sometimes lead to serious disability. People with multiple sclerosis have a shorter life expectancy. Although this disease can strike anyone at any age, the disease is most common in adults in their 20s and 30s.

"My prognosis is great. I'm in remission," Blair told a Television Critics Association panel during a Zoom call in August this year.

The announcement came just days after actress Christina Applegate revealed her multiple sclerosis diagnosis and the trailer for "Introducing, Selma Blair", a documentary following the star's life after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.