BRUSSELS, February 5 /PRNewswire/ — Cryo-Save, the largest private stem cell bank in Europe, has announced today that on 30th January agreement was reached with Osidea, an Italian non-profit making organization promoting the public storage of umbilical cord blood stem cells. In future through this mutual engagement parents will have the possibility to donate umbilical cord blood stem cells for the child’s own use as well as for the solidarity or public use. Osidea, the dedicated association to the public health and well-being of the Sardinian community, is facing high numbers of serious blood pathologies such as microcitemia, thalassemia and leukaemias.Cryo-Save was selected and contacted by Osidea because of its professional storage activities, social responsibility, pan-European reach and research on adult stem cells from the cord blood. Through its pan- European presence, Cryo-Save is developing further collaborations with public stem cell banks in 18 European Member States and in 7 other countries.

For the first time ever parents will have the opportunity to choose private and public storage. In the case of of public storage parents will be informed that the possibility now exists that the stemcells of their child might be needed for the treatment of another child.

“Being the largest stem cell bank in Europe with over 50.000 samples stored, we are fully aware of our social responsibility. Such partnerships between public stem cell banks and Cryo-Save offer a much needed solution to the shortage of stem cells in public banks,” says Marc Waeterschoot, CEO Cryo-Save.

The additional costs for matching stem cells will be paid by Cryo-Save. Through the collaboration with Osidea, all relative data of the blood unit will be available in an official Register managed by the Association and accessible to all International Organisations in search of matching blood units for eventual transplants.

“Public stem cell banks are lacking sufficient financial resources to offer a full service to the public community. This collaboration between Osidea and Cryo-Save offers the first concrete solution to such restraints” according to Dr. Stefano Grossi, scientific director of Cryo-Save Italy.

Stem cells are the natural repair kit of the human body. In the last 18 years more than 7000 patients have been treated with cord blood stem cells transplantations in over 150 countries. The vast majority of these cases have been allogenic (cells donated from another person), but many scientists and medical experts believe that the use of autologous treatments (using a person’s own cells), in regenerative medicine, will increase.

About Cryo-Save

Cryo-Save is the leading private umbilical cord blood stem cell bank in Europe with over 50.000 samples stored. Cryo-Save is not involved in any kind of commercialization or manipulation of stem cells for therapeutic purposes. Cryo-Save has branches in 25 countries and three continents (Europe, Asia, Africa) and has state of the art laboratories in Belgium, Germany and United Arab Emirates. Cryo-Save provides employment to more than 150 highly qualified people and is a founding member of the International Tissue Engineering Research Association (Itera). For further information about Cryo-Save, its activities and services, please visit us at www.cryo-save.com.

About Osidea

The Osidea Association was constituted in 2004. It is a recognized non profit organization for all social- sanitary activities which include the realization of necessary plans, if not indispensable, to the well-being of the Humanity. For further information about Osidea, its activities and services, please visit us at www.osidea.org.