Hospital group Netcare has acquired a 75% stake in Biocells, a company involved in stem cell storage, through the Netcare Institute of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
(ICMM).
The newly acquired company, which will trade as Netcell Therapeutics (Netcells), is closely affiliated to Smart Cells International and holds the licence to exclusively market and collect umbilical cord blood in Africa for processing and storage at Bio-Vault, an internationally accredited laboratory in the United Kingdom.
The company is registered with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) and is both European Union and ISO9001:2000 compliant.
Netcare created the ICMM at the beginning of last year to serve as a vehicle for the implementation of new cellular and molecular technology in the South African healthcare market.
“Apart from its controlling stake in Netcell Therapeutics, Netcare also approved an initial budget of R5-million for the development of a cryogenic facility in South Africa,” says Dr Ryan Noach, chief operating officer of Netcare.
Kim Long, managing director of Netcell Therapeutics, explains that all stem cells harvested by Netcells at present are sent to Bio-Vault.
“A South African facility would therefore make financial as well as operational sense,” she says.
The Netcells laboratory will not only process and store all umbilical cord blood harvested in South Africa and neighbouring countries, but could also process and store adult stem cells. Construction on the laboratory is set to commence in 2007.
Significant research is being undertaken worldwide in cell-based therapies. To date, there has also been varied success in the treatment of heart tissue regeneration, corneal reconstruction, diabetes, articular cartilage damage, Parkinson’s disease and various cancers.
Stem cells, the body’s master cells which have the ability to differentiate and specialise into all cells that make up the human body, represent a perfect match for the baby whose cord blood stem cells have been collected. There is also an excellent possibility that the stem cells will be a suitable match for a sibling one in four chance) or a parent (one in eight chance).
“Stem cells act as a repair system for the body by replenishing damaged or dead cells. These ‘smart’ cells intuitively know how to migrate to the damaged area and begin repairing the tissue,” explains Professor Michael Pepper, director of the Netcare ICMM.
“Medical researchers worldwide are hailing stem cells as a revolutionary field, set to change the face of human disease given its ability to repair tissue and grow organs. The establishment of Netcells will go a long way in ensuring that the same treatments are available to South Africans.”
“To date, South African doctors have used bone marrow transplants to treat patients with malignant blood disorders following chemo- and/or radiotherapy. Unfortunately, the odds of finding a matching bone marrow donor for patients are less than one in 40 000. These odds increase exponentially if the patient is of Hispanic or African heritage. Even if a matching donor can be found, the rejection rate is high,” explains Pepper. “Apart from this, the financial commitment associated with bone marrow transplantation is significant. With umbilical cord blood-derived stem cell treatments there is less risk of rejection.”
According to Long, the procedure is simple and cost-effective. Harvesting and storage cost up to R16 000, which includes 25 years’ storage, annual storage fees and retrieval costs. A full refund is given if the cells are required and transplanted within the first 12 months. “Once our laboratory is established locally, the pricing is likely to decrease,” she explains. – I-Net Bridge