The Pune based Cord Life Biotech, one of the only two autologous cord blood banks in India, has plans to expand its services to various cities in Maharashtra and major metros within a few years.

Cord Life Biotech, started since July last year, at present has collection centres in Pune and Mumbai. Soon operations will start at Nagpur, Nasik and Belgaum, besides opening a dedicated office in Mumbai. Plans would be to set up dedicated collection centres and offices at all main metro cities including Delhi before the end of the next year, said Chaitanya Purandare, CEO and managing director of Cord Life Biotech.

Chaitanya Purandare said Cord Life Biotech already 20 cord blood registrations have been done. Another 40 patients would store cord blood by October, this year. Pune based hospitals like Ratna & Joshi Hospital, Gupte Hospital, Shri Clinic, Deenanath Mankeshkar Hospital, Meera Hospital etc. have agreed to rope in Cord Life Biotech as their official Cord Blood Bank.

The Chennai based LifeCell and Cord Life Biotech are the only two autologous (storing cord blood of patients for their future therapeutic use like a bank locker) cord blood banks in the country. Cord Life offers the facility for a period of 21 years for a fee of Rs.60,000, which can be paid as either down payment or through EMIs over a period of months or years. A leading private bank has come forward to offer loans for Cord Blood banking, said Chaithanya.

At present stem cell therapy has been identified as the most promising therapeutic area. Stem cell therapy is effective in about 52 types of cancers, heart related diseases, sickle cell anaemia, thalassimia etc. and is being widely used as an alternative to bone marrow transplants in developed countries. It is estimated that about 35, 000 cord blood surgeries are held in a year all over the world. About 20 such cases have been reported in India and hospitals having infrastructure and expertise to conduct bone marrow transplantation could perform such surgeries. The Department of Biotechnology and the ICMR have given legal permission to three hospitals- Tata Cancer Centre, CMC Vellore and TGIMR Chandigarh to conduct stem cell transplants, said Chaithanya and Shehnaaz Jagasia, chief technology officer, Cord Life Biotech.