The three-year-old, Bangalore-based Cryo Stemcell Karnataka Private Limited has inked a pact with the Center for Liver Research Diagnosis, Hyderabad to conduct clinical trials using Autologous bone marrow stem cells for liver regeneration in chronic failure conditions. For the trial, expected to commence by the end of the month, 10 patients, suffering from liver failure due to cirrhosis, have been identified for the procedure.

"This is for the first time that clinical trials on liver regeneration process using bone marrow stem cells is being conducted in India. The initiative is a part of our stem cell banking efforts which will allow us to provide regenerative and cell-based treatment," Dr S G A Rao, founder and director, Cryo Stemcell (Kar) Pvt. Ltd. and Raghavendra Biotechnologies told Pharmabiz.

To give a fillip to the stem cell therapy and with the aim to develop clinically useful products, Cryo signed an agreement with the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi for using Mesenchymal stem cells from water jelly of the umbilical cord to assess the characterization for different regenerative options. With the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), it has also teamed-up to study the characterization of side scatter population of primitive stem cell from umbilical cords. These associations would allow the company to focus on cell-based therapy, which is emerging as the future treatment option, he said.

Other clinical trial initiatives were with Trinity Hospital, Bangalore for myocardial infraction and Jain Institute of Vascular Sciences (JIVAS) Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant for 'Burgers' disease (inflammation of the small-medium arteries-veins).

Going by its expertise in Autologous stem cell applications and as an extension to its stem cell banking, Cryo is in talks with Max Healthcare to set up a Stem Cell Clinic which includes manpower hiring and consultancy.

Through its sister concern, Raghavendra Biotechnologies, a range of innovative devices like the LN2 Slow Cooling Device 'CryoSave' and a processing unit to enrich proteins are developed to economize costs and prove its strengths as an innovator.

The company is in the process of receiving its accreditation from the American Association of Blood Banks. Shortly it will float Cryo Stemcell International, its subsidiary in the US.

Cryo has a franchisee network creating awareness on cord blood storage among maternal mothers. With a baby born every 3 seconds and with 25million births a day the market for umbilical chord blood banking is huge. Cyro has around 500 samples in its bank and receives 20 samples a month for which patients pay Rs. 30,000 towards counseling, retrieving, transportation and storage. It offers easy installment options without interest. Efforts for a medical insurance are also on cards, informed AR Ahlada Rao, director, Cryo Stemcell.

Among the future plans are setting up of Lab Medicine Units at hospitals to service cord blood banking through these centers. It is considering the Karnataka's Helix Biotech Park to set-up a Regenerative Medicine Research Center where clinicians and researchers will work on autologous bone marrow for clinical applications and protocols to enrich stem cells for treatment. The debt-free company will also go public to raise funds to support the initiatives.

Of the four known cord blood banking centers in India, Cryo is the oldest after Reliance Life Sciences. The others are Life Cell, Chennai and Cord Cell, Pune.