LifeCell, the Chennai-based pioneer stem cell repository and research firm, has announced its foray into Middle East region by setting up its 22nd centre at Dubai. With this facility, the company estimates to initially extend services to reach one million Indians in UAE for umbilical cord stem cell banking.

The company has plans to set up its marketing and collection centres in the Middle East and the cord blood collected from this region will be stored at LifeCell's facility at Chennai. The company plans to expand its presence to 31 cities in India and would also venture into the GCC countries in Middle East and South East Asia by March 2007, according to a press release.

"We have invested US$ 4 million in state-of-the-art banking facility and expect the enrolments to shoot up to 15,000 by the end of next year. LifeCell is setting-up India's First Exclusive Stem Cell Transplant Centre in collaboration with Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute in Chennai. With this initiative, we will be the only company to offer storage to solutions for cord blood stem cell in a phased manner. We are also progressing towards clinical trials on stem cell based therapies," Chandra Mouli, CEO, LifeCell told.

Prasad Mangipudi, vice president marketing, LifeCell added that, "Today, we have 4300 enrolments and 4100 samples processed and stored at our banking facility in India. LifeCell has a technology tie-up CRYO-CELL International (CCI) USA, who are pioneers in the field of cord blood banking and is the worlds biggest cord blood bank." The company has also plans to tie up with hospitals in the Middle East for further operations, apart from long term plans to set up their own hospitals, added sources.

As Pharmabiz reported earlier, LifeCell has plans to establish 31 collection centres in India and five centres in other countries within the current financial year. The company, which has already floated 18 cord stem cell collection centres including all the major cities, will now launch the centres on 13 the B class cities like Bhopal, Indore and Patna within the period. It has also set target to cover 10,000 members by March 2007, to commence clinical trials for stroke, Alzheimer's disease and spinal cord disorders and to initiate a number of therapy oriented projects including the basic studies.