India's first exclusive stem cell transplant centre in Chennai, a joint venture of LifeCell and Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute (SRMC & RI), will be operational from July 2006, informed the LifeCell sources. The company plans to open a similar centre in Mumbai by 2007. The state-of-the-art facility spread across an area of 15,000 sq ft, will be utilized for the treatment of hematology, oncology and would be soon extended for the treatment of spinal cord injury, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), stroke, etc.

LifeCell has also tied up with Saneron CCEL, USA to launch its Indian arm, Saneron India. Saneron India would bring world class Stem Cell research and therapy to India. It would also establish a proprietary allogeneic bank of GMP manufactured Human Umbilical Cord Blood (HUCB) stem cell suspensions, designed for therapeutic applications for neurological and cardiac disorders.

Speaking about the future plans of the company, Abhay Kumar, CEO, LifeCell, said, "We currently have centers in Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Allahabad, New Delhi, Kolkata and Kochi. The response to our banking has been overwhelming in the western countries and therefore we have decided to set up a transplant centre in Mumbai and a hospital in Delhi. We are proud to have identified the potential of cord blood stem cells and to bring the modern medical breakthrough technology to this country. We continuously strive to impart knowledge and awareness on the miraculous power of Stem Cells. We are happy that over 1000 doctors benefited from this effort."

We plan to open the Mumbai centre next year. Also, Lifecell centres would be soon opened in Dubai, Malaysia and other countries. The company would be investing 45 crores for the above projects, he added.

As Pharmabiz reported earlier, LifeCell, the service provider company of Asia CRYO-CELL Private Ltd signed a pact with Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Research Institute, a deemed university, to set up a stem cell transplant centre in Chennai. The facility will be meant exclusively for stem cell transplants and will be conducted by experienced and renowned stem cell transplant specialists from around the world.