Saneron CCEL, a US-based company involved in stem cell research and therapy, has launched its Indian arm, Saneron India by tying up with Chennai-based LifeCell.

Saneron India will be based in Chennai and will establish specialized stem cell centres in major cities throughout India. S Abhaya Kumar, CEO of LifeCell and co-chairman of Seneron Asia, will be the chairman for Saneron India.

Saneron Asia and Saneron India will collaborate with the Tzu Chi General Hospital in Taiwan for clinical trials. Saneron India would focus on trials for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and stroke trial patients, who will initially treated in India and later on Taiwan. The trials will begin early next year in India and Taiwan. Saneron India will begin accepting patients in mid 2006, at the stem cell centre in Chennai and will work closely with LifeCell.

S Abhaya Kumar, Chairman, Saneron India said, "This is a part of LifeCell's mission and commitment to go beyond the shortage of stem cell and bring world-class research, applications and therapy to the people in India, at their doorstep."

Meanwhile, LifeCell's Rs 15-crore stem cell transplant therapy centre, in collaboration with Sree Ramachandra Medical College, will start functioning in Chennai by June next year.