The Hindu : National : Lifecell to set up transplant centre in Chennai

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Thursday, Sep 21, 2006
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Lifecell to set up transplant centre in Chennai

Special Correspondent

Tie-up with Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Centre

NEW DELHI : LifeCell, Tamil Nadu-based stem cell banking and research centre, will open the country's first exclusive Stem Cell Transplant Centre next month in Chennai in collaboration with Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Centre.

Anthony Finch, Director of the Florida-based CRYO-CELL International will advise the centre on the development of facilities and ensure that it is at par with U.S. FDA standards. LifeCell and CRYO-CELL have a tie-up.

The centre will be a state-of-the-art facility spread across 15,000 sq. ft. exclusively meant for stem cell transplants. It would initially focus on haematological and oncological ailments and expand to other areas in a phased manner. It will perform transplants using various sources of stem cell, including adult bone marrow, umbilical cord blood and peripheral blood. LifeCell intends to invest Rs. 40-50 crore in the next 2-3 years on stem cell banking, research and therapy.

Mr. Finch told reporters here on Wednesday that stem cell therapy was fast emerging as a revolutionary way to treat various diseases and injuries, with wide-ranging medical benefits. It offers an opportunity to treat degenerative diseases caused by the premature death or malfunction of specific cell types and the body's failure to replace or restore them, he said.

CRYO-CELL and LifeCell have been operational in India since 2004 and have marketing and collection centres at Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Surat, Chandigarh, Pune, Noida, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.

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