ViaCell is dedicated to enabling the widespread application of human cells as medicine. We direct our research and development efforts in this area to investigating the potential therapeutic uses of umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells and on technology for the expansion of the populations of these cells. Our primary focus is in the areas of cancer, cardiac disease and diabetes.
The human body is comprised not only of cells that have differentiated into specific tissues (such as skin, liver or blood) but also cells, known as stem cells, that are not fully differentiated. As stem cells grow and proliferate, they are capable of producing both additional stem cells as well as cells that have differentiated to perform a specific function. To date, researchers have identified many different types of stem cells from many sources. These include, for example, stem cells found in umbilical cord blood and placenta, hematopoietic stem cells from bone marrow, pancreatic islet stem cells from the pancreas, neural stem cells from the brain, and embryonic stem cells from embryos. Each type of stem cell appears to have unique properties. For instance, some stem cells propagate well but are difficult to differentiate efficiently. Some stem cells differentiate efficiently but are difficult to propagate. Some stem cells appear to be unipotent in that they can only make one class of tissue, while others appear to be pluripotent in that they can make a variety of tissue types. Stem cells are found in different concentrations and in different locations in the body during a person’s lifetime. Current scientific findings suggest that each organ and tissue in the body is formed, maintained and possibly rejuvenated to different degrees, on a more or less continual basis under normal conditions, by specific and relatively rare stem cell populations naturally present in the body.
Stem cell therapy represents an increasingly important modality in treating and curing human disease. Stem cell therapy involves the use of living cells to replace and initiate the production of other cells that are missing or damaged due to disease or injury.
Today, hematopoietic stem cell therapy is commonly used as a treatment for a variety of cancers to re-establish and maintain the blood and immune system by regenerating healthy, functioning bone marrow.
Hematopoietic stem cell therapy is a medical procedure in which bone marrow, umbilical cord blood or processed circulating blood (all of which contain Hematopoietic stem cells) are infused into the patient's circulatory system, where they find their way to the bone cavity. Once established in the bone, they begin to grow, or engraft, and produce cells of the blood and immune systems. Cells for this procedure are typically obtained from a donor, though, in some cases, the patient's own cells may be used. Hematopoietic stem cell therapy are used to:
• replace diseased bone marrow with healthy, functioning bone marrow for patients with blood diseases such as aplastic anemia;
• replace bone marrow damaged by high-dose chemotherapy or radiation therapy used to treat patients with a variety of cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma; and
• provide genetically healthy and functioning bone marrow to treat patients with genetic diseases such as sickle cell anemia.
Current scientific and clinical research indicates that stem cells have tremendous promise in the treatment of diseases in addition to those currently addressed with hematopoietic stem cell therapy. Researchers have reported progress in the development of new therapies utilizing stem cells for the treatment of cancer, cardiac, neurological, neuromuscular, immunological, genetic, pancreatic, liver and degenerative diseases.
The success of current and emerging stem cell therapies is dependent on the presence of a rich and abundant source of stem cells. Umbilical cord blood has emerged as an excellent source for these cells.