By choosing Cell Care, you are storing with one of the world’s leading cord blood banks with operations in Australia and North America, and now offering its service to New Zealand’s expectant parents.
With Cell Care in New Zealand, you now have access to:
- A much more affordable and accessible service – reflecting international price levels
- Both cord blood and cord tissue storage options: cord tissue has different types of cells with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties
- More investment in umbilical cord stem cell research and clinical trials. Cell Care sponsors world leading trials and invests in cord blood expansion technology, and finances research in the use of cord tissue-derived cells
- No cost for the release and transport of your cord blood for approved therapeutic uses
- A full refund if your cord blood or tissue is not collected or stored
Cell Care is licensed by Medsafe and the Therapeutic Goods Administration Australia and is a leading cord blood and tissue bank in:
- Experience
- Releases
- Research and Scientific Capability
- Education
- Customer Service
- Innovation
Experience
Cell Care has collected and stored cord blood and tissue stem cells for over 50,000 families. We look forward to providing New Zealand expectant parents with a more affordable and innovative cord blood banking service.
Cell Care's experience
|
|
The Cell Care Group |
Cord Bank |
|
Total newborn collections stored |
50,000 |
Approx. 12,000 |
|
Deposit at enrolment |
$145 |
$145 |
| Upfront price: cord blood on annual plan | $1,900 | $2,100 |
| Cord Blood annual storage fee | $225 | $225 |
| Flexible Prepaid payment plans offered | ✔ | - |
| Courier costs | Included | Variable |
| Full refund if collection does not proceed | ✔ | - |
| Clinical trial sponsorship | ✔ | - |
| Number of releases | 80+ | 8 |
| Accredited with Medsafe | ✔ | ✔ |
Releases
Cord blood stored with Cell Care has been used (released) in place of bone marrow to regenerate the blood and immune systems after being damaged by diseases like Thalassaemia. We have also released cord blood in the setting of clinical trials.
Cell Care is focused on increasing the potential use of stem cells by partnering with leading research institutions to establish approved clinical trials in regenerative medicine. These groundbreaking trials only use cord blood stem cells processed by Cell Care as a way of ensuring consistent quality.
Importantly, there are no charges incurred to release your cord blood for regulator-approved use(s) and Cell Care will deliver it using dedicated medical transportation to any hospital in the world; free of charge.
Research and scientific capability
Cell Care has a steadfast commitment to the ongoing development of stem cell therapy science and research. We take pride in the fact that we are the only cord blood and tissue bank in Australia and New Zealand participating in cell therapy clinical trials.
Education
Cell Care, the leader in cord blood banking in Australia, educates thousands of expectant parents in the current uses and future potential of umbilical cord stem cells. With more information, expectant parents make better informed decisions.
Customer Service
Cell Care's highly experienced client services team guides parents through every stage of the cord blood and tissue storage process. We provide in-depth information and ongoing updates as to how the science of stem cell treatments and research is evolving.
Innovation
Cell Care is the leader in cord blood and tissue innovation. We are the only company investing in cord blood clinical trials. Cell Care is the first to offer Australian and New Zealand families the option to store cord tissue which will potentially expand future therapy options.
Government licensed
Cell Care operates in New Zealand with a Medsafe approved manufacturing licence. In Australia, Cell Care is licenced by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
In Canada, Cell Care’s subsidiary Insception Biosciences Inc. operates with certifications provided by AABB, Netcord-FACT and Health Canada.
Cell Care’s Medsafe license
License number – 137/21/1
Cell Care's TGA license
License number - MI-2009-LI-04618-3
Insception’s Health Canada certification details
Certificate number – 100042
Cord blood storage & processing
Cord tissue processing
Pregnancy and birth can be an unpredictable process and this may impact the volume of cord blood collected at the time of birth. Cell Care does not use a minimum collection volume to determine if your cord blood sample will be stored. Rather, the number of stem cells and their viability will dictate the storage potential.
Cell Care use state of the art equipment including flow cytometers and cell impedance counters to assess the cord blood samples. Our processes enable us to determine the quality of your cord blood sample upon storage. In the event your cord blood sample does not meet certain important measures you will be notified immediately to discuss your options.
Cell Care’s cord blood measures
|
Measure |
Description |
|
Total Cell Count |
The number of total nucleated cells in your cord blood sample |
|
Viability |
The percentage of cells which are able to replicate and grow |
|
Stem Cell Count |
The number of stem cells in your cord blood sample |
Cell Care’s storage facility
Cell Care provides a safe and secure environment for your baby’s cord blood and tissue stem cells with access restricted to authorised personnel. Cell Care’s laboratories, environment and samples are monitored 24/7 for storage temperature, fire and security. Early warning systems are in place to identify any potential problem long before cells could be impacted.
Laboratories and equipment
Cell Care is a member of the Victoria Consortium for Cellular Therapies (VCCT). Cell Care houses multiple advanced optipress machines, cell impedance counters and flow cytometry equipment to meet all regulatory and scientific requirements for cell storage. We have invested in technology to maximise the likelihood of storing cord blood even in the event of lower volumes.
Cell Care also houses multiple advanced optipress machines, cell impedance counters and flow cytometry equipment to meet all regulatory and scientific requirements for cell storage. We have invested in technology to maximise the likelihood of storing cord blood even in the event of lower volumes.
Quality management systems
Cell Care operates according to the highest level of quality management systems. All of Cell Care’s processes are structured in accordance with the Australian code of Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) and the Foundation of Accredited Cellular Therapies standard (FACT/ Netcord). Cell Cares’ processes aim to ensure full product compliance, traceability and quality control of your baby’s cord blood and tissue.
Financial security
In November 2021 it was announced that CooperCompanies acquired Generate Life Sciences, including Cell Care Australia, under its CooperSurgical banner. CooperSurgical is committed to advancing the health of women, babies and families with its diversified portfolio of products and services focusing on medical devices and fertility & genomics. Headquartered in San Ramon, California, Cooper has a workforce of more than 12,000 with products sold in over 100 countries.
This amalgamation of Cell Care, Generate and Cooper provides an even stronger offering for patients, Health Care professionals and Clients and we look forward to delivering these products and services with our newly added team members.
There is no change to Cell Care’s local storage operations or conditions. Your samples remain safely stored in our Melbourne facility and we continue to be regulated under the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration. See Cooper Press Release here.