Contents
CordLife Group at a glance 1
Giving hope and saving lives with cord blood stem cells 2 An essential part of every child’s healthcare 5 Stem cell research: Leading the revolution of future medicine 6
Quality you can trust 9
Our growing CordLife family: Part of your life 12
Milestones 16
Growing with you at the CordLife Academy 19 CordLife Cares: Giving back to society 20
CordLife Group at a glance
CordLife was established to provide a full suite of cord blood and
tissue banking services which includes the collection, processing and
cryopreservation storage of cord blood stem cells and tissue. Since its
inception in 2001, our Group has grown rapidly from a fledgling
start-up company in Singapore into a multi-national corporation.
Our Asian footprint
Today, the CordLife Group is listed on the Australian Securities
Exchange (ASX) and well established as the largest network of private
cord blood banks across Asia Pacific with technologically advanced
cord blood processing and tissue cryopreservation storage facilities
situated in Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia and India,
as well as marketing presence throughout the region.
The 2
ndBioSpectrum Asia Pacific Life Science Industry Survey
1ranked
CordLife 15
thout of Asia’s fastest growing 50 publicly listed
companies in 2009. CordLife stood out as the only cord blood
bank out of the hundreds of publicly listed companies surveyed
in the Asia Pacific region.
More than just stem cell banking
CordLife currently holds patented technologies in immunotherapy
and engages in the commercialisation of intellectual properties
from research collaborations and government-funded programmes
with key institutes in Europe and the United States, to drive new and
exciting applications with cord blood stem cells. With the combined
strengths of stem cell banking and cellular therapy partnerships, the
Group is well positioned in the cellular therapy arena.
Our MissiOn
We aim to offer the highest possibility of successful adult stem
cell therapy to give hope and save lives.
singapore Australia Melbourne Perth Sydney Brisbane Hong Kong Macau Thailand Bangkok Philippines Manila india Kolkata Siligur Durgapur Delhi indonesia Jakarta Surabaya Bandung Medan
Presence
in
17
cities,
8
countries and still growing...
Thousands of parents today including medical professionals are saving their baby’s cord blood as it contains stem cells that have been proven to treat over 80 diseases including certain cancers and blood disorders1. Today, over 10,000 transplants have been performed
using cord blood stem cells2 and the National Marrow Donor Programme forecast that
there will be 10,000 cord blood transplants per year worldwide by 20153. The list of
treatable diseases continues to grow at a rapid pace, and in parallel, cord blood stem cells are being increasingly used as a preferred source of adult stem cells in transplantation medicine. In fact, in pediatric transplants, cord blood stem cells are now the preferred source (over bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cells)4. The issue of higher stem cell
doses required for adult transplants have been resolved by medical advancements in cord blood transplants such as double cord transplants and expansion technologies; spurring an increase in adult transplants using cord blood stem cells5.
The haematopoetic stem cells from umbilical cord blood have a much higher proliferative capacity, a better differentiation potential and a lower immunogenicity than adult stem cell sources, giving them greater advantages over other adult stem cell sources6.
Giving hope and
saving lives
with cord blood stem cells
~ Associate Professor Mark Kirkland, Medical Director, Australian Stem Cell Healthcare (he was awarded ‘Researcher of the Year’ in Barwon, Australia, for his pioneering work in redirecting the differentiation of stem cells into heart cells).
The full potential of cord blood stem cell therapy goes beyond its
current proven applications and we are just beginning to discover
its true value.
National Bone Marrow Program® Transplants by Cell Source4
(Pediatric Recipients < 18 years)
1 ‘Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Banking’ and ‘Cord Blood Registry’ website. (www.parentsguidecordblood.org), (www.cordblood.com). 2 ‘Cord Blood Forum’ website. (http://www.cordbloodforum.org/biblio/childtx/malignant.html).
3 ‘Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Banking’ website.
(http://www.parentsguidecordblood.org/content/usa/medical/oddsofuse.shtml?navid=32).
4.5 ‘National Marrow Donor Programme’ website. (www.marrow.org). 6 Cell Proliferation. 2008, 41 (Suppl. 1) 31-40.
5
Recent data shows that the probability of needing one’s stem cells is higher than
previously thought. It is estimated that as many as 1 in 200 people1 will need to undergo a
stem cell transplantation in their lifetime. Furthermore, it has been shown that transplant patients recover better and survival rates are doubled2 when they receive stem cells from
a related donor. Storing cord blood stem cells is not only for one’s child but also for the family because the chance of a match, should a family member need the stem cells, is as high as 75%3.
The above-mentioned statistics are related to stem cell transplants, but more recent active medical research are focusing on new therapies whereby stem cells help the body to repair itself; known as regenerative medicine and cellular therapy.
Regenerative medicine is about repairing or replacing, damaged or diseased, tissue and organs. Cellular therapy is about using stem cells as an alternative natural source to treat diseases, rather than using traditional drugs. Both these methods of using stem cells are being actively researched in many clinical trials. To date, these therapies require the patient’s own stem cells, not those from a donor. Thus in the future, once these advances translate to successful therapies, any family who has stored their child’s umbilical cord stem cells, can be part of this medical revolution and will have more medical options available to them4.
Current areas of active research and ongoing clinical trials include juvenile diabetes mellitus type 1, cerebral palsy, brain injury, stroke, heart disease, liver disease, cartilage regeneration, eye disorders, spinal cord injuries, auto-immune disorders and others5.
Cerebral palsy is an exciting field where current clinical research and trials at Duke University in the United States have shown significant improvement of symptoms in children with cerebral palsy following autologous cord blood transplants. In 2008, private cord blood banks in the United States released 31 stored cord blood samples for autologous transplants for children with cerebral palsy. By the middle of 2009, another 29 samples were released for the same indication. With 1 in 278 children being diagnosed with cerebral palsy and no medical ability to predict which family might be affected by this life-altering disorder, storing one’s child’s cord blood at birth might be one of the most important choices ever made8.9.
An
essential
part of
every child’s healthcare
~ Dr Cherie Daly, International cord blood consultant and speaker.
This does leave us thinking, that with the rapid development and
on going advancements in current clinical trials, cord blood banking
could very well be the essential healthcare every child needs.
5
1 Nietfeld et al., Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2008;14:316-322. 2 Gluckman et al., N Engl J Med. 1989;321:1174-1178. 3 Beatty et al., Hum Immunol. 2000;61:834-840.
4 ‘Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Banking’ website. (www.parentsguidecordblood.org). 5 ‘Clinical Research and Trials’ website. (www.clinicaltrials.gov).
6 Experimental Hematol. 2008, June;36(6):710-5. Epub 2008, March 20.
7 ‘Clinical Research and Trials’ website. (http://www.clinicaltrial.gov/ct2/show/NCT00873925?term=NCT00873925&rank=1). 8 ‘Cord Blood Registry’ website. (www.cordblood.com).
Stem cell research:
Leading
the revolution of future medicine
63%
Related donor
6
According to the World Health Organization1, “cardiovascular diseases kill more
people each year than any other”. It estimates that 17 million people worldwide die of cardiovascular diseases, particularly heart attacks and strokes2. A majority of these patients
die and survivors are likely to be permanently disabled. Stroke can occur at any age, and the risk doubles every decade after a person turns 553. Age is the single most important
and non-modifiable factor3 which contributes to the increased risk of most diseases.
Medical intervention and treatment for stroke and heart disease are currently limited. This is one of the key reasons which led numerous researchers to focus on stem cells as treatment in helping the body repair itself. Different research teams around the world are actively studying potential treatments in which stem cells were administered during laboratory, animal studies, and early clinical trials. Some of the most advanced trials are currently treating stroke patients. Thus far, encouraging results have been published; stem cell treatments have been proven to be safe and capable of repairing damage caused by stroke and heart disease.
However, it would be some years before most Phase II and III trials would be completed. Nonetheless, this is great news for the global medical community and countless patients. The race is now on to discover potential treatments for a range of life-threatening
ailments which can seriously affect man’s life expectancy and quality of life.
According to Stem Cell Research 2008’s report in Biospectrum magazine4, the cord blood
stem cell market is still in infancy stages, but has huge market potential. The report also predicts that the global stem cells market will be worth A$121.2 billion by 20124 because
the potential of stem cell research – both medically and economically, is leading to huge investments by biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical companies and governments too.
1 ‘The World Health Organization’ website. (http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310/en/index2.html). 2 ‘The World Health Organization’ website. (http://www.who.int/cardiovascular_diseases/resources/atlas/en/). 3 ‘The World Health Organization’ website. (http://www.who.int/ageing/en/).
The time to plan and act is now
The aged (above 80 years old) is the fastest growing population group in developed countries, and by 2025, the majority of people in developing countries will be over 605.
The world’s ageing population is growing rapidly, much faster than the rate of births; bringing with it many societal and healthcare problems.
On the other hand, Asia is currently the world’s most populous continent with
approximately 4 billion6 people, and in the next 30 years, it is forecast to account for 60
percent7 of the overall increase in global urban population. India currently ranks as the
second most populated country, while Indonesia is fifth8.
In view of the exciting stem cell research and Asia’s high birth rates, cord blood stem cells could be the solution to aid problems which come with ageing. Following the lead of the United States, many countries have established cord blood banks in recent years. In doing our part for Asia, CordLife has been actively creating
awareness about the benefits of cord blood banking. As Southeast Asia’s first and only AABB
accredited private cord blood bank, we offer the gold standard in cord blood banking which all families can easily access. Over 24,0009 newborns’ cord blood have
been entrusted to CordLife. We will safeguard each family’s precious cord blood stem cells until they are needed for treatment.
5 ‘The World Health Organization’ website. (http://www.who.int/ageing/en/).
6 ‘Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat’ website.
(http://www.who.int/ageing/en/).
7 McGee, T. ‘Population Reference Bureau’ website.
(http://www.prb.org/Articles/2001/UrbanizationTakesonNewDimensionsinAsiasPopulationGiants.aspx).
8 ‘ Central Intelligence Agency, The World Fact Book’ website. (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
rankorder/2119rank.html?countryName=Indonesia&countryCode=id®ionCode=eas#id). 2009 estimate.
9
Proven transplant track record
Quality you can
trust
A little girl’s cord blood successfully saved her sick brother’s life who
was suffering from leukaemia…CordLife was responsible for the
processing and storage of the cord blood.
[Extracted from chinapress.com]Since this landmark transplant in 2002, CordLife continues to hold the record for being Singapore’s first and only private cord blood bank with a cord blood transplant track record. We also share expertise and extensive experience from the cord blood transplants and new applications that have taken place within the Group and our associates.
World Economic Forum ‘Technology Pioneer’ status
Over the years, our Group has achieved several firsts – one, of which is being the world’s first and only cord blood bank to be awarded the prestigious ‘Technology Pioneer 2007’ title, conferred by the World Economic Forum in recognition for advancing the field of adult stem cell therapy, cord blood banking and technologies.
10
American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) accreditation
Since 2001, CordLife Singapore has retained its uncontested status as
Southeast Asia’s first and only private cord blood bank accredited by the
AABB – one of the world’s gold standards in transfusion medicine and
cellular therapies.
~ Cindy Elliott, Quality Consultant, CT Auditing and Compliance Services, LLC.
The CordLife Group’s in-depth knowledge of cord blood banking practices and standards has developed strong capabilities to attain numerous accreditations and certifications from many quality standard organisations such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and other country regulators such as the Ministry of Health of Singapore, DEPKES Indonesia and Drugs Controller General of India.
Quality you can
trust
Sepax®: World’s leading automated cord
blood processing technology
Our facilities in Singapore and Hong Kong are the first and only private cord blood banks in Asia to use the world’s most recognised and widely adopted automated cord blood processing technology. Known as Sepax®, this FDA-cleared technology is proven to harvest the highest number of stem cells from cord blood in comparison with other processing methods in the industry.
What’s important to transplant physicians is cell dose. An adequate
amount of stem cells is critical to improve the success rate of a transplant.
11
Accreditations and certifications
attained by the CordLife Group
AABB Accreditation
(Singapore) Ministry of Health Certification (Singapore)
TGA Accreditation
(Australia) ISO 9001:2000Certification (Hong Kong)
DEPKES
(Indonesia) Drugs Controller General of India (India)
ISO 9001:2008 Certification (India)
These achievements are testimony of our commitment to quality
and innovation which gives added assurance to our clients that their
baby’s cord blood will be collected, processed and stored according
to stringent quality standards. All these are essential to ensure the
delivery of safe stem cells for future medical treatment.
~ Dr Andrew Wu, Technical & Laboratory Director, CordLife Group.
Technology Pioneer 2007 World Economic Forum (Geneva)
12
Our growing CordLife family:
Part of your life
sinGAPOre CordLife Pte. Ltd.
CordLife is Singapore’s first cord blood bank. Now situated at The Galen in the Singapore Science Park; CordLife Singapore is the corporate headquarters of the Group with over 60 employees.
This 7,500 square feet facility has a storage capacity of 60,000 cord blood units and advanced Sepax® automation. It operates as a hub for the processing and storage of cord blood units from Singapore and the region. Since 2005, CordLife’s position as the
first and only AABB accredited private cord blood bank in Southeast Asia remains unchallenged. To date, more than 18,0001 families have chosen CordLife Singapore as
their preferred cord blood bank.
We at CordLife, are privileged to be a part of your life, from the first moments of your newborn. With offices across Asia, we will always be around to provide close and personal service to you. You can have peace of mind knowing that access to your precious stem cells is never too far away.
13
indOnesiA P.T. CordLife indonesia
Since October 2007, we remain the only DEPKES licensed private cord blood banking facility in Indonesia. Strategically positioned in Jakarta to serve all cities of Indonesia, our processing and storage facility has a storage capacity of 30,000 cord blood units. With an expanding network of sales offices across Indonesia, starting with Surabaya and Medan,
CordLife is the market leader and the preferred cord blood bank in the country.
indiA CordLife sciences india Pvt. Ltd.
CordLife India, established in Kolkata, is the first foreign international stem cell banking company in the country. Licensed by the Drugs Controller General of India, the equivalent of the U.S. FDA, to collect cord blood units from all across India, the state-of-the-art
laboratory is built to world class standard and ISO 9001:2008 certified, with full processing, testing and cryopreservation capabilities of 150,000 cord blood units.
PHiLiPPines CordLife Medical Phils, inc.
For the past 3 years, expectant parents delivering in Philippines have enrolled and stored their baby’s cord blood stem cells in CordLife Singapore’s AABB accredited facility. Plans are underway to launch the Group’s 6th new processing and storage facility in the
Philippines by late 2009 to better serve the growing market there.
HOnG KOnG & MACAu CordLife (Hong Kong) Limited
Launched in 2005, CordLife Hong Kong is one of the Group’s fastest growing entities. The company recently enlarged its client services team by establishing 2 branch offices; one in Kowloon, strategically opposite a private hospital with the country’s highest number of deliveries and another, to serve the Macau market. In 2009, our Sepax® automated facility will be expanded into a new flagship facility in the Hong Kong Science Park. These strategic initiatives will enhance our services and enable us to capture higher market shares, especially those of mainland Chinese births in Hong Kong.
14
Our growing CordLife family:
Part of your life
AusTrALiA Australian stem Cell Healthcare (formerly known as “BioCell Pty. Ltd.”)
Incorporated in 2004 by scientists, doctors and nurses, the Australian Stem Cell Healthcare team comprises over 25 years of experience in specialised medicine and scientific research such as Haematology, Blood Banking, Immunology and Stem Cell Transplantation.
Medical Director of Australian Stem Cell Healthcare, Associate Professor Mark Kirkland conducts research on cord blood and collaborates with a range of stem cell biotechnology companies and universities worldwide regarding possible future cellular therapies.
Regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), it is the largest private cord blood bank in the continent.
AusTrALiA Cytomatrix® Pty. Ltd.
Since May 1996, Cytomatrix® has been successful in developing cell based applications through its patented three-dimensional growth scaffold. It specialises in ‘Ex Vivo Stem Cell Expansion’ and ‘T Cell Immuno-therapeutics’, which are key for the development of regenerative medicine. Cytomatrix® is actively involved in
scientific collaborations and has established relationships with leading research institutions, hospitals and federal government bodies in the United States.
THAiLAnd Cygenics (Thailand) Co. Ltd.
Our marketing presence in Thailand currently serves clients and hospitals, as well as facilitate the shipping of cord blood for processing and storage in CordLife Singapore’s AABB accredited facility. Today, CordLife is the preferred cord blood bank for the expatriate community in Thailand.
2006
• Incorporated CordLife Sciences India Pvt. Ltd., whichwas officially launched by Singapore Senior Minister and former Prime Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong, in Kolkata.
• Sponsored the first cystic fibrosis cord blood collection in
Australia.
• CordLife acquires Netherlands tissue engineering
company, PharmaCell BV.
• Incorporated in Singapore as the first cord blood bank
offering private cord blood banking services.
• Launched the first CordLife facility at Camden Medical
Centre in Singapore.
• The first successful cord blood transplant case in
Singapore using cord blood unit processed and stored by CordLife, which saved a five-year-old boy suffering from leukaemia.
• CordLife acquires Cytomatrix®, a stem cell research
company which specialises in cell expansion technology.
Milestones
2005
• First and only cord blood bank in Asia to be listed on the
Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).
• Became a founding member of the Asia Pacific Cord
Blood Banks Consortium (APCBBC).
• Established marketing offices in Indonesia and Thailand.
2004
2001
2002
2003
• First in Southeast Asia and Singapore to receive
prestigious international accreditation from the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) for our
facility in Singapore.
• First overseas CordLife processing and storage facility
launched in Hong Kong.
• Successfully acquired BioCell, the second largest private
cord blood bank in Australia.
• Marketing office established in Philippines.
2009
2007
• Globally recognised as “Technology Pioneer” by the WorldEconomic Forum.
• Launched the first and only DEPKES licensed cord blood
processing and storage facility in Indonesia through a joint venture partnership with the country’s largest pharmaceutical company, Kalbe Farma.
• CordLife Hong Kong received ISO 9001:2000 certification. • BioCell received Australia’s Therapeutic Goods
Administration license (TGA).
2008
• Singapore’s facility re-located to Singapore Science Park IIand was successfully re-accredited by AABB.
• Launched “CordLife Cares”, the first corporate social
responsibility programme of its kind in Singapore, which offers free private cord blood banking to families in need.
• Another CordLife sales office opened in Medan, Indonesia’s
third largest city.
• A second office in Hong Kong opened in Kowloon,
strategically opposite Hong Kong Baptist Hospital which holds the record for the country’s highest number of private deliveries. A new office also opens in Macau.
17
2009
• India’s largest and most advanced facility opened, the firstand only private cord blood bank in West Bengal. This fourth overseas facility is also the Group’s biggest thus far.
• BioCell merged with CellSense and was re-branded as
“Australian Stem Cell Healthcare”, the largest private cord blood bank in Australia.
• Launch of the “CordLife Quality Guarantee”, which assures
a matched replacement cord blood unit or US$25,000 compensation.
• CordLife India received ISO 9001: 2008 certification for its
quality management system.
• CordLife makes headway into China by assisting Beijing and
Guangzhou Cord Blood Banks in the re-alignment of their quality standards in preparation for an audit by the AABB, a first in China.
• A new CordLife flagship facility will be established in Hong
Kong Science Park.
• Full service cord blood processing and storage facility to
19
Growing with you at the
CordLife Academy
You are at the heart of everything we do at CordLife. We exist to ensure that you enjoy peace of mind when you bank your baby’s cord blood with us. Cord blood processing and banking is a highly specialised expertise which demands only the best in everything we do, which is why we have established the CordLife Academy to help our people realise their full potential and instill values which make our staff exceptional.
At CordLife, we strongly believe in personal and professional growth. The spirit of learning is very much alive in every staff, and we constantly challenge ourselves to new heights of excellence. From the day a person joins the CordLife family, he or she continually attends educational workshops to keep abreast on the latest cord blood stem cell developments including “Advances in umbilical cord blood applications” and “Use of cord blood stem cells as regenerative medicine and cellular therapy”. This knowledge is one of the key foundations we believe our people must possess, and our staff are inspired to be ‘Subject Matter Experts’ to answer your queries about cord blood banking.
Conducted by well qualified cord blood experts with decades of experience in this specialised field, these sessions are invaluable because they also introduce key aspects of medical ethics and globally recognised quality standards. As healthcare experts, our people have to be ethical-minded and remain ever-vigilant so as to ensure client confidentiality and patient safety.
CordLife is committed to using only the best technologies and proven processes because we will not compromise on quality. The CordLife team regularly visits other cord blood banks around the world to benchmark our standards, and to ensure that we continue to deliver world class cord blood banking services to all our clients.
In the true spirit of a ‘Technology Pioneer’, CordLife is dedicated to continually upgrade our people’s core competencies especially in terms of technical know-how, customer service and business processes. We strive to remain the best in the business so that you can be assured of quality cord blood products when needed.
20
CordLife Cares:
Giving back to society
As a cord blood expert, we help many expectant parents understand
the medical value of their baby’s cord blood for potential treatment.
Just like all parents, we only wish that every child remains healthy.
Thus, the “CordLife Cares” programme was conceived and launched in
April 2008. It is the first corporate social responsibility programme of its
kind in Singapore.
Families enrolled in the programme will have their baby’s cord blood
processing and long-term storage costs paid by CordLife. Through this
programme, under-privileged families that have one or more family
members suffering from any stem cell treatable disease will be assisted.
With our help, the patient will have a readily available and matching
cord blood unit for transplantation. This lifesaving chance would be a
precious gift indeed.
On a similar note, Australian Stem Cell Healthcare has a corporate social
responsibility programme for Cystic Fibrosis sufferers in Australia.
We are looking into extending these programmes to the countries in
CordLife’s network. As researchers continue to unlock the potential of
stem cells, we hope to do our part to ensure a supply of safe stem cells
to save lives.
RegisteRed Office
The CordLife Group
cordLife (Hong Kong) Ltd.
c/o Fleet Company Ltd. Rua De Coelho Do Amaral No. 91R/C, Macau Tel : (853) 2835 2266 Fax : (853) 2835 2180 Email : [email protected]
cordLife sciences india Pvt. Ltd.
P.L. Deuty Road, 24 Parganas South West Bengal 743503 India Toll-free : 1800 3456 200 Enquiries : (91) 9830 1 66200 Email : [email protected] P.t. cordLife indonesia Chase Plaza Lt. 7 Jl. Jend Sudirman Kav. 21 Jakarta 12920
Indonesia
Tel : (62) 21 520 8122 Fax : (62) 21 521 3547 Email : [email protected]
cordLife Medical Phils, inc.
Room 1103, Antel Global Corporate Center 3 Julia Vargas Avenue
Ortigas Center, Pasig City Philippines
Tel : (63) 917 8878611 Email : [email protected]
cygenics (thailand) co. Ltd.
317 Unit A, Kamol Sukosol Building 8th Floor, Silom Road, Bangrak Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Tel/Fax : (66) 2 631 0488 Email : [email protected]
cordLife services (s) Pte. Ltd.
61 Science Park Road #06-05, The Galen Singapore Science Park II Singapore 117525 Tel : (65) 6295 0080 Fax : (65) 6295 1108
Email : [email protected]
cordLife Ltd.
405 Little Bourke Street
Level 2, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia Tel : (61) 3 9642 5580 Fax : (61) 3 9642 5581 cordLife Pte. Ltd.
61 Science Park Road #05-16/17/18, The Galen Singapore Science Park II Singapore 117525 Tel : (65) 6238 0808 Fax : (65) 6238 1108 Email : [email protected]
Biocell Pty. Ltd.
P.O. Box 7544, St. Kilda Road Melbourne, VIC 8004 Australia
Tel : (61) 1800 071 075 Email : [email protected]
cordLife (Hong Kong) Ltd.
Unit 1111, 11/F, Shui On Centre 6-8 Harbour Road, Wanchai Hong Kong
Tel : (852) 2511 8881 Fax : (852) 2511 8882 Email : [email protected] Shop No. 10 & 17, G/F., Franki Centre 320 Junction Road, Kowloon Tong Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel : (852) 2511 8893 Fax : (852) 2511 8896