StemCyte

StemCyte is a global cord blood therapeutics company. StemCyte participates in the US network of public cord blood banks operated by NMDP. In addition, StemCyte operates the National Cord Blood Bank of Taiwan, whose units are also listed with NMDP. The StemCyte laboratory and repository in Southern California provides both public donation and family storage for US parents.

Labs and Locations

StemCyte is a global cord blood therapeutics company that provides both public donation and family storage for US parents. StemCyte participates in the US network of public cord blood banks operated by NMDP. In addition, StemCyte operates the National Cord Blood Bank of Taiwan, whose units are also listed with NMDP. The StemCyte laboratory and repository in California is accredited under both AABB standards and FACT standards.

Business Experience

Stemcyte opened their first laboratory in California in 1997 and operated as a public cord blood bank. StemCyte currently has one of the world's largest and most ethnically diverse, high quality, HLA typed inventory of donated cord blood units. They are listed on the NMDP's Cord Link registry and available for immediate shipment anywhere in the world.

Since inception, StemCyte has shipped in excess of 2000 cord blood units to transplant physicians in 35 countries, around the globe.

StemCyte began collecting cord blood for family storage and use in 2003. StemCyte uses the same stringent laboratory procedures to process family cord blood units as we do for public, insuring that our clients have the same high quality cord blood unit as a publicly banked unit. StemCyte has specialists available to answer questions 7 days a week, M-F from 6AM - 6:30PM PST and Saturday from 8 AM - 4PM PST & Sun 8AM - 12PM PST.

Collection Kit

Supplies are provided for gravity collection into a completely sterile, privately labeled bag, unique to StemCyte and manufactured by Pall Medical. The anti-coagulant is CPD. ChloraPrep is used for disinfection of the collection site. StemCyte uses a safer and easy to use butterfly needle for maternal cord blood collections.

Transportation container

To protect the cord blood, our container has both gel packs and the industry's best thermal insulation which has been validated to maintain room temperature under test conditions. Our container is guaranteed to maintain the cord blood at room temperature during transport, for 72 hours.

Shipping Info

Normal shipping of cord blood collection kits to parents is included in the standard cost. Last minute, overnight, kit shipping is an extra $50. After the cord blood is collected, the parents call a toll free number to summon the medical courier Network Global Logistics (NGL). This courier service is included in the standard cost. The courier is available to pick up the cord blood 24/7, including weekends and holidays, and expedite it to the laboratory. At selected hospitals, employees of the bank pick up the cord blood collections. The courier service to the US lab only costs extra if the baby is born outside the US.

Processing Method

StemCyte offers two processing methods to family cord blood units: MaxCell^TM and StandardCell^TM, performed either by manually by laboratory technicians or with automated Sepax equipment.

Components Stored

Parents are provided with a certificate describing test results, including TNC and CD34+ counts. Parents can choose to have the cord blood HLA typed before freezing for an additional charge of $295. Families will soon have access to information about their cord blood unit in an online portal.

Storage Method

Final cord blood storage is in blood bags, with an overwrap in the storage container. Prior to long-term storage, cord blood is temporarily stored in a quarantine freezer. Once all test results are reviewed, the cord blood is then moved to a long term freezer. The freezers use cryogenic nitrogen in the vapor phase.

Licensing & Accreditation

Licensed to operate in all states within the USA (includes NY, NJ, MD, CA)
Accredited by AABB, FACT, GMP, ASHI, and FDA registered

Clinical Experience

StemCyte's transplant experience has been growing steadily. World-wide, StemCyte has shipped over 2000 cord blood units to over 315 transplant centers in 38 countries on 6 continents.

Insurance

StemCyte offers StemCyte Care and LifeSaver Guarantee:

StemCyte Care: With StemCyte Care your family will receive unparalleled support and access to a GLOBAL INVENTORY of publicly donated cord blood units if needed. StemCyte Care provides a matching unit from StemCyte's public cord blood bank, or, extend its search to ALL global public cord blood banks, or, pay up to $80k toward uncovered medical expenses if a matching unit is not found.

StemCyte's LifeSaver Guarantee: This service is included at NO additional cost when preserving your baby's cord blood with StemCyte. If for any reason your newborn's cord blood unit fails to engraft, StemCyte's LifeSaver Guarantee will: Refund all service fees paid by the parents; pay the parents an additional $50K; and provide a replacement unit from the StemCyte donor cord blood bank FREE of charge if one is available.

Community Service

Stemcyte collects publicly donated cord blood from donors at no charge to the donor.
Free cord blood banking is provided to families where a sibling has a diagnosis for which transplantation is standard therapy (Sibling Donor Program).
Discounts are available for active & retired military personnel.
Discounts to public servants (Police, Fire, EMT).
Discounts to medical professionals.

Prices

Initial costs, as of February 2022:

Shipping & courier fees + cord blood processing + 1st year storage fee = $595
Cord blood Annual storage fee is $185 starting 2nd year
Shipping & courier fees + cord blood processing + cord tissue processing + 1st year storage fee = $14500
Cord blood + tissue Annual storage fee is $370 starting 2nd year

Discounts for pre-paid annual storage:

No Interest/No Credit Check payment plans are available for terms up to 12 months
Website has an easy-to-use payment calculator for cord blood banking and storage