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Family Bank: Royan Stem Cell Technology

About

Royan Stem Cell Technology (RSCT) was founded in 2005 by Royan Institute and Lidco Company. RSCT is a hybrid public/private cord blood bank that has collected from children all over Iran. Expectant parents can make arrangements before the birth of their children to have their baby's cord blood collected immediately after birth and stored by Royan Cord Blood Bank.

Labs and Locations

The central office of RSCT owns laboratory facilities to perform cord blood processing, CFU assay, HLA typing, microbiology, serology, and flow cytometry. 
The exact address of the cord blood bank headquarters:
No. 24, East Hafez Alley, Bani Hashim Square, Bani Hashim St, Resalat Highway, Tehran, Iran.

Business Experience

Following the successful use of stem cells in treatment of different diseases, the need for the presence of a cord blood bank was sensed in Iran. As a result, Royan Stem Cell Technology (RSCT) was founded in 2005 by Royan Institute and Lidco Company. RSCT is a hybrid public/private cord blood bank with an inventory of about 32,000 private cord blood units and about 5,000 donations (as of Dec. 2012). Expectant parents can make arrangements before the birth of their children to have their baby's cord blood collected immediately after birth and stored by Royan Cord Blood Bank.

Collection Kit

The RSCT collection kit provides supplies for gravity collection of cord blood into a BESAT blood bag that also holds the anti-coagulant CPD.

Transportation container

RSCT provides a container for transporting the cord blood that is insulated to maintain room temperature under test conditions.  Some containers also have a temperature logger to monitor quality control.

Shipping Info

Shipping is free (for private banking clients it is included in the standard contract price). The shipping arrangements are made by Royan cord blood bank transport unit. Our employees pick up the blood from selected hospitals 7 days of the week.

Processing Method

RSCT processes cord blood by both the manual technique (HES method) and also with Sepax automated equipment.

Components Stored

When processing the cord blood manually, laboratory technicians separate the "buffy coat" component that holds both white cells and stem cells, plus testing portions.  If the automated equipment is used, then the stored component is both buffy coat and red cells together, as well as testing portions.

Storage Method

The processed cord blood stem cells go into temporary storage in a quarantine freezer, then once the infectious disease testing is clear the stem cells can be moved to the long term freezer.  The final storage container may be blood bags or vials, encased in over wrap for further isolation.  Freezers use cryogenic nitrogen, either liquid or vapor phase.

Licensing & Accreditation

RSCT is licensed by the Ministry of Health and is accredited by ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, and ISO 10002.

Clinical Experience

RSCT is operates both public and private cord blood banks.

Insurance

RSCT clients are covered by engraftment insurance.  If a privately stored stem cell unit fails to engraft, the client will be provided the closest matching unit in the public bank.

Prices

RSCT price for services is about USD 457 within Iran and USD 1400 from outside.

Additional Services

RSCT offers newborn genetic testing.

Address: No. 24, East Hafez Alley, Bani Hashim Square, Bani Hashim St, Resalat Highway, Tehran, Iran