Placenta.lt

Placenta.lt is a stem cell bank and genetic testing company operating in Lithuania and Estonia. Placenta.lt provides the following banking services: cord blood, placenta blood, cord tissue, and placenta tissue private banking. Placenta.lt provides the following genetic testing services: NIPT (non-invasive prenatal tests), newborn health screening, and various genetic tests for adults in collaboration with renowned European laboratories.

Labs and Locations

Placenta.lt works in partnership with FamiCord Group and is licensed by the Ministry of Health to operate in Lithuania. Services offered by Placenta.lt are provided by two different Famicord laboratories, depending on the service. PBKM Famicord provides banking of cord blood, placenta blood, and cord tissue. FamiCord Suisse provides banking of placenta tissue. The locations of these laboratories are as follows:

PBKM FamiCord laboratory located ul. Dzialkowa 85, 02234 Warszawa, Poland
FamiCord Suisse laboratory located Via Chiossascio 6, 6594 Contone, Switzerland

Business Experience

FamiCord is currently controlled by Enterprise Investors. The history of Famicord began in 2002 with cord blood banking at the lab of PBKM. FamiCord Group is the largest cord blood bank in Europe and the third largest cord blood bank in the world. Thanks to ongoing commitment to cellular biotechnology, FamiCord Group have developed, over the years, highly specialized know-how and state-of-the-art methods in processes, storage, quality control and release of stem cells. In order to promote quality and safety in processing and preservation techniques, FamiCord employees are trained to the highest industry standards.

JSC Placenta is in successful business from 2012 as a stem cell bank and genetic testing company, representing the leading companies in the field. Steady and growing number of cord blood banking customers assure the company‘s financial stability and responsibility towards their clients and partners.

Collection Kit

Proprietary bag developed by CryoProfile Company for PBKM. Type of anti-coagulant: CPD. The collection kit contains the collection procedures for the staff of the birth center, labels to ensure traceability of the products, and the collection report that is filled in by the person in charge of the collection. Placenta.lt organizes training courses for the collection centers, in order to collect biological samples according to the legal, quality, and SOP requirements to assure a future therapeutic use of these products.

Transportation container

The shipping container is IATA certified, as it was developed on the basis of infectious substances shipping guidelines from International Air Transport Association (IATA) as well as in accordance with any applicable European standards. The container has gel packs and thermal insulation polystyrene box and is validated to maintain room temperature for days. Container includes a temperature logger.

Shipping Info

Employees of the bank or their designated couriers pick up the cord blood from birth hospitals. Both the courier and the laboratories work 7 days a week, assuring the samples are picked up and processed even during the weekends and the public holidays. Regulations require that the cord blood must be delivered to the lab and processed and frozen within 72 hours from the collection time. The contract price includes shipping.

Processing Method

FamiCord Group laboratory technicians perform manual separation of cord blood stem cells by sedimentation and centrifuge. This processing method allows a higher stem cell recovery than that obtained with automated systems.

For clients requesting banking of tissue from the umbilical cord or the placenta, laboratory technicians will mince the tissue into small segments for preservation. This manual processing is conducted inside isolators to minimize the risk of contamination from the environment.

It is also possible for clients to request isolation and banking of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSC) from the cord tissue. PBKM will cultivate up to 10 million cells divided for storage into five separate cryo-tubes.

Several quality tests are performed during processing: complete blood cell count (CBC), nRBC, WBC recovery, total nucleated cell count (TNC), CD34+ cell viability and concentration, microbiological analysis, ABO group. Maternal blood tests for infectious diseases are reported as well.

Components Stored

The main components of umbilical cord blood are separated during processing: plasma, red blood cells, and white blood cells. White blood cells are isolated for storage because this portion is rich in hematopoietic (blood forming) stem cells. The final storage is the separated "buffy coat", a blood component that holds white cells and stem cells. Also four testing segments are stored. Parents are provided with a certificate describing test results (cell counts, viability, mother‘s serological tests for infectious agents).

When clients request storage of tissue from the umbilical cord or placenta, they also have choices of components to be stored. FamiCord Suisse stores five 1 cm fragments of the cord or a segment of whole placenta tissue. PBKM stores either the fragments of the umbilical cord, or isolated and cultivated mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC), based on the client‘s choice.

Storage Method

The cryobag containing stem cells is placed in a metal cassette and then enters a computerized temperature-reducing system. After temperature reaches -120°C, the sample is moved to a storage tank where vapors of cryogenic nitrogen maintan the temperature at -196°C. First the sample stays in temporary storage in quarantine freezer in case any maternal blood tests are doubtful for infectious agents, then it is moved to a long term freezer in the vapor phase of cryogenic nitrogen. Final storage is always at FamiCord Suisse in Switzerland.

Licensing & Accreditation

JSC Placenta is licenced by Lithuanian Ministry of Health and certified as one of the strongest companies in Lithuania.

Polski Bank Komórek Macierzystych S.A. (PBKM) is the only family cord blood bank in Poland that is accredited by AABB (Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies) and ISO 9001:2008.

FamiCord Suisse: in addition to Swissmedic accreditation (FOPH, Federal Office of Public Health), the laboratory maintains both GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and GDP (Good Distribution Practice) certificates.

The FamiCord Group of cord blood banks is a member of renowned associations: EBMT (European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation), Parent‘s Guide to Cord Blood Foundation, Cord Blood Association, EAF CBB (European Association of Family Cord Blood Banks). FamiCord Group is the only private tissue bank in Europe which has authorization to release therapy-based tissues. Famicord Group owns two laboratories (in Poland and Portugal) authorized to manufacture ATMPs (Advanced Therapies Medicinal Products) based on tissues or cells.

Clinical Experience

The Famicord Group therapy list holds over 4500 cell therapies provided by the end of July 2022, including 200 releases of cord blood therapies.
FamiCord participates in clinical trials (under bioethical committee approvals) using stem cells from cord blood or cord tissue.
FamiCord participates in clinical research to develop stem cell-based biomedicinal products.

Insurance

In case of cord blood transplantation, the “Transplant assistance“ insurance package (purchased during the signing of the storage contract) guarantees free of cost preparation and transportation of cord stem cells to a clinic in any part of the world. Detailed testing of the cell sample and HLA matching tests are included.

Community Service

Banking is provided FREE of charge to families where an immediate relative has a diagnosis for which transplantation is standard therapy.

Prices

The contract price includes everything (collection kit, shipping, processing, testing, freezing, storage) plus 20 years of storage from 1900 Eur. The cost to include 25 years of storage is from 2100 Eur. In case of twin birth, 25% discount for each twin. Payment plans and discounts available upon request. Click this link for more information about pricing plans.