FAQ

FamiCord Suisse is a company with a solid financial base that belongs to the largest group of stem cell banks in Europe – the Famicord Group – which is also listed on the stock exchange. Nevertheless, no one can predict the future. FamiCord Suisse has therefore entered into an agreement with a cryopreservation bank to ensure the safety of stem cell samples in all circumstances. If, for whatever reason, FamiCord Suisse ceases its activities, the samples will be handed over to another stem cell bank and from then on the responsibility will lie with them. There, the samples are safely stored under the same contractual conditions until the end of the contract concluded with the parents.

There are no further costs for the parents.

Yes, if the family member from whom the stem cells were stored and the patient to be treated are compatible with each other. Nevertheless, the final decision to use the stored stem cells of a particular patient for a specific disease, even if the tolerability is proven, always rests with the doctor responsible for the treatment.

Stem cell therapy with stem cells from a family-related donor has shown better results than using stem cells from an unrelated donor.

Siblings have a 25% chance of complete compatibility. It should be noted that the use of umbilical cord stem cells does not require absolute compatibility compared to the use of stem cells from the bone marrow, since the umbilical cord cells are still “immature” and genetically naïve, and the histocompatibility complex that determines their compatibility is not yet as developed as in the bone marrow stem cells.

In diseases without a genetic component, the use of autologous “healthy” stem cells can be very useful and is recommended. The treatment of cerebral palsy is a good example of autologous treatment with children’s own stem cells. Other examples include aplastic anemia, multiple myeloma, and various blastomas that do not originate from the blood and immune system, such as neuroblastoma, which is common in young children. In addition, numerous clinical trials are currently underway on the use of autologous stem cells to treat e.g. autism, diabetes or stroke. Current information can be found on the homepage of the Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood (https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/diseases).

Autologous grafts with umbilical cord blood stem cells have the advantage that there is no risk of graft-versus-host reaction (otherwise a serious risk after allogeneic transplantation).

Umbilical cord blood cells have enormous potential for use in regenerative medicine, and in these cases, autologous application is preferred. Looking at the ongoing clinical trials, it is expected that a large number of people will benefit from stem cell applications in regenerative medicine in the future.

In some clinical situations, the autologous use of stem cells is not recommended for the stem cell donors. For example, if a child has a genetic condition such as sickle cell anemia, it is not advisable to use their own cells. In some tumor types, such as some forms of leukemia that develop in the first years of life, early development could indicate a genetic component, and sometimes the patient’s stem cells are not the first choice for stem cell treatment.

Whether an umbilical cord blood sample can be used for multiple treatments depends mainly on the patient’s body weight, the severity of the disease and the stage of the disease, the number of cells that can be collected and stored, and the application technique. According to several scientific articles, the success rate of cord blood transplants is higher when the transplant is performed with a larger number of stem cells. In addition, the risk of disease recurrence or treatment failure is lower if the therapist uses all available cells. However, this depends a lot on the type of disease, the sample and the clinical protocols of the therapy center.

However, a research team has managed to multiply these cells in the lab, which means that more cells are available for transplantation. However, this technique is still in its infancy. When this technique is available and cell resources are no longer scarce, the expanded stem cells can be stored and used when needed.

In the case of umbilical cord tissue and placenta tissue samples, the MSCs derived from them, can be easily multiplied in laboratory to obtain more cells. This allows us to store multiple aliquots of the sample and, in case of necessity, to use only one of these, to multiple the cells and obtain the proper number for the treatment; without using the whole sample at once.

Since the first cord blood transplant in 1988, more than 40,000 cord blood transplants have been performed worldwide, in some cases more successfully than in others, as with any stem cell therapy.

The treatments in which FamiCord Suisse was involved helped many children to achieve a complete cure. in the case of diseases such as acute myeloid leukemia and severe combined immunodeficiency or a significant improvement in the condition of children. In the case of cerebral palsy, a group of diseases that can be caused before or after birth for various reasons, it is not possible to speak of a complete cure, since this damage cannot be completely reversed. In all cases, however, doctors and parents have found noticeable improvements in children’s motor, cognitive and language skills.

Since the diseases treated with stem cell therapies so far are usually very serious and often fatal, it is not always possible to cure them completely. The earlier the disease is detected and the earlier it is disturbed, the better the chances of recovery. For many diseases, there is no alternative to stem cell therapy.

FamiCord already released almost 250 cord blood samples, half of them in the familiar setting for hematological diseases, like leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma and half as autologous transplant in neurological diseases like cerebral palsy, autism and brain damage.

According to a recent study, the probability that an autologous stem cell transplant (using their own cells) during a person’s lifetime is 1:450. This is for the treatment of a disease that is currently treatable with hematopoietic stem cells. The probability of a person needing a hematopoietic transplant (either autologous or allogeneic) is 1:200.

This evaluation does not yet refer to new applications such as possible treatments for cerebral palsy or type 1 diabetes, and it is believed that steady progress in medical treatment will increase the likelihood of using cord blood stem.

There are currently about 600 clinical trials with mesenchymal stem cells. Many of them in Phase I/II trials (safety and early efficacy) have been completed or are ongoing. Some Phase III trials are underway, especially for conditions like graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and osteoarthritis. Results are encouraging.

Mesenchymal cells are also used in medical therapeutic trials in the treatment of diseases such as infantile cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or articular cartilage damage and they can be transplanted together with the umbilical cord blood cells when the number of hematopoietic stem cells from the umbilical cord blood is low.

Cord-tissue MSCs are generally well-tolerated and considered safe, with low immunogenicity and no major adverse effects in most trials.

FamiCord already released more than 1950 MSCs from cord tissue samples. Most of them in neurology, ophthalmology and orthopedics applications, but also in hematology, endocrinology, dermatology and gynecology.

First, order the collection kit from FamiCord Suisse, preferably on our website. You can also contact us by phone or email.

After we have received your order, the customer service will contact you and arrange the shipment of the documents and the collection kit. The documents, a copy of the contract, a clinical questionnaire and serological test results are part of the quality control and must be completed and signed and returned to FamiCord Suisse before the birth. The collection kit can be stored at home at room temperature and taken to the hospital for the birth. There the kit can be handed over to the medical staff, who will take care of the collection. After the birth, the parents or the hospital’s medical professionals (the responsibility for this lies with the parents) will immediately contact FamiCord Suisse to inform them that the samples are ready for transport to the laboratory. They will then be picked up by the dedicated courier personally at the hospital and transported to the laboratory. The samples are processed and prepared for cryopreservation, analyzed and stored in special containers in nitrogen at very low temperatures (always below -150°C). As part of the extensive quality controls, numerous analyses are carried out before a final assessment is made to determine whether the samples are suitable for possible future use. The parents are informed of the arrival at the laboratory and receive the first results in the first weeks and at the end of the process a certificate of completion with all data and analysis results.

The courier/transport service and laboratory are open 7 days a week to ensure that cord blood and tissues are processed and stored in a short time so that the stem cells do not lose their original properties.

Our office opening hours are Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Outside these hours and on weekends, the call will be forwarded to our courier after selecting the right option or you will have the option of leaving us a message.

If your child is ill and stem cell therapy is a treatment option, please contact us as soon as possible so that our Medical Director can contact your doctor.

Before releasing the samples, we carry out some additional quality controls, in which we compile all the necessary documents for the treatment. We also organize an extra specialized courier to bring the sample safely to its destination in any part of the world. We use our own means of transport for transport, which are tested and validated before the actual shipment of the sample.

Even if your child’s illness is not on the current list of treatable diseases, please contact us. Our research and development team can check whether a clinical trial for the treatment of the disease in question with stem cells is planned or already underway, in which your child can participate.

FamiCord was founded back in 2002 and was thus one of the first family stem cell banks in Europe. From the very beginning, FamiCord Suisse has been fully committed to developing the best cryopreservation solutions and stem cell-based therapies. Today, as part of the FamiCord Group, it is the most experienced and largest bank in Europe (third largest in the world) and the parents’ first choice.

To date, FamiCord has stored more than 1,000,000 samples in various European countries, released 248 cord blood samples and 1955 cord tissue samples, and is working on many internationally recognized clinical trials.

FamiCord has released up to now 7550 stem cells therapies for different pathologies.

The FamiCord group has its own ATMP (Advance Therapies Medical Product) laboratories, which allows us not only to store the tissue stem cells, but actually to produce medical end products with them. FamiCord isn’t just a bank!

Our mission is to provide new and more effective treatments to our clients and society.

Yes.
The results of many studies indicate that stem cells derived from cord blood are more primary, less targeted, and have a higher proliferative dynamics compared to stem cells derived from adult bone marrow or peripheral blood.
Freezing these cells prevents aging and injury that can occur to the cells in later stages of their life.
Mostly they do not contain cancer cells, which are formed in later years of life under the influence of the external environment.

This is valid for all the perinatal stem cells (from cord blood, cord tissue and placanta).

Matching donor and recipient marrow is very difficult, as a so-called “full match” is usually required.
“full compatibility”.
Stem cells from cord blood are characterized by less immunological “maturity”, so their transplantation causes fewer complications in the recipient (in the case of allogeneic transplantation, it’s a lower risk of rejection and a less pronounced “graft versus host” reaction).
They can be used even with incomplete compatibility.
This means that by storing cord blood, there are more opportunities for transplants between family members.
An additional advantage of cord blood is its immediate availability.
Stem cells from cord blood when the need for their use in treatment arises are waiting in the bank, because they are collected and stored earlier than the need for their use arises .
Another advantage is that they are less likely to cause Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD) reaction, a rather dangerous complication after cell transplants.

The average volume of umbilical cord blood collected is between 70 ml and 100 ml. As a rule, the number of stem cells that can be cryopreserved depends on the amount of umbilical cord blood collected at birth. With this in mind, FamiCord Suisse uses a blood bag in its collection kit, which helps to increase the amount of cord blood collected by reducing losses, such as the remaining blood volume that remains in the bag’s tube after collection. However, a small % of the samples that arrive at our laboratory do not have enough blood volume for complete processing and quality control. In these cases, the samples will not be accepted for storage and the customer will not be charged for this sample.

The health and safety of mother and child always takes precedence during birth. This means that in the event of complications during childbirth, the medical professionals responsible for the birth of the baby may decide not to carry out the collection of the samples.

In this case, FamiCord Suisse must be informed and, if possible, the collection kit must be returned to FamiCord Suisse.

Our dedicated courier has various locations in Switzerland, from where he can send a courier directly to the hospital to pick up the samples. The courier then takes the samples to our laboratory, which works 7 days a week.

The collection kit manufactured by FamiCord Suisse is also the kit used for transporting the samples and has all the necessary systems to avoid temperature gradients greater than 10oC to 26oC, to monitor the temperature throughout the transport and to ensure the traceability of the samples during the process.

Sometimes, the amount of umbilical cord blood and tissues collected is not enough for processing and quality control. In addition to the amount of blood and tissues that is taken, there are other factors that can limit the successful storage of the samples, such as the low number of cells, critical microbiological contamination or the clinical family history.

For the umbilical cord blood samples, the storage success rate is 95%. For the umbilical cord tissue and the placenta samples, the success rate is around 90%. Around 10% of the collected samples are disqualified because of different factors, such as the low cell proliferation capacity or the presence of a maternal infection.

In the last year of storage, we will inform the rightful owner of the samples (you or your child) in writing about the expiry of the retention period and ask if they would like to extend the sample storage. In this case, an additional fee will be charged for the additional contract term, which corresponds to the reality at the time of the contract renewal. If there is no intention to extend the storage contract, FamiCord Suisse will destroy the stored samples on the basis of a written declaration from the rightful owner.

In Switzerland, FamiCord Suisse SA is certified by Swissmedic and the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH).

Swissmedic is the Swiss supervisory authority for medicinal products and medical devices. They ensure that the approved medicines are qualitatively effective and safe and thus make a significant contribution to the protection of human and animal health. The FOPH protects public health and develops Swiss health policy.

AABB – Accredited by the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies. Certifies compliance with some of the strictest quality requirements in place in the United States.

ISO 9001 certificate – certification of the quality management system for the service of collection, storage and freezing of stem cells from umbilical cord blood.

BBMRI-Eric – The European Research Infrastructure for Biobanks and Biomolecular Resources in Health and Life .

GMP certified for the production and ATMP for the release of transplant products. It refers to a system of regulations, guidelines, and controls & ensure that products—especially pharmaceuticals, biologics, and medical devices—are consistently produced and controlled according to quality standards appropriate for their intended use.

And some other national accreditations.

Donation of umbilical cord blood is an altruistic option, similar to regular blood donation. The samples are collected in certain hospitals that work with the public stem cell banks, at no cost to the parents.

Once the sample has arrived at the stem cell bank and is stored for future clinical use, it becomes part of an international sample database. The stored samples can be released for use by any person who needs stem cell treatment and is compatible with the donated cord blood. As with any other donation, the cord blood sample does not belong to the donor and becomes anonymous after the donation and the parents have no rights from this sample.

The public stem cell banks have limited storage capacity and therefore only high-quality samples with a high number of stem cells are stored, which are also checked to see whether they are representative of the population in Switzerland and whether they may be needed in the future.

Cord blood can only be donated during childbirth in one of the following hospitals:

• Inselspital Bern
• University Hospital Basel
• University Hospital of Geneva
• Kantonsspital Aarau

If you want donate the cord blood sample, please also be aware that there are some limitations of the collection during the weekend and the Holidays.

All costs for the analysis of the samples necessary to define the eligibility of the samples for the definitive storage are included in the total price of the chosen service.

The difference lies mainly in the tissue processing. In the case of Blood and Tissue Standard, the tissue is processed according to a procedure that is standard in Switzerland. For this purpose, small fragments of cord tissue are stored for this purpose, which can later be used to extract stem cells on request.

For Blood and Tissue Premium, a procedure is used that, in Switzerland, is offered exclusively by FamiCord Suisse. In this case, the stem cells are extracted from the fresh cord tissue and placed in culture in a Petri dish in the laboratory. In this process, the stem cells multiply, whereby the advantage is that a higher number of stem cells can be collected at the beginning before freezing them. This process also serves as quality control; if the stem cells do not growth in this step, you will not do so later during treatment. In this case, we do not store these sample(s) and the customer does not pay for them.

Blood Standard: A bag of umbilical cord blood stem cells

Blood and tissue standard: One bag of umbilical cord blood stem cells and 5 cryotubes of cord tissue fragments

Blood and tissue Premium: One bag of umbilical cord blood stem cells and 5 cryotubes of isolated cord tissue stem cells (more cells per vial as cultivated)

Blood, tissue and placenta Platinum: One bag of umbilical cord blood stem cells, 5 cryotubes of isolated cord tissue stem cells (even more cells per vial then Premium as cultivated) and 5 cryotubes of placental tissue fragments.

MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells) expansion uses a procedure that is only offered by FamiCord Suisse in Switzerland. The stem cells are extracted from the tissue and placed in culture in a Petri dish in the laboratory. In this process, the stem cells multiply, whereby the advantage is that a higher number of stem cells can be collected at the beginning before freezing them. This process also serves as quality control; if the stem cells do not growth in this step, you will not do so later during treatment. In this case, we do not store these sample(s) and the customer does not pay for them.

Stromal cells, also known as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), are non-hematopoietic, multipotent, self-renewing cells with the ability to perform trilinear differentiation (mesoderm, ectoderm, and entoderm). The pluripotency and immunomodulatory properties of MSC mean that they are an effective agent in cell therapy and tissue repair. Mesenchymal stem cells are easy to isolate and can be expanded in vitro over long periods of time without losing their properties.

Over the years, MSCs have been identified in different tissues, and over time it has been recognized that different tissues harbor MSCs with special features/properties. The human placenta, in particular, has come to be a bundled source of MSCs with unique peculiarities. The placenta plays an important role in supporting fetal development and is therefore an important reservoir for transient progenitor and stem cells, not only MSCs.

5 other reasons for the storage of placental stem cells are:

Quantity: Possibility to store a larger quantity of MSCs

Schedule: The process is extended up to 120 HOURS (5 DAYS), which ensures a high level of viability of the cells themselves

Protection: The cells are less affected by all kinds of stresses, such as temperature fluctuations or vibrations, and are therefore protected by shortening the aging phase itself.

Low risk of non-removal

Sterility: minimal microbial contamination

HLA typing (human leukocyte antigen) is a genetic test that is used to match patients and donors for bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, cells or organ transplants. HLAs are proteins, so-called markers, which the immune system uses to recognize which cells belong in your body and which do not. HLA typing, also known as HLA matching, can help determine if potential donors are a good match for recipients. This increases the likelihood of a successful transplant. This is an addition that tells the parents in advance, when the samples are frozen, which HLA type the samples have. This gives them the opportunity to compare the samples with other samples from siblings, for example, at an early stage.

The Transplant Assistant refers to hematopoietic stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood and used in standard medical/therapeutic transplants, excluding administrations in the context of experimental medical treatments. As part of the Transplant Assistance Package, FCS offers:

• Consultation with a hematologist or transplantologist
• Transplantations-HLA-Test
• Count of CD 34+ cells and nucleated red blood cells (from a thawed reference sample)
• Cell viability test and WBC count (from a thawed reference sample)
• Number of hematopoietic progenitor cells (from a thawed reference sample)
• Delivery of cells from the place of storage to any transplant center in the world.

The Transplant Assistant Plus refers to hemopoietic stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood and used in standard medical/therapeutic transplants or experimental medical treatments, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) derived from umbilical cord fragments used in experimental medical treatments. As part of the Transplant Assistance Plus package, FCS ensures:

(a) for the standard transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood and/or placental blood, as well as for the use of stem cells from umbilical cord blood and/or placental blood in the context of experimental medical treatments:

• an online consultation with the haematologist or transplantologist based on the analysis of the medical records sent by the parents to FCS by e-mail,
• Transplantation HLA test of umbilical cord blood,
• Count CD 34+ cells and nucleated red blood cells (from a thawed reference sample),
• Cell viability test and leukocyte count (from a thawed reference sample),
• Complete blood count (CBC),
• Number of hematopoietic progenitor cells (from a thawed reference sample),
• Delivery of cells from the place of storage to any transplant center in the world.

1. b) In the event that the stored biological material needs to be used for experimental therapies, clients will receive additional services depending on whether the therapy involves the application of cells from umbilical cord blood or mesenchymal stem cells (MSC):

• In the case of MSC cell administration, clients will be enrolled in the program to facilitate access to experimental therapies,
• In the case of administering stem cells from umbilical cord blood, customers will have access to the FamiCord Group Expanded Access Protocol Cord Blood for Brain Development.

If, for any reason, it is not possible to collect or store the samples, you will receive a refund of the money already paid to FamiCord Suisse (basic and service fee). Shipping and warranty fees are excluded.

We recommend that you register at least 1-1.5 months before the birth so that you have enough time to fill out all documents and send them back to us. However, we can also act very quickly and deliver the kit on the same day in an emergency. There is no time when you are too late, unless the baby is already born.

We need the results of the serological examinations of the mother carried out during pregnancy. Please request these tests from your gynecologist. If not already performed, the results are needed for: toxoplasmosis, syphilis, hepatitis C, hepatitis B (HbsAg), HIV 1 and 2.

The collection kit must not be cooled or frozen under any circumstances before the birth but also after the birth (with the samples in the kit). The stem cells are destroyed with the cooling. The kit shall be kept in a dry place, not directly near heat sources.

We conduct tests on both the mother’s blood (this blood is collected during delivery in a volume of 9 ml) and the baby’s umbilical cord blood.
The mother’s blood is tested for viral and bacteriological infections.
Of course, these tests could be performed from a sample of cord blood, but it is a shame to “waste” as much as 9 ml of cord blood and the maternal blood tests provide reliable enough data.

The following tests are performed from maternal blood (9 ml):

• HBs Ag,
• Anti-HBc,
• Anti-HCV,
• Anti-HIV 1,2,
• Anti-CMV IgG and IgM,
• syphilis test
• Anti-toxoplasmosis IgG and IgM

NAT HBV, HCV, HEV and HIV tests are performed from the second tube.

The following tests are performed from cord blood:

• WBC (White Blood Cells) count, TNC (Total Nucleated Cells) count
• cell viability,
• Microbiological tests for aerobic bacteria, anaerobic bacteria and fungi

At the time of signing a contract with FamiCord, we assign an individual contract number and an identification number, which can be found on all elements of the collection kit and documentation.
These two numbers are assigned only to the data of a specific customer and follow every step also during the process of the samples.
Mistake or substitution is impossible.

Umbilical cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord just after the baby is born and the cord clamped.
The procedure for obtaining cord blood is simple and painless, completely non-invasive nor for the baby nor for the mother and not disruptive to the course of labor.

Umbilical cord blood is collected in a collection bag, which contains a preservative liquid (CPD) to prevent the blood from clotting, assuring that the sample maintains is quality and giving us time to get it to the laboratory and prepare it for the isolation of the stem cells.

No.
Cord blood is collected only after the baby is born and cut from the umbilical cord.
Collection takes about 5 minutes, is painless, easy and safe for both mother and baby.

No.
The birth takes place in the same way as if the Parents had not opted for cord blood collection.
Umbilical cord blood collection occurs only after the umbilical cord is cut.
The decision at which point the umbilical cord should be cut should be made by the midwife and doctor, taking into account current medical knowledge and information on the course of pregnancy and labor, the health of the mother and child and the preferences of the ward or reported by the mother.

Because it ensures that cord blood stem cells can be used for therapeutic purposes at any time, without having to search for donors, which is a costly, time-consuming process that does not guarantee success.
Early treatment of many diseases minimizes the risk of developing them and increases the chances of a complete cure.

Our current prices can be found on our homepage and depend on the selected service option.

An initial payment of 250 CHF (basic fee) will be charged after we send the collection kit to cover the initial costs of administrative procedures, collection kit and transport.

The remaining costs according to the chosen option will be invoiced after the birth and after all tests can be completed and the final certificate can be issued.

Yes, monthly instalments (3, 6, 12, 24) are possible as an alternative to the one-time payment for the entire 25-year storage.

You can find more details about the annual and monthly payments on our homepage “https://order.famicord.ch/”, but FamiCord Suisse can be flexible and find a solution together that is more suitable for you. Please do not hesitate to contact us to learn more about the payment options.

As a rule, health insurance companies do not yet cover the costs of storing stem cells. An exception to this rule are cases where there is an illness of the sibling that has already occurred, and it is therefore recommended to store the stem cells in case of direct treatment of the sibling.

In the case of leukemia treatment, the health insurance companies will cover the costs of the treatment in any case, in the case of all other diseases, this will be assessed by the respective health insurance companies. For example, a health insurance company recently paid for stem cell therapy for a woman with multiple sclerosis because she did not need medication that would have been more expensive than stem cell therapy.

If one or more of the samples are analysed by the laboratory specialists and deemed not to be storable for future clinical applications, and therefore no samples can be stored, there are no processing and testing costs. Only the deposit of 250 CHF for the administrative costs, the collection kit and the transport must be paid, unless a refund guarantee has been taken. In the event that one or more samples can be stored despite the disqualification of one or more samples, the price will be reduced and only the samples that have actually been stored will be charged.