Tran-Scell Biologics, which is opening the country's sixth stem cell banking facility in Hyderabad, will invest Rs 380 crore to set up a sprawling stem cell research-cum-therapeutic facility in the city.

The first phase of the project, involving an investment of Rs 140 crore and a hospital with 180 beds, will be ready by early next year. “We have already tied up the finances and the entire project will be completed by 2012-end. Research at the facility will primarily focus on diabetes, knee-replacement and spinal cord injuries,” Dr Subhadra Dravida, CEO of the company, told press persons here on Monday.

The stem cell banking facility will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, at the BioAsia conference on Tuesday.

Storage charges

The facility will be charging clients who wish to store their stem cells in the region between Rs 55,000 and Rs 75,000 as a one-time payment for a period of 21 years, which can be further extended. The clients could use the stem cells any time for cure of ailments in their families.

“The fee includes collection of cells, profiling, testing, processing and storing. Our present capacity is one tank that can store 15,000 units — we will be expanding the capacity depending on requirements later. The stem cells are stored in liquid nitrogen at temperatures of minus 196 degree Celsius in the form of concentrated blood or colourless solution,” Dr Dravida said.

It will offer prospective parents the option to store their new born babies stem cells collected from the placenta, which is usually discarded after birth. Once the cells have been harvested from here, these can be stored for a life time

Stem cells bank

The company will be opening a public stem cells bank at the existing facility in the next few months —patients can buy matching stem cells for a fee.

Stem cell therapy is being used globally to treat a number of chronic and incurable diseases. “In Argentina, doctors have recently concluded tests using stem cells to cure diabetics and came out with a success rate of 83 per cent. In the Indian context, diseases such as blood cancers, diabetes and thalassemia can be cured using stem cell therapy,” Dr K. Krishna Swaroop, Executive Chairman of the company and Managing Director of Pacific Hospitals, said.

Currently, there is no insurance coverage for stored stem cell units, but experts feel that this would emerge as India makes advances in stem cell therapy. Research and therapy using stem cells are however regulated and monitored by the Government.

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