OLDSMAR, FLA. – July 22, 2009 – Cryo-Cell International, Inc. (OTCBB: CCEL.OB), one of the largest and most established leaders in stem cell innovation today announced a research and development collaboration agreement with nationally recognized wound specialist, Dr. Robert J. Snyder and the Snyder Wound Research Institute LLC in Tamarac, FL. The partnership will allow Dr. Snyder to conduct research studies using Cryo-Cell’s proprietary C’elle menstrual stem cell (MenSC) technology. The goal of these collaborative efforts will be to identify and develop potential future therapeutic applications for chronic wound healing.
Chronic wounds such as a leg ulcer from a vein problem, a foot wound in a person with diabetes, or a bed sore, are wounds that have a biological or physiological reason for not healing. It is estimated that approximately 5.7 million patients in the U.S. currently suffer from chronic wounds at an estimated cost of $20 billion annually, representing a significant burden to the U.S. health care system including patients, practitioners and insurance carriers.
There are various types of chronic wounds and each has its own causes and treatments. There are, for example, approximately 20 million patients in this country with diabetes. It is estimated that approximately fifteen percent of these patients will develop an open sore, most commonly on the bottom of the foot, referred to as a diabetic foot ulcer. These wounds are particularly difficult to heal, impair the patient’s quality of life and can lead to serious complications, such as amputations and higher mortality.
This collaborative partnership will support an exciting new area of research and development that will investigate the potential benefits of new ways to utilize menstrual blood stem cells in advanced therapeutic applications for wound management.
The scientific collaboration between Cryo-Cell and Dr. Snyder presents an exciting opportunity to explore potential new protocols that may possibly leverage the benefits of regenerative science to advance new approaches to wound healing. “Our ability to understand the science behind manipulating the chronic wound micro-environment, in combination with the healing activity of stem cells to discharge growth factors and encourage the formation of new blood vessels in the patient, may possibly lead to innovative breakthrough therapies,” stated Dr. Snyder. “This research will determine if the C’elle stem cells found in menstrual blood may potentially mimic the wound healing process in therapeutic applications, along with the added benefit of being both non-invasive and cost-effective.”
“We are very pleased to partner with Dr. Snyder to explore the utilization and potential commercialization of Cryo-Cell’s proprietary C’elle menstrual stem cell technology in the future development of novel therapies for healing chronic wounds,” said Mercedes A. Walton, Cryo-Cell’s Chairman and CEO. “Millions of people worldwide may potentially benefit from future stem cell therapies to treat debilitating chronic wounds that can be life-impacting and devastating to patients and their families.”
The C’elle service is based on Cryo-Cell’s expansive IP technology portfolio and was introduced in November 2007 as the first and only service that empowers women to collect and cryopreserve menstrual flow containing undifferentiated adult stem cells for future utilization by the donor or possibly first-degree relatives in a manner similar to umbilical cord blood stem cells. Based on the continuing success of MenSCs in the research setting, Cryo-Cell is actively expanding its portfolio of research collaborations with world renowned scientists committed to study this novel stem cell population for a broad range of regenerative therapeutic development.
About Robert J. Snyder, D.P.M., C.W.S.
In addition to treating patients in private practice, Dr. Snyder serves as medical director of the Wound Healing Center at University Hospital in Tamarac. Dr. Snyder is board certified in foot and ankle surgery by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. He is a board certified wound specialist by the American Academy of Wound Management and is president elect of that organization. He is a fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, the American Professional Wound Care Association and the College of Certified Wound Specialists. Dr. Snyder is also an executive board member of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care. He was recently recognized in “Top 150 most influential podiatrists in the United States” by Podiatry Management Magazine. A frequent contributor to many medical journals, Dr. Snyder is currently consulting editor for Podiatry Management Magazine and a member of the editorial advisory boards of Ostomy Wound Management and Wounds. He is a Clinical Professor (Adjunct) at Temple University College of Podiatric Medicine and has authored over 100 papers for peer-reviewed and trade journals on topics relating to wound management and limb salvage. Dr. Snyder has done extensive research on many innovative wound care therapies. He is completing an MSc in Wound Healing and Tissue Science at the Wales College of Medicine, UK.
About C’elle
The C’elleSM service was introduced in November 2007 as the first and only service that empowers women to collect and cryopreserve menstrual flow containing undifferentiated adult stem cells for future utilization by the donor or possibly their first-degree relatives in a manner similar to umbilical cord blood stem cells. For more information, visit http://www.Celle.com
About Cryo-Cell International, Inc. (OTCBB: CCEL.OB)
Based in Oldsmar, Florida, with nearly 185,000 clients worldwide, Cryo-Cell is one of the largest and most established family cord blood banks. ISO 9001:2000 certified and accredited by the AABB, Cryo-Cell operates in a state-of-the-art Good Manufacturing Practice and Good Tissue Practice (cGMP/cGTP)-compliant facility. Cryo-Cell is a publicly traded company. OTC Bulletin Board Symbol: CCEL. For more information, please call 1-800-STOR-CELL (1-800-786-7235) or visit www.cryo-cell.com.
