CordLife has acquired Cytomatrix LLC of Boston, USA. This will giveus significantly enhanced research and development capabilitiesand intellectual property in this growing industry, and a strong USpresence.

Renamed the Cytomatrix R&D Division, our new US arm has aunique, patented, three-dimensional cell growth biometallicplatform called Cytomatrix®. This material is a proven platform forcell growth. In the case of stem cells, pre-clinical trials show thatstem cells can be made to multiply, while still retaining their originalfunctionality. As each cord blood sample has a finite quantity ofstem cells, this material may well open the door to new medicaltreatments, currently limited by this finite quantity.

Another compelling new application for the Cytomatrix materialis the production of human T cells, a critical component of theimmune system. Cytomatrix has developed an artificial thymus,mimicking the natural, three-dimensional environment in whichsuch cells are produced, a development first described in andmaking the cover of leading industry journal, Nature Biotechnology.Extensive trials are planned. This ability to produce T cells hasimplications in treatments for cancers, immune disorders, viral orbacterial infections, and other conditions that are today provingdrug resistant.

CordLife AcquiresBoston-based Cytomatrix

RDRDIRDRDDIAANRDTHEGUARDIANYear 2003 - Six th Issue. Mita (P) 119/11/2002 • A Newsletter from CordLife

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Based on the same core technology, Cytomatrix has developed arange of commercial R&D products. These devices are used withexisting laboratory equipment, enabling researchers and cliniciansto undertake new directions in cellular work. CordLife is currentlyexpanding this range of products for worldwide distribution.

CordLife’s acquisition of Cytomatrix and its efforts in the biomedicalindustry have enjoyed support from various government bodies.“We are pleased with this development and will strongly supportthe efforts of promising local biotechnology companies like CordLifeto strengthen their capabilities and become globally competitiveplayers in Biomedical Sciences,” said Mr. Philip Yeo, Chairman of theAgency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR) and Co-Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).

“We are becoming a fully integrated stem cell company, withCellular Banking Services, Research & Development, andTherapeutics,” said Steven Fang, CEO CordLife. We have one of themost advanced stem cell banking facilities in this part of the world,compliant to the highest standards, the American Association ofBlood Banks (AABB).”

“By combining Cytomatrix’s R&D efforts with our own, we aim todevelop means to increase the availability of stem cells. It is ourhope that more stem cell-based treatments will eventually becomepossible and more readily available. The acquisition of Cytomatrixis a very significant step for this company. It is one of many stepsto come, as we build this company into a global player.”

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Since 1996, Cytomatrix has built a good team of people anddeveloped many key relationships. We have worked closely withsome of the leading medical research centers in the US, such asthe Massachusetts General Hospital, the Dana Farber CancerInstitute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Duke University,Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, and the University of Minnesota.

We have also worked with the US federal government, receivingR&D funding and we have contracts and grants ongoing. Throughour R&D work with the government and these medical centers, wethink we are close to developing a breakthrough in stem cellresearch.

This ability to ‘expand’ the quantity of stem cells is the industry’sHoly Grail. The limited quantity of stem cells available can underminethe treatment of the patient and also limits the potential therapeuticapplications of stem cells in general.

Separately, both CordLife and Cytomatrix have their own expertiseand patents in stem cell expansion. Together, our combinedexpertise holds out the promise of breaking this barrier. We’re veryexcited with what the future has to offer together as one company.

Mark Pykett

President, Cytomatrix R&D Division

Mark Speaks...

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Producing Human T Cellsby Developing An Artificial

T lymphocytes or T cells of the immune system

are potentially valuable and powerful tools in

the treatment of many diseases for which

effective treatments or cures have not been

found. These include cancers; viral or bacterial

infections amenable to therapy with cell

vaccinations or therapeutics; diseases treatable

by immune modulation, such as organ

transplantation or autoimmunity; immune

disorders and opportunistic infections arising

from other treatments; drug-resistant and/or

high frequency mutation pathogens; and

inherited or acquired immunosuppression.

The problem is that manufacturing these cells

has proven very difficult. This is partly because

T cell generation is dependent on three-

dimensional interactions with cells in the

thymus, known as thymic stromal cells. The lack

of any effective way to mimic this 3-D

environment has impeded the production of

T cells.

The Cytomatrix R&D Division has developed

a novel artificial thymus culture system

comprised of a stroma covered, three-

dimensional, bio-compatible cell growth matrix.

We are using this ex vivo culture system to

generate T cells from hematopoietic progenitor

Thymus

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and measles antigens. Thus, we have

demonstrated the ability to recapitulate the

thymic microenvironment in vitro both

phenotypically and functionally. This system is

currently being used to investigate:

1) the production of self-tolerant T cells

2) the generation of antigen-specific T cells

and

3) positive and negative selection within a

thymic organoid.

Pre-clinical trials demonstrate that it is now

possible to manufacture T cells by mimicking

the environment found in the thymus. At the

appropriate juncture, we plan to move to

clinical trials.

Michael Rosenzweig, B.V.Sc, Ph.D.

Chief Scientific Officer (Research)

Cytomatrix R&D Division

cells isolated from adult human bone marrow

in the context of human skin stroma to induce

the differentiation of HSCs to functional T cells

for novel clinical uses. Briefly, human skin tissue

was cultured in the Cytomatrix for 3 weeks.

Immature hematopoietic stem cells isolated

from human bone marrow were then co-

cultured on the stroma in the absence of

cytokines for an additional two weeks.

FACS analysis demonstrated the development

of CD4+CD8+ double positive as well as CD4+

and CD8+ single positive T cells, the majority

of which were CD45RA+ (naive) and TCRab+.

These T cells arose from de novo synthesis

demonstrated by the presence of T cell receptor

excisional circles (TREC) via PCR. Function was

demonstrated by expansion in Con A and IL-

2 supplemented media. These cells will be used

in reconstitution assays to further test feasibility

for clinical studies.

These T cells arose from de novo synthesis as

demonstrated by the detection of T cell

receptor excisional circles (TRECs) by PCR. In

addition, spectratype analysis demonstrated

the presence of a diverse T cell repertoire that

can respond to a variety of antigens presented

on autologous dendritic cells including CMV

Banking On Cells –

An Introduction to Stem Cells

Due to the increasing interest in stem cells and umbilical cord bloodbanking, CordLife has increased the frequency of its educational talksto fortnightly sessions. During these talks, trained scientists will explainmore on stem cells, their applications and the latest developmentsin this promising area.

Do contact Grace to let us know you’ll be joining us. Call us at6238 0808, or email us at gchan@cordlife.com

The schedule of upcoming talks is:

Date Saturdays Wednesdays7 June 18 June5 Jul 16 Jul2 Aug 20 Aug

Time 10.30am – 12 noon 6.30pm – 8 pm

If you have a friend who maybe interested in CordLife services, wewould be more than happy to see them, please contact us atreferafriend@cordlife.com

Should you wish to be removed from The Guardian mail distributionlist, or to inform us of any change in contact address, please contactGrace (gchan@cordlife.com).

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CordLife was founded in May 2001, the first private cord blood bankin Singapore. It was in a very small office with just three people. Withoutits own processing and storage facilities, the company had to makearrangements with partners in the USA to store its samples in thoseearly months.

How far the company has come in just two short years. Today, CordLifehas about 30 people in Singapore alone. It has a state of the art facilityin Singapore, set up in May 2002. It has a sister facility in Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia, and a facility in Guangzhou, China.

Beyond Malaysia and China, CordLife also has points of presence inAustralia, Indonesia, Switzerland, and Thailand. And with the recentacquisition of Cytomatrix in Boston, USA, the company has a strongfoothold in the huge US market. More importantly, the intellectualproperty from Cytomatrix will greatly boost the company’s efforts instem cell expansion and in therapeutic work.

CordLife is no longer only a cord blood bank. It is becoming a bankfor stem cells regardless of adult source. It has received approval fromthe Ministry of Health to begin storing peripheral blood stem cells.The company will be expanding its laboratory and storage facilitiesin Singapore to meet increasing banking demands, and to better driveits research efforts.

What more does the future hold for CordLife? Watch this space!

Happy Birthday,CordLife

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Public OutreachPublic Outreach

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For many months, CordLife has been providing public

education talks to anyone who wants to find out more

about stem cells and umbilical cord blood banking. To

meet increased demand, these monthly talks have been

conducted twice a month for some time, on the first

Saturday, and the third Wednesday of every month. In order

to better promote understanding of the value and potential

of stem cells, CordLife has extended its education

programme substantially, to reach more groups of people.

In June, CordLife delivered a Stem Cell Information Folder

to O&G doctors across the island. This folder contained

abstracts from leading medical journals on stem cell

developments around the world. In the months’ ahead,

CordLife will provide new information on a regular basis

to these doctors, and extend the programme to other

specialist doctors.

In May, in conjunction with Genecet Biotechnologies, a life

sciences educational kit provider, CordLife conducted a

half day seminar with two schools, Raffles Girls’ School, and

Raffles Institution. The seminar comprised an informative

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presentation, followed by a game on donor matching, and a tour of

CordLife’s labs. About 40 participants from each school took part.

A few weeks’ later, on June 14th, 11 teams from the two schools made

presentations, demonstrating their understanding of the issues

discussed – and their creativity! One group made theirs partly a song

routine! Another created a fake umbilical cord and placenta!

Judging at this event were Dr Rosemary Tan, CEO of Genecet, Dr Sheryl

Vanderpoel, Chief Science Officer of CordLife, and Assistant Professor

Wang Nai-dy, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, National

University Hospital.

Teams from RGS came in in third and second place, and the first prize

went to a team from RI. The RI boys’ topic was on Dolly and cloning

– how was Dolly made? Why did she die? What are the scientific issues

to be considered in cloning? The judges felt the boys went beyond

the scope of the seminar, to present the topic in very great depth.

In conjunction with its partner Genecet, CordLife plans to provide a

similar programme to more secondary schools and junior colleges.

72 Diseases and CountingThe National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) is a non-profit organization in the US. Since 1986, it hasbeen facilitating bone marrow transplants, and, more recently, stem cell transplants. The NMDP is consideredone of the leading organizations in the world in this field. The NMDP has issued what may be consideredthe definitive list of diseases that can be treated by stem cell transplant. It is a list that today comprisessome 72 diseases:

Inherited Immune System Disorders

- Ataxia-Telangiectasia- Kostmann Syndrome- Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency- DiGeorge Syndrome- Bare Lymphocyte Syndrome- Omenn's Syndrome- Severe Combined Immunodeficiency- Severe Combined Immunodeficiency

with Adenosine Deaminase Deficiency- Absence of T & B Cells Severe Combined

Immunodeficiency- Absence of T Cells, Normal B Cell Severe

Combined Immunodeficiency- Common Variable Immunodeficiency- Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome- X-Linked Lymphoproliferative Disorder

Other Inherited Disorders

- Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome- Cartilage-Hair Hypoplasia- Glanzmann Thrombasthenia- Osteopetrosis

Inherited Platelet Abnormalities

- Amegakaryocytosis / Congenital -Thrombocytopenia

Plasma Cell Disorders

- Multiple Myeloma- Plasma Cell Leukemia- Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia

Other Malignancies

- Breast Cancer- Ewing Sarcoma- Neuroblastoma- Renal Cell Carcinoma

Phagocyte Disorders

- Chediak-Higashi Syndrome- Chronic Granulomatous Disease- Neutrophil Actin Deficiency- Reticular Dysgenesis

Inherited Metabolic Disorders

- Mucopolysaccharidoses- Hurler's Syndrome- Scheie Syndrome- Hunter's Syndrome- Sanfilippo Syndrome- Morquio Syndrome- Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome- Sly Syndrome, Beta-Glucuronidase

Deficiency- Adrenoleukodystrophy- Mucolipidosis II- Krabbe Disease- Gaucher's Disease- Niemann-Pick Disease- Wolman Disease- Metachromatic Leukodystrophy

Histiocytic Disorders

- Familial Erythrophagocytic- Lymphohistiocytosis- Histiocytosis-X- Hemophagocytosis

Inherited Erythrocyte Abnormalities

- Beta Thalassemia Major- Sickle Cell Disease

Acute Leukemias

- Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia- Acute Myelogenous Leukemia- Acute Biphenotypic Leukemia- Acute Undifferentiated Leukemia

Chronic Leukemias

- Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia- Juvenile Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia- Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia

Myelodysplastic Syndromes

- Refractory Anemia- Refractory Anemia with Ringed- Sideroblasts- Refractory Anemia with Excess Blasts- Refractory Anemia with Excess Blasts

in Transformation- Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia

Stem Cell Disorders

- Aplastic Anemia (Severe)- Fanconi Anemia- Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria- Pure Red Cell Aplasia

Myeloproliferative Disorders

- Acute Myelofibrosis- Agnogenic Myeloid Metaplasia- Polycythemia Vera- Essential Thrombocythemia

Lymphoproliferative Disorders

- Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma- Hodgkin's Disease

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Natural remedies - in particular aromatherapy, can often provide gentleyet effective relief from minor ailments. Take care to be kind to yourbaby’s skin and offer products which are as pure and natural as possible.A quick scan of the ingredients list on a bottle or associated packaging,will equip you with the information you require to make a well-informed decision.

Being aware of which ingredients are more likely to cause a reactionon the delicate skin of a newborn will ensure you do the best jobpossible in keeping your baby comfortable and content. Pure essentialoils are extremely powerful so it is always ideal to seek out pre-blendedproducts that offer effective, proven preparations for young babies.

Skincare for new babies should be taken very seriously, particularlywhen the baby has been born premature. For the first few weeks ofa baby's life it is best to use a bland, unscented product or alternatively,simply water. Many general, adult toiletry products are manufacturedusing higher amounts of perfumes, alcohols, added colours and otheringredients potentially irritating to an infant's delicate skin. Be sure toseek out only the mildest and most gentle, plant-based productswhich have been formulated specifically for babies.

For a first-time massage, a high quality, cold-pressed vegetable oil,preferably sweet almond, jojoba or even extra virgin olive oil is an idealchoice and may be just what the doctor ordered. Generally, the higherthe grade of vegetable oils used, the more expensive the product willbe. Some of the lesser grade vegetable oils include soya, canola, peanut,safflower and even grapeseed, either being solvent extracted, chemicallyrefined or common causes of allergic reactions (ie, peanut oil).

Adapted with kind permission from Mothersworks

Aromababy!

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cordlife

About CordLifeCordLife Pte Ltd is a leading stem cell biotechnology company.It operates American Association of Blood Banks (AABB)compliant umbilical cord blood and peripheral blood stem cellbanking facilities in Singapore, Malaysia and China. From itsSingapore headquarters, and from its Cytomatrix R&D Divisionin Boston USA, the company engages in cutting edge adultstem cell research in conjunction with leading institutions.

One of the company's core technologies is a unique cell growthplatform called, "The Cytomatrix®”, a platform that enables cellsto grow in three dimensions. Utilizing this platform, the companyis working on stem cell expansion, and provides R&D productsto researchers around the world. For further information, pleasevisit www.cordlife.com, or www.cytomatrix.com.

Contact Us!Should you wish to contribute any articles, comments orpictures to The Guardian, please contact our editor, Ronald Heeat rhee@cordlife.com

CordLife Pte Ltd1 Orchard Boulevard#08-08 Camden Medical CentreSingapore 248649

Main Line: (65) 6238 0808 Fax: (65) 6238 1108www.cordlife.comEmail: Info@cordlife.comClients/Doctors Support Line: (65) 6238 1828

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