Analysis of the activities of cord blood banks in the Russian Federation

Abstract

This review aimed to analyze the activities of all state and commercial cord blood banks in the Russian Federation, to estimate the total number of cord blood samples in storage at the beginning of 2023, and to determine the practical use of the biomaterial for treatment allogeneic and autologous transplants for oncohematological diseases, as well as for scientific research in the field of regenerative medicine for the entire period of the banks' operation, which is twenty years. To date, there are 12 cord blood banks providing personal, public or mixed storage of samples. At the moment, up to 26,000 cord blood samples are in public storage, and about 75,000 samples are in personal storage. As part of the review, the main and additional services provided by banks, as well as their current cost, were studied. The average cost of cord blood sample collection in the Russian Federation is 62,500 rubles, and the average annual cost of storage is 6,000 rubles. The main market indicators, trends, key problems of biobanking and prospects for the use of cord blood cells in the Russian Federation in the coming years are considered in detail. Separately, data on the prospects for the use of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, a widely studied biomaterial, which, like cord blood, can be collected after childbirth and cryopreserved for long-term storage, are briefly presented. Stem cells of the umbilical cord are being actively studied in the field of regenerative medicine due to their properties to restore cartilaginous muscle and bone tissue, stimulate the growth of new blood vessels, and block autoimmune reactions. In addition, the current tasks and results of the activities of Ruscord, an association of specialists and organizations in the field of procurement, storage, use of cord blood cells and cell technologies, which over several years of its activity has already made a significant contribution to the development of the biobanking market, were analyzed. In September 2020, a unified standard for the collection, processing, storage and issuance of cord blood for use was approved the Russian standard RUSCORD.