Inaugural Issue

Oct - Dec 2009

Find out why I bank with CordLife- Giselle Sanchez

page 08

&You

A wordfrom us

We are very pleased to bring you the inaugural issue of “CordLife

& You”, our quarterly newsletter exclusively for our valued families and friends in Philippines. This issue includes the latest updates on CordLife, FAQs on cord blood stem cells, testimonials from CordLife parents, upcoming activities and much more! So far, the year 2009 has been an exciting one for us at CordLife. CordLife India and Hong Kong have both achieved ISO9001 certification in early 2009, and we are establishing a dedicated team in Philippines to address our clients’ needs. We are also very proud to announce that CordLife Singapore was re-accredited by AABB in August 2009! This cements our commitment to quality, and our dedication to provide clients with the

Greetings!

It is with grateful hearts and great enthusiasm that we finally launch

“Cordlife & You” quarterly newsletter. Through this quarterly newsletter, we aim to keep you abreast of latest developments on cord blood stem cells and its application as well as provide you with other relevant information on cord blood banking which may be of much interest to you and your families.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for your trust and confidence. Your unwavering support has made us No. 1 Parent’s choice in Philippines.

With the growing number of Cordlife families and circle of friends, we certainly look forward to an enjoyable, mutually beneficial and fulfilling partnership with you in the years to come.

Happy reading!

Suzanne SalindongCountry Manager, CordLife Medical Philippines, Inc.

best stem cell therapy product.

To date, over 25,000 families have entrusted their baby’s cord blood with us, making CordLife the leading cord blood bank accross Asia Pacific. We thank you for your trust and for recommending CordLife to your loved ones and friends. We would not have made it without you. We hope you enjoy reading this issue. Yours sincerely,

Steven Fang Group CEO

Contents

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Importance of cord blood banking

Why more parents bank with CordLife

In the NewsCordLife in the black with A$4.2m profit•Leukemia boy saved - by baby sister•The miracle of cord blood•

Close Encounter with Giselle Sanchez

Upcoming EventsCordLife Halloween Photo Contest•Pre- Christmas special!•Be rewarded with BONUS referral fee!•Having a new baby?•

Frequently Asked Questions on cord blood banking

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cord blood banking

I m p o r t a n c e o fBabyFacts

OOf all the decisions you make for your children, choosing to store their cord blood could turn out to be the most important. Faced with this decision, CordLife can help by providing you with the most up-to-date information covering all aspects of cord blood banking.

What are stem cells?Stem cells found in cord blood are mainly responsible for replenishing blood and immune system cells. These cells have the unique ability to multiply and develop into other cell types illustrated below. In doing so, these cells have the potential to provide new and healthy cells.

Diseases1 treatable with cord blood todaySince the first transplant in 1988, cord blood has become a major source of stem cells for transplantation worldwide. Doctors have used cord blood stem cells to treat more than

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10,0002 patients suffering from over 80 diseases including:

Certain cancers and bone marrow • failure syndromes

Inborn errors of metabolism •Blood disorders •Immunodeficiencies•

The future of stem cellsWorldwide medical research continues to unlock further potential uses for stem cells, with current research focused on developing treatments for diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and stroke, amongst many others.

What can stem cells do for your family?You only have one chance to save your baby’s valuable cord blood and that is at birth. These cells are a perfect match for your baby. It also provides a ready source of genetically related stem cells which may be used for a sibling or family member.

Chances3 of a match between…

Baby’s Siblings up to 75%

Baby’s Parents up to 50%

The haematopoietic stem cell differentiates into all other blood cells including these illustrated here:

Red blood cells carry oxygen to the organs and tissues

Platelets help blood to clot

White blood cells fight infections

number of stem cells will enhance the success of the transplant.

Benefits of choosing Sepax®

Better chance of having a successful transplant;•As high as 96%• 5 total nucleated cell (TNC)

recovery rate.Up to 52% higher than open processing method• 6.Consistently high yields, independent of •

operator skills.No sample mix up; ensuring the stem cells are•

truly yours.No cross contamination, more sterile.•Proven and safe technology.•

Sources: www.processedbysepax.com and Biosafe, manufacturer of Sepax® (figures accurate as of 17 November 2008).

1 Full list of diseases can be obtained from CordLife’s educational booklet.

2 Combined data from Via Cord, NYPC, Netcord, and NMDP. December 2007.

3 Based on 3 matches out of 6 Human-Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) markers.

4 Biomaterials, 1996; Vol. 17; No.3: 249.5 CordLife validation studies.6 Valeri et al., Transfusion 1996; 36: 303-8.

How is cord blood collected?Collection of cord blood is a safe, quick and painless procedure which does not affect the safety of the mother and baby. Be it a vaginal or caesarean delivery, your obstetrician will do the collection after the birth of your baby.

How is cord blood processed and stored?Once your baby’s cord blood is collected, it is transported to our AABB accredited laboratory for processing. The stem cells then undergo controlled freezing and will be stored in a nitrogen tank at -196°C. Researchers have estimated the stem cells stored under liquid nitrogen temperatures remain viable even after 1,0004 years of storage.

Save more cells for your family with Sepax®

As a quality and technology leader, CordLife proud to be the only private cord blood bank in Singapore and Philippines to offer Sepax®; U.S. FDA-cleared automated cord blood processing technology to perform smooth and precise cell separation.

With Sepax®, the investment for your family is greatly maximised. If ever needed, a higher

Top: CordLife AABB accredited laboratory Right: CordLife storage tanks running on liquid nitrogen

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2 Safe and secure storage facilityIn our facilities in Singapore and Philippines, your baby’s cord blood will be stored in vacuum insulated double-hull tanks, which are fire-retardant and filled with liquid nitrogen. Our laboratories are also equipped with back-up systems to provide uninterrupted power 24/7, 365 days a year.

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Why more parents bank withCordLife?

1 Proven expertise in cord blood bankingCordLife is the longest operating cord blood bank in Singapore since 2001 and the first cord blood bank licensed by Singapore Ministry of Health. Our facility in Singapore is Southeast Asia’s first and only private cord blood bank to be accredited by AABB, one of the world’s highest standards in private cord blood banking. Since our inception, we have established a quality system and proven track record of reliable cord blood banking services. The same expertise is transferred to all CordLife facilities in Southeast Asia including the new facility* in Philippines. *Slated to open in December 2009

3 Sepax®; Fully automated and highly sterile cord blood processing systemCordLife is Philippine’s and Singapore’s only cord blood bank to use Sepax®, the world’s first U.S. FDA cleared automated cord blood processing device specially invented to perform smooth and precise cell separation. With the capability to recover as high as 96% of the cells from cord blood, Sepax® truly maximises your investment for your family.

4 Proven cord blood transplant track recordCordLife is the only private cord blood bank with a successful cord blood transplant record in Singapore. In 2002, a little girl’s cord blood stem cells stored with CordLife successfully saved her brother Ryan, who was suffering from leukemia. CordLife was responsible for the processing and storage of the cord blood stem cells. Ryan’s condition has stabilised and is now in remission.

6 Financial and corporate stability Publicly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, CordLife’s business has expanded significantly over the years. We are proud to own the largest network of highly regarded private cord blood banks in the region. We are both financially and professionally well-positioned for the long haul.

7 TNT 24-hour special handling serviceCordLife engages TNT’s unrivalled experience in the handling of shipments for the Medical industries to deliver your baby’s cord blood safely and on time throughout the world.

5 The CordLife Quality Guarantee Your baby’s cord blood could turn out to be the most precious gift to your child. That’s why we have it protected by The CordLife Quality Guarantee, the only such guarantee in Singapore and Philippines. It assures you of a cord blood replacement or a compensation of up to US$25,000 if the cord blood loses its viability at the point of transplant. For something so precious, bank with peace of mind with CordLife.

GuaranteeQuality

The

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Reported in The Business Times on 2 September 2009

The nature of our business is such that, despite a very difficult year from an economic stand point, the service continues to be relevant and people continue to want to buy the service.

CordLife processes and stores blood derived from umbilical cords of newborn babies - a trend that is growing in popularity with the rising awareness of stem cell therapy.

Cord blood is rich with stem cells. Parents pay a one-time fee to process and collect the cord blood of their newborns.

Thereafter, they also pay an annual fee to keep it at a secure storage facility.

DESPITE challenging market conditions and a lacklustre birth rate in Singapore, homegrown tissue banking operator CordLife has moved into the black, with a A$4.2 million (S$5.07 million) net profit attributable to shareholders for the year ended June.

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Reported in The Straits Times on 1 July 2004- a successful transplant case using cord blood stem cell sample collected, processed and stored by CordLife.

Reported in Today on 28 August 2007

The healthy cells from his sister re-populated in his bone marrow and revived his immune system, depleted by the chemotherapy used to treat the leukaemia.

…it has long been known that cord blood is a potential source of stem cells and can be used to treat a host of diseases, such as blood disorders and cancers…

One of the main advantages of cord blood transplants is that cord blood units do not need to be as stringently matched with the recipient’s tissue type, unlike traditional bone marrow transplants – which requires a 100-per-cent match.

Little Rachel Foo’s umbilicial cord blood proved a life-line to her brother, three-old Ryan, who received an infusion of her stem cells after other treatments efforts had failed.

Cord blood is a rich source of what doctors call haematopoietic stem cells, “blank” immature cells that can become all sorts of blood cells: red, white or platelets.

Why was cord blood banking

‘a must’ for you?

Health is wealth. Family is everything. I did not

endure nine months carrying a baby, laboring for

many hours, nursing the baby for six months and

watching every minute my baby grow, only to lose

my baby to a life-threatening sickness. Cord blood

blanking is a must, it’s one chance in a lifetime

and every parent should grab that one chance.

Does your husband share the same

views about cord blood banking?

Yes. Organ and cellular replacements are the

most difficult medical cases should your child

encounter a disease (God forbid). His thirty-seven

year old cousin has been going back and forth to

Singapore to search for a stem cell match as she

has been suffering from stage 4 lung cancer. If

stem cell technology was available thirty seven

years ago, then she would not have to go through

this long tedious process of finding a match. Up

until now, she has not found a perfect match.

What were some of the fears or

doubts you had about cord blood

banking?

I am more concerned about the stability of the

company that is in charge of collecting, processing

and storing the stem cells. If the company is not

stable enough and would fold in a few years due

to lack of operating funds, what will happen to

my son’s stem cells? Because these concerns,

I HAD to find an AABB Accredited Private

Cord Blood Bank and CordLife is the ONE and only

accredited private cord blood bank in Philippines,

Singapore & South East Asia by the American

Association of Blood Banks. CordLife is also listed

on ASX and that gives me the assurance of their

corporate and financial stability.

CordLife is an investment just like

bonds, stocks and savings. The

difference is no matter how much interest

you get in bonds and portfolio savings, you

can't save your child's life or your loved

one’s should he/she be stricken with a

life-threatening disease (God forbid). With

cord blood stem cells and proper medical

technology, CordLife may be able to save

the day. - Giselle Sanchez

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Close EncounterClose Encounter

Would you recommend CordLife to your friends who are expecting a baby?

Of course. I know I chose the best. This

is my child we are talking about.

Every parent wants the best for their

child. I recommend CordLife to my

friends and family.

Can you share with us how your life has changed after having 2 children?

Having two children, I realized

that being a “mother” is the most difficult career

and responsibility in the whole world. I was a

student, an actress, an employee, and a business

woman. But nothing beats the responsibility and

the hard work of being a mother. I know every

mother would agree to this.

How do you balance your time

between your work, time for yourself

alone and quality time with your husband and 2 children?

I follow this rule: Whenever you come home,

your family should get THE BEST OF YOU and

NOT WHAT IS LEFT OF YOU.

What is your secret formula to

keeping the sparks in your relationship

with your husband?

It’s very important that for both husband and

wife to have a “secret lover” in between the two

of you. My husband and I both share one secret

lover, and his name is GOD.

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What are you most passionate

about right now in your life?

Making people happy • (thank God I’am a comedienne!)

Bringing up my children to be God-fearing, •healthy and good people.

Keeping a healthy and sound body.•

Post a question for Giselle or share

your ups and downs of your pregnancy

or motherhood with us. Email to

info@ph.cordlife.com

Giselle will select 5 lucky readers’

entries to be featured in our next issue

of ‘CordLife & You’. Each reader will

receive a CordLife hamper worth

P3,200! Entries must reach us by 30 November 2009.

Entries may be edited for editorial style, clarity and

grammer and length.

1. Parent’s full name

2. Parent’s mobile number

3. Home mailing address

4. Child’s full name

It’s time to dress up your little one this Halloween! Send in or email us a photo of your baby or toddler (below the age of 3) and you could one of the 5 lucky winners picked by Giselle Sanchez! Each winner will receive a RusTan’s hamper worth P3,200. Entries have to reach us by 30 November 2009. Winners will be notified by post by 15 December 2009.

Please indicate the following on the back of each photo or in your email:

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Terms and Conditions• CordLife reserves the right to change the Terms and dates of this contest at its sole discretion without prior notice. By participating in this contest, participants are taken to have agreed to the changes that may be made from time to time. • The contest is open to all citizens and residents in Philippines only. • All photographs must be submitted, either by post or email, to CordLife, before 30 November 2009. • Each participant is allowed to submit a maximum of 2 photographs. However, each photograph must be accompanied with all the required participant’s details, as stipulated in the ‘CordLife & You’ Fall/Winter 2009 issue. • CordLife will not be responsible for lost or damaged photographs. All photographs shall not be returned to the participants. Participants agree that CordLife, their agents and assigns are allowed an exclusive right to use, reproduce or adapt their photographs for the purposes of CordLife’s contest, exhibitions or in any publicity materials from 1 December 2009 till 28 February 2010. • CordLife has the discretion to change the prize and their composition.

Cordlife Halloween Photo Contest

info@ph.cordlife.com

Cordlife Medical Philippines IncAntel Global Corporate CenterRoom 1103 Julia Vargas Ave. Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Philippines

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Happenings

Now till 30 Nov2009

PreChristmas

Special!

Exclusive packages are available for existing CordLife customers who are expecting their next child. Don’t forget to contact us at (0917) 887 8611/ (02) 470 1735, to make the same right choice with CordLife.

Be rewarded with

BONUS referral fee!

NOW till 25 December 2009

Call your friendly CordLife Cord Blood Banking Consultant today for your more information.

^Terms and conditions apply.

Know someone who is expecting,

and can also benefit from storing

their baby’s cord blood with

CordLife?

Refer your friend/s to CordLife

and you receive P1,600 cash*

when your friend signs-up with

CordLife.

What’s more, your friend/s will save

P4,800 on their first year storage fee!

P3,200 cash per successful

referral^ (100% bonus!)

Refer 6 friends and receive

additional surprise gift worth

P16,000!

Having a new baby?

OCTOBER TILL DECEMBER

* Terms and conditions apply.

Enjoy over P25,000* in savings and receive gifts when you sign-up with CordLife for a 21-year storage plan

for your baby’s cord blood.

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What is cord blood?Cord blood is the blood that remains in your newborn’s umbilical cord after the cord has been cut. Doctors have identified that cord blood, like bone marrow, is a rich source of stem cells, which can be used in medical treatments. Cord blood is routinely discarded after birth, but a process known as cord blood banking allows families to save this valuable resource for potential future medical use.

What diseases can be treated with cord blood?Cord blood contains several classes of adult stem cells, including hematopoietic forms and pluripotent forms. Like bone marrow, its established role is in the reconstitution of the immune and blood system after chemotherapy, in patients for cancer, bone marrow failure syndromes, immune deficiencies, hemoglobinopathies and metabolic disorders. Preclinical and preliminary clinical results suggest that cord blood stem cells may also be useful in the treatment of cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders and injuries, Type 1 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases1.

What is cord blood banking, and how is it done?Cord blood banking is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for parents to save the stems cells found in the blood of their newborn’s umbilical cord. Cord blood banking is safe for both the mother and the newborn since the cord blood is collected after the baby is born and the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut. Once the cord blood has been collected, it is sent to a laboratory for processing and storage in liquid nitrogen vapor.

There are two types of cord blood banks: public donation banks, and private family banks:

In a public bank, cord blood is •donated anonymously for potential use by a patient in need. Donors must meet eligibility requirements, and give birth in participating hospitals in order to donate to a public bank.

In a private family bank, the cord blood is collected •and stored for exclusive use by the baby and family members, should a need arise in the future.

How long can cord blood be stored?Current data reflects that cord blood stem cells stored for at least 15 years have the same composition as they did at the time of storage. As long as cord blood is continuously stored at liquid nitrogen temperatures (at minus 196 degrees Celsius), it will not lose viability or biological activity, and hence there is no expiration date. Further studies have to be conducted over time on the impact of long term cryogenic storage on stem cell viability.

How likely is it that my family will need to use stem cells?The science of stem cell therapy is expanding rapidly, so it is difficult to accurately calculate the odds that a family will use the cord blood or benefit from new treatments.

Family history is not the only indicator of need, because most forms of leukemia are not hereditary and the causes for many cancers and diseases are unknown. In fact many serious diseases treatable with cord blood are not hereditary and occur without warning. In some cases, certain types of cancers are growing at alarming rates. Recent reports indicate that 1 in 630 children will get cancer by age 15. 1 in 217 adults by age 702, will undergo autologous or allogeneric HSCT.

Cord Blood Composition

PlasmaNucleated cells PlateletsRed blood cells (RBCs)

Why do families choose to collect and store their baby’s cord blood?Families know that there is only one opportunity - at birth - to collect these genetically unique stem cells and if not taken, the cord blood is simply discarded.

Families recognize that their baby’s cord blood may offer a lifetime of protection:

The baby’s cord blood may be used to treat •nearly 80 diseases. Stem cells have been used for decades in life-saving treatments for diseases including leukemia, other cancers, and blood disorders.

Cord blood stem cells are showing significant •potential to treat conditions that have no cure today - like juvenile diabetes and brain injury.

The baby’s cord blood is immediately available for •the family if needed, and faster treatment is always better.

Can cord blood transplants be performed in Philippines?Yes, there is transplant expertise and capability in Philippines, which are located in The National Kidney and Transplant Institute, St. Luke’s Medical Center, and Asian Hospital and Medical Center, all based in metro Manila. These hospitals and institutes have the necessary facilities and clinicians to perform cord blood transplants.

What is HLA matching?HLA matching is the criteria used to determine donor and recipient compatability and generally refers to six proteins called Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA) that appear on the surface of white blood cells and other tissues in the body. A transplant can only be performed if there is an adequate HLA match between donor and recipient. With cord blood, the newborn immune cells are less mature than adult cells in bone marrow, and as a result, siblings have up to a 75% chance of using each other’s cord blood, compared to only 25% with bone marrow.

Reference:Harris D, Schumacher M, LoCascio J, et al. Phenotypic and functional immaturity of human umbilical cord blood T lymphocytes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

1992;89:10006-10010.

How is cord blood collected?The collection process of umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cells is quick and painless, posing no risk to either mother or baby. At the delivery room, the UCB is collected directly after the delivery of

the baby. It is then transported directly to CordLife’s laboratory facility, where it is tested, processed and cryogenically frozen.

Must siblings have the same blood type in order for cord blood to be used by another sibling?No, HLA matching is irrespective of blood types.

Is there any risk to my child or myself during collection?No. The cord blood is collected after your baby has been born and the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut. The collection is painless, easy, and safe for mother and baby.

How much does cord blood banking costs?CordLife customers pay an upfront collection, processing and first year storage fee upon sign-up. Subsequently, each year’s annual fee is S$250. You do not have to pay a collection fee to your obstetrician or gynaecologist.

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Cord blood stem cells

have been used to save

over 10,0003 patients

worldwide! Over 24,000

families worldwide have

entrusted their baby’s

cord blood with CordLife.

know? youDid

1An OB’s Guide to Cord Blood Banking, Contemporary OB/ GYN, 2008.

2Netfield JJ, Pasquini MC, Logan BR, Verter F, Horowitz MM. Lifetime probabilities of haematopoietic stem cell transplant in the U.S. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant> 2008; 14:316-322.

3Combined data from Via Cord, NYPC, Netcord, and NMDPDecember 2007.

(02) 470 1735

info@ph.cordlife.com

GuaranteeQuality

The

Southeast Asia’s only AABB accredited private stem cell bank with a successful stem cell transplant track record.

D r. Arvin C. Faundo, MD, graduated summa cum laude in Medical Technology from Cebu Doctors’

College, and completed his Doctor of Medicine degree at UP in Manila. In 2002, Dr. Faundo finished his residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at Philippine General Hospital. He then underwent post-residency training at the world-renowned Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, USA, in the areas of hematopathology and stem cell transplantation.

Because of his multi-disciplinary expertise, Dr. Faundo holds positions as Head, Section of Hematology, Department of Laboratories at Philippine General Hospital; Head, Sections of Hematology and Cellular Immunology, Department of Laboratory Medicine at the

National Kidney and Transplant Institute; Consultant Director, Section of Immunology, Department of Laboratories at The Medical City; Consultant in Bone Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Services at Asian Hospital and Medical Center; and Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Pathology at UP College of Medicine. He pioneered efforts in the area of autologous stem cell transplants in Philippines, and was also part of the transplant team that performed the first cord blood transplant in St. Luke’s Medical Center in 2004.

Our newly appointed Medical Consultant...

Information is correct at time of printing.

Dr. Arvin C. Faundo, MD, FPSPMedical Consultant, CordLife Medical Philippines Inc.

Pen down your questions for Dr. Arvin C. Faundo & email them to info@ph.cordlife.com